Finding Peace and Classical Dressage at this 18th Century Portuguese Estate In May 2025 I attended an immersive educational opportunity for working equitation judges in Portugal. Following the training, many of my fellow judges and other attendees planned to participate in some of the riding and training opportunities horse people … Read More
A Trainer’s Perspective on Arena Surfaces Few things are more important for the soundness of our horses than the arena footing we ride on. Years of training horses and teaching lessons has given me some strong opinions about what’s best. If you pay attention to horses as they work, it’s … Read More
Find and Fix the Pieces that Make Up the Whole Situation Last month in Part 1, I discussed the tendency some riders have to excuse their lack of motivation for education by stating that they are “just a trail rider”. This mindset suggests that these folks aren’t serious about learning … Read More
A Safe Trail Horse Feels Free to Think For generations, the goal of horse training was to get a horse “broke.” Broke to ride, broke to lead, and broke to behave. But what if I told you I disagree with the whole premise? Historically, breaking a horse meant precisely what … Read More
Horses Need to Know Their Worth We talk a lot these days about happy horses, and that’s a good thing. Today’s horsemen want to go beyond just keeping our horses from harm or suffering—we want them to thrive. We want them to really enjoy their lives and the time they … Read More
Don’t Use a Love of Trail Riding as an Excuse to Avoid Learning and Improving There’s a phrase I often hear when talking to horse people. Usually, I hear it at the start of my clinics, when we all introduce ourselves and tell a little about what we do with … Read More
Montana Trainer is a CHA Master Instructor and Working Equitation Professional Instructor Interview by Kim Roe I first became aware of Montana trainer Trisha Reed and her students while judging a working equitation show in Montana. Trisha’s horsemanship, good sportsmanship, and infectious sense of humor stuck in my mind. Over … Read More
Meike Horrer’s Journey with Manuel Jorge de Oliveira’s Method Meike Horrer (Thompson) is the founder and operator of Thompson Serenity Stables, a classical dressage and hoof rehabilitation facility located in Ferndale, Washington. A lifelong student of the modern dressage training scale, Meike trained and competed across various levels. However, a … Read More
Understand and Use Body Language to Speak “Horse” Working with horses gains better results with better understanding. True horsemanship involves building trust, understanding, and studying the way horses think and behave. Horsemanship’s foundation requires comprehending many principles from the perspective of the horse. It’s not just another thing we do … Read More
Indoor Mountain trail course, 13 obstacles built by Mark Bolander. Register for a time slot and come play on our course at your own pace. Space limited to ensure everyone has fun. See event info here: https://horsesource.org/event/indoor-mountain-trail-play-day PressNews from the horse industry. Sharing today’s information as it happens. The Northwest … Read More
