Horses don’t speak human. But if you “listen” with all of your senses, they absolutely communicate. Nothing will teach a rider to listen to their horse quite like prolonged lameness. Each time I approach my mare, my mind starts a checklist. “Is she bright-eyed? Was that a little swelling on her leg? Did she take […]
What’s the one thing you should do more regularly but don’t? Whether it’s riding more, eating right, cursing less, exercising, cleaning tack, or writing blog posts, this simple trick will help keep you motivated. Intention+Motivation=Action I began this practice in 2012 while training for my first half-marathon. I’m using it now to track exercise in […]
I have saddle bags. And not the kind that carry your lunch. These are the kind a few over-indulgent lunches become. I will turn 30 in the Year of the Horse. I am determined to lose (and not find) ten pounds. I believe it will improve my riding. Studies estimate that horses can carry from […]
Boarding barns are a little like daycare. If one horse gets sick, it’s just a matter of time before the whole barn is exposed. There is a mild viral respiratory bug (thankfully not Strangles and not Herpes) making the rounds in the D.C. Metropolitan area. I keep my mare at a very clean barn with […]
Horses are built to move. These powerful grazing herbivores are not adapted to a sedentary lifestyle. While most tolerate periods of time spent in a barn, horses (and people!) are healthier and happier with consistent exercise. To remedy this, we have to work both his mind and his body: to harness the feedback loop between […]
With my mare in recovery from two ligament injuries, I’ve gotten creative: dreaming up things we can do in the stall, on the lead, and under saddle in straight lines mostly at the walk. I had a world of trouble finding guidance on the internet. Most exercises were tailored for horses with bony injuries. Soft […]
Capital Cowgirl 