6 Roadblocks to Lightness

Editor’s Note: Amy Skinner is a regular guest columnist and has been a horse gal since age six. She works with owner/operator Jim Thomas as a trainer at Bar T Horsemanship where she rides and teaches English and Western. She has studied at the Royal Andalusian School […]

Women in today’s world and the horse world

One of the silver linings of these contentious times is the intense, widespread examination of fairness in our culture and workplace – specifically, fairness as it relates to gender equality. Perhaps like many of you, I entered the workplace as a teenager in the late […]

Links for Junior Scientists & Curiosity Hogs

We’d like to think that BestHorsePractices can point you to better sources than, say, your average Facebook newsfeed. Here are several interesting, science-related articles for your consideration. They are not necessarily horse-y, but if you’re a lifelong learner, constantly curious and gravitating to new insights, […]

Summit Welcome Video is Here!

The team at Soulfolle Creative has released the Welcome video for the Best Horse Practices Summit, with opening remarks by Director Maddy Butcher. Click on image below.

Horses Nurture Body and Soul

Editor’s Note: Dr. Sheryl King is professor emeritus of Southern Illinois University, a Fellow of the Equine Science Society, a Best Horse Practices Summit board member, and lifelong horsewoman. In this guest column, she writes about the range of benefits from working and owning horses. […]

Fred Holcomb: Equine Science as an Action Verb

Editor’s Note: Fred Holcomb is a horseman, BHPS steering committee member, and farrier currently living in Bozeman, Montana. He completed equine research at a Wyoming ranch and Davidson College. In this guest column, he reflects on our need to understand equine research as a process, […]

After the BHP Summit Storm

A note from BHPS Director Maddy Butcher: It’s been 23 days since the first Best Horse Practices Summit wrapped up with a boisterous Farewell Reception in Durango’s historic Strater Hotel. Attendees, presenters, board members, and volunteers have all been able to let their hair down […]

Summit Testimonials

We heard high praise from many quarters for the inaugural Best Horse Practices Summit. Here are just a few: It’s been an intense, mind-boggling couple of days at the Best Horse Practices Summit. I learned so much about horse brains, horse behavior, and horse-human connections. […]

Summit Farewell Notes: the Lanyard Story

Remarks delivered by director Maddy Butcher at the Summit Farewell Reception: The story of the Summit lanyards can go a long way in illustrating the range of details and the room for errors when putting together a conference. Especially a first-year conference on a limited […]

Opening Remarks at the Best Horse Practices Summit

Best Horse Practices Summit director Maddy Butcher offered these remarks as she opened the inaugural conference on earlier this month in Durango, Colorado: The whole idea for this conference bubbled up about two years ago after I attended a horse expo in New England. I […]