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Comparing Training Schedules

Posted:

April 25, 2019

am I overtraining my horse? drawbacks of overtraining your horse, how much should I train my horse? how much time should I leave between horse training sessions?

If you are repeatedly training your horse to do the same task every day, a recent study suggests that you could well be spending your time more productively. The research, by equine scientists from Germany and Australia, found that allowing horses breaks of two days between training sessions rather than training daily results in similar learning progress over a period of 28 days. The researchers suggest that such a training schedule might be considered to make more efficient use of trainers’ – and horses’ – time.

Survival in the Back Country: Be Prepared

Posted:

April 9, 2019

back country survival, christian mceachern, riding back country, horse riding back country, packing trip, saddle horn

It’s a beautiful day to head out to the mountains for some playtime. You grab your horse and tack and head out in the afternoon for a quick ride to your favourite spot. It’s 28 degrees Celcius and you don’t see a cloud in the sky. You grab a light windbreaker for “just in case,” get on your horse, and soon you’re enjoying the peaceful sights, sounds, and smells of the forest.

Research on Perceptions and Use of Horse Training Equipment

Posted:

March 14, 2019

Equine Guelph researchers are continuing to put Canada on the map in the world of horse welfare research – this time focusing on the use of training equipment in horses. The researchers, led by Dr. Katrina Merkies, were interested in how often riders and trainers use training equipment, such as whips, spurs, and head-control equipment (martingales, draw reins, etc.), and how often horse enthusiasts not actively involved with horses think that the equipment is used.

Breathe Right For Better Riding

Posted:

February 16, 2019

effective breathing techniques for horse riders, how to breathe properly when horse riding, overcoming nervous breathing when horse riding

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.

Equine Physiology & Fitness

Posted:

November 28, 2018

jec aristotle ballou dressage exercises dressage stretches english riding stretches equine stretches horse stretching carrot stretches equine physiology horse fitness

Simple Exercises and Routines to Reprogram Dysfunctional Movement - As tempting as it is to use our riding skills and training expertise when teaching a horse to carry his body differently or when rehabbing post-layoff, this actually slows the process down. Somehow, many of us equestrians missed this crucial fact during our educations.

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.