I had used a cross-country saddle before. I had sat in one during lessons, hacked in one around the farm, and taken one to schooling days where the jumps…
Posts
The First Time I Rode a Cross-Country Saddle Correctly
Why I Roast Marshmallows at the End of a Horse Trial Day
By the time the last horse has left the cross-country warm-up and the final scores are posted, I am usually operating on adrenaline, dust, and whatever snacks…
What The Barn Community Taught Me About Support
Support in the equestrian world rarely arrives with a speech or a dramatic gesture. More often, it looks like someone holding a horse while I tighten a girth,…
Seeing My Dressage Position More Clearly
I used to think I knew what my position looked like because I could feel when I was sitting tall, keeping my heels down, or riding with an even rein contact.…
Finding Your Way Back After a Fall
A fall can be over in a few seconds, yet its effects may follow you into the lorry, the arena, the yard, and even your sleep. The physical bruises are often…
Why I tape my horse’s legs for cross-country
Cross-country asks a lot of a horse’s legs. There are solid fences, uneven ground, awkward landings, water crossings, banks, ditches, combinations, and the…
What I wish I knew about feeding for energy at events
For a long time, I thought energy at an event came down to one simple decision: give the horse enough feed, and make sure I ate breakfast. That approach…
The Quiet Joy Of A Post-Training Hack
After a week filled with structured schooling, fitness work, transitions, poles, and the steady pressure to improve, a quiet hack can feel almost too simple to…
A calmer warm-up ring starts long before show day
A busy warm-up ring can make even a reliable horse feel as if the whole world has changed. Horses are sensitive to movement, noise, tension, and proximity,…
Why Weather Belongs in My Competition Checklist
I always check the weather before a competition because the forecast affects nearly every decision I make at a horse trial. It changes what goes into the…