Life-long Learning, Part II

Read Part I I just finished reading The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd. The story takes place in South Carolina nearly 200 years ago, when the acquisition of knowledge for women and slaves was risky business. Books and educational resources were coveted treasures […]

Life-long Learning, Part I

A curious sensation came over me when researching and writing about the Wobble Board of Learning: I got a dopamine rush. I experienced the very phenomenon I was attempting to explain. It was like being dizzy while describing the sensation of being dizzy. Read about […]

Alberta conference low on bling, high on benefits

Of all the expositions and conferences out there, the Alberta Horse Owners and Breeders Conference stands hands above all. It’s a serious affair, run by the Horse Industry Association of Alberta to strengthen their community “through advocacy, education and research,” according to its mission. The […]

Good Science, Bad Science

A great bit of equine-related research has hit my desk lately: A group at Washington State University quantified lowered cortisol levels in kids enrolled in equine-facilitated learning programs. The study, a randomized trial, gives EFL programs a huge leg up in legitimization. It should help […]

If helmets are no brainers, why don’t we all wear them?

Culture and vanity vie against common sense and science in plenty of our personal decisions. Take tanning: This year, the World Health Organization added tanning booths to the list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation. People get skin cancer and die from frequenting […]

Welcome Lucerne Farms!

We’re excited to welcome Lucerne Farms to our growing family of advertisers. The Maine company, based in Easton and Fort Fairfield, fits our values and mindset to a T: a small company with a high quality product that’s great for owners and their equines. It’s […]

He knew Nature is Best

Tom Smith knew what happened off the track was crucial to victories on the track. Diet and horse keeping practices were key to the champion he developed out of the fussy, difficult Seabiscuit. Read about Seabiscuit: An American Legend and other favorite horse books. Nervous […]

Considering Mustangs and Impact of the Horse

The wild horses and burros of the American West are a source of great contention that stretches far beyond their herd territories. The ranchers want them gone. The activists want them to run free. The Bureau of Land Management is caught in the middle and […]

Survey says…”Yes!”

A BIG thanks to all those completing our recent NickerNews & BestHorsePractices survey. We received excellent participation and input. Here are some tidbits: Who reads our newsletters and visits our sites? — Most have been reading the newsletter for 2-4 years. — Most are women, […]

Lessons in Listening

“Listen to your horse.” “Trust your horse.” They sound earnest and profound, but what do those statements really mean? And how can you listen to your horse and still be the Lead Horse? (Trainers tell you that, too.) Finding the intersection between telling and listening, […]