Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2024 i Horse & Rider

AS THIS YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, I’ve been reflecting on both the personal milestones and the incredible growth we’ve seen at Horse&Rider. It’s been a year of challenges and triumphs in my own horse life—working hard to bring my horse, Keira, back into shape after her two colic surgeries has been a humbling yet rewarding journey. At the same time, we’ve made great strides within the magazine and on Horse&Rider OnDemand, expanding what we offer to our subscribers. This year has been all about learning, connecting, and progressing, and I’m more excited than ever for what lies ahead. Ready to Ride After a rough 2023, I’m so thankful that Keira has made a full recovery from her colon resection and two colic surgeries. The road back wasn’t easy, and…

Safeguard Your Senior Horse From Leg Injury So, you ride a senior horse? Great! Older horses come with the experience and temperament to make great riding or competition horses. That said, because of their age and accumulated stress on their body, they may require a little more TLC than a young prospect. Senior horses’ legs are especially vulnerable because they bear the most weight and strain of any work. The legs also have the most exposed joints and soft tissue structures. The Risks As a result of cumulative damage, your senior horse may be more likely to develop a range of leg injuries, from manageable inflammation to injury. The most common leg injuries for senior horses include: • Injury to the inferior check ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon•…

How you address this fear is important, and can impact your connection and ability to control your horse not only in that moment, but for many rides after. Horses are going to get scared. I don’t need my horse not to be scared, but I do need my horse to listen to me and put his feet where I guide them, especially when he’s scared. Fear to Focus People usually choose to use or focus on the wrong “F words” when a horse is afraid. I believe the most effective way we can address a horse’s fear is to remember some other F words—feet and figure of 8. Let me explain. Most riders, when they get timid, try to just get through the scary situation, rather than having a strategy…

‘Some people need to go over their pattern several times before they go in the show pen, some people need a couple times before they have to stop before it starts going backward. At the same time, remember what your horse is capable of. I think it’s so individualized on how you work, how nervous you get, how good you are at calming those nerves, and doing that for your horse as well.’ —Garrett Ashby of No Where But UP Performance Horses on handling competition anxiety, on The Ride, a podcast by Horse&Rider, available to stream or download wherever you listen to podcasts.…

NRHA Introduces New Leadership Gathering The two-day event is open to all National Reining Horse Association members and will feature experts on a variety of important topics, including financial planning for horse operations, mastering NRHA governance, finding and retaining farm staff, and federal rules impacting horse owners. All the sessions are designed to engage and elevate leaders and those who want to be leaders in NRHA’s committee and governance structure. Learn more at nrha.com/leadershipgathering. Appalachian Aftermath Go online to read about a how a father-daughter duo, a band of horses, medics, and rescuers delivered supplies and hope to the Appalachian people after Hurricane Helene. Essential Tips for Trail Riding ➞ Help Your Horse Adjust to Group Rides Online this month, we offer preparatory guidelines to help you and your horse adjust…

Winter Weather Watering System Automatic waterers aren’t new to the horse world, but they are one of the best solutions for watering horses regardless of the season. In the winter, it means no more frozen hoses and ensuring your horse always has water. With a Nelson Automatic Waterer (contact for pricing; nelsonmfg.com), you can sleep easy at night knowing that your horse has a constant supply of fresh, clean water. With stainless-steel construction, these waterers are incredibly durable and last a lifetime. If you live in a climate that sees heavy snowfall and frigid temps, consider purchasing a heater (sold separately) to keep the unit from freezing and to give your horse ice-free water in the coldest conditions. No More Frozen Water You can stop breaking ice in the winter…

PATTERN PLACEMENT is an essential aspect of events like horsemanship or ranch riding. If you struggle with straight lines or gauging distances, it’s going to reflect in your scores. This is why I recommend incorporating a drill into your routine that will help you gain confidence and keep you from second-guessing your guiding ability in the show pen. Read on to learn more. Four-Cone Horsemanship Drill The best part about this four-cone steering drill is that it’s something you can do at home in any size arena or field. All you need are four cones in the shape of a square, and enough room between you and the arena fence for you to ride roughly a horse length away from the cones on all four sides. The goal of this…

Finding the perfect horse for your child can seem like a monumental undertaking that, once accomplished, should lead to blue ribbons and instant horse-show gratification. I see it all the time in my business finding horses and coaching youth riders. While it’s exciting to think about your child’s first show or playdate with a new horse, I encourage parents and kids to pump the brakes and realize a few expectations that might not lead to the best first experience together. Here, I’ll share four key unreasonable expectations and why you should reevaluate. Expectation: We’re Ready to Compete! Reality: It’s exciting to get the horse and think about all the things you’re going to do with him. Before you get carried away, take a breath. Rushing into your child’s first competition…

TRAVEL San Antonio, Texas WHAT San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo WHEN February 6-23, 2025 18 Days of Action-Packed Events The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is a premier event in Texas, taking place over 18 action-packed days every February. While known for its world-class invitational ProRodeo, this event offers more than just rodeo; it has equine events such as cutting, ranch rodeo, traditional charreada competition, a horse sale, and more. (sarodeo.com.) TRAVEL Texas The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is a volunteer-led event focused on agriculture and education for Texas youth, supported by more than 6,000 volunteers. Spanning 18 days in February, it offers a packed schedule of free events (with fairgrounds admission), including a cutting and the Exceptional Rodeo for children with special needs, all held inside…