Twin Oaks Farm

06/21/2025

Always, always pat your horse. 🐴💖
No matter the ride.
No matter the ribbon.
No matter what the judge did or didn’t see. 👀

Because your horse showed up for you.
Because they don’t know the score.
Because they’re not here for the trophy, they’re here for you. 🏆❤️

The connection matters.
The gratitude matters.
Loving the horse more than the sport always matters. 🙏

From center ring, we notice the riders who stay connected. Who reach down in the lineup and say thank you. Who don’t let a disappointing result erase the effort their horse gave.

Those are the riders you remember — in the best way!🌟

05/22/2025

Training Tip Tuesday. One way to help create an uphill, balanced downward transitions from the canter is to countdown the transition while "stilling" the seat and closing the hands and legs. I generally do this on a 3-count to allow ample time for the horse to understand the aids and expect the transition. This will vary, of course, based on the horse's level of training and natural ability. Grow tall, taller, tallest (like being pulled up by a puppet string toward the sky) as you engage your core bringing the shoulder blades together and closing the thighs against the saddle.

Avoid pulling backward with the hand and bracing. This will cause the horse to hollow and drop the back while raising the head and coming against the hand.

When done correctly, the horse will drop nicely into a rhythmical 2-beat trot or 4-beat walk.

05/21/2025

Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.  This week...

05/14/2025

Great info as we come into the summer.

05/01/2025

Beginning December 1, 2025, peacock stirrups (also referred to as hook-and-loop stirrups) will no longer be permitted at USEF-sanctioned events. This follows a similar decision by United States Pony Club, which banned the stirrups as of January 1, 2025.

Originally designed to release in the event of a fall, these stirrups have unfortunately been linked to serious rider injuries. In several cases, the exposed hook has caught riders during dismounts, resulting in torn clothing, lacerations, and in some cases, long-term or permanent injury.

In line with these safety-driven rule changes, Tried Equestrian will no longer accept peacock stirrups for consignment moving forward.

As always, we’re here to help our community stay safe, informed, and dressed properly in and out of the ring. 🤍

04/06/2025

Huge sale! Some great items marked way down.

Shipping Worldwide

03/29/2025

Doesn’t every horses stall need a pink disco ball!?!

03/27/2025

So amazing!! One of my favorites to watch!

03/24/2025

03/24/2025

Stone and Mia had a great weekend at the spring horse trial at Texas Rose Horse Park. They didn’t place but ran middle of the pack out of 18. We are super proud of Stone!
Here is their show jumping round. Two rails but not a bad round other than that. He’s still trying to figure it out.

03/20/2025

When girthing up a horse, it’s important not to over-tighten the girth. An over-tightened girth may pinch or bruise the muscles, especially those in the chest (pectorals), the neck (trapezius), the side of the ribcage (serratus ventralis), and the lower back (latissimus dorsi), which are shown in red on the diagram bel. Similar to how a tight belt can cause discomfort or bruising in a human, an overly tight girth can cause soreness in these areas. It may also lead to bruising of the ribs and the intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs), restricting movement and causing pain. Additionally, the tightness will cause the saddle to put more pressure on the horse’s back muscles, leading to further discomfort.

Think of it like wearing a belt that’s too tight around your waist: it presses into your skin and muscles, causing discomfort, restricting movement, and potentially causing bruising. Just as you wouldn’t wear a belt so tight that it hurts, it’s crucial not to over-tighten the girth to avoid these issues for the horse. Always ensure the girth is snug, but not excessively tight, to keep the horse comfortable and prevent injury.