Even the best horses “cheat” by overthinking and anticipating what’s coming next or because they’re just plain lazy. Riders rely on their legs, and their spurs, to remind to stay focused or to ask for a speed change or maneuver. Wayne, New Jersey Reining competitor Fred Win was born with a congenital birth deformity that made his […]
Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle classes are designed to showcase a horse’s movement while working on the rail. Unlike Horsemanship or Equitation there’s no pattern to test the horse’s body control or responsiveness to cues. “The culture has changed and people generally see the benefit of working the “rail” horses off the rail,” said […]
Images grab a person’s attention instantly and emotionally. Chosen correctly, a striking image in a well-designed ad connects with a person in ways that words can’t. Ads that force readers to stop flipping the page, creates an impression that converts a window shopper into a paying client. “Ads are meant to create action, a person […]
Indiana rider Mike Montgomery’s apartment could be a museum for the Palomino Horse Breeders of America (PHBA) according to trainer Melonie Furnish. Each of the awards he’s won and every World Show photo is on display. His PHBA Lifetime Achievement Award and a photo of Todd Sommers with Seven S Flashy Zipper have a prominent […]
It’s tempting. For one reason or other, the new dream prospect you spent all your savings on, hoping to develop into your next show partner, just doesn’t seem to want to go along with your plan. So, after months, maybe years, you are tempted to give up and pull your old youth horse out of […]
Only the Small Fry riders can put a smile on the faces of everyone on the show grounds, from judges to even the hardest competitors. Their glowing faces radiate their eagerness to learn. “There is nothing more pure than that Small Fry rider who loves that horse and that’s what it’s about,” said Cody Parrish, […]
You carefully selected a stallion that will cross just right on your show mare. You worked closely with your veterinarian, provided the proper nutrition and patiently waited for 11 months. If all goes as planned, once the foal arrives your mare will lick it, nicker to it and defend it from perceived danger. But when […]
About five years ago, trainer Kristin Pokluda, of Whitesboro, Texas took six horses to her veterinarian’s free ulcer screenings. All six had ulcers. “I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to manage them. By making changes I’ve been able to significantly reduce the number of horses in my barn that have them,” she said. […]
Inside a six-foot-tall stockade fence, a style often associated with cutting pens, Western Pleasure prospects are learning to find their natural rhythm. Their rider’s cues are almost imperceptible as he lopes a chestnut colt 20 feet off the fence. His hands are nearly still. His long legs quietly hang well below the horse’s belly as […]
Hobbles are often associated with cowboys and pack strings. Out on the range or on the mountain trail, riders need a method for allowing their horse to graze at camp without running away. The invention of hobbles predates the American west by thousands of years. An American Cowboy article once reported that two ancient Egyptian […]
Applause is praise for a job well done. Society has taught us to recognize achievement by rhythmically slapping our hands together so it’s only natural for spectators to clap, even hoot ‘n’ holler for an exhibitor who has placed well in a class. But for horses, who are prey animals that are put on alert […]
Imagine charging through a tunnel on your horse into a football stadium echoing with the thundering cheers of 75,000 fans. A wolf and waving cheerleaders’ pom-poms are also waiting to greet you. Likely, not a scenario most horses take in stride. But for Chiefs Warpaint, a 1998 APHA sorrel tobiano mare, it’s just another day […]