I’ve known and loved lots of horse families in my years of coaching. Riding students and their “pit crews”- those bound up in the bundle of life with them. Horse shows can pull families together…and sadly, others apart.
As coaches, let’s do our part to support our families – they’re the building blocks of our communities in a messy world.

Snowman, an $80 horse, purchased from among the “leftovers’ at auction became an acclaimed show jumper. Christmas is the story of hope found in unexpected places.- a hope that can’t be shaken and ultimately lasts – beyond the next political cycle or horse show season.

Would you say you’re always aware of what you’re saying to your horse? Riding techniques may vary but if we can put our riding aids into words we’re likely communicating clearly to our horse. And are we more intentional about the signals we send to horses we ride than the words we speak in casual (human) c
conversations?

A horse will tend to hide behind the bit if his rider’s hands are noisy or inconsistent. If it works, behind the bit becomes his default whether or not the threat is still present. This is “Avoidance Conditioning”. We do the same – once hurt we tend to protect ourselves from further hurt by avoiding a person vs. forgiving them, self-protection vs risking again.

Reliable brakes – not just for reining horses.
I’ve been thankful for horses that know “whoa” before they step on the reins, unseat a novice, or collide with an oncoming horse in the warm-up ring. A reliable way to stop a horse’s feet is essential when his tension’s rising, and BEFORE he hits flight mode!

Learning to carry on after a mistake in the show ring is part of becoming a savvy horse show competitor. Guard against one element of your pattern, course or test dominoing the remaining elements.