If you have ever watched a horse suck back at a feed bucket the moment the float pulls up at a competition venue, you already understand why showing day…
Posts
Why I feed small meals more often on show days
What My Horse’s Ears Tell Me During a Dressage Test
A dressage test can look very quiet from the judge’s box. The horse trots down the centre line, the rider gives small aids, and every movement appears…
A weekly jump schooling plan that builds rider confidence
Every rider I know has had at least one moment where the canter feels heavier than usual, the stride shortens two fences out, and the ground suddenly looks…
Why a Five-Minute Nightly Reflection Sends Me to Sleep Faster
After a long weekend at an event, with the float loaded and the horse rugged, I usually climb into bed feeling every minute of the day. The brain keeps running…
What a Double-Clear at Preliminary Really Taught Me About Patience
I'll never forget the feeling of standing in the truck afterwards, still wearing my cross-country colours, replaying the final seconds of the course in my…
A Calmer Way to Mount a Horse That Will Not Stand Still
A horse that walks away, swings its quarters, backs up, or sidesteps as soon as the mounting block appears can make a simple part of riding feel like a daily…
Why A Lunge-Line Dressage Test Helps Horse And Rider
Dressage tests can feel very different when the letters, judge’s box and familiar arena suddenly become part of a competition day. At home, a movement may seem…
Why I Bring a Camera to Every Eventing Event
I never used to pack a camera. My kit bag was already bursting with saddle pads, gloves, a half-pack of carrots and the usual pile of braiding bands, and a…
A Four-Standard Grid Exercise for Better Rhythm and Confidence
Gridwork can look complicated when you walk into an arena filled with wings, fillers, rails and measuring tape. It does not need to be. With four standards, a…
What One-Sided Vision Taught Me in the Saddle
Some horses teach you through brilliance. They make a complicated movement feel easy, jump the widest fence on the course, or gallop cross-country as if they…