EquiSpirit Farms

11/26/2021

When I first got out of veterinary school and started looking at horses prior to purchase (usually referred to as a “vet check” or a prepurchase exam), the horses usually fit into one of three categories. The first category was the horse with no problems noted at the time of the exam. That decis...

03/08/2020

11/28/2018

02/27/2018

THE proper way a horse collects and 'gets on the bit'.
No contraption, bit, or gimmick can teach this. It's about proper biomechanics and teaching the horse to balance themselves.

05/17/2016

Oh yes, and the proud trainers!

05/17/2016

Congratulations to my wonderful group of riders! We had such a great time, and our 3 horses were fantastic! Win McLaughlin did an amazing job building Olive's confidence around the courses each day - pretty sure this was the mare's first "away" show! And Daisy had so much fun on Dobby (his first rated show) getting Champion in the little jumpers as well as her Eq. Division, and much thanks to Katie Gordon for helping him get around the courses the first day! And of course Elizabeth did a beautiful job riding Katie's horse Wings (Take Flight), earning lots of great ribbons and Champion in her Eq. Division, and Res. Ch. in the Pre Childrens Hunters. Last (but not least!) Katie herself did a beautiful job in her first Hunter Derby, riding 2 lovely courses and placing 4th. Best of all, my girls handled the "bumps" along the road (falls, wrong courses, etc.) with grace and a smile!

01/06/2016

For the history buffs... Interesting look at the Roman Calvary.

How recent archaeological excavations on Hadrian’s Wall have revealed why it has always been so difficult to discover where Roman soldiers kept their horses.A relief depicting a Roman cavalry …

01/04/2016

Good to know!

01/02/2016

Dream big!

12/31/2015

Happy New Year from Equispirit!
Do you have any horse-related resolutions this year?

Resolutions are the least fun part of New Year's Eve, a holiday dedicated to staying up late, spending time with your loved ones, and overindulging in champagne, shrimp cocktail and passed hors d'oeuvres. Still, it seems only fair that you should do a little something this year to better y

12/01/2015

It's going to be hard, but that's the point.

11/27/2015

But seriously. Happy Thanksgiving from EquiSpirit.

11/20/2015

What do you see?

10/27/2015

A little seasonal inspiration for you.

Have you carved a pumpkin yet this year? Take a gander at these inspired works of horse-crazy Halloween art. [craftaday.blogspot.com] [claimer.blogspot.com...

10/23/2015

Friday giggle.

10/20/2015

Gallop a thoroughbred down the backstretch of a racetrack? take an overnight trail ride? ride on the beach? What's on your bucket list?

Click on the image to download. Download Tags: Checklist, Community, Driving, English, Foal, Horse Fun, Horse Movies, Jousting, Riding, Showing, Travel, Western

10/18/2015

A few warm up stretches can make a big difference in your ride.

Practice these five stretches prior to horseback riding to improve your connection with your horse.

10/07/2015

Just inexcusable... :-)

09/22/2015

Some aha! moments you might recognize.

When you reach the age when you've been a rider for most of your life, it's important to regularly mine your experiences in search of insights. Try to remember those moments when, in an instant, your perspective changed suddenly—usually for the better, sometimes for the worse. Here are

09/19/2015

09/14/2015

A lovely sentiment for a Monday morning.
Have a great week!

09/12/2015

A beautiful day for a schooling show! Thanks to everyone who came out and participated.

More photos at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskkfXCAp

Photos by: Kelli Matthews. If you need high-resolution images, send a message via this page with your email.

09/11/2015

A little Friday funny for you.

09/02/2015

Use your other aids! Some good tips here.

Well, by now, if you've been reading my articles fairly regularly, you might already know that when something is "simple" in horse riding, it isn't necessarily easy! Quieting your hands falls into ...

09/01/2015

Can relate!

1000 Awesome Things is a website that celebrates life’s little pleasures. Since it launched in 2008, it’s generated not one, but three New York Times best selling books, and an app. But while its author, Neil Pasricha, may be “the guru of small joys,” he is not, yet, a horse person. Until that fatef

08/31/2015

Mac says, "Got any treats?"

08/26/2015

Most of us will take the modern riding wear of 2015, but this is a fun historical romp through women's riding habits.

Riding habits of the 19th century were both fashionable and functional. They were designed to flatter the figure, camouflage the dirt, and withstand the physical rigors of horseback riding. These...

08/23/2015

Body awareness is key! In-depth article has some great advice.

Credit: Corinne FoxleyHarmony between horse and rider depends on a good seat. Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel rides Morgenstern, owned by Jayne Nessif.To most riders, their seat position on the horse …

08/22/2015

Human jump: any volunteers? Especially for the jump pole...

08/21/2015

How to identify an equestrian.
And seriously, where *is* that other glove?

08/19/2015

When you ride in our outdoor arena these days, you can't help but enjoy the end-of-summer blooms in the flower garden at the east end.

Photos by: Kelli Matthews

08/13/2015

Basic calf stretches can help keep your heels down.

A correctly positioned heel — one that sits just below the stirrup bar — allows your calf and ankle to flexibly absorb the movement of the horse. Olympic dressage coach Jane Savoie advises that if your heel will not stay down, it may not be a heel problem at all, but rather an issue with your calf m…

08/12/2015

See you at the barn!

08/08/2015

Mac says it's a pretty great day to be a horse at EquiSpirit.