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Category Archives: Riders

Friday’s Five – Simple steps to find the ideal bit for your horse

  The perfect bit: is it out there? Where is it hiding? No matter your level, you want to find an appropriate bit for your horse that both maximizes the quality of his performance and permits you to have enough control to train and compete safely. Follow these steps in your bit search:  1)    Know what your end goal is. An appropriate bit will encourage the horse to connect to both reins evenly. It will also provide the rider with enough influence to turn and slow down in a safe manner. If you have a particular problem that you want your bitting choice to…

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Choose the winner of the next Perri’s halter from these creative horse names

  Perri’s Leather is bringing you a monthly contest to celebrate horse names, have some fun and give you a chance to win a beautiful ‘Amish made’ Perri’s leather halter with an engraved plate to show off your horse’s unique name.   For December, we invited Imagine waking up on Christmas morning to find their dream horse… But this prize present was nameless! What would they name their equine Christmas presents? Our readers got quite creative and numerous names were submitted giving our judges a tough time narrowing it down to the top 10 fantasy dream horse names. Now it’s…

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To tattle or not to tattle: When to tell your coach and when to keep it to yourself

  At most stables, there is a head coach or trainer in charge. Not only do their students look up to them for guidance and approval but coaches are usually responsible for ensuring the stable runs effectively. Even if some riders at a particular stable don’t take regular lessons with the head coach, they still have to follow the barn rules. I have boarded and ridden at many different stables, all with different coaches. At all of these barns, I have noticed there is always one common thread – DRAMA. A lot of this barn drama actually stems from riders…

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Why you need social media for your 2019 riding goals

  2019 is here and with the arrival of a new year, we always attempt to reinvent ourselves with new self-commitments to improve our lives. Making changes is not easy and many New Year’s resolutions are often not kept after the first few weeks. But here is a New Year’s resolution that is actually easy and fun and is a great way for you to help grow the sport of Eventing (or any equestrian discipline) and your personal brand. If you ride horses, you are an athlete and a horse trainer. As a competitor you naturally have goals. As you…

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Six New Year’s resolutions every equestrian should make

  It’s official, 2019 has begun! The start of a New Year is an exciting time for equestrians. The 2019 competition season hasn’t started yet but you are busy putting in place measures to ensure your year is as successful as possible. For some riders who compete in the South, your show season will begin in a few weeks. For others, the 2019 season is six months away. Regardless of when your first competition is, now is the perfect time to start working on things that will boost your performances this year. Here are some New Year’s resolutions you need…

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Top 10 – New Year’s resolutions your horse is aiming for

  WARNING: Only read if you have a sense of humour Check in for our Top 10 list that could feature just about anyone or anything related to Eventing. No rider, owner, coach, or nation is off limits. Remember: “Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think.”   10. I’ll gallop full throttle on cross-country so we never have time faults again. 9. I vow to become a better jumper. I’m going to practice all day hopping out of my paddock. 8. You seem kind of nervous about ditches so I won’t jump them anymore. 7….

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11 Struggles only equestrians who live in the North can relate to

  The wintertime is a rough time for equestrians around the world, especially those who live in the North. The off-season sucks for everyone but for the riders, in the North, the off-season drags on endlessly and the harsh, bitter weather is testing. If you live in the North and stay there for the duration of the winter you will understand these struggles all to well… 1. The intense jealously you feel towards EVERYONE who lives in the South or travels South for the winter.     2. Buying your horse a ‘quality’ winter blanket and seeing it destroyed in…

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Friday’s Five – Tips to make trailering easier on your horse

  At some point, all riders will have to trailer horses. Whether it is a short jaunt for lessons or a long trek across the country, it is important that you provide your horse with a first class and safe ride. Ensure that your horse travels like a VIP: 1) Soak hay – Horses tend to drink little to nothing when they are on the trailer. Simply soak your horse’s haynet in a skip bucket the night before a long trip to help your horse stay hydrated. When horses are yanking hay out of their haynets, the air can get dusty…

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Unclutter your riding life in 2019 – Get rid of these things before the end of next month

  Stop hoarding horsey things. It is time that you removed the stuff from your tack room, horse trailer and house that you no longer use. This purge will free you from clutter and it will also be good for your mental health and perhaps even your wallet. Here are the things that need to go straight into the trash: 1) Broken tack that is either not worth the money to fix or is beyond repair. Quit telling yourself that one-day you will be happy that you have a martingale that is snapped in half. If you have had a…

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From throwing in the towel to soaring over hedges – An Eventing Christmas story

  “I think it might be time to give up.” Jenny stared sadly into her now cold cup of coffee. It was Christmas Eve, and she had made the trip to the far side of the village to her best friend Anna’s house, to deliver gifts. Jenny and Anna had been inseparable since their pony club days, and had risen up through the Junior and Young Rider eventing ranks. Now both established senior riders, the 2018 season had been amazing for Anna. Jenny, however, had had an awful year. Jenny’s top horse ‘Jack Of All Trades’ had made a rare…

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