Cross-country speed is often described as a number on a score sheet, but a successful round is built from much more than an average pace. It depends on rhythm,…
Posts
Building A Cross-Country Speed Strategy For Your Horse
The Quiet Magic of a Perfect Canter
There is a particular moment in riding when effort seems to disappear. The reins feel quiet, the saddle feels balanced, and the horse’s stride begins to carry…
The Quiet Moments Between Fences at a Horse Trial
A horse trial is usually remembered in snapshots: a clean line of show jumps, a splash through the water, a tense halt in front of the dressage judge, or a…
Why I Always Pack a Spare Pair of Breeches
There are things I remember clearly from horse trials: the sound of hooves on the start box ramp, the sudden quiet before entering the dressage arena, and the…
How I Use Visualization Before a Jump Round
Before I enter a show-jumping arena, I spend time riding the course in my head. This does not replace schooling, course walking, or paying attention to my…
Lessons From the Horse Who Hated Loading
There are horse trials where the memorable moment is a perfect flying change, a clean cross-country round, or the sort of show jumping finish that makes…
My reliable hip stretches after a long day in the saddle
Riding can leave my hips feeling wonderfully worked and strangely stuck at the same time. After a dressage school, a jumping session, or a full day at a horse…
What the dressage judge really wants to see
Dressage can feel like the most exposed part of an eventing competition. In the jumping phases, a horse’s effort is visible in a single bound, while…
The Art Of Walking A Course Without Overthinking
Walking a cross-country or show-jumping course can feel like a quiet test before the real test begins. The arena is empty, the fences are standing, and there…
Why I Switched to a Different Type of Girth
For a long time, I treated the girth as one of those pieces of tack that deserved attention only when something was obviously wrong. I cared about saddle fit,…