Practical Horseman

As this issue arrives in your mail, a few months will have passed since eventer Tamie Smith won the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. After her victory, we were so excited to put a U.S. winner on the cover. What I love almost as much as being

Buckwheat, aka Bucky, and his siblings, Spanky, Alfalfa and Darla, came to Terolyn Horse Rescue at 3 months old. The group fondly became known to friends and supporters as "The Little Rascals." Bucky was adopted as a yearling but unfortunately was re

Hover over the code with a smartphone camera for video comments. 1 Overall: This is a pleasing picture. The horse and rider are in good form, and the horse looks like he is an enthusiastic jumper. Leg: The placement of the rider’s foot in the stirrup

For a dressage trainer, it is always fun to look “out of the box,” so I was delighted to receive a photograph of a horse in Western tack. This is Emily Pethel riding a 2013 Quarter Horse gelding named WW Peppy Poco Winston (aka “Winston”). He is owne

The time I have spent hanging around expert horsemen has never been wasted. If I get stuck with a training problem or need a new way to say the same thing, all I have to do is wait. Soon enough, one of my mentor’s voices will show up with the answer

When Practical Horseman first appeared in January 1973, it covered breeding, care, feeding and training of both racehorses and sporthorses. We’ve moved away from the racehorse coverage, but our focus as a how-to link from experts in training, riding

When Tamie Smith and Mai Baum landed off the last fence in show jumping at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, the crowd inside Rolex Stadium erupted. In response, the 17-year-old German Sport Horse gelding “shot out of a cannon,” Smith sai

In this article, I’ll share two of my favorite exercises that are great tools for both horses and riders. The first is a simple cavalletti exercise on a circle that demands accuracy. The second is a three-jump gymnastic that can be customized to targ

The eight eventers and horses, ranging in levels from Introductory to Training, galloped over logs, through water jumps and sunken roads and up and down banks at Boyd Martin’s Windurra USA stables. Under the watchful eye of the three-time Olympian, t

More than 150 species of internal parasites can infect horses, but only a handful pose the most serious health threats. *Most horses develop immunity by the time they are a year old. Warm, moist weather sets the parasite life cycle in motion. It can

For decades, Steffen Peters has been one of the most well-known names in American dressage. Originally from Wessel, Germany, Peters met U.S. trainer Laurie Falvo who invited him to work at her barn in San Diego in the summer of 1984. Captivated by th

Warmer weather, sun and rain. What does that equal? Flies! Every year horse owners struggle to control them. “It is important to know the flies you are dealing with and the potential they have to bother horses,” says Bob Coleman, PhD, PAS, Extension

Q The long-range forecast shows a stretch of sunny days with temperatures in the mid-80s and high humidity. I’ve been schooling my horse in the early mornings or evenings, but he still works up a sweat. Dehydration is a concern. Is it enough for him

1. Calming Pillow Spray from Equestrian Wellness helps provide a restful night’s sleep before the next big show or event. Spray 6 to 12 inches away from the pillow before bed for ultimate relaxation and luxurious pre-bedtime aromatherapy. equestrianw

You push off with one leg toward your other foot, stepping and putting your weight to the side, like an inside foot to an ice skater. Also, you cannot collapse at the waist, or you would fall. Ruth Hogan-Poulsen has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver and