equine pemf therapy, massage & mindful horsemanship
Being able to take your horse out on the road might be the only way to get to that trail up the road, or it can be a great way to stretch their legs with a nice hack. No matter the reason, being able to do so safely is, obviously, the ultimate goal. It is …
Movement to a horse is language. It is also freedom, comfort, and safety. When you “talk” to your horse (and from now on “talk” means communicating with your body and gestures), you have the power to influence even the most flamboyant gestures from your horse by the most subtle of body angles, curves, and, when applicable, subtle gestures with your arms.
There are few things as entrancing as watching a Grand Prix ride where the horse and rider seem to move as one. Cues are virtually imperceptible, even to a trained eye, and yet the horse’s motions are fluid and deliberate. While the technical skills are a journey in themselves, the foundation for the communication is attainable – and should…
In this eloquently written manual, de Kunffy encourages as much the individuality of the horse as he does the athletic development for a fully-fleshed, evolved, and liberating approach to training. He begins in genuine fashion of the Classical schools looking at rider education, and emphasizing the good that comes from accepting the horse’s individuality and sometimes-unique …
When I started this blog around the same time I started playing with a new “project” horse, in the beginning I ended up not writing nearly as much as I thought I would. It wasn’t out of laziness or procrastination (as is all too easy with writing), but mostly because a) I wasn’t sure if …
First let me clarify that I will be discussing over-flexion and not looking at or critiquing rollkur, the latter being something worthy of a blog post all its own, but I digress. Over-flexion is occasionally a soft-mouthed horse’s method of evading the bit, or a developed habit from a heavy-handed rider. Despite the “aesthetics” of all of those …
Without fail, as soon as the days get shorter and your horse’s coat starts getting fuzzier, we seem to find ourselves knee-deep in “mud season”, usually lovingly referred to as autumn. This is the best time to stay on top of thrush, and keep it under control before it gets into their sole, if you know what …
It’s been one month into the trial and yet even after one week I could have had a lot to say. Mainly, that this product is actually quite amazing. I regret not taking before and after pictures, but Mr. P’s hooves were so shameful it was… better left in the past. And that just goes …
Getting right down to the core elements of rider position, effect and influence, Anatomy of Dressage by Heinrich Schusdziarra and Volker Schusdziarra is a staple of the dressage (or any!) rider to truly understand their body in the saddle and how best to use it to for desired effect. Originally translated from German and now co-published …
To aid in the development of a better, more-balanced canter make the first stride a good one. For best results with this exercise, it is important to have a good warm-up and a forward, active trot established. On a twenty metre circle at the trot, spiral inward to a 15 or 10 metre circle (small …