Recent content by Zeehorse

I didn't know anyone rode Western in the UK. Cool! Qh's usually have really short canon bones , which helps with staying sound under a lot of weight. Unfortunately, some of them haver really small feet because of breeding for halter showing which has favored the "big butt" look and lost the...

well, that's a pretty new trend, if you ask me. It used to be more the opposite; if you didn't rug your horse you were looked upon as being neglectful. Rugging, (or blanketting, as we say in N, Amer.) is not nearly as common in the US as it is in UK or Aus. I do think it's very much a...

there is nothing like a nice gallop up a hill, especially when they hunker down like you described, and get really smooth. your description alone made me smile. Oh, and btw, I am 54 and i'll still yell like a Red Indian on a good uphill , all out gallop.

Yes, Seattle is much like England, climate-wise. We know how to deal with gray and wet. We had a late arriving summer, but once it hit (mid July) we had NO measureable rain for 85 days@! That is amazing for this climate. It meant I got a LOT of riding in this summer. But the ground got...

So, it sounds like this topic is one that looses the rabid pack? I am sure it is a matter of doing it correctly and not being an idiot. But, there is a certain attiude amoungst barefoot enthusiasts , a certain 'holier than thou" attitude that can make a person who prefers shoes feel like...

Ah, yes, the long months of winter await us. I live in the NW corner of the USA. In the depths of winter it gets pitch dark by about 4:30, 5:00 pm. Argh! However, with Daylight savings time, the summer dark doesn't come until 10:00 pm. the change can be a bit rough.

Really? is barefoot riding THAT controversial here? I totally agree with the OP. Horses should be kept barefoot only if they can do so comfortably. Some horses, by breeding or occupation, need the support of shoes. For those that say horses never wore shoes for millenia,in the wild, well...

Hello, new member here , and Yank to boot. So, forgive my questions if they sound utterly ignorant. Tabard? never heard that word. Is 'hi viz" something new in UK? like the campaings of some years back to get folks to wear helmets? (still controversial to some degree here) I love...

I am very new to this forum and have not read all that much here, yet. this is the first post i have seen where the word "Feel" is mentioned in this meaning. Where did you learn about "feel"? and how was it taught to you?

And now I am , too. Backward? Where did she imply that the horse moves backwards?

in addittion to the great advice above, may I add that the timing of your application of you inside leg is vital. you must apply your inside leg, saying "step over" right when the horse is lifting THAT leg forward. To do that, you need to know the step order of the horse in walk (and later in...

That, and all kinds of hormones coursing through the body, and sleep depriviation, no doubt. I can imagine you are under a load of stress right now. my sons are grown now, but I remember how hard it was right after they were born. I would want time spent with horses to be rejuvenating, at...

I think that this depends; if the horse has been behaving particularly badly on the ground, it won't be just a matter of getting back in the saddle of the same horse you rode before becoming a mom (and by the way, CONGRATULATIONS!). not only are you out of shape, dulled muscle memory and...

I love that! I am not sure that's a word, but it should be. I completely disagree with saying that the weight/fit rider is easier to carry as opposed to the light /unfit is a MYTH. I would focus more on the skill level of the rider. A skilled rider knows how to rise to the trot (post...

So , what brought you to the UK 11 years ago? I have only been there once about 24 years ago. Spent two weeks in London with a few days detour to Edinburg and thereabouts. I am an Anglophile, just like my mother. I would totally LOVE to spend a month travelling around. If I could afford it!