Perfecting The Rein-Back

When your mounted horse is backing calmly and well, his legs will be working together in diagonal pairs, his head and neck will be somewhat extended, his mouth will be closed, and his movements will be smooth, straight, and relaxed. …

10 Show Ring Etiquette Tips

A horse show can be a hectic day, and as well as being attentive to your horse’s needs by providing shade, water, hay and a kind word and pat once in a while, there are also things such as your …

Be the Best Student you can be

When it comes to riding, there is always more to learn. Despite becoming a coach several years ago, I still take lessons to improve my own riding. However, after so many years of being a student, becoming a coach really …

Showmanship at Halter

The AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) describes its purpose as “designed to evaluate the exhibitor’s ability to execute, in concert with a well-groomed and conditioned horse, a set of manoeuvres [moves] prescribed by the judge with precision and smoothness while …

Bitless? Why Not!

There are many reasons why you might want to try it. Here are some helpful points to think about if you’re interested in bitless riding.

You might want to try bitless because:

– Your horse doesn’t like the bit – …

How to Warm-Up for a Better Ride

If your warm-up consists of walking or trotting a few times around the arena, you’re not getting the best performance from your horse (or yourself). A good warm-up routine gets you both focused and ready to work – mentally and …

Forging a Future

Thousands of eyes gaze upon my slender frame as I jump the rails into a sandy show ring in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1973. I’m clutching four tools in my hands and have four horse shoe nails in my shorts …

Pain and Gain: AQHA Welfare Concerns

A Utah horse trainer with a history of launching strange and unsuccessful lawsuits has found an unlikely ally in his latest court battle.

American Quarter Horse Association hall of famer Carol Harris has leant her support to Edward Allan Buck’s …

Understanding Sepsis

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection, which can affect the prognosis of horses in emergency situations.