Making Success a Habit
When you talk to yourself (in your own mind), do you tell yourself that you are heading for success? Or do you tell yourself that you are failing? Our thought patterns create a large part of our reality because we act on our thoughts. They can also become habits. I...
When Dogs Meet Horses in Art
As we see above, in de Vos and Wildens’ dramatic ‘Horse attacked by dogs’, dog and horse contact can end in disaster with both reverting to their raw primal selves and the humans ending in a heap. Each day, different versions of the above scenario occur thousands of...
It’s the thought that matters
How much of your life and riding is influenced by your thoughts? The answer is much more than you think! I have undergone some major changes in my personal life and, naturally, when big things happen to us, our mind goes into overdrive. As the changes unfolded, I...
The Gift Horse in Past and Present
The gifting of horses is an ancient practice in many cultures that continues today. Historically, offering a horse is a sign of respect or allegiance and is done to seal relationships whether they be public, political, and personal. It has been a way of bonding...
Rewilding Horses: No Easy Enterprise
What are our moral obligations when managing the welfare of rewilded horses? Conservationists are reintroducing horses (and cattle) to areas they once roamed wild in, in an effort to restore lost ecosystems, help shape and regulate landscapes, and promote...
Releasing the Pressure
There are many situations in our daily lives when the pressure is just too high for us to bear. It may be the pressure to perform, the pressure of expectation, and/or the pressure that we place ourselves under. We often experience the same with our riding, even though...
Are You Brave Enough to be Kind to Your Horse, Yourself and Others?
Are you brave enough to be kind to your horse, yourself and others? An article has been published titled ‘An Ethnographic Account of the British Equestrian Virtue of Bravery, and Its Implications for Equine Welfare’, which is available open...
Bernard Rollin ‘father of veterinary ethics’ died on 19th November
Bernie Rollin, one of the leading scholars in animal rights and animal consciousness, a longtime Colorado State University professor and "father of veterinary medical ethics," died Friday, November 19. He was 78 years old. Rollin leaves behind...
When Decisions Matter
How to make decisions when they matter We are often faced with having to make decisions that affect our lives. Some of the decisions we make are of little consequence and therefore, if we get them wrong, it doesn’t matter. But what about the ones that do matter? The...
Tomorrow’s Horse World
What is your vision of tomorrow's horse world? When I was growing up, the TV program ‘Tomorrow’s World’ was a huge family deal. Presented by the national icon and MENSA member, Carol Vorderman, it was a glimpse into how our world might look in 30, 40, or even 100...
Mares and Foals Through the Ages in Art History
Mares and Foals Through the Ages in Art History Foaling season is the ideal time to take a tour of the world’s most significant ‘mare and foal’ artworks through time. From the prehistory to the 20th century, Art Historian Georgina Downey, PhD, selects the classics and...
Earliest Horse Domestication Clues Point to the Caspian Steppe
New archeogenetic studies show clear evidence that horse domestication - and the drinking of horse milk - likely began in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, and it enabled the Bronze Age mass migrations that shaped European peoples. The findings fit with the idea that...
Give up Your Goals
If there's one thing we learned in the first half of 2021 it is that things won't go back to normal as quickly as we hoped. In fact, I think we all gradually realised that the old normal does not exist anymore and will never come back. So, how do we deal with such...
The Coaching Sweet Spot Part 1: Balancing Tradition and Science
A series for any rider who has ever had a coach – and for coaches who coach well, and want to coach better. It’s usually only coaches who talk about coaching, but that’s an old-fashioned approach, because coaching is just as important to riders, so let’s discuss it...
From Pony Club to Olympic Glory
From their regional Pony Club to the world stage: Australia’s oldest and largest equine organisation helped shape the lives of our Olympic Equestrian Team. Australia’s most elite athletes are in Tokyo, Japan, not just bringing home medals but testing their skills...
We are meant to change, so why is it so difficult?
“It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes.” (Machiavelli) Change is inevitable and it’s part of our human history and evolution. Adapting to new...
The Heavy Horse in Australian Art
The Heavy Horse in Australian Art From pulling whims in mines, to carting wool bales to promoting regional tourism, the heavy horse has captured the Australian imagination and, consequently, our art history is rich in pictures that show the contribution of these...
Be Kind to Yourself
There’s a popular saying and it goes like this: “Would you talk to your friends like you talk to yourself? And, if the answer is no, why are you so hard on yourself?” I see so many riders who constantly beat themselves up. Today, I gave a lesson and the rider, who...
