relationship building

I’ve always have a feeling of guilt when I load Tonka into the trailer. After all, it must be uncomfortable to stand in a moving box, balancing over bumps, hills and curves, with the jarring noises and smells of the highway to contend with. I’ve felt guilty even though Tonka […]

Tonka Sightsees

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Yesterday, Tonka and I competed at another USDF dressage show. My ride time was 8:07 a.m., which meant that I had to be at the barn by 5:30 a.m. to feed Tonka. Once we’re hauling down the highway, he doesn’t eat. Some horses do, his friend Maggie will eat as […]

Why Show?

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As a writer, I’m very aware of how the words that we use not only describe our world, but also shape how we think about it. When writing about my hens, I could characterize their clucking as chattering or squabbling. One word makes them appear charming, the other, quarrelsome. We […]

Flight Animal Stereotype

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It’s important for horses to stretch. Many equestrians have a routine of exercises for this purpose. Using carrots as lures, they get their horses to reach around with their necks to their sides, lift their backs (known as crunches) and bend down to put their noses between their legs. Tonka […]

Tonka’s Stretching Advice

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Earlier this summer, Tonka and I went to two schooling shows. Such competitions aren’t under the auspices of the United States Dressage Federation (USDF). The judges are very good, but they don’t yet have their full accreditation. The atmosphere is more laid back than at recognized shows, and your scores don’t […]

Harmonious

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Now that Lily’s gone, Scooter is finding his new normal. His job for ten years was to be Lily’s sidekick. Follow her around. Distract her when she got too serious. Observe her brilliance. Not everything has changed. Scooter continues to indulge in his favorite pastime. Naps.   But I know […]

Helping Animals Adjust to Loss

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There’s an expression about horses, and it’s always a compliment. That horse has the look of eagles. In 1937, a racing writer, Joseph A. Estes wrote a poem about Man o’ War, the famous racehorse: He was marked with the god’s own giving And winged in every part: The look […]

The Look Of Eagles?

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Yesterday I trailered Tonka to meet up with his friend Maggie. Tonka hadn’t seen Maggie for a year, but before that they’d been stabled next to each other and had been paddock-mates. As it’s said time and again, horses are herd animals, so Tonka was bound to be pleased to […]

Horse Friendship and Riding Issues

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