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Moving Sideways, or Moving Mindfully?

Posted:

September 26, 2018

horse to lateral work Jec A. Ballou prancing dressage horses, lateral movements shoulder-in haunches-in dressage exercises, conditioning horse, offer unrivaled conditioning effects for almost any equine athlete

Why and when to introduce your horse to lateral work - While they used to be predominantly the domain of prancing dressage horses, lateral movements like shoulder-in and haunches-in offer unrivaled conditioning effects for almost any equine athlete. Exercise science has shown them to be on par with gymnastic routines like hill repeats and cavalletti routines in terms of muscle recruitment, with a bonus of altering motor sensory patterns. Below I will explain how and why you might consider incorporating them.

Build Your Horse’s Confidence - Part 1

Posted:

September 18, 2018

horse groundwork, Build Your Horse’s Confidence with jonathan field, natural horsemanship, exercises with horses, jonathan field dragging a log, horse confidence

Dragging a Log - Helping horses build their confidence in unique ways can prepare them for the unexpected. At any age or with any discipline, I encourage riders to find ways to challenge themselves and their horses by trying new things and teaching them that they can trust you when they feel worried. I see so many horses that are incredibly sheltered by their owners and, as a result, become so fragile that any little thing causes them too much anxiety.

Build Your Horse’s Confidence - Part 2

Posted:

September 14, 2018

Build Your Horse’s Confidence with jonathan field, natural horsemanship, exercises with horses, jonathan field dragging a log, horse confidence

Build Your Horse's Confidence - In the previous article Build Your Horse's Confidence Part 1, I demonstrated how to build confidence around a horse’s personal space bubble by dragging a post with my new seven-year-old Canadian Warmblood named Bellagio, or “Geo.”

Turn Pushy Horses Around with Three Simple Lessons

Posted:

August 31, 2018

Jonathan Field pushy horse, how do i control my horse, how do i stop bad horse behaviour, horse to behave, hold and wait horse, horse yield

You are who your friends are. That adage can apply to horses, too. How we treat them will often be reflected right back at us - for good or bad. Sometimes the difference between a harsh cue and an appropriate one can be subtle. Pressure can be effective, but intensity and timing can make all the difference.

Managing the Senior Performance Horse

Posted:

August 2, 2018

how can i keep my horse fit, how can i condition an old horse, dr kirby pentilla, conditioning older horse, caring for an older horse, joint injections horse, senior performance horse

When you have finally found the perfect horse to take you to the winner’s circle, it’s tough to realize that he or she might be getting old. Many horses are now competing well into their late teens and early twenties, especially in certain disciplines such as dressage or show jumping where it takes many years of training to reach an elite level of competition. However, from a veterinary perspective, horses are considered geriatric as they reach the age of 15 to 20 years, which is when their physiological functions start to decline. The management of these horses becomes crucial to keep them competing at their best.

How to Find the Money for Horse Sports

Posted:

July 29, 2018

obtaining capital for Horse Sports, getting money for Horse Sport, gathering money for Horse Sport, Crowdfunding for horse sports

Finding the money for horse sport can be challenging, but with ingenuity, riders can discover funding in unusual places. Cash with minimal strings attached is available through grants, bursaries, awards, and scholarships.

Breathe Right For Better Riding

Posted:

July 15, 2018

We breathe more than 20,000 times a day. Most of the time, we don’t give it much thought, since we do it automatically and all seems to go well… except when it doesn’t.