“Most people don’t need a $35,000 horse. They need a $1,000 horse and $34,000 in lessons.” -Author Unknown
Riding a one-eyed horse
Thankfully, my horse Spiker is back on track after his injury 10 months ago. He had a small tear in his suspensory ligament on the right-hind leg after a freak paddock accident in September. AfterContinue reading
Virtual Badminton 2011 Coursewalk
I caught this great video on EventingNation.com, which is a virtual coursewalk of the international three-day event Badminton. Held annually since 1949, the show takes place in the event park of Badminton House in Gloucestershire,Continue reading
Frothy white sweat? Not good.
We have all seen riders at our farms, competitions or even ourselves working sweaty horses. The temperature may be hot, the workload might be intense, or even a combination of the two. As many ridersContinue reading
Recipe to make hanging horse treats
If anyone else has a horse on stall rest like I do, you are aware of the challenges of keeping your horse occupied for the hours and hours of confinement. They are no fun forContinue reading
Famous dressage stallion’s first foal born
The legendary Moorlands Totilas’ first foal was born on Sunday, January 23rd 2011 at a veterinary hospital in Utrecht, located in the Netherlands. The filly was named Moorlands Guinevere and her owners, Moorlands Stables, areContinue reading
Spiker: Money goes in but does not come out
Unfortunately, in my horse’s case no news is not good news. Back in September 2010, Spiker was having a minor fit at being left alone in a paddock after his friend was taken away forContinue reading
Want to make mucking easier? Try electric wheelbarrows
Interested in saving time while mucking stalls? As any farm owner or commercial stable manager will tell you, getting the stalls clean and fresh can be a very physically repetitive and time-consuming task. While readingContinue reading
George Morris Horsemastership Clinic 2011
Feeling bummed you weren’t able to head down to West Palm for this year’s 2011 George Morris Horsemastership clinic? Never fear, the USEF is here! This year, the entire clinic was filmed and now theContinue reading
Win a John Whitaker saddle and bridle
The new horse-related website ShowJumpingInternational.com has joined the online horse community. The site is still in development, but promises to host videos, training tips, competitions and much more. An exciting contest they are offering isContinue reading
Rechargeable shoe inserts to keep feet warm
Regardless of the temperature, those of us who have to manage horses in cold climates can find it a struggle to stay warm. Throughout the winter, we still have to ride, muck and teach despiteContinue reading
How to wash Back on Track horse products
If you are like me, you are constantly looking for ways to improve your horse’s performance (or keep them healthy and sound!) While there are a wide variety of alternative therapies available to horse owners,Continue reading
Blanketing horses for winter
In many parts of the country, weather has been changing and growing cooler. Time for winter! While many owners may pull out the first blanket that may suit the temperature, there are additional factors toContinue reading
Hunter Derbies
A relatively new division that is gaining popularity in the United States at hunter/jumper shows are hunter derbies. These classes are a throwback to more traditional hunter riding styles, emphasizing forward and bold trips whileContinue reading
Questions about colic? Ask a vet online
The Horse.com is offering equine enthusiasts a chance to ask their colic-related questions in a live Q&A session on Wednesday October 14th, 2010. The veterinarians that will be answering your questions are Anthony Blikslager, DVM,Continue reading
The Equine Spine
The Equine Spine Here is a great article about the diagnostics used by top veterinarians specializing in the equine back. While many owners believe their horse may have some back problems, palpation is not enoughContinue reading
Police blow up large toy pony in Florida
Nothing says terror threat like a cuddly, rideable toy horse. Watch this video of a bomb squad blowing up a toy horse that was considered suspicious near a children’s playground.
Spruce Meadows | The Masters Tournament
This week in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) the largest Canadian showjumping venue Spruce Masters is holding its annual Masters Tournament from September 8th – 12th 2010. Olympic-class competitors travel from all corners of the world toContinue reading
Keeping horses cool in the hot summer
When the humidex begins to reach above the 100*f mark, you know it’s hot out. The air gets still and heavy, and it seems like there is no escape from the hot temperatures. But whatContinue reading
Young owner fights to save disfigured foal’s life
What a sad story. In the Daily Mail newspaper out of the UK, young Maddison Biddlecombe is trying to save the life of her disfigured foal Diego. He has an abnormality called Wry Nose SyndromeContinue reading
Joint disease: Adequan, Legend and more…
Joint disease typically starts very insidiously, and can be missed by even the most attentive owner. Some horses are more stoic than others, and a small mis-step can turn into front or hind end lameness.Continue reading
Incredible jumping effort!
Here is a clip of a video I found on YouTube this morning. While the upbeat music and the video montage of horses jumping is neat, it was the horse in the first 20 secondsContinue reading
10 Things You Need to Know About Horses
10. Horses are people too You head off to the barn after a hard day at work, excited to lose your troubles with a good ride… and your horse is TERRIBLE. He won’t come toContinue reading
The Horse | A New Breed of Bridle (Bitless)
The Horse | A New Breed of Bridle (Bitless) Posted using ShareThis
Spiker’s first post-surgery jumping lesson
In our Wednesday lesson, my coach finally suggested we put Spiker over some jumps to see how he felt about it. While we warmed up, he set a small crossrail fence in the center ofContinue reading
The unofficial smallest horse in the world
A tiny minature colt was born on Friday, named “Einstein”. Weighing in at 9lbs, his owners would like him to be considered for the Guinness Book of Records. Click on the video below to learnContinue reading
Icelandic horses in danger
Local farmers and horse owners in Iceland are concerned about their livestock and horses due to the health impact the ash cloud that is the result of the recent volcanic activity. Residents have been cautionedContinue reading
Get well soon, Courtney Dye
MyHorseChat.com wishes a speedy recovery for Courtney Dye (nee King), who was injured while schooling a horse in Florida on March 3rd, 2010. Courtney is well known in dressage circles, and was a competitor inContinue reading
Ride a dressage test online
For those who don’t have the finances to participate in dressage shows, a website called InterDressage.com has created the perfect solution. For $15.00 USD, entrants can fill out a form and send in a dressageContinue reading
How to ship a saddle
With wonderful websites like Ebay.com and UsedSaddles.com, it gives owners and riders more options than ever to buy saddles from across the state, country or even internationally. There are a lot of advantages including costContinue reading
Making progress with Spiker
We have been making big strides forward in our attempt to return to full work/jumping. I was very happy to do whatever he was physically able to after his enucleation surgery (whether that be dressage,Continue reading
Handy show tips for hunters and jumpers
Horse shows can be confusing for those who are just starting out. As the season approaches, many people are preparing to enter their first horse show. Show Ring Ready is a good source of practicalContinue reading
Regaining confidence while hacking
It finally feels like spring! Apparently we are going to have winter for another three weeks, however I have been taking advantage of the 60-degree weather and taking Spiker out to the 1/2 mile trackContinue reading
Excellent equine healthcare blog
I stumbled upon the EquidBlog today and was fascinated by many of the posts. It is published by the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is coordinated by Drs. ScottContinue reading
Martha Stuart teaches Conan O’Brien Horsemanship
**Please note this video contains some mildly offensive language! Conan O’Brien interviews Martha Stewart – watch more funny videos
Quote of the Day
When they lay me down to rest put my spurs and rope upon my chest. Get my friends to carry me and then go turn my horses free. -Clyde Kennedy, American Horse Show Association’s HorsemanContinue reading
Horse physiology and saddle fitting
Many saddle fitting books and videos focus on the fit of the saddle to the horse. I particularly like this video because it focuses on the horse; his individual shape and musculature. Dr. Joanna RobsonContinue reading
Re-learning how to lunge
Breakthrough! Its been just over four months since Spiker had his eye removed. The swelling finally went completely down after about four to five weeks. Even though he has the silicone ball prosthetic, the eyeContinue reading
Dressage “rap video”
For a change of pace, here is a short rap video that involves dressage. Obviously done as a parody, it’s a cute poke of fun at the discipline by a comedian.