The Brain’s “Low Road” and “High Road”

Mechanics know that one big problem – smoke under the hood – is often caused by tiny, less visible issues. To solve the big problem, you need to understand finer points and foundational concepts. The more you know, the more effective you can be in […]

When the Horse says “No”

Editor’s Note: Amy Skinner is a regular guest columnist and has been a horse gal since age six. She owns Essence Horsemanship, rides and teaches English and Western at Jim Thomas’ Bar T Ranch in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Skinner has studied at the Royal Andalusian School […]

The Care Continuum

By Maddy Butcher Consider your ranch or barnyard. Take a snapshot in your mind. Now, zoom out to view your neighbors, your state, your country, and your world. It’s easy to see the broad spectrum of care we owners have for our equines. From educated […]

Developing the Intelligent, Functional Core

Continuing our conversation on Core Fitness, we spoke with accomplished physical therapist, Beth Austin, of Santa Cruz, California. A runner and dancer, Austin rode often as a girl and has an excellent sense of the horse-rider partnership. The therapist and seminar leader works with a […]

Core Strength Requires Understanding

Beth Watson is a physiotherapist living in Perth, Australia. Here, she lends yet another excellent point of view to our focus on Rider Fitness, especially core fitness. Clinician Wendy Murdoch suggested in a recent article that “core strength is counterproductive to good riding.” We disagree. […]

Favorite Reads of 2016

We asked a few contributors for their favorite reads of 2016. Here’s what they picked: Emily Luciano, occasional guest columnist and director of Lucky Dee Communications Less is More Feel Defined Amy Skinner on Self Carriage Amy Skinner on Guiding WiseAssWallace on Gear Amy Skinner, […]

Go for Mental, Not Mechanical Gear

Amy Skinner is a regular guest columnist and has been a horse gal since age six. She  runs Essence Horsemanship, rides and teaches English and Western. Skinner has studied at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Spain, with Buck Brannaman, Leslie Desmond, Brent […]

Don’t Touch My Horse!

Amy Skinner runs Essence Horsemanship and is a frequent guest columnist for our sister site, NickerNews. Read her columns here. Here, she writes about the need to understand horses’ sensitivity to touch: People who come to my barn are probably befuddled by my posted sign: […]

Another Call against Cross Ties

2018 Best Horse Practices Summit presenter Amy Skinner is a frequent guest columnist for Cayuse Communications. Read more of her columns here. Here, Skinner writes about the Cons of Cross Ties: I recently sold a horse and delivered him to his new barn. I relayed the […]

Three Great Reasons to attend Evidence-Based Horsemanship Seminar

Next month, Dr. Steve Peters and Martin Black will give students a treat with this year’s only Evidence-Based Horsemanship Seminar. The two-and-a-half day package will be in beautiful Mancos, Colorado on November 18-20. There, the cowboy-scientist team will conduct morning classroom sessions and afternoon work […]