There is a particular kind of silence that follows a mistake at a horse trial. It is not the peaceful silence of a settled horse after dressage or the relieved…
Posts
What A Failed Combination Fence Taught Me About Eventing
The Quiet Thrill of Seeing a Student Succeed
There is a particular kind of happiness that comes from watching a student accomplish something they once believed was beyond them. It is different from the…
How I Keep My Mind Sharp During A Long Dressage Test
A long dressage test asks for a particular kind of concentration. I have to remember the pattern, feel what is happening underneath me, make useful…
What A Water-Stopping Horse Taught Me About Eventing
Some horses meet water in an eventing arena as if it were an old friend. They prick their ears, lengthen their stride, and splash through with complete…
Why I warm up differently for dressage and jumping
Warm-up is one of those parts of eventing that can look almost identical from the outside. The horse walks, trots, canters, and responds to a few familiar…
The real cost of eventing and how I manage it
Eventing has a way of making a single weekend look simple from the outside. A horse arrives, a rider puts on a show jacket, and the pair moves through…
Rebuilding Confidence After a Spooking Incident
A horse spooks in a heartbeat. A shadow shifts, a branch cracks, a plastic bag catches the wind, or a familiar object appears in a new place. The reaction may…
What my first eventing summer taught me about patience
Before that first summer of eventing, I thought patience was mostly about waiting for the right moment to ask for something. I pictured it as a quiet quality:…
Why I Write Letters to Myself Before Big Events
Before a big event, I am usually surrounded by lists. There are entries to check, tack to clean, clothes to pack, feed to organize, and a horse who has his own…
How Rider Fitness Shapes Horse Performance
A horse does not experience a rider as a passive passenger. Every shift of weight, change in breathing, tightening of the thigh, and delayed aid becomes…