It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a ride, especially when the weather is beautiful and your horse is ready to go. But before you swing into the saddle, taking a few moments to check your gear, your horse, and your surroundings can help prevent problems once … Read More
Trail riding is one of the best ways to enjoy time with your horse. You don’t have to compete, show, or chase ribbons to be a good horse person. But have you ever heard someone say, “I’m just a trail rider,” as if that means there’s no need to keep … Read More
Most riders know that feeling. You swing into the saddle, your heart starts beating a little faster, your legs tighten, and suddenly every noise, movement, or unexpected step from your horse feels like a warning sign. The more nervous you become, the more tense your horse seems—and before long, you’re … Read More
Good training doesn’t always mean teaching the fanciest maneuver or the most complicated trick. Before a horse can become a confident trail partner, a reliable ranch horse, or a successful show horse, he needs a solid foundation of basic skills—and those basics are worth revisiting throughout his life. Knowing when … 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
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
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
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
Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions for Improving Your Horse’s Flexibility Riding a horse who has achieved a high degree of suppleness gives a wonderful feeling to its rider. A supple horse moves fluidly and freely over the ground. Its hind legs reach well under its body while bending the joints of … Read More
