Building Trust with Dressage Training

…key to success in dressage training. The story I?m about to share was a journey in which I learned three very important lessons about dressage training: 1. Let the commitme…

Dressage Exercises for the OTTB

…of a leaning racehorse to something closer to a Training Level dressage horse. Applying the Training Scale The feel of a 3- or 4-year-old horse who raced recently is different…

Tips for Training the Young Horse

Training Scale as your underlying guideline. The Training Scale is a series of steps to ultimately achieve collection. The steps include rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection. 16. Always…

English Versus Western Riding – Which is Easier?

…riding in an english saddle and giving “english” aids, will have no trouble converting to western, if they should decide that they’d like to participate in the western equestrian sports….

Saddle Facts

Whether you ride English or Western, the saddle is designed for comfort and security. However, Western and English saddles, while both offering these same functions, look very different from one…

Conformation Clinic: Western Pleasure Prospects

…and deviations become more apparent–making it even more necessary to begin with great conformation. In evaluating these three horses I’m looking at their suitability as Western pleasure horses. Click “Next”…

Western Hats – Shape Matters

…doesn’t have to be synonymous with boring. It’s OK to have little flash in Western pleasure, Western riding, or trail classes. (We’ve recently seen sparkle and bling on hatbands and…