Michelle Eames

Michelle Eames’ first book, Riding Lessons: Things I Learned While Horsing Around, is a mostly humorous memoir that tells the story of Michelle’s journey with horses, and the numerous lessons the horses taught her. She describes her horsemanship adventures, mistakes, and mishaps with humor, humility, and even a bit of poetry. Michelle lives on a hobby farm near Spokane, Washington. The farm includes two horses, two barn cats who want to be house cats, a few chickens, and a husband. When she isn’t writing, riding, or shoveling manure, Michelle spends her time gardening and repairing vintage sewing machines to keep them out of landfills. Michelle writes about a broad range of topics, from biology to horsemanship to wildfires. Visit her blog and learn more about her writing at MichelleEames.com.

Rider Wellness: Is Your Horse Training You?

March 14, 2025 by Michelle Eames

Michelle and her horse Vali on the tire at Riverside State Park Equestrian Area. Photo Credit Solveig Pederson.

Horses Can Teach Unaware Humans to Do Their Bidding A few years ago, I was having trouble getting the right-lead canter from my horse Vali. He’s a very athletic horse, and quite capable of cantering on the wrong lead around a circle. Sometimes I could get the right lead, but …

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Rider Wellness: Hay Season

December 17, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Oly Helps Unload the Hay. Photo Courtesy Michelle Eames.

Having Your Hay Delivered is Money Well Spent Normal people think of the seasons of the year as spring, summer, fall, and winter. We horse people think differently. We have mud-season, vet-check season, the beginning of riding season, and then the big one: hay season. I don’t have hay fields, …

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Media Barn: Book Review – Riding Lessons: Things I Learned While Horsing Around

November 24, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Riding Lessons: Things I Learned While Horsing Around is a mostly humorous memoir that tells the story of Michelle Eames’s journey with horses and the numerous lessons the horses taught her. Most of the lessons were learned through mistakes and mishaps, such as getting bucked off or getting lost during …

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Equine Wellness: The Perils of Pilling a Horse

November 22, 2024November 22, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Oly Eating. Photo Credit Cindy Miller

How Oly Got His Way Oly, my elder Fjord Horse, is smart, strong, stubborn, and very food oriented. Before he was retired, I would ride him across fields and he would dive for grass. It didn’t matter what I did—pull his head to the side, use a stronger bit, prop …

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Rider Wellness: Don’t Do Stupid Things

October 20, 2024October 14, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Michelle on a trail ride with horses Oly and Capy, enjoying the view. Photo Credit: Carol Klar.

Setting Yourself Up for Success I didn’t really want to tell my friends about my last broken arm. It was a lot of drama and kind of embarrassing. My friends were shocked. Three broken arms in less than a year? What the heck were you doing? Other phrases were also …

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Rider Wellness: To Ride or Not to Ride (That Is the Hardest Question)

September 16, 2024 by Michelle Eames

While Michelle was healing, Vali was sent to “summer camp” at Olivia Farm, where he quickly received the nickname Uncle Vali for his help with training the younger Fjord Horses. Photo credit: Solveig Pedersen

What Would Make You Stop Riding? I used to bounce when I came off my horse, and I rarely came off. This year though, I’ve come off two times too many, and the second time I knew immediately my arm was badly broken. As I sat on the ground after …

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Rider Wellness: How to Dress for Success

August 26, 2024 by Michelle Eames

The author and her horse make a fashion splash at Lake Kachess. Photo by Carol Klar.

Find Useful Clothes that Match Your Personal Style I’ve always been a jeans and T-shirt girl, with maybe a turtleneck and a fleece to top my jeans when it’s cold. I don’t mind sitting in the dirt (except in tick season), and I generally only notice the dirt under my …

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Rider Wellness: Don’t Act Like a Horse!

July 29, 2024July 19, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Photo Courtesy Michelle Eames

Keep Your (Human) Head in Tense Moments I don’t usually fall off my horse, Vali, but when I do, I do it big. I have a good seat and can generally ride what Vali gives me, and he is finally well-mannered at his mature age of 13. I remember one …

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Rider Wellness: Getting Back on the Horse

June 6, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Photo Credit: Carol Klar

You’ll Know When It’s the Right Time to Remount The old saying is that you should always “get back on the horse”. I did get back on my horse the day I fell off during a moment of chaos when riding with friends. I got back on because I had …

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Rider Wellness: Shoveling Manure Adds Up

May 18, 2024 by Michelle Eames

Photo Courtesy Michelle Eames

Horse Chores Burn Calories but You Still Need to Watch Your Diet I always think I’m not very fit and don’t exercise enough. I try to squeeze more exercise into my day, but I’m basically lazy. I like walking, at a slow casual speed (much like my Fjord horse), or …

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Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

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