A horse trial day asks a lot of a lunch. It has to survive an early start, a bumpy drive, a few hours in a float or car, and the inevitable moment when I…
Posts
The Horse Trial Lunches I Pack to Stay Fresh and Spill-Free
Recovering Well After a Disappointing Dressage Score
A low dressage mark can affect an entire competition day. You may leave the arena replaying one tense halt, an untidy transition, or a moment when your horse…
The Moment I Realized My Horse Needed More Turnout Time
I used to think I knew what my horse needed because I knew his routine so well. I knew how much he ate, which leg he preferred to rest, the expression he made…
Why I Pack Spare Clothes for Me and My Horse
There is a particular kind of optimism involved in packing for an eventing day. I leave home with clean breeches, a tidy shirt, polished boots and a horse who…
Building an affordable eventing conditioning plan
Eventing asks a horse and rider to switch between three very different jobs: the accuracy of dressage, the quick reactions of show jumping, and the strength,…
What a Horse’s Ears Tell Me About His Focus During Dressage
A horse can say an extraordinary amount without moving his feet. The set of his neck, the softness around his jaw, the rhythm of his breathing and, especially,…
How I Train My Eye to Find the Perfect Distance in Show Jumping
Finding the right distance to a show jump is one of those skills that can look almost magical from the ground. A confident rider seems to see the stride, make…
Packing a tack trunk for a two-day horse trial
A two-day horse trial asks more of a tack trunk than a regular lesson or single-day outing. The horse needs familiar equipment for dressage, show jumping, and…
Why I take a walk around the event grounds before check-in
There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over an event venue in the early morning, long before the first dressage bell rings and the loudspeaker…
When a horse refuses a fence on cross-country
A refusal on cross-country can feel enormous. You are moving at speed, the jump is fixed, people are watching, and suddenly your horse plants the brakes. The…