Plum Ridge Academy

02/13/2024

Levi the barn cat, demanding some attention from Linda and Echo! What a boss!

02/13/2024

Aww. A pretty snow storm. I Hope it doesn't stay too long!

09/26/2022

So true!!

🤣

04/06/2022

💯

Read , let it sink in, then read again :

“No. 1. Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.

No. 2. The horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter you sit, the easier this will be for the horse.

No. 3. The horse's engine is in the rear. Thus, you must ride your horse from behind, and not focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.

No. 4. It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.

No. 5. For your horse to be keen but submissive, it must be calm, straight and forward.

No. 6. When the horse isn`t straight, the hollow side is the difficult side.

No. 7. The inside rein controls the bending, the outside rein controls the speed.

No. 8. Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth. You make a contract with it: "You carry your head and I'll carry my hands."

No. 10. Once you've used an aid, put it back.

No. 11. You can exaggerate every virtue into a defect.

No. 12. Always carry a stick, then you will seldom need it.

No. 13. If you`ve given something a fair trial, and it still doesn't work, try something else—even the opposite.

No. 14. Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.

No. 15. If you're going to have a fight, you pick the time and place.

No. 16. What you can't accomplish in an hour should usually be put off until tomorrow.

No. 17. You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.

No. 18. When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around.

No. 19. Don`t let over-jumping or dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying.

No. 20. Never give up until the rail hits the ground.

No. 21. Young horses are like children—give them a lot of love, but don't let them get away with anything.

No. 22. In practice, do things as perfectly as you can; in competition, do what you have to do.

No. 23. Never fight the oats.

No. 24. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

~Bill Steinkraus

02/14/2022

🐴💕🤷🏻‍♀️

😂❤️😂❤️😂❤️

02/13/2022

☀️& 🐴

Ever wonder how much daylight you gain in February? Check this out. The closer to the Equator you go, the less dramatic the change is.

02/11/2022

Brilliant!!! 😂😂😂

😆😆😆😆

01/13/2022

😂😂😂

01/11/2022

🥶🐴

12/11/2021

Think before blaming the horse! An excellent read!

THE FRONTAL LOBE OF THE HORSE’S BRAIN IS NEARLY NON-EXISTENT.

How does this apply to schooling/training? Frontal lobes are involved in higher mental functions such as reasoning. This means that horses cannot reason or plan to be naughty. They cannot be blamed for bad behavior or poor performance. They cannot recognize future consequences. Horses simply react to the situation. They learn through conditioning and memory.

I see and hear so many riders anthropomorphize their horses instead of finding better training tools. Phrases such as, ‘he just likes to be difficult’ or ‘this pony is so naughty’ or ‘he understands or knows what I want, but won’t do it’, or ‘he moves his hindquarters at every halt just to irritate me’. Horses do not know what we want unless we explain it in a manner that they can understand immediately.

A few months ago a rider told me how her horse ‘just does not want to co-operate’. It started with overt flight behavior and then became a subtle ‘snatchy’ movement of the nose. I asked her whether it could be due to discomfort. She answered, ‘no, she is just naughty’. It turned out that the horse was suffering from laminitis and was in severe discomfort! It made me want to cry.

At the moment I am training a young horse from scratch. I also used phrases such as, ‘she has a short fuse’ and ‘she challenges me every step of the way’. Then I realized that everything I was doing on this horse was completely new to her. I realized how frightening that must be for an animal with no reasoning ability. She was actually trying hard to understand me, but when new instructions were a tad confusing, she showed me in no uncertain terms that she did not understand it. The horse’s reactions to learning new skills all depends on personality. This particular horse is extremely sensitive and an introvert. Utopia, my older horse, is less sensitive and a complete extrovert. She can deal with much more pressure than the youngster. The message for me is that I must train each horse with the kind of pressure which they can deal with. Each horse has a different tolerance for pressure. Us riders have to be adaptable to each horse’s ability to deal with pressure. Personally I find that most behavioral problems stem from confusion, discomfort and too much pressure. Photo is the equine brain in front of the human brain.

Thanks to Karin Blignault for the info!!

11/30/2021

Still a great resource!

Since our office is getting a lot of calls about blanketing here is a useful flow chart

11/29/2021

'Tis the season to start thinking about the upcoming winter months. ❄️

As the temperatures start to drop in our region this time of year, make sure you're keeping your horses happy and healthy with these seasonal tips from Penn Vet's New Bolton Center.

11/19/2021

So, so true!! 🐴💕

From a lesson mom… 💗 Inspired by a lesson a few weeks ago.

10/30/2021

10/28/2021

Plum Ridge doesn’t just grow nice 🐴. We have great 🦌 too!!

10/24/2021

We all know horses are a lifelong learning journey, and that’s why it’s important for everyone to have eyes on the ground, trainers included! Here is Jennifer Greshko on Georg, taking a virtual lesson with Carel Eijkenaar. https://youtu.be/JisvcYAWG4o

10/14/2021

It’s tough being the king!! Iliad works hard AND naps hard!! 🐴💤💕

10/12/2021

💯🐴💕

10/05/2021

Essentially, yes.

09/22/2021

A handy guide, with pictures!

09/11/2021

https://youtu.be/riB30oZ4Q9k

20 years later, we’ll never forget.Budweiser is a proud partner of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. We support their mission to remember the victims and help edu...

09/10/2021

Another reason why each horse should have its own set of brushes and grooming tools, as well as saddle pads and blankets!

IS RAIN ROT A FUNGAL OR A BACTERIAL DISEASE?

Rain rot (or rain scald) is the common name for a contagious BACTERIAL skin disease called dermatophilosis. It's caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis," which thrives during wet seasons and in geographical locations with high precipitation and humidity. It can also develop after horses have sweat under blankets or tack, and equines with compromised immune systems are more susceptible.

Why should you not mistake rain rot for a fungal disease?
Antifungal medications and topicals have no effect on the bacteria responsible for rain rot, therefore diagnosing the condition correctly is very important!

How does rain rot happen?
The bacteria infects the hair follicles and damages the hair follicle and shaft; the hair will then pull out in small clumps leaving pink skin or purulent scabs behind (pro tip: your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!) If you do not address the factors that promote the right bacterial environment (for example, you always leave your horse to stand outside in the rain without shelter or the protection of a waterproof rug), rain rot can keep recurring; if left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan based on the severity of your horse's case. While there are a million products that can be found in your local tack store, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action.

More information about rain rot can be found on our website at https://aaep.org/issue/summertime-skin-diseases

09/07/2021

Well said!

08/21/2021

🙌🏻💕🐴

Here’s to extraordinary humans, a.k.a equestrians. 💙🐴💙

08/17/2021

🙌🏻

To avoid pulling back, imagine that it is like trying to drive forward while engaging the parking brake in your car. You won’t go smoothly forward no matter how much you push on the “gas.” — Andreas Helgstrand

Thanks to our sponsor of this week's Dressage Solutions, Vita Flex! For more information, visit vitaflex.com.

Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz

08/04/2021

💕🐴💕

08/02/2021

Wow!!

Beautiful, educational, eye-opening

07/31/2021

💕🐴🙌🏻💕

07/29/2021

True story! Be inspired, but put the horse first! 🐴💕