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Equine Affaire 2022…Here We Come!
It’s that time of year again…the frosty, stick-season month when we load the horse trailer full of rather too many boxes of all our favorite horse books and head down the highway to EQUINE AFFAIRE, the nation’s premier equine expo held at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts. We at TSB look forward…
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Big Breakfasts, Power Naps, and Mindful Riding: 24 Hours with Yoga Retreat Leader Cathy Woods
With the 2020 we’re all having, the idea of escaping to a beautiful ranch to find peace, balance, and strength through riding and yoga practice sounds pretty darn appealing. Cathy Woods, author of the new book YOGA FOR RIDERS, is the founder and leader of Body, Mind, Equine™ retreats, which in typical years occur at a…
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Fit and Efficient Riding Tip: Stretch Your Shoulder While You Groom Your Horse
Good mobility of the shoulders and arms is necessary for good riding. In her classic bestseller BALANCE IN MOVEMENT, biomechanics expert Susanne von Dietze says, “One of the ailments of our civilized society, poor posture, especially when sitting, often causes the shoulder girdle to slide forward. In the long term this means severe tension in…
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Rider Training At Home: An Easy Exercise to Develop Rhythm, Balance, and Coordination
Let’s do something positive with all the time we suddenly have at home! We can improve as riders, trainers, and horse caregivers in little ways–and big ones, too!–even when we can’t go to the barn or when lessons and clinics have been canceled. TSB has published so many books full of tips, techniques, and exercises…
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Wait! Don’t Adjust Those Ground Poles!
Are you always resetting ground poles for different gaits and stride lengths? Maybe you can stay in the saddle next time! Here’s a quick tip from Eitan Beth-Halachmy, founder of Cowboy Dressage™, and co-author of the new book DRESSAGE THE COWBOY WAY with Dr. Jenni Grimmett: Working the horse over ground poles can aid in…
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Can You Tell When Your Horse Is Lame?
Lameness is the most common cause of poor performance in the horse. This makes management of his soundness over the long term integral to both his general well-being and his ability to participate in recreational and competitive activities. Unfortunately, most equine caretakers are unable to perceive abnormal movement in the horse, extending the period between…
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6 Ways Top Riders Keep Their Horses Happy, Healthy, and Performing Their Best
They all say this is no secret. They claim it isn’t news. And yet somehow, it seems right to put it out there—again, if that is indeed the case—with the good of the horse in mind. That is: You don’t need custom boots and expensive tack; it doesn’t take a fancy indoor and an underwater…
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The Principles of Riding: Still Solid After All These Years
THE PRINCIPLES OF RIDING by the German Equestrian Federation (FN) was first published more than 50 years ago and now has 28 editions to date. Over 400,000 have been sold, translated into 11 languages. The ideas expressed in THE PRINCIPLES OF RIDING are based on “classical riding,” which is defined by the FN as: “A…
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The Myth of Equine Hierarchy?
Dare we ask whether the concept of equine hierarchy is indeed the primary means of understanding horses and the foundation upon which all training should be built? In their new book EQUUS LOST? Francesco De Giorgio and Jose De Giorgio-Schoorl question the role of hierarchy within equine herds and suggest that our dependence upon perceived…
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Mark Rashid on Overflexion
“A common problem with lateral flexion is that even when done correctly…it is simply practiced too much,” writes renowned horseman Mark Rashid in his new book FINDING THE MISSED PATH: THE ART OF RESTARTING HORSES. “Now I realize there are folks that teach who say that lateral flexion can never be done too much. Others…
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