The Equicube

I recently stumbled across this teaching tool on the interwebs: The Equicube. It’s a tool that strengthens the rider’s core and helps them find correct posture and ride from their center.  This is it, as shown on their website: It seems to me the biggest benefits for riding instruction, both for TR and able bodied … Continue reading →

Horse Bridle Parts Puzzle

Here is a puzzle activity for the parts of the bridle that I used a while back! Set Up Feel free to download the drawings for your own use during lessons or as a camp activity – click on the images below for a larger version, then right click the image, and click “save as”. … Continue reading →

4 Part Pattern

This is a riding pattern I used a while ago when I had several riders of all different skill levels and goals. It was very adaptable to using with multiple riders, so I’d like to share it with you! Set Up 2 pairs of poles across one diagonal another cone in the lower right corner, … Continue reading →

Ground Pole Exercises

Here are four good ground pole exercises to help create a solid foundation in your riders. They are from the Certified Horsemanship Association’s Monthly EBlast from a year or so ago – click on the link to subscribe! The author was Jennifer Wiley a CHA Certified Master Instructor and Clinic Staff. I rewrote/simplified/clarified the exercises … Continue reading →

Notes – Diet, Bone Adaptation, Infectious Disease Control

This past Saturday I attended the Purdue Veterinary Medicine Horseman’s Forum, a great day of seminars and continued education for those in the equine industry in Indiana. I really like this event because the presentations always include recent medical advancements and research, basic information as well as over-my-head info, and awesome real life pictures of gruesome … Continue reading →

Horse Football

A reader named Twuana of Loving Thunder Therapeutic Riding Inc. has sent in a brilliant game her program plays every Superbowl week. I love incorporating current festivities into the arena, and hope you enjoy it too! Horse Football Setup: Make a football field in your arena. “We borrow a sports chalk striper from the local parks … Continue reading →

Quiet Hands

I had a rider a while back who had trouble keeping her hands still (really, who doesn’t when you start out), so here is a bunch of info I looked up about it! It’s not really a riding skill or aid, but it’s definitely a foundational concept, so I did it in What, Why, How … Continue reading →

Using the horse as a personality

In my training so far, I have seen in therapeutic riding that the main uses of the horse include: movement (their gaits directly transmit movement and require balance reactions) reflection of actions (as herd animals, horses act a mirror to the rider’s own tensions and actions, which can be used to change behavior) acceptance (horses … Continue reading →

2016 State of the Blog Report

At the end of every year I love to see the annual stats on the blog and post them! While nothing can compare to the actual comments readers send me, seeing where readers are from, which posts are the most popular, and so on, helps me feel that much closer to everyone, and contributes to a feeling … Continue reading →