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Decades ago, before the advancement in veterinary care we now enjoy, horses over the age of 20 were considered very old and rarely ridden. They were “put out to pasture” and unfortunately often forgotten about. These days though, many horses in their 20s (and beyond) still live useful and productive …
When I first moved to the Pacific Northwest, I found the rapid descent into darkness in autumn quite depressing. I couldn’t believe how dark it was at 7:00 a.m. and then again at 5:00 p.m. The rain and grey skies didn’t help my mood much either. But over the decades …
I got pretty sick a few weeks ago. I just kept pushing myself, thinking my lack of energy and aching muscles were related to the fact that I’m getting older and the physical demands of caring for the farm had me a little run down. Then one morning I almost …
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. – Henry Ford I remember when I got my first pair of glasses. I’d just passed my 40th birthday and it was …
Over the Fourth of July weekend I had the opportunity to judge a Working Equitation show in Illinois. The event was held at a riding club, the Fox Valley Saddle Association which was established in the 1940s. Near Chicago, the club sits in an agricultural area complete with acres of …
You know it when you’re lucky enough to find one—the good horse. He (or she) is the horse who turns a bad day into a good day, who takes the tension from your shoulders, and makes life’s problems drift away. He’s the reliable one who always tries his best. …
Sometimes I think it would be helpful if horses could speak to us clearly, using words, about their preferences in the tack we use on them. If they would just let us know clearly what they like, and why, we could save ourselves a lot of time and money. It’s …
One of the harder situations of horse ownership is when a beloved horse doesn’t want to do the job you hoped he would do. We humans have goals and aspirations, so we fix a label to our chosen horse that’s frequently related to his pedigree or conformation. Dressage horse, barrel …
While sorting through my father’s belongings after his death, I found this photo of me riding Pumpkin, the mare of my childhood. The photo triggered a powerful insight in me. It depicts a moment I remember clearly, and one that defined much of what I believed about myself for the …
On cold, wet, dark winter days when I’ve changed clothes multiple times because I’m soaked to the skin, and I’m feeling frustrated because the tractor broke down, and then the wind blows down a tree destroying a horse fence, and my fingers are too frozen to open a bucket of …
