A Good Sport—Sort Of
I’m an amateur dressage rider, and I compete on occasion in schooling and recognized shows. At 50, you almost have to have a sense of humor and perspective about athletic pursuits. I tell friends that...
View ArticleHorse Show Trainer's Diary
Get up at dawn of crack. Fumble in the dark, pull on mismatched outfit, head for horse show. It’s 4 a.m. Why isn’t Starbucks open yet?Arrive at showgrounds, get exhibitor numbers from office, try to...
View ArticleSabotage In The Show Ring
They say it isn’t paranoia if someone really is out to get you.To that statement, I would add that it likewise isn’t just bad horse show luck if your beloved (but opinionated) horse really is out to...
View ArticleCaution: Aging Adult Rider
Embarrassing moment? Only one? Once you're a certain age, just showing up in the ring can count as an embarrassing moment. It’s the self-conscious curse of the aging adult rider, at least we ordinary...
View ArticleJagger
My first horse was a 7-year-old Appendix named Jagger—also Jaegger, Jaeggermeister, Little Sh!t, and (his show name) Rollie Pollie. He was short in stature (15.1-hands), big in scope (jumped 5’3”), and...
View ArticleThe Equestrian I Most Admire: Ralph Hill
He came out of nowhere, rising above the carnage that was the 1978 World Championships. He was riding Sgt. Gilbert, a horse he had brought along himself, who showed his promise by jumping out over the...
View ArticleLet’s End Breedism In The Show Ring
Most of us have “a type.” Some go goo-goo over the 1940s Hollywood glamour of George Clooney. Others for the aristocratic English looks of Benedict Cumberbatch. Me? I love draft horses. The bigger,...
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