As you know, if you have been following me for a while, that my horse Chance has had some time off due to soundness issues that we couldn't figure out. I honestly thought that his working days might just be over. The past couple of months, he lost a ton of muscle - far more …
Tag: equine
Companionship
Chance has been a bit off this month. It seems that he nearly always is at some point during the fall and winter months. He is [hopefully] on the mend though, and can start back work on Friday. It is always tough for me when he is off because, well, I love to ride. Something …
Light Hands
A soft, light hand is essential in riding and training horses. The lighter the hand a horse is trained with, the lighter and softer the horse will be throughout its life and career. I have found that more often than not, horses prefer a their riders to be light on their mouths. Some horses like …
Thanksgiving
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of Thanksgiving. For one, I have been a vegetarian for nearly a decade so a holiday centered around eating a poor bird just …
Trust and Telepathy
I had a really cool moment while riding Chance the other day. We were cantering toward a small jump, I did not know where we were so I was prepared to sit still, hold, and add a step. Yet, Chance new exactly where we were; and more than that, I knew that he knew. I …
Still Crazy
I posted a while ago that I was having trouble coming up with things to write about because I am often more inspired by the tough times of my riding life in "A Simple Ride and Writer's Block." While Chance has still been pretty good lately, today he reminded me that he is still a little crazy. Everything …
Grand Slam
This past Saturday at Keeneland, one very special horse made history yet again. In his final race, American Pharoah became the first horse to win the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic one and quarter mile race, or the "Grand Slam." Like his other races, it was incredible to watch. He smoked everyone else. …
Happy Halloween!
It is a gloomy, spooky Halloween here in Montgomery, Texas! Being under construction, there are contractors in and out of the farm every day so I go check on things and make sure everything is locked up at night. My dog, Khloe, goes with me and thinks it's the greatest thing ever. I, on the other hand, …
Wildness
Horses have been a huge part of my life since I was twelve years old. I think my love them began much sooner, however. As a girl, I was always an animal lover. Rather than watching cartoons, I watched the Discovery Channel. To this day, I know a lot of random facts about wildlife. Horses …
Riding in the Rain
With fall comes rain, at least in Texas. Actually, the past couple of days have not felt much like fall at all. This morning, it was warm and humid; and rainy. Chance was not too thrilled about working in the "inclement" conditions today. He wasn't terrible, but wasn't great either. He was a little lazy, …
Laurel Ashton Equestrian 