Terry Golson

In this era of “tidying up,” storing horse show ribbons in boxes and tucking them into a back closet won’t do. Neither will hanging them on a wall to fade and collect dust. It’s a nice problem to have – what to do with those show ribbons. Having them in […]

Horse Show Ribbon Display

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The barn where I currently keep Tonka is perfect. Few people who board their horses can say that. I’ve written about why it is so wonderful in this post, but I’ll summarize that in one sentence: Tonka is happy. But perfection doesn’t last. The barn is changing hands and this […]

Looking For a New Boarding Barn

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I brought Tonka home in December of 2013. He was two months shy of his 8th birthday. Today he turns 13! I’m fortunate to have been able to learn something of Tonka’s early days. He grew up on a ranch in Texas, with aunties who told him what’s what, and […]

Happy 13th Birthday, Tonka!

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Around here, weather in February can give you whiplash. There’s always a thaw day; this year’s has been extreme. We suddenly went from frigid arctic temperatures to a sunny 60° F. You’d think that horse people would be celebrating. Nope. Our horses still have their winter coats. Tonka doesn’t get […]

Winter Thaw Footing

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ICE. In Case of Emergency. You’re an equestrian. At some point there will be an emergency. A recent tragedy at the barn where I board my horse glaringly showed holes in my knowledge and preparation. Every single rider, trainer and worker at this stable is experienced, and yet when first […]

ICE for Equestrians

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It’s 0°F this morning. Which is not as cold as it is in the Midwest (I feel for you guys!) On the plus side, there’s not much wind and the sun is shining in a blue sky. The horses are fine. When the weather is at it’s worst, they’re in. […]

Walking In the Cold

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I’ve been asked why Tonka wears his in the winter. Good question! It’s something that horses usually wear to keep flies and gnats out of their sensitive ears. It’s a simple solution to a pesky (pesty!) problem. Although there aren’t bugs in New England when it’s cold, Tonka wears his […]

Ear Bonnet

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We had a tragedy at the barn. A rider came off and had to be air-lifted to a Boston hospital. She was in the indoor arena, which is up a driveway from the stables. Fortunately, two were riding that day. But both riders had left their phones in the tack […]

Always Ride With Your Phone

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Early Sunday morning it started to snow. Which turned to freezing rain, pelting sleet, cold rain, and more snow. The horses, of course, stayed snug in their stalls. Monday morning was clear, but this was the temperature, and it wasn’t expected to rise more than a few degrees all day. […]

Cold Snap Worries

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