Eventing asks a rider to change mental gears several times in a single day. The horse is still the same partner, the arena may be familiar, and the goals are…
Posts
The Mental Shift Between Dressage And Show Jumping
What my grooming routine says about my mindset
Before a horse trial, I can learn a surprising amount about my state of mind from the way I groom. The brush in my hand may look like an ordinary piece of…
My favorite cross-country fence: the brush box
There are fences that demand instant respect, fences that look impressive in photographs, and fences that become memorable because of what they ask from a…
Recovering from a disappointing dressage score
A disappointing dressage score can follow you out of the arena long after the final halt. You may replay the crooked transition, the tense halt, or the moment…
Cross-Country Speed: When to Push and When to Hold Back
Cross-country is often described as a race against the clock, but that description misses the judgment at its center. The fastest ride is rarely the one in…
The day my horse and I became a team
There are moments in eventing that look insignificant from the outside. A horse shifts weight in the warm-up. A rider softens a hand. The pair leaves the start…
How dressage tests make me a better rider
Dressage tests have a way of making me pay attention to details I can sometimes ignore at home. A schooling session may feel productive because my horse is…
Packing My Tack Trunk: A Complete Checklist
Packing for a horse trial is one of those jobs that looks simple until the weather changes, a boot disappears, or your horse decides to cover every clean item…
Finding Your People at the Stables as an Adult Amateur
There is a particular kind of belonging that develops around horses. It can begin with a shared mucking schedule, a borrowed hoof pick, or the person who…
The worst fall I ever took and what it taught me
There are falls that leave you muddy, embarrassed, and eager to get back on. There are falls that bruise your pride more than your body. Then there are the…