Developing Clarity

From Issue No.78 Sitting on the berm watching a magnificent horse and its rider schooling the grand-prix inspired me to write about the importance of the human-horse partnership in relation to the quality of gaits. My life’s passion is to blend the education of dressage biomechanics while still nurturing the relationship between the horse and […]

This Explains a Lot

From issue No.111 There’s this thing about working with horses… it’s one of those things that is responsible for making working with horses difficult, soul-shattering hard work. And I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer here, but it’s one of those kind of hard-to-swallow universal truths about horses that we sometimes really wish wasn’t […]

Balance vs. Motion in Dressage

Written by Jec Ballou The development of dressage horses falls more or less into two camps, with a lively debate dividing them over the proper foundation and training progression. For example, should a horse in the early work achieve precise and stable longitudinal balance prior to developing the motion of his gaits? Or, should the […]

A Dream Come True

Written by Linda Turner This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.71 Early Californios Skills of the Rancho held in Santa Ynez February 8th-10th was the realization of Bruce Sandifer’s dream to form an organization where the Californio traditions could be studied, taught, and kept alive. The non-profit Californio Bridlehorse Association (CBA) became that […]

The Wade Saddle Fabulous or Fad?

Written by Chuck Stormes This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.69 About forty years ago I started hearing stories about Ray Hunt and his clinics. Usually, the account came from a wide-eyed cowboy who had witnessed twenty or thirty “colts” turned loose in a pen, saddled and ridden but with nothing on their […]

Saddling a Tied Horse

Written by Buster McLaury This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.69 I rarely saddle an older horse that is tied up, and I never saddle a young horse that is tied up. I think too much of my horses. Let’s give a little thought (Ray would be proud) to a scenario that could happen; […]

I Wish I Were in Africa

Written by Wendy Murdoch This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.64 “Jambo!” the soft musical voice of the Daniel floats through the tent flaps as hot coffee, tea and cookies arrive to wake us with the dawn. Dressed and ready to ride we make our way down to the mess tent where we […]

Challenge, Encourage and Inspire

Written by Buster McLaury This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.55 Subscribe Today! When working with our horses, we should always be thinking about preparing them for what’s coming next – after a while, tomorrow, next week, next year.  In doing so, we should keep things interesting for our horse, so he never […]

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