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Outdoor Air for Indoor Care

Maintaining fresh air, comfortable temperature, and a well-lit environment for horses and humans through our ever-changing weather is challenging but achievable and economical – the natural way. And ventilating the barn properly is not only advantages to animal health, but …

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Rockin’ Out Cross Country Style

The very first thing I should do is clarify that it was not me who was rockin’ the cross country course on Luc. But I did get to attend the lesson as spectator and official golf cart seat warmer/photographer and …

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Eyes Up, Leg On

The old mantra from my previous coaches ran through my mind a lot this ride. Eyes up, leg on. It’s something I know I need to work on. I’ve started looking at photos of me riding a little more critically, …

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Spring Song Up on a Pedestal

This photo was taken Sunday. Spring Song is standing on a rotating top pedestal that has been secured so that it won’t rotate. Once Spring Song is secure in placing her hooves in the middle of the top of the …

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Noodle Obstacle

Here are photos taken by Ron with his phone/camera. This is the first time Spring Song saw the noodle obstacle. Ron and Bill walked through it and I rode through it. I did not lead her through it first. What …

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Next Challenge: Finding a Saddle to Fit It’s-All-Good

Sports psychology fascinates me, and often inspires a new line of approach on how to think about a horse, a situation, a competition ride. Proponent of positive thinking, Martin Seligmann’s definition of ‘being-in-the-zone’ has proven accurate beyond measure, and recently …

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Saving Belle and Sundance

The story of the Belle and Sundance rescue was going around Canada and around the world at warp speed. Read about their story here.
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Attack of the Invisible Bugs

It seems now that we’re out of the arena and away from the invisible monsters that live there, Luc has uncovered another invisible threat – bugs. The trouble with this new form of invisible attacker is that it isn’t always …

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Acclimatization

So, we did end up going for our first ride. Jean-Pierre took me to his son’s place, who marked trails on a map for me. I am not allowed to ride on the 20km long beach near Arromanches until after …

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The New Three R’s for Pastures: Rest, Rotate, Repeat!

Grass is one of the cheapest foods available. Are you taking proper advantage of it for your land and animals? Using a pasture management system is essential for a renewable future.

Rotational grazing has become very common over the past …

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What Clicker-Trained Horses Learn in Kindergarten

In 1988 Robert Fulghum wrote his book: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. So what do our clicker-trained horses learn in Kindergarten? Lots of fun things! Check out this video for some great examples.

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It’s-all-Good Gets an Adjustment

Challenges everywhere right now – not ‘just’ the North American Horsewoman’s Challenge. That’s an understatement, but let’s keep to the youngster right now, and he’s throwing ‘em up everywhere – my brain cells are tired!

When he arrived back at …

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Spring Song’s Intro to Loading

Spring Song had two practice sessions with Dominique’s small two-horse trailer in preparation for the trip to Orangeville Sunday July 27, 2014 where there was a show. The goal was to place her in a stall and let her absorb …

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So Many Firsts

We are experiencing firsts for everything lately that are piling one into another now: first time the colt’s worked out with other humans, first time he’s been pastured with other horses since arriving, first time he’s worked ‘flagged’ in the …