Kim Roe Over the Fourth of July weekend I had the opportunity to judge a Working Equitation show in Illinois. The event was held at a riding club, the Fox Valley Saddle Association which was established in the 1940s. Near Chicago, the club sits in an agricultural area complete with acres of …
Q: Is there any scientific literature regarding the stress effects horses underwent during use in wartime, such as the Civil War? • Andre A: When one thinks about the trauma and suffering horses (as well as people, other livestock, and wildlife) endured during wars throughout the history of mankind it …
Does your horse slow down every time you ride by the gate out of the arena? Does he stop or walk like his legs are made of stone as you lead him up to the mounting block? Does it sometimes feel like you’re working harder than he is and that …
The August issue of The Northwest Horse Source is our Training and Facilities issue. We thought it would be interesting to compare must-have equine facility features from two different viewpoints: one from a professional trainer who boards and trains horses and instructs riders, and another point of view from someone …
The Northwest Horse Source is celebrating Northwest trainers and instructors We believe that connecting riders, trainers, and horses is necessary for success in the horse business. It’s our goal to support the equestrian lifestyle for all our readers. If you’re a trainer who’d like to be featured in the Northwest Horse Source, click here and answer these …
You know it when you’re lucky enough to find one—the good horse. He (or she) is the horse who turns a bad day into a good day, who takes the tension from your shoulders, and makes life’s problems drift away. He’s the reliable one who always tries his best. …
One of the most basic lateral movements, the turn-on-the-forehand, maneuvers the horse’s hips around his forehand. This exercise teaches the horse to move away from the pressure of the rider’s leg, aids in control, and makes the horse more agile and supple. The mobilization of the hips and the consequential …
Sometimes I think it would be helpful if horses could speak to us clearly, using words, about their preferences in the tack we use on them. If they would just let us know clearly what they like, and why, we could save ourselves a lot of time and money. It’s …
Scenario one: An equine facility has a policy that riders must clean their horses’ hooves before leaving the arena to keep the barn aisle clean. A hoof pick hangs on a hook next to the arena gate. One day, while cleaning out her horse’s hooves, a woman’s horse reaches up …
Walk into any horse trainer’s tack room and you’re likely to find more than one kind of snaffle bit. Developed thousands of years ago, the snaffle is the most useful bit for daily training for horses of all levels. The snaffle bit is used by horsemen of all disciplines—from racing …
