Not long ago, I had a lesson in “horse sense,” courtesy of my Quarter Horse gelding, Bull. I had been wanting to try my younger gelding on a trail ride, so one day I invited a friend to join us aboard Bull, an experienced trail horse. We headed up a path that Bull and I had taken many times. But at the top of a short hill Bull spooked. My friend encouraged him to move forward, but still he balked.  Jeanne Mitman was surprised when her normally steady mount, Bull, repeatedly balked at going up a familiar trail. (Mary Phelps) Not wanting to have an accident with either horse, we t ..read more

We all know horses are great teachers. But they’re also great “discovery partners.” Not just for exploring new places, but for tapping into our mutual potential. One of my favorite such discovery partners was a 14.2-hand palomino Paint lesson pony named Sissy. At first blush, Sissy might have seemed an unlikely candidate for potential-building—unless you wanted to discover how high you could bounce at a trot. For one thing, her high rump, flat withers and muscular physique seem to be optimized for trotting speed and little else. For another, she possessed an independent mind and the determinat ..read more

Do you blanket your horses during the winter? Some experts say blanketing a healthy horse can disturb their ability to regulate body temperatures while others may say your horse needs to only be blanketed if they are geriatric, don’t have a long coat, are outside in below freezing temperatures for too long, or if they are immunocompromised. While that may be true, there are developing technologies allowing healthy-coated horses to be blanketed while being more protected. During this exclusive interview with Rachel Beckham, Northern Hemisphere Product Manager at WeatherBeeta, Rachel gives a ..read more

Determining how well tack fits can be difficult. Horses can’t tell you where a saddle pinches or a bridle rubs, and not all ill-fitting tack looks out of place. So you’ll want to keep a close eye out for other, more-subtle signs of trouble: • Rub marks. If there are any skin injuries, or even “broken hairs” under where equipment sits, you almost definitely have ill-fitting tack. Look carefully for such areas as you untack so you can catch them before open wounds form, which can take weeks or months to heal completely. Horses can’t tell you that his saddle is causing discomfort so keep a close ..read more

In writing my article, Recapturing the Joy of Riding, I asked riders to share the top three things that made the biggest difference in their recovery from trauma and regaining confidence in the saddle. Here’s what I learned. Lara Worden Lara Worden, an equine nutritionist living in North Carolina, has returned to endurance riding. (Photo by Becky Kirchner Pearman) My incident came at the start of an endurance ride in Ohio 2.5 years ago. All I remember was trying to get on and he blew up. Apparently, he turned into a bucking bronc. I was tossed and knocked unconscious for 15-20 minutes. The nex ..read more

Those of you who have read the late Jimmy Wofford’s instructional books know that his writing style was easygoing and friendly, like the man. His autobiography is everything I hoped it would be. It’s page-turner filled with personal anecdotes that range from touching to laugh-aloud funny. It’s also a fascinating inside look at the evolution of modern horse sports, especially eventing. Jimmy witnessed—or was a player in—many key moments.    Published in 2021 by Trafalgar Square Books in North Pomfret, Vermont, Still Horse Crazy After All These Years is 464 pages, including 96 rare ph ..read more

Natalie Martin, a founding partner of the company behind the Barncat horse care app, recently announced the launch of Barncat’s beta testing phase for Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS. “Designed to help horse owners and equestrians manage and track their horse’s health more efficiently, the app will revolutionize the way horse care is handled,” the Barncat press release reads. New platform The beta testing phase will begin in June 2023 for interested equestrians and horse owners to try out the new app. According to the release, users will have access to all features during the testing phas ..read more

Show your mom how much you care with a Mother’s Day gift that honors her love of horses and all things equestrian. To help you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Mother’s Day gift ideas for equestrians. From personalized jewelry and stylish accessories to custom artwork or more practical gifts, there are plenty of horse gifts to choose from. So read on and be inspired to find the perfect gift to show your mom how much you care! Western clothing and gear (Getty Images) Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through one of the links, we may earn a commissio ..read more

Shopping for a riding helmet can be unexpectedly overwhelming. Sure, it’s a simple enough piece of equipment. But with dozens of brands, each with numerous models, there’s a lot for a consumer to compare and consider. For the safety minded, though, one thing is non- negotiable: a good rating from a reputable organization. In the United States, that means ASTM/SEI certification. This designation indicates that the helmet model has undergone testing by the Safety Equipment Institute and passed standards set by ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials. Desi ..read more

A growing number of show horses are outfitted with sound-reducing ear gear, ranging from foam balls stuffed inside the auditory canal to knit “bonnets” that cover the entire pinna. But does this equipment really help reduce a horse’s reactivity to sounds? A new study from England suggests that depends on the horse wearing them. If you know that a particular noise is distracting to your horse, ear covers may be worth a try, say researchers. (Adobe Stock) “We have noticed ear covers being increasingly used across numerous equestrian disciplines. And we think the reasons for use differ between co ..read more