Even though weight is a very taboo subject in the United States, and body image issues are rampant in the world of equestrian sports, addressing the questions of rider’s weight is important. While horses have a remarkable amount of strength, and are tremendously stoic...
There seem to be as many ideas about riding as there are people in the world. Some picture cowboys, galloping across the plains in the American west with fancy silver bits. Some picture the riders of the Spanish riding school performing advanced maneuvers on...
People picking a horse’s name think of many things when they are deciding. My horse’s name came to me before he was even born. Since his mother’s name was Aba, by breed registry rules her foal’s name had to start with A. I settled on Alegría for a girl and Aston...
Who doesn’t love the spidery legs, the fuzzy mane and tail, the silky baby fur and velvety muzzle of a foal? The idyllic images of a mare and her baby running through the grass make the rest of the world disappear as the beauty of motherly love takes the viewer’s...
Have you ever heard the expression, “the foot makes the horse?” It is true in so many different ways, not the least of which is the comfort and footing usual to your horse. A horse’s body is a delicate and well-balanced machine, and any one piece that is thrown out of...
When I was a little child, I found a length of rope that had no apparent purpose laying around my parents garden. I immediately claimed it as a lead rope for the horse I would one day own. I finally got my first horse when I was 25 years old, and the preparations I...
Virtually every horse person knows the familiar sounds of horses - happy nickers, snorts, munching hay, and of course, the clippety-clop of horse hooves. As symbols of good luck, many believe that horseshoes belong with horses automatically. At the same time, with the...
Who doesn’t love the image of a cute, fuzzy pony relaxing in the middle of a field? While ponies in general are furrier than horses, an older furry pony may not be the picture of idyllic adorableness you might expect. Sometimes this can be a sign of a chronic...
Ah, shedding season. When every grooming session becomes an upper body workout. When every grooming session is an exercise in transferring all your horse’s hair from his body to your own, and he looks just the same at the end after an hour as he did at the beginning....
Many horse owners turn to rubber stall mats for a cushioned, easy to clean flooring, and there are many options on the market for just that. It is important when choosing a mat to consider the particular needs of your horse. How much time per day does he spend on the...
Winter weather is the year’s best in rain, cold and wind. Those of us who have horses do not have the luxury of hibernating inside our warm houses until spring returns. We get to watch their best efforts to thwart our best efforts to keep them as warm and dry as we...
Recognizing when a horse is in pain is not just a handy parlor trick. If you can recognize pain in your horse, this can mean the difference in catching a simple ouchie early, or missing a minor affliction and causing a serious injury that sidelines him for months....