There is a particular moment in eventing when the arena, the judges, and the neat rows of white rails disappear behind me. My horse lengthens into a…
Posts
Why I Love the Sound of Hooves on Cross-Country Gallops
Why a good horse hauler changes the whole competition day
An eventing weekend rarely begins when the horse enters the dressage arena. It begins days earlier, when someone checks the truck, studies the route, watches…
What I Wish I Knew Before My First Novice Event
I thought my first novice event would be defined by the three phases: a dressage test, a show-jumping round, and a cross-country course. In reality, the…
How I Choose the Right Bit for My Horse
Choosing a bit is one of those jobs that can look simple from the outside. Walk into a tack shop and there are rows of stainless steel, rubber, lozenge,…
The role of grit in a long cross-country run
There is a particular kind of tiredness that arrives during a long cross-country run. It is not quite the same as the fatigue after a hard schooling session or…
Learning to ride the horse in front of me
There is a particular kind of humility that comes with riding a horse who does not match the picture in your head. The picture may include effortless flying…
Why I prioritize flatwork over jumping
I love jumping. The energy of a horse locking onto a fence, the split-second decisions, and the feeling of galloping away from a clean effort are a huge part…
The Dressage Test I Forgot and the Ride I Had to Invent
There are plenty of ways to feel prepared for a horse trial. You can polish your boots, braid until your fingers ache, walk the cross-country course three…
Keeping Your Equestrian Goals Alive Through Winter
Winter can make an ambitious riding season feel very far away. The mornings are dark, the arena may be frozen, and a carefully planned schooling session can…
What My Horse’s Ears Tell Me During a Test
A horse’s ears can seem like tiny antennae, constantly sweeping across the arena and collecting information. During a dressage test, I find myself watching…