What makes a good dressage horse breed? The most successful dressage horses have a strong back and powerful hindquarters to create energy and impulsion. A classical dressage horse breed is a highly athletic horse. They have long legs, or at least the ability to take long strides. An “uphill build” is important in a classical […]
Horse Ownership
21 Best Horse Breeds For Larger or Heavy Riders
The best horse breed for heavy riders is one that is stocky and athletic enough to carry weight with ease. How much weight can a horse carry? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. What kind of weight? One factor is, what kind of weight is it? A horse will have […]
19 Important Mental Health Benefits of Horse Sports
I call it “the magic of horses”. That *something* about working with a 1,000+ pound flight animal that’s good for the soul. But there is more and more evidence that it’s good for the brain too. The majority of the research cited in this article refers specifically to horseback riding or therapeutic horseback riding. However, […]
Speak In A Way That Your Horse Wants To Listen
My husband and I recently attended a marriage conference where the keynote speaker emphasized the concept “Speak in such a way that your spouse wants to listen to you, and listen in such a way that your spouse wants to speak to you”. This is an important principal to practice in order for our marriages […]
Training My Own Horse: Imposter Syndrome
Training your own horse as an amateur is hard. Not just from a technical and skills perspective, but also from a mental and emotional perspective. I must be a glutton for this kind of punishment, because every time I’ve owned a horse I’ve trained it myself, starting at age 10 with very little preparation. Training […]
The Bay’s First Year: What We’ve Accomplished
Today is the first anniversary of the day I brought The Bay home. I think this is the perfect time to reflect on our relationship, my horse training goals, and what we’ve accomplished together so far.