In every issue of Horse & Rider you'll find articles on training by the country's leading experts, the latest on equine health care from top veterinarians, trail riding tips from savvy back country riders, and much more!
Some national parks are blatantly beautiful and crammed with tourists and hikers. And then there are national parks that quietly wait to be discovered. Southeastern California’s Joshua Tree National Park nps.gov/jotr awaits your discovery. This desert park—which encompasses more than 200 miles of equestrian trails and three horse camps—offers unique riding experiences among Joshua trees and fanciful rock formations. If you’re planning your trip, top riding seasons are spring, fall, and winter. Avoid riding here in the summertime. Not only is it brutally hot, but locals tell us that bees are very aggressive in the heat, swarming on any moisture, including drinking glasses, water buckets, and even sweat. Winter may bring occasional snow flurries, but still offers comfortable riding. Spring generally spreads patchwork quilts of wildflowers. The park began as…
“Keep those wheels turning!” recently exclaimed Kent’s mother. When Kent was a toddler, his parents hauled him around on camping and hiking trips in the wilds of Idaho, hiking, and riding horses into mountain lakes and pristine areas. Kent became infected with the travel bug. When Charlene was a youngster, her mother packed up Charlene and her three siblings for camping trips in Ohio’s state parks. Charlene would spend the days following creeks and chasing butterflies. Charlene also caught the travel bug. Now, as adults, we’re together following our dreams of going on camping and trail-riding trips with our two Missouri Fox Trotters, Cowboy and Nate. Here’s our 10-step planning guide. 1. Make a list. To make a thorough list, imagine everything you and your equine partner will need for…
Your horse loads in the trailer with ease, but has learned to “blow out” backward once he’s in. This behavior is quite dangerous—both to your horse and to anyone who may be in the way as he rushes back. You need to teach your horse to back out only on command and in a very controlled fashion. With my technique, you’ll teach him to move forward into the trailer and only move back with a specific backing cue. But first, determine whether his behavior is based on fear or was learned. IS IT FEAR? Your horse may be claustrophobic and genuinely fear confined spaces. To find out, see if he’ll eat inside the trailer. If he won’t, that’s a sign that he’s genuinely panicked. Physiologically, horses can’t eat when they’re…
