Horse Forum

Coming to a Nook Near You

Horse Magazine Subscriptions Now Available in Digital Format

Horse & Rider A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing Barnes & Noble's newsstand on my Nook, and was thrilled to find that there was one horse magazine available, Horse & Rider. Not long ago there weren't any available on the Nook, so this was big news.

Today, as I was getting ready to write this post, I checked again, and now there are three! Practical Horseman and Horse Journal have joined the ranks. I'm hoping Horse Illustrated will be next in line. Read more about Coming to a Nook Near You

Keeping Track of Rides, Training, and Other Work

daily riding journal Whether your goals are to get ready for a show, improve your riding abilities, train your horse to do something new, or just ensure that you ride often enough to enjoy your horse and your hobby -- or perhaps some combination of all three -- one of the best ways to keep track of your and/or your horse's progress is to keep some type of calendar or journal. Read more about Keeping Track of Rides, Training, and Other Work

The Simple Joys of Owning Horses

"It's days like today that remind me why I have horses!"

my sweet 2-year-old horse! I've had a ridiculously busy week. I'd thought my schedule would settle down a bit after the holidays were over -- silly me! Or maybe I just haven't given it quite long enough yet.

In any case, responsibilities were piling up, and as a result I almost didn't go out to the barn today to ride. But I reconsidered when I realized that earlier this week, I made basically the same decision -- and regretted it. So I went out after all today, and managed to squeeze in a 30-minute bareback ride before I had to go to work. Read more about The Simple Joys of Owning Horses

The Importance of Making Time for Your Horses

"Just like kids and dogs, horses do best with regular and consistent attention."

poor ignored pony! In December I pretty much failed to spend enough time with my horses. First we got atrocious amounts of snow; then I worked more hours than usual in the week before Christmas; and then of course the holidays kept me extra busy as well. And finally, as the topping on a busy month, our dog got sick enough to end up in the doggy ER, requiring a lot of time (and worry!). In other words, not much time for horses.

But I paid for my neglect. My older horse, who is 6 now, was pretty good when I finally found time to ride him a few days ago, for the first time in two weeks. But my younger horse, who is just two and a half, was a total spaz today when my trainer and I worked with him. Read more about The Importance of Making Time for Your Horses

Baking Soda Removes Stains on White

If you have ever shown a horse, you know it takes a lot of work to get them prepared. Bathing, grooming and other tasks take a lot of time and must be done right. Nothing is more aggravating than getting a horse clean and ready to go, only to have them get into something and become dirty again. On white horses, this can be even more of a problem because it is so difficult to get them completely clean. Read more about Baking Soda Removes Stains on White

How Old for a First Horse?

"Rather than focusing on a specific age, I think it is a better idea to take each child’s abilities individually."

As a young girl, I was completely infatuated with horses. My neighbor raised the most beautiful horses, and I would stare longingly out the window any time he was working with them, dreaming of the day when I could have my own. My parents were willing to let me have one, but I had to be a certain age before I could get it. Read more about How Old for a First Horse?

Horse Lovers and History Buffs Meet at the Movies

War Horse combines a classic horse story with poignant history

War Horse movie When I was trying to decide what horse books to buy as a Christmas present to the horse-crazy girl I nanny for, I decided to read War Horse, a children's book that has been on my reading list since I learned there was a movie coming out. I read the book in a day and a half, and went right out and bought a copy for the girl I take care of.

A couple of days later, I read the New York Times review of War Horse, and learned that the movie was coming to theaters on Christmas Day. I suppose you probably won't be surprised to learn that I dragged my husband to the theaters on opening day! In fact, I dragged him there twice -- once in the afternoon, only to learn it was sold out, and again that night for the latest showing they had. (As full as the theater was that afternoon, that's how empty it was at 10:40. Hubby and I were two of only 6 or 7 people in the theater that night.) Read more about Horse Lovers and History Buffs Meet at the Movies

Minimizing Drama at the Barn

Here are a few ideas to help you along.

drama at the barn I recently experienced a whole bunch of drama at the barn where I board my two horses. What it came down to was that I broke a minor rule, thinking that certain people would be kind and generous enough to make an exception in a special circumstance. Not so. It was far more trouble than it was worth -- far more trouble than it would have been just to abide by the silly rule.

Unfortunately, horse boarding barns tend to have a lot of drama. Maybe it's the fact that most boarders and horse owners are women, or maybe it's the fact that horse people are nothing if not passionate about what they do and how they do it. Whatever the reason, if you ever find a barn that doesn't have very much drama, I suggest you dig in like a tick, because they are hard to find!

If you aren't that lucky, you can still try to minimize how much drama you, personally, have to deal with. Here are a few ideas to help you along. Read more about Minimizing Drama at the Barn

Looking for a Horse? Try Your Local Shelter

Animal rescue shelters are a huge benefit to our society, taking in unwanted and stray animals and working to provide them with new, loving homes. In the past few years, shelters have seen a greatly increased demand for their services as more people are finding themselves unable to care for beloved family pets. These days, it isn’t just cats and dogs who need the help of a shelter. Horses are finding their way to shelters more often too. Read more about Looking for a Horse? Try Your Local Shelter

Guide to Horse Markings

"All of these markings are white and contrast with the base color of the horse."

In an effort to more accurately describe how a horse looks, horse markings have all been given unique names. It may surprise you to know that there are several ways to describe the white markings on a horse’s face, and several others to describe the type of white markings on each foot. Read more about Guide to Horse Markings