Equestrian Life
-
Do You Have Pony Envy?
Confessions of a Timid Rider: I Am Jealous of My Friends with Horses Friends, I’ll be honest with you. I believe I’m a nice person. I try my best to help others and be a good friend. So the fact that I have become green-eye with jealousy is something of which I’m not proud. Every single time one of my barn family gets a new pony or horse, I am so happy for them. Truly. At the same time a part of me dies a little inside of envy. Because I want what they have. I am embarrassed to admit it. Today a friend, a fellow horse…
-
Reach Your Highest Potential with Equestrian Performance Coaching
Introduction by Amy Hempe Blogger of The Rufus Files and Returning Adult Equestrian I first met Dana Dapolito online after I had published an essay examining my own riding anxiety. After she shared it on her page, I took her free online course and began my own process of moving past the mental obstacles preventing me from going to the next level with my riding. It has helped me tremendously. I do flatwork on different horses with ease and have moved onto jumping (although courses still intimidate me). I know to keep breathing and to communicate with my hips and core. A lot has softened in my riding. Best of…
-
In Search of the Perfect Equestrian Breeches
Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are…… I’ll be the first to admit that I have a problem. Namely that I have many breeches and riding tights in my closet. And don’t have a favorite. I’m still searching for the elusive unicorn of riding breeches. Is it too much to ask for comfort, fit, look, and an affordable price tag? Different brands have different pros and cons. Then you have a regional affinity. For example, in my area the favored brand are Tailored Sportsmans. But in the UK, Pikeur seems to be a reigning favorite. So I sent out an S.O.S to equestrians on Twitter to ask…
-
Confessions of a Timid Rider
My Name is Heather and I Have a Confession I Let Fear Take Over I’m a returning adult rider that has been back in the saddle about 8 years now. I rode for several years as a child but stopped because of my anxiety. Self doubt that I was not good at what I loved best. For a long time I let that fear get in the way. It was easy to step away and say it was due to college. To get caught up in those four years away and pretend to be an adult. I focused on books rather than animals and followed a path into publishing…
-
Painted Pony Package Brings Childish Glee
Did you know that there are monthly subscription boxes for children? Meet The Painted Pony Package, started in 2017, which Cameron received as a gift recently.The opinions and experiences are our own. What is a Subscription Box? Subscription boxes are a marketing strategy and a way of distributing niche products regularly, usually every month. There are boxes for everything you can think of: jewelry, shoes, socks, beauty supplies, pet supplies, and of course equestrian boxes! Painted Pony Package One of these equestrian boxes is called the Painted Pony Package. Started by a mother and daughter, it features a few educational items and a lot of FUN items for…
-
Holistic Aromatherapy for Horses
I started blogging as a way to inform others of the benefits of holistic wellness for our animals, both horse and dog. In my practice at Bridle & Bone Wellness LLC, I see firsthand the amazing benefits of natural techniques such as massage and aromatherapy. There has been a lot of interest from equestrians and dog owners around the world, as well as fellow bloggers. One of my favorite things about blogging over the last year is the network of other writers and pet lovers that I’ve connected with around the world. Through the Equestrian Bloggers Facebook group, I met Lindsey Rains of Alta Mira Horsemanship (now Horse Rookie!). What…
-
A Beginner’s Guide to Building Trust in a Horse
Equestrian Bloggers have only become a popular phenomenon in the last year or so. Lately, many riders with a gift for pen and paper (so to speak) have not only begun to chronicle their journey with horses, but also to form a network of authors to bring riders together from all over. I met Heather Wallace of Bridle & Bone through a Facebook group centered around encouraging one another in our equine blogging journey. She has asked me to share today about kind practices with horses that apply to all experience levels. Developing Trust from Day One There are so many things to learn as a new rider. Basic safety is…
-
Big Horses Result in Big Falls
Confessions of a Timid Rider: I fell off Delight for the first time. Ouch. Big horses result in big falls. I forget how big Delight is until something reminds me. Do you ever feel like you can’t get anything right some days or even weeks? Maybe it’s this looming solar eclipse, I don’t know. After days of technological chaos, I was excited to ride Delight. We had a fun lesson last week when I got out of my own way, and the weather was proving to be overcast. So much better than the glaring sunshine we’ve recently had. Unfortunately, things started off on the wrong foot.…
-
Interview with Cornelia Dorr, Rising Eventer
Cornelia Dorr is a rising star in the eventing world. At 19 years old, she has a strong work ethic and a passion for her horses. I had the pleasure of attending and photographing this year’s Jersey Fresh International at the Horse Park of New Jersey. Very quickly, Cornelia stood out as a young rider. On Day 1 she won first place in dressage over veteran riders from around the world. When asked for an interview for my blog, she graciously accepted and said she was already familiar with it! Read on to find out more about this promising equestrian. Getting to Know Cornelia Dorr Q:…
-
Struggling with Motivation
Confessions of a Timid Rider: Some days I’m not Motivated to Ride Horses are my passion, but I tend to doubt my skill and often question myself. I don’t think I’m alone in that. But today I did not set myself up for success. In fact, I really made some poor decisions and as such struggled with motivation. Exhaustion I hadn’t ridden in two whole weeks! My barn has pony camp, which really reduces available riding time without a thousand kids running around screaming. Not that Delight cares. But I do. I ride for pleasure and for the thrill of spending time with my favorite boy, not to dodge children…
