2013 Kentucky Derby Winner being awarded

More Than Money : The Thoroughbred Horse

I am happy to see a report coming to the public that addresses the downward spiral of Thoroughbreds in racing here in the USA. I am not a large supporter of the Thoroughbred racing industry, long have I seen it as being money motivated as the primary with the horse falling to the wayside as a disposable commodity. I am very happy to hear the round-table discussion going on that addresses factors such as not putting the horse first among other ideas… check it out for yourself.

Good Thoughts to Keep, Negative Thoughts to Shred

The Addictive Nature of Negative Thoughts

Voice it! Say what you are thinking. I know, we’ve been made to believe that talking to ourselves is a bad thing, but at least we are taking that magical thought out of our heads for a moment. Talking to other people who will not support negative thinking is a great way to break the habit as well. Hanging around with people who share your negative thoughts is an excellent way to keep you stuck in the habit.

Sketch of horse's movement

Cycles of Learning

Circular, that is time. We live in a world dominated by linear functions, our calendar reads left to right, start to finish. There is little left of the cycles we once relied upon as a species to guide our functions from day to day, week to week, month to month, season to season, year to year. Instead we rely upon days, minutes, hours… seconds, to remind us of the time we have lost or wasted, or perhaps the time we have saved.

Sketch of a dressage horse ridden in loose reins

Weak Riding

What does it mean to be a weak rider? Is it the inability to hold the correct posture and position in the saddle? Is it the lack of strength in the aids to apply them correctly and productively? What if weak riding were not a bad thing, but a highly sought after reality?

Grey horse trots away quickly in a field

Catching Difficulties

3 Comments

You’re huffing and puffing, cursing the very horse that you wish wanted to be with you badly enough to stop running away. Likely you have broken a sweat, your halter and lead have become a tangled mess beyond recognition, and you could have ridden two horses in the time it’s taken you to run around after your horse.

Chestnut horse throws head and fights against his rider

Resistance In the Horse

Resistance in the horse can come in several forms, at times violent and on the other end of the spectrum, passive. Both forms are harmful, frustrating and a sign that the horse does not fully understand what is being asked of him. Let us take a deeper look at the forms of resistance in the horse, and how they need to be approached to restore a healthy relationship.