I was thirteen. I’d just gotten my own horse, and was embarking on the path to competing in three-day eventing. A group of adults I’d ridden with for a few years invited me to go and watch one of the few large events in our state. Aside from loving the sport, I was excited to … More Actors and Directors
I’ve been pondering the question of cruelty a lot lately. There certainly is more than enough cruelty in the world. But if you go by the internet, you would be hard pressed to find anything that we do with horses that isn’t considered cruel. Bits, shoes, blankets, stalls, clipping … even riding has been called cruel … More What is “cruel”?
What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me Don’t hurt me no more Lyrics by Haddaway A recent Facebook post, on the Tamarack Hill Farm page, raised a debate about how much top riders care about their horses. I hear it all the time – riders at the top of [fill in the sport] LOVE their … More Do we love them?
I was recently reading a piece about a new Dressage competition that was started in Finland. The gist of it is that two competitors ride side by side, in mirror patterns “consisting of 5 or 6 ‘flashy’ movements”. The audience registers their approval by the level of applause, and three judges decide who moves into … More Alternative Dressage Competitions?
Horse Crazy Once Again 