Your saddle is most likely going to be the most expensive piece of horse tack you’re going to buy. A good saddle will run you anywhere from hundreds to thousands (depending on the type of saddle you need) – and because of that, it’s worth the time and effort to …
What are the most basic products & supplies every horse owner needs to have?
Your horse is a large animal whose care is a big responsibility. There’s a lot of horse stuff on the market, and though you don’t need half of what’s marketed to you, you will need some of the basic supplies to be able to take care of your horse. Here …
What is horse tack, what do you do with it and what all is defined as tack?
If you’re new to horse riding, you may not have heard the term ‘tack’ yet. Tack is short for ‘tackle’ which is a term that comes to the equestrian world from shipping. Its most likely root is in the old German word takel meaning the rigging and cranes on a …
Horses in a human world: 3 things every horse needs
Horses are prey animals that now live with one of their old nemeses: us. As recently as 10,000 years ago, humans were one of the predators that hunted and killed wild horses. Scientists are certain that humans actively hunted horses for food before domesticating them. And why wouldn’t they have? …
Understanding your horse: an overview of the equine senses
To see the world from your horse’s point of view, you literally need to know how your horse takes in the world. We, humans, evolved to be hunters and gatherers. This meant getting good at chasing down prey that could run away very quickly, and learning how to tell what …
Tapping into your horse’s psyche: why it’s important for you to understand how your horse sees the world
To really understand your horse, you need to understand the world he lives in, how he sees things differently than you, even when you’re looking at the same thing. Your horse lives in a world of hay and grass – food is a top priority in life for your horse …
Marjolein & Dutch draft Astor: “We’re more like co-workers than a therapist and her horse”
Marjolein Scheffers-Steinmann is a teacher and specialised therapist who works with school dropouts and kids that struggle with behavioural issues. I had an inspirational chat with her about the healing power of working with horses and how equine-assisted therapy can help you improve your communication skills, embrace your otherness and …
Morgan & Endo the Blind: “You have to learn how to listen”
The work horse trainer Morgan Wagner has done with her horse, Endo the Blind, is a fine example of how blindness is a disability that you can work with, rather than an inability to live life. She’s demonstrated how the real problem with blindness isn’t the blindness itself but rather …
Oral injuries in horses are very common: should bitless become the new normal?
Oral injuries caused by bits are a painful equine welfare problem. Despite being such a common problem it isn’t something that’s widely discussed or acknowledged in the equestrian world. The conversation around it has become deeply polarised, with the bitless camp crying bloody murder every time there’s a photo posted …
Why bother learning to massage your own horse when you can just call a professional when your horse needs it?
Light massage, when done regularly, works as a form of physical maintenance for your horse. It’s the best and cheapest way to prevent muscle damage, too. Calling your equine physiotherapist out for a session every now and again is great, but doesn’t qualify as regular maintenance. And having a professional …
Laura & PRE stallion Impacto: “The best feeling is to get that deep connection with a horse, move like one creature together, a feeling of dancing like a ballerina”
I caught up with Laura from BaRock Andalusians to hear more about her PRE stallion Impacto and her work with horses. If you ever find yourself scrolling through her Instagram, you’ll be awash in a sea of beautiful horses with long manes, arched necks and elevated movements prancing around like …
Follow these 7 tips to land a feed sponsor for your horse
A horse eats a lot. Everybody knows this. But a performance horse eats even more. Just like the human counterparts, equine athletes have a voracious appetite. The harder they work, the more they eat – and the more specialised feed they’re going to need so that all their nutritional requirements …