Mystical, humorous or deliberately elusive – the terms we use in the horse business can leave a rider scratching her head. I was a coach’s worst nightmare – “What do you mean by that?” I’d ask . I rarely got a meaningful answer. “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Einstein. … Read more Confusing horse training jargon.
Ever wonder…Why does the horse jump? For the love of it? Or simply easier to cooperate? Just thinking through what it’s like to be a horse is bound to make us better riders and appreciate our equine partners! “Consider, for example, a horse and rider preparing to jump a four-foot wall. Jumping serves the rider’s … Read more Why does the horse jump?
Sharing an article I wrote for Horse Canada a couple of yrs ago. Flying changes were a bit of a mystery to me as a young hunter rider. So this is a simplified explanation I’d give to my younger self as her coach!
“Mr Smith, I think for the sake of your daughter’s well-being, you should invest in a horse…” Reading an article about the effects smartphones and social media have on us, I‘d say the science is confirming that uneasiness many of us have our ever-present screens. Could it be we’re designed to thrive in real community … Read more A case to be made for saddle time vs. screen time!
At recent clinics for therapeutic riding facilities, we considered ideas to: teach a horse new “buttons” and erase those that are no longer needed fit a really effective skill tune- up into a minimum schooling time budget prevent sourness and unwanted habits evaluate a donated horse for suitability We solved some “horse puzzles” using … Read more How do you keep school horses fresh?
Volunteers – giving of themselves for the benefit of others. Working together toward a bigger story than their own. I had pleasure (and fun!) of working with staff and volunteers at two therapeutic riding facilities over the last two weekends. It’s SO easy to get lost in our own stories, isn’t it? Scrolling screens, and … Read more Volunteers. Getting involved in a bigger story!
