Ever wonder what the purpose of a noseband is? Or a bit? The overall goal of any bridle is to help the rider communicate with his horse, whether flatting or jumping. A simple bridle consists of two cheek pieces, a crownpiece, a throatlatch, a browband, a bit, and a noseband. The noseband is an interesting … Continue reading Bridles: Good, Bad, and Ugly →

How much jumping is too much? This may not pertain to all Dressage riders, however many of them enjoy cross-training to change up their daily routine. Whether you are looking to cross-train, or you are an eventer or jumper, you must be careful to save your horse’s legs when jumping. Each horse only has a … Continue reading Are You Jumping Too Much? →

There has been an ongoing debate for many years as to whether it is okay to ride horses below a certain temperature. There are many factors to consider when deciding to ride or not, and it is important to understand that it is a case by case basis. First, you must look at your horse’s … Continue reading Winter Weather Riding: to ride or not? →

Let’s have an open discussion about Rollkur, and the way some riders are still riding in a similar manner. Rollkur is defined as hyperflexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force. This training technique was banned by the FEI, but it doesn’t seem to be as gone as the federation believes. Riding in a … Continue reading Rollkur Training: Is it really gone? →