Q. Overarching is causing my back problems! But, if I breathe a lot and relax, my back goes straight. Is this the right way to correct it? A. Proper spinal alignment begins with the seat bones. You can not establish a straight back unless you are sitting squarely on your seat bones – not back…
Q. I have sponsored before, and I am about to start with a new horse. She is a twelve-year-old Appaloosa/Thoroughbred. She has no problems except for tying and picking up her right lead. I was just wondering if you have any good and fun exercises to do in the arena. Usually, when I ride alone,…
Q. I got my horse nine months ago. The vet didn’t look at him before I bought him, but he did when he came out for another horse and said he was fine. That was last spring when the weather was warm. But over the winter, I noticed that his left back leg gets stiff…
Q. There is a fat horse at the barn where I board. I’m scared she’s going to colic or founder because of the weight. My friend part-boards her but can only get up once a week to ride, only now the horse is so fat the girth won’t fit. (not even western). I couldn’t just…
Q. Whenever I get ready to ride after the horse is tacked up, I always pull their front legs forward, not only to stretch them but so the girth doesn’t pinch them. But when I got my horse, I tried to do this, and he wouldn’t let me! I was just wondering if it makes…
Q. The horse I ride seems to know a lot less than an 11-year-old trained horse should know. He tries to move when I mount or shift my weight. He acts up a bit more than he should, but we started over fresh. If you have any advice, just tell me! A. Sometimes it takes…
Q. My horse WON’T stand still when I mount him. He is bad about it. Any good tips? A. First, I need you to understand a couple of things. I have never had a horse who I couldn’t get to stand still for mounting within 5 minutes. Secondly, in two decades of teaching riding professionally,…
Some questions appearing previously on my Equine Answer Board are categorized and archived on this page, along with my responses. Riding & Training • How can I teach my horse to stand still when I mount? • The horse I ride moves when I mount or shift my weight in the saddle. Any advice? • I’d like to…
A Life Together Albert wouldn’t jump. Now I don’t mean spook jump, or play jump, or jump for joy. I don’t even mean jump big scary walls, or loudly painted coops, or huge spreads with bottomless water pits beneath. I mean Albert wouldn’t jump … period. He saw no point in it. He was designed…
The Introduction And now it is time for me to tell you a bit about the stately beast himself. When purchased, Albert was an approximately thirteen-year-old, 14.3 hand (everywhere), palomino, old-style quarter horse type gelding. John Gilroy had purchased him sight unseen from the description, ” … a big, dumb cutting horse who’ll cut right…