Kim Roe Progress Comes One Small Step at a Time I may have found the secret to getting through hard seasons with horses — and honestly, with life in general. I call it: just do what you can do. Maybe that sounds overly simple, but it’s helped me more than almost anything else … Read More
Most horses don’t need a huge pasture or a fancy barn to be happy. But they do need companionship. I learned that lesson years ago with a horse who had everything I thought he needed — good feed, turnout, shelter, and plenty of room to roam. On paper, it looked … Read More
Two years ago, I purchased a weanling colt I named Augustus. “Gus” is now two and a half and will soon begin his formal training. Honestly though, he’s been in training since he came to me as an 8-month-old colt. A Welsh Cob/Thoroughbred, he was bred by my friend Julie … Read More
Progress Comes One Small Step at a Time I may have found the secret to a well-lived life. I call it, “Do whatever you can do.” Okay, maybe this just works for me, but I want to share it with my fellow horse people who might also struggle to get … Read More
Loving the Old Days but Looking Forward I have a hard time with change. I push back against it, bury my head in the sand, and deny reality. But life is full of change, and I know intellectually it’s a good thing. To change is to adapt and to adapt … Read More
Facing End of Life Decisions with Best Friends My senior horse, Gunner, has Cushing’s disease and chronically sore feet. Although he’s on medication to treat the disease as well as reduce pain, each fall as the days shorten and his cortisol rises, he has another episode that pulls him down … Read More
How to Help Your Horse Feel Safe The most important characteristic of a safe, well-trained horse is trust. Horses who trust people are far less likely to behave in erratic, explosive, or aggressive ways and are a joy to handle and ride. Creating trust in horses is the responsibility of … Read More
YouTube Tutorials Can Be Helpful, but They Don’t Replace In-Person Instruction Social media can be useful; it connects us to neighborhood groups that let us know what’s happening in our community (is your power out too?) and keeps us in touch with long-lost friends from high school. I use YouTube … Read More
New Documentary Honors Her Life’s Work in Animal Welfare From Karen Pickering, Northwest Horse Source Magazine Publisher Recently I had the privilege to interview Temple Grandin, a professor of Animal Behavior/Science at Colorado State University (CSU). She is an inspiration to many for the work she’s done as an advocate … Read More
The Hard Horse Who Taught Me to Use My Seat Recently, while judging a Working Equitation show, I watched a young woman ride a talented but spicy black gelding around a course of obstacles. The horse appeared happy, with ears pricked, a quiet tail, and a swinging back. He eagerly … Read More
