Modern science explains something the old school masters already knew For years, they sat on one end of our indoor arena—five ground poles anchored by concrete blocks. With unwavering consistency, we worked our horses over them once a week, either ground driving or riding. But it was not until the winter when my mom and [...]
Mohammed Salim Patel is a journalist for the BBC. The 23-year-old has a degenerative eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa, and needs a guide dog to help him manage, but Patel has a phobia of dogs. Inspired by a documentary, Patel decided a guide horse was an ideal option. He has always loved horses, others were using them, [...]
Professionial trainer, Jec Ballou found her perfect horse in a horse that isn’t perfect. What is the perfect horse? We trainers should have the experience to define one, to measure challenges versus desirables. After years of hands-on work and education, envy over other trainers’ successes, and hours flipping through trade journals or watching YouTube videos, [...]
Since 1986, the Colorado Correctional Industries has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to train gathered wild mustangs and offer them for adoption to qualified applicants. Since, the Wild Horse Inmate Program (WHIP) has trained more than 5,000 mustangs, many adopted to individuals but also to youth riding organizations, handicap [...]
Jec outlines a basic test that will help you gauge your working horse’s fitness level for the New Year. Get in the habit of performing a fitness test every 6 to 8 weeks. This will be your check-up and time to assess which cross-training exercises to utilize over the next several weeks. Remember that the goal [...]
When you love what you do, you find a way to make it work, such is the case for Nicole Roberts. For the last few years Nicole has been living in a horse trailer parked beside the paddock she rents near Port Waikato, New Zealand. Nicole has sacrificed the pleasantries of lifestyle to pursue her passion [...]
