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.…
Posts
Seeing My Dressage Position More Clearly
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…
When the saddle stopped feeling like home
There are changes in a horse’s way of going that announce themselves loudly. A refusal, a dramatic spook, a hollow back, or a run of rails down can make a…
What A Horse’s Whinny Says About Its Mood
A horse’s whinny can sound like a simple greeting across the field, yet it carries much more information than volume alone suggests. The pitch, length, rhythm,…
How Counting Canter Strides Calms My Eventing Nerves
Eventing asks my brain to process a remarkable amount of information at once. I need to remember the dressage test, feel whether my horse is supple, judge the…