Nestled in the San Miguel Tecpan region of Mexico lies a quaint ranch, overlooking the State of Mexico Valley, awaiting eager riders to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the area on amazing horses. Rancho Las Margaritas, approximately 50 km northeast of the Mexico City International Airport, is named after owner Alejandro Villaseñor’s wife and daughter, both named Margarita. Until now, the ranch had only received friends and family members, but Villaseñor and his best friend and business partner, Gustavo Saavedra, have decided to invite outside guests to their exquisite location. Through Unicorn Trails horse riding travel agency, myself and two friends, Ewa and Carrie, were fortunate enough to be the first official public guests in November 2024.

Canadian winters bring plenty of challenges for horse owners. From breaking ice out of water buckets to hauling pails by hand and pushing heavy wheelbarrows through deep drifts, the work is demanding. Yet these chores are part of ensuring horses stay healthy during a season that, along with snow, freezing rain, and bitter temperatures, also brings health risks such as thrush, mud fever, dehydration-related colic, and respiratory problems.

"The health of the gut is directly influenced by the state of the nervous and endocrine systems, our main barometers for stress." When my newest addition to our small herd, Gwynna — a 40-inch, five-year-old Shetland-Mini cross — arrived last summer, she was overweight, sore, and dehydrated. I quickly discovered that gut health was an issue for her, namely impaction. After our first and thankfully the only emergency call, my vet explained that Miniature horses are prone to impaction colic. Combine this tendency with 30-degree Celsius heat and the stress of a new space, herd, and hay, and she was a prime candidate for problems.

Why your words matter more than you think - If you’ve been following along with my sport psychology articles, you’ll know that we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the power of our thoughts. One of the core skills in sport psychology is learning to use positive self-talk — challenging unhelpful or negative thoughts and intentionally replacing them with thoughts that support us. It’s a skill that helps athletes build confidence, stay composed, and approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset.

Ron Turcotte, the Canadian jockey whose name is forever linked with Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown victory in 1973, has died at age 84. His family, through longtime business partner and friend Leonard Lusky, said he passed away of natural causes on August 22, 2025 at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick.

When humans first climbed onto horseback, a saddle was devised to keep riders stable and to help horses perform their duties. Early designs were purely practical, tailored to the demands of war, travel, and sport. Social convention also left its mark: since women were expected to remain modestly attired in long skirts, the side-saddle emerged, allowing them to ride without straddling a horse.

How clear communication and great preparation is your best support for an easy transition.

Keeping Circles on Track - The equestrian’s quest for the perfect circle crosses all disciplines. For Western and English riders, geometry matters. Horse show judges expect to see circles of uniform size and curves ridden with the horse’s body shaped to follow the arc. In dressage and reining, riders must show a clear distinction between large and small circles. In working equitation, circles around barrels and figure-eights must be symmetrical. In equitation and horsemanship patterns, judges frown on oval-shaped “circles.” In all classes, judges will deduct marks for circles of inaccurate size and over-arced or counter-flexed body alignment.

While one can’t plan for every form of disaster, it’s important to familiarize yourself with any potential risks that could occur in your area and plan for them accordingly. Planning ahead can allow horse owners the opportunity to stay composed and act quickly in an emergency situation.