Just like training a horse, taking your time to build the basics will make you stronger and fitter in the long run. We all know a strong foundation is the key to any horse’s training, and we’ve all been tempted to move a young horse up a few levels quicker than normal rather than taking the extra time to teach him all the basics, especially if he is talented and seems naturally ready to do upper level movements or jump bigger jumps.

When I first bought my mare, Fire Foot MR5, as a two-year-old, getting on her back was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, she actually stayed at the breeders for several months to continue to grow up and enjoy being a "kid." Even when I brought Fire home last May, the prospect of getting on her was no closer to the forefront of my mind.

Horseback Riding is a unique sport shared by many and as an outsider looking in it might seem a bit unusual. SmartPak has brought to us hilarity and realness in their “Ask a Non-Rider” video series and the latest does not disappoint. Check out the Jumper Commentary from Non-Riders at SmartPak for your daily giggle:

Not sure if you should be clipping your horses whiskers or not? Ask a vet! Horse Channel already did it for you with Dr. Lydia Gray.

The Village of East Harbor Senior Living Community in Michigan recently had a very special guest. The Clydesdale Renee, otherwise known as “Neigh-Neigh,” brought some much needed joy to every senior citizen in the nursing home. While it might not seem possible to bring a horse of that size indoors, all it took was little planning and patience.

It’s common to call a horse brave – but is it really bravery or just good training? Doctor Debbie Marsden put this theory to the test using a heart rate monitor and stress based training sessions. Find out more by checking out this video from BBC Earth:

In early May 2017, firefighters in Medicine Hat, Alberta, received a call to help a Clydesdale horse that had fallen through the floor of a trailer while in transport. With the help of lifting bags, cribbing, and shoring equipment they were able to lift and stabilize the trailer to allow the horse to stand up and exit on its own. There were four other horses in the trailer and all have been reported as safe. This is a timely reminder to check the floorboards of your trailer before hauling your horses anywhere this spring and summer. 

With a lifelong dream of owning her own horse, her trainer Clarissa Czyprynski Laughlin wanted to make sure that dream would be fulfilled. She was talking to friend and fellow trainer, Cathy Hanson, about starting a fundraiser to do so, when Cathy said she had a horse she could just give to Lauren. A week later Smokin ARoan, aka Leo, joined the Mullins family.

The thing about letting go of a dream is that it never truly goes away. Looking back on that day in September, 2015, I was a total bundle of nerves and for good reason. I had just traveled across my home province of BC to “see a man about a horse.” Actually, it was to see a woman about a filly – a filly I had dreamed about long before she even existed

By Bridget Braden-Olson

An equestrian spends long hours daily at the barn, from riding to grooming to cleaning and everything else in between. For successful eating habits while away from the house, planning ahead is imperative.

When I managed the Peters’ barn way back in the day, I ended up being at the barn from 7 am until 6 pm with a lesson at 5:45 in the morning. You can’t complain when you work outside with horses all day, but my eating habits soon became a big problem for me.