Recent content by Frances Ann

I thought of something else that might help. I periodically have my instructor video tape me on my iPhone. I've learned a LOT watching myself ride. I can see where my position is causing problems. If you have a friend, ask them to do this, you'll become a better rider right away.

I am actually struggling with this in my weekly riding lesson. I have a wonderful instructor and a Dutch Warm Blood I ride. She's a trained dressage horse but tends to be left bent all the time. I tend to be weaker on my right side as a rider. So, we consistently get each other out of alignment...

I returned to riding horses for fun last year. I made a living working on a small horse farm in my twenties. Now, 56 years old, last year started taking riding lessons again. I keep meeting women who are doing the same thing. I am curious to hear from women who started riding for the first...

He basically lives outside in a large paddock with a companion horse. He has a shed for weather protection but is free to roam constantly. It's an adequate size space and provides freedom of movement. He had a nice lie down in the sun on Sunday afternoon. I was in cleaning his paddock and saw...

Sorry, I am in USA. I hope this site is open to folks outside the UK. A lease is a loan of a horse. I pay a certain amount each month and agree to ride/care for the horse but it is owned by my instructor. He is kept on her property. I can come on the property during reasonable hours and for the...

I have a photo of him but cannot figure out how to make it a URL to be inserted in the reply. Sorry my user skills are not too sharp.

There is not a lot of room for hacking at this stable. I can take Pino for a walk around the property which is around the grounds, outdoor ring and up the road on property. It might be about a 1/4 mile loop. We did this yesterday and he was fine being outside roaming around. Off property would...

Hi, I am hopeful to someday own a horse of my own. I returned to horses and riding this year after an absence of about 30 years. My riding skills are coming back and I've decided to lease my instructor's 11 year old Andalusian gelding for the winter starting this December. I call him Pino...

I am leasing a lovely Andalusia gelding from my riding instructor now. Pino has overgrown chestnuts and I like a nicely groomed horse. What's the safest way to reduce the growth? I thought I might try softening up the chestnuts with coconut oil. However, it's getting colder here now and would...

Hi, I am far away across the pond as you say in Massachusetts. I am planning way ahead a trip to Europe in May 2017. I volunteer at an equine rescue in my town and we have one donkey. I call him Narcisetto and have been so pleased to take care of him. I read a book by an American/Irishman name...

Thanks so much for this lovely reply. I have the dates now for Donkey Week in May 2017. I do believe I will plan on visiting. I have further plans to go on to Lucca Italy for a week as well. Yes, it's a long journey so I will enjoy two weeks in Europe. Take care

I am studying public relations as part of a journalism certificate course. I have selected The Donkey Sanctuary as a stellar organization solely based on it's PR. That website is outstanding. There is so much readable detail. It's well organized and speaks to a well managed communication...

Hello, I am in Massachusetts, USA. I was a small private barn manager until about 28 years old. I thought I was retired from involvement horses. This February, I read a post about a rescue in my town. It's quite private but I signed on as a volunteer and do barn work every Wednesday late...