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!
TRYING SOMETHING NEW with your horse can really mess with your mental game and your confidence. When you’ve mastered one discipline, it’s hard to let yourself be vulnerable—and a rookie—all over again. However, doing just that can be the key to becoming a better rider and getting the most out of your horse life. The mental struggle of putting herself out there, taking a risk, and possibly looking like a greenhorn could’ve kept Erin Taormino from trying something new. But she put her fears of failure and looking silly aside and dove right in. “It took me a bit to wrap my head around letting myself be bad at something,” she said. “I knew I didn’t know what I was doing. And I knew I wasn’t going to be very…
YOUR HORSE LIVES by his ability to chew. Badly chewed food leads to poor absorption of the critical calories, minerals, and elements your horse needs to maintain weight, keep a balanced metabolism, have energy, and stay healthy. Standard Equipment Your horse’s teeth “erupt,” or grow, approximately 2 to 3 mm per year well into his 20s to replace the tooth length that wears away while he eats. He has two groups of teeth: (1) incisors and canine teeth; and (2) wolf teeth, premolars, and molars. Incisors are the nipper teeth across the front of the horse’s mouth. They’re used to bite off grasses and hay and help in the chewing process. Canine teeth are a prehistoric throwback and basically serve no function. Premolars and molars are the larger teeth at…
Horse events are a lot of fun. You’re showing off what you and your horse can do, reaping the benefits of all your hard work, and spending time with like-minded enthusiasts. What’s not to love? Botching a class or a run, that’s what. When you turn in a performance that’s well below what you know you and your horse are capable of, it’s painful. But should you let it ruin your fun? Definitely not! In fact, learning from mistakes is one of the great perks of competition. Shows are a real-world test. More than any practice session, they’ll pinpoint where you need more work. And that’s a good thing! I’m going to explain how you can not only deal with the disappointment of a botch, but also turn it into…
Any horseman worth his or her salt has made countless mistakes in the saddle. They could be minor blips that cost a few points or forced them to lose a cow at the branding or costly mistakes—sometimes financially—that push them out of the running for big prizes at a major event. NRHA Professional Kari Klingenberg speaks freely about mistakes she’s made in the show pen that have helped make her the successful horsewoman she is today, and her perspective can help you do the same. “Making mistakes is the only way you get better,” says the Scottsdale, Arizona, horsewoman. “You have to be bad before you can get good. Every kind of mistake is a learning situation. You can learn how to change how you prepare to compete or how…
