Sometimes the technical terms and jargon used by horse owners and horseback riders can be confusing to beginners and those outside of the “horse world”. Recently, we’ve been exploring some of these concepts through a blog, and today we are going to talk about what it means to say a horse is “heavy on the…
How To Teach a Horse to Neck Rein
What is Neck Reining? There are many ways to cue your horse when riding. One of the most popular ways, unique to the Western style of riding developed in the United States, is called neck reining. Neck reining is in some ways the “opposite” of what is called direct rein riding. In direct-rein riding,…
Is Dressage Unnatural? Dressage Movements at Liberty
After competing in dressage for years, one statement I’ve heard occasionally- especially in the midwest- is that dressage is unnatural for horses. Proponents of this view feel that the way in which horses are “forced” to move during a dressage competition are not natural, and that such movements would never be performed by a…
What is “Tacking Up” A Horse and How to Do It
The equestrian world has a countless amount of its own specific language, one of the most common confusing statements is “tacking up” and “untacking”. This phrase, common jargon of horse people and used across essentially all disciplines of riding, can be especially confusing. People who work around horses often have a bad habit of using…
DIY Horse Costume Tutorial: How to Make Easy Renaissance Themed Tack
Although you can easily spend thousands of dollars on authentic renaissance costume tack for you and your horse, it’s easy to make your own horse costume by upcycling tack you already have and making a few extra costume pieces using easy to find materials and basic sewing supplies. In this article, I’ll be walking…
How to Tell if your Horse’s Shoes Fit Correctly
One common question for new horse owners is how to know if your horse’s shoes fit correctly – or, alternately, sometimes people ask “what size shoes”their horse might need. These questions might raise eyebrows to experienced horse people, but for those new to the world of horsemanship they make lots of sense: most things we…
10 Questions to Ask When Buying a Horse
When you are considering buying your first horse it is very important to ask a lot of questions, especially if it is your first time buying a horse or you are buying a horse for a beginner, a kid, or a mature rider who is returning to riding as an adult. Questions you should ask…
Tips for Reducing Horse Tail Rubbing
Tail rubbing can be particularly irritating both to a horse and its owner! Because horses can’t reach back and scratch a spot that feels itchy, areas of the body that they can’t reach with their mouth they will typically rub against objects like trees, stall walls, or fence posts in order to relieve their itching.…
One Secret Grooming Tip to Grow Luxurious Long Horse Tails
Long luxurious horse tails are a thing of envy! When I first started showing horses I was smitten by the luxurious and bright white tails I saw in the show ring. I was quickly informed that many of these tails are actually made by attaching false hair, manufactured from the tails of horses slaughtered overseas.…
Natural Tips for Keeping Horse Troughs Clean
keeping your horses water clean naturally can be a challenge – many horses love to slosh around in an open trough with both face and hooves, and even when they aren’t dirtying their water through play it’s common to find your trough filled with dropped food, insects, and on occasionally horrifying occasions in the heat…