Here are some interesting blog posts from the past week in the horse world.

Here are a few interesting blog posts from the horse blogging world.

I’ve really enjoyed reading the Day in the Life blog hop posts from Tracy at Fly on Over. All of them were great, but here are two I thought highlighted some really interesting lines of work!

A Day in the Life from Racing to Ride
Racing! I love all the behind the scenes stuff.

A Day in the Life from Wait for the Jump
I love Saiph’s posts about her work as an emergency vet tech. I got exhausted just reading this!

My Favorite Overseas Tack & Equipment Sites from The $900 Facebook Pony
Some of you are so much more adventurous than I about what you buy and where you buy it!

Boston 2024: Franklin Park as the Equestrian Venue from The Maggie Memoirs
Hands-down one of my favorite blog posts of the last six months. Excellent analysis, thorough reporting, and I actually learned things I didn’t know about the equestrian scene in and around Boston!

Wes, One Year Barefoot from The Jumping Percheron
I am a sucker for barefoot transformation posts, and this is a particularly good one, with lots of photos and thoughtful details.

Conformation Analysis from DIY Horse Ownership
I’ve also loved the conformation analysis blog hop that’s been going around – and here it is applied to a mule! A MULE, you guys! COOL.

Winter Wear from The Longest Format
❤ gear. The only thing that makes winter bearable.

What’s Your Opinion? Horse Racing Anonymous Survey from Racing to Ride
Go, offer your opinion! I’m curious to see what will come out of this. I have some deeply ambivalent feelings toward horse racing as it’s currently structured.

Here are a few interesting posts from horse-blogging land!

January Sunshine from Pony Express
Lovely horses, lovely photos, and my second-favorite livestock: BABY LAMBS! Even if part of me did die inside a little when she talked about spring-like weather…

When Event Horses Defy the Odds from Eventing Nation
AMAZING rehab story. Wow.

The Ammy Manifesto from Sprinkler Bandit
PREACH IT.

I Was a NYC Carriage Driver from The Adventures of a Floppy Ammy
The world can’t have enough honest reporting about how well-treated NYC carriage horses are, and this is a really neat perspective!

Here are a few good links from the horse blogging world.

7 Tips For Being a Better Competitor Among Friends from Zen and the Art of Baby Horse Management
I love this. I’m somewhat competitive, and I often ride among friends, but all these tips apply to anyone who’s showing – they’ll help you be a better competitor and person.

Thermal Imaging from The Adventures of a Floppy Ammy
I loved seeing the pre and post saddle reflocking images – such a great argument for reflocking regularly, even if your saddle fits on paper.

What to Consider Before Using Alternative Therapies on Your Horse from Racing to Ride
Thoughtful, clear, and transparent post about things to think about when you’re going beyond standard vet care. I myself use massage for Tristan regularly, and would consider chiropractic. It’s important to note here that by “alternative therapies” Jodi means more things like that and not, say, Chinese herbs or homeopathy.

A Hard Diagnosis to Take from Paradigm Farms
Again! Thoughtful, clear, and transparent writing about how sometimes the best thing you can do for your horse is absolutely nothing. I tend to be guilty of the “TRY EVERYTHING!” approach to Tristan; in the last few months I’ve made conscious decisions to let him resolve some problems on his own, both for my mental health and for my bank account.

Flying Changes from Forging Fiction
Truly outstanding lesson write-up with diagrams and thoughtful analysis and clearly described exercises.

Here are some great posts from the horse blogging world this past week.

Hooves: Excellent for both Exploding Heads and Amazing Healing Powers from We Are Flying Solo
Longtime readers of this blog will know that I am no stranger to crazypants hoof drama. This is an excellent overview of a pretty impressive and nasty foot wound, complete with lots of photos and retrospective thoughts.

A Filly Named Patriot Takes on the Colts from Trafalgar Square Books
GO PATS.

Making a Heavy Horse Lighter from Guinness on Tap
Tristan’s natural tendency is to be so heavy he’ll give you blisters and sore arms. This is a truly outstanding overview of how to ride such a horse and help them be lighter. I’ve done a lot of these (with a great deal less skill than Austen has!) for Tristan over the years and he is considerably better than he used to be.

Chris Bartle: Let’s Be Besties from The $900 Facebook Pony
I always mean to watch streaming online clinics, and then I never do. Here’s a great summary of some of the recent ICP symposium stuff from Chris Bartle.

Strictly speaking some of these are from two weeks ago, since I am behind in my blog reading, but here you go: interesting horse blog posts!

Expert Opinion: Shoulder In from Incidents of Guidance
I would like to draw sparkly hearts around this. Nothing soothes my soul quite like diving really deep into the books and seeing what the greats have to say about something.

Peak & Recover from Boots and Saddles
Nobody writes conditioning theory like Mel, and this is a really thoughtful take on what we’re accomplishing by changing the tempo of our work.

Do You Walk the Walk from Daryl Kinney Eventing
Looooooove this. The walk is such an underestimated gait. Walk for muscle, gallop for wind. Reading this helped inspire me to add even more walking to my winter routine (which was already walk-heavy).

Jumping exercises with only a few jumps from Hand Gallop
These are terrific, and thoughtful, and aimed at those of us who have to lug our own $#@$@# standards everywhere.

Face Off: Rambo Micklem vs PS of Sweden High Jump Bridle from SprinklerBandit
Thoughtful, comprehensive review of two of the major “anatomical” bridles currently on the market. Everything you ever wondered about either bridle is answered here. I’ve always wondered whether one of these would be right for Tristan, especially after some trainers I really respect started working in them. Had I any spare cash, I might consider it, especially after the arguments here!

What It’s Like On The Inside: Kim Severson Eventing from Eventing Nation
Taylor and I rode at the same barn together in Boston, and she is a genuinely lovely person who is a wonderful rider. This is a great interview with her about what it’s like being a working student for Kim Severson, who might be my personal favorite upper level event rider. (Winsome Adante is absolutely still, always, forever my favorite upper level event horse.)

Here are a few great posts from the horse blogging world!

Stories from Spin Class from The $900 Facebook Pony
I laughed and laughed and laughed. I have never been gym-goer, and apparently I am missing some excellent people-watching!

Dover’s Outstanding Service from Guinness on Tap
I’ve never understood the Dover hate, and this is a great follow up to Austen’s frightening trailer accident story a little while ago.

New First tests from Poor Woman Showing
Carly’s conversations with Bobby are always hilarious. This one is particularly good. I’m still grinning ear to ear writing this summary!

First Time Saddle Shopping Tips from Topaz Dreams
It literally never occurred to me until I read this that there are so many things we take for granted when we shop for a saddle. I love the way this is all written out! I bought my first saddle for $50 from a rescue I was working at. They had gotten it at an auction for about that much. Yeah. Needless to say, I never really rode in it. It made a good first saddle for a series of mustangs, though – sometimes it’s nice to have something you don’t care about!

Here are some interesting blog posts from the horse world!

Pan Am Penny from A Filly’s Best Friend
WHAT. THIS IS SO COOL, YOU GUYS. YES, IT WARRANTS ALL CAPS.

The Custom Bridle Experience From Hell from The $900 Facebook Pony
o.O Yeah. Wow.

How to Put Some Solar Power In Your Fenceline from We Are Flying Solo
GREAT tutorial, very timely for me, excellent explanations and ideas.

Happy Gotcha Day from What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Lovely tribute to a really special horse, with before & after pictures. What a change!

First of all, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Here’s a roundup of blog posts from this past week.

Tracking Apps for Riding from ‘Fraidy Cat Eventing
Great review of an app I hadn’t heard of before. I’ve been using Endomondo quite a lot, but wondered what else was out there.

Yesterday Was True Horror from Guinness on Tap
This is one of the most difficult blog posts I’ve ever read. It’s really important, though; kudos to Austen for keeping her head, for working so hard to save her horse, for writing an impartial and thoughtful account, and for being brave enough to share it with all of us. She’s not kidding about the graphic photos, though – read at your own risk.

101 Apps for Schooling Inspiration from The Journey to 100 Miles
I love the 101 exercises books – they are far more useful than I would ever have thought. I LOVE the idea of having them in an app format, though the price seems steep. This is a good review of what you get for your money.

In Which We Ride 10 Miles on City Streets from In Omnia Paratus
Liz is approximately 100 million times cooler and more adventurous than I will ever be. SO COOL, YOU GUYS.

Here are a few posts from the horse blogging world!

2nd Blogaversary Blog Statistics from She Moved to Texas
All the stats! Lauren is an excellent blogger and a great designer, so this is a really cool roundup.

Initial Hoof Boot Review: Equine Fusion Ultimate Jogging Shoes from The Journey to 100 Miles