"He's going through this phase where he sometimes tries to run out of the arena when I'm riding him," I said to my friend the other day when she asked why I got off of Chance in the arena instead of walking back to the barn. He has not done it in a while, but I now …
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Back to Work
With all the bad weather we have had, yesterday was my first time riding a week. A week is not a major break, but care still had to be taken on Chance's first day back to work. First of all, the footing was not ideal; it wasn't terrible, just still a little wet. I never like …
January Blues
If I had to describe January in Texas... IT'S WET! We have had so much rain, and I am beginning to forget what the sun looks like. I really do not mind the cooler temperatures, but constant rain makes life difficult for those of us that thrive on fresh air and the great outdoors. I …
Yoga and Riding
"Whatever you do in life, yoga shows you how to do it better." ~ Chuck Miller ~ I love yoga. I have posted a little about it before, but I decided to devote an entire post to it and how beneficial it is for equestrians. I have been practicing yoga for a little over two …
2015
As 2014 draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the coming one. I love making New Year's Resolutions. I think it is great to come up with goals and ambitions for the year. It gives me focus. A new year is a great time to make changes. …
Christmas Eve
I had a lovely ride on this chilly Christmas Eve! After all the busyness of work and Christmas shopping this week, I was nice to get out into the cold air and breathe. Simply being in the presence of horses can calm my mind in the midst of stress. It also helped that Chance was …
To Spur or Not to Spur
What are rider aids? Natural aids include our leg, seat, hand, basically our whole body in general. Artificial aids include crops, spurs, whips, draw reigns, martingales, flashes, curb chains, bits and more. Artificial aids can be very useful tools in training horses, if used properly. In my opinion, less is more when it comes to artificial …
Patience
"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson~ We've all been there: we think we are not achieving our goals fast enough; our horses are not where we want them to be; we are not where we want to be. This feeling of impatience can cause frustration and disappointment. The funny thing …
Good Rides and Bad Rides
As with any sport, in equestrian some days are absolutely fabulous while others are not so great. Sometimes you just cannot get in sync with your horse. Maybe he or she is a little frisky and acting out, or maybe you are having an off day yourself. Regardless of the reason, some riding days are …
Thankful
I am a little late since Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I decided to write a post about what I am thankful for (equestrian-wise). I am not a big Thanksgiving person, but I do believe that gratitude is very important. I am very blessed in my riding life, although some days I can lose sight …
Laurel Ashton Equestrian 