In my last email I took you to Anja Beran’s workshop. A few days later I was at an equine science conference, while the FEI world championships ran in Aachen at the same time. The competition kept finding its way into our conversations. At lunch one day we agreed quickly that the sport has welfare … Read more
In my last email I showed you two photos of Blondie, taken two years apart. In the first she walks downhill, all her weight on her shoulders. In the second she carries herself beautifully. Last week I attended Anja Beran’s 2026 workshop, and in one of the riding demonstrations, there they were. Both photos in … Read more
I was watching the video of today’s ride. We’re working on transitions from walk to trot, and I spend a long time in the walk before I ask. Getting her balance right first, so the trot has something to start from. And it struck me: how beautiful her walk has become. Look at her front … Read more
You know that question that keeps coming up in conversations? What do you do when your horse continually says no? I don’t mean the big no, not rearing or bolting or shutting down. I mean the quiet one. Your horse doesn’t quite move forward, the expression gets a little tight, or she offers something else … Read more