The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris cause me to reflect on the earliest Olympic Games. These beautiful marble friezes are on the south and west sides of the Parthenon, built in the 5th century BC Athens, Greece. Presumably, these images portray the quality of equitation at that time. The holes on some of the horses’ […]
Riding skills
Your Horse’s Reflexes Matter
n our quest to keep our horses relaxed, focused, and confident, we must understand involuntary reflexes and distinguish them from voluntary actions. Although involuntary reflexes are essential to horses’ survival, they certainly impact equestrians as well. Some equine involuntary reflexes keep us safe as we ride our horses, while others, such as spooking and kicking, […]
The Bitted or Bit-Free Debate
Whether on the race-track, in the arena, or trekking cross-country, the search for excellence in equitation has been going on for thousands of years. It is no easy task to balance the interests of two different species. Fortunately, scientific research has provided the horse community with in-depth studies to make the task easier. Recently, bitted […]
Develop a Stable Seat Without Leaving the House
Many riding problems can be solved before you sit on your horse. For instance, do you consistently lose your left or right stirrup? Does your saddle always slip to the same side every time you ride? When your horse halts, does your body fall forward over his withers? Does your riding instructor nag you about […]
Straightness Practice – Transforming Your Riding a Step at a Time
Constant tugging on the reins to keep a horse straight is a common response to a common problem. However, straightness issues often stem from an imbalance in either the horse or the rider. There are several solutions that, when used together, can resolve the problem permanently. Straightness is often treated as the horse’s problem rather […]
After a Fall – How to Prevent Repeat Performances
A fall from a moving horse can leave emotional scars long after the bruises and bones have healed. It is those scars that most riders dutifully hide while hoping for no further episodes. Unfortunately, the very act of hiding emotional scars can lead to new ones. When accidents occur, honest reflection on the events leading […]
Developing Confidence – Teach Your Horse to be Courageous
Like humans, horse temperaments can fluctuate between curious, brave, timid, and easily frightened. As horse owners, it is our responsibility to help our horses face new experiences with confidence. For instance, a dear friend’s horse was the clear winner at a well-known dressage event until it spooked when a spectator opened her parasol. Another friend […]
The Half Halt – a Horse and Rider’s Best Friend
Does your horse resist, fall forward, stumble, or buck when you initiate transitions between walk, trot, or canter? If so, learning to use the half halt might be the solution you’ve been looking for. The half halt is essential for smooth transitions and is as natural as walking. Horses and humans perform half halts throughout […]
The New Age of Equitation – The Woman’s Touch
For at least five thousand years, the equine world revolved around herding, hunting, farming, freight, and war, and was considered a man’s domain. The secrets of training and riding these powerful animals were carefully passed from man to man long before the Greek general Xenophon wrote his book on the handling and care of warhorses […]
A Bit of History
Does your horse toss his head, lean on the bit, rear, gape his mouth, go above or below the bit, refuse to perform, bolt, rear, buck, refuse to be bridled, or switch from sweet on the ground to a monster once you are mounted? Have you resorted to stronger bits, flash nosebands, martingales, spurs, and […]
Trail-Riding Tips
Trail riding is one of the most popular equestrian activities, and these tips from seasoned trail riders with decades of experience and thousands of miles on the trail can help make your time on the trail safer and more enjoyable. Before You Go Ensure your horse is physically fit, calm, and experienced enough for trail […]
Putting the “Whoa” in the “All-Go” Horse – Unlocking the Secret of Transitions, Control, Balance, and Collection
Many equestrians have encountered the “All go and no whoa” horse who gallops for miles, mane flying in the wind, while riders cling desperately to the reins in an attempt to gain control. Often, the very act of pulling on the reins exacerbates the problem. Horses may stretch their necks to escape the discomfort of […]
Who is in Your Horse’s Circle of Trust?
We all have a circle of trust—an invisible boundary that contains our loved ones, those we can depend on through good times and bad. Sometimes, the only person in our circle of trust is ourselves. Horses also have a circle of trust. At birth, this circle includes just two individuals: the foal and its mother. […]