Watch a rider come down the trail on certain horses, and something looks different. The horse is moving out at a good clip, but the rider is sitting still, with no posting and no bouncing. If you’ve heard a horse like that called “gaited” and wondered what it means, you’re not alone. Quick answer: A …
Walk into a closed-up barn on a still summer morning and you can feel it before you see it. The air is heavy, ammonia hangs around the stalls, and the horses are sweating before anyone’s even saddled up. If you’re trying to get more fresh air into your barn or figure out where your fans …
I’ve owned, ridden in, and worn out enough cowboy boots to know that the best brand depends on what you need the boots to do. A boot that’s perfect in the saddle may be miserable for walking around town, and a beautiful dress boot may not last a season around the barn. Here are the …
Plan a trail ride, read about the Old West, or watch a horse move out across a pasture, and sooner or later you wonder how fast that horse is actually going. The answer changes a lot from one gait to the next, and a horse walking down a trail and a racehorse breaking from the …
A solid black horse turns heads, whether it’s a Friesian under saddle, a big draft horse in harness, or a Thoroughbred walking into the paddock. But if you’re looking for a horse that’s reliably black, breed matters, and a lot of horses that look black turn out to be dark bay or seal brown up …
Whether you’ve just pulled a dry, stiff saddle out of the tack room or dropped good money on a new one you want to keep in shape, caring for that leather the right way matters. But walk down the tack-care aisle, and you’ll find oils, conditioners, balms, and butters, all promising to protect your saddle. …
When it comes to saddles, form and function are intertwined. Different saddles are designed to help equestrians meet the goals of various disciplines. But what about English saddles? They all look alike. Is there a difference between Jumping and dressage saddles? A jumping saddle is designed with a shallow seat, short stirrups, and forward-pointing flaps …
Most riders don’t start in tall boots — they start here. The right pair isn’t just about comfort — it directly affects your stability, safety, and how long you can stay in the saddle without fatigue. A good paddock boot has to do two things well: keep your foot secure in the stirrup and hold …
An equestrian friend bought a pair of Chelsea boots and wasn’t sure they were appropriate with jeans, so we looked into it. Short version: they are, and Chelsea boots have a longer history with horse people than most buyers realize. Can you wear Chelsea boots with jeans? Yes. Chelsea boots work with jeans for both …
When my granddaughter visited our racehorse barn in Folsom, Louisiana, she noticed the trainer using cross ties for the horses instead of a single lead rope like we use at home. On the drive back, she wanted to know everything about them — and whether we could set some up for her horse. What are …
