Episode 10: Experts & Open-Mindedness

Listen to Episode 10 Head to main podcast page. A note from podcast producer, Maddy Butcher: Here we are celebrating the 10th episode of our new podcast. Hooray for us and THANK YOU for listening! By all metrics, the new venture has been a […]

Horses’ Future Uncertain

I’ll be excited to join a National Cowboy Poetry Gathering panel in a few weeks to talk about the state of horses in the 21st century. In Elko, at Western Folklife’s G Three Bar Theater, I’ll sit with Randy Rieman, Bryan Neubert, and Maria Lisa […]

Today’s horses have it better AND worse, Part I

Understanding “Deep Practice”

In The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle discusses the merits of soccer hotbeds in Brazil and training methods of famous pianists. So, what does all that have to do with horsemanship? Everything. As Coyle explains, it all comes down to one microscopic detail, shared by horses […]

Randy Rieman Report

In this era of quick fixes and sound bites, Randy Rieman stands tall as a clinician of ideas, reflections, and with a dedication to the long view. Rieman believes that riders need to invest in learning and the long journey of improvement and horse-rider knowledge. […]

Clinics are for Working Cowboys, too

I’m lucky to live in an area full of working cowboys. They use their horses for jobs. It’s a scenario that many of us fabricate in order to keep our horses handy and engaged. On a recent cattle drive, for instance, I watched as their […]

The Death of “Natural Horsemanship”

Natural horsemanship is dead. Long live natural horsemanship. Natural horsemanship is a trending phrase that got attached to a style of work and a way of connecting with horses that Bill and Tom Dorrance offered up a few generations ago. It involved working with the […]

Wise words from Wolter

Words of wisdom are funny things. They can make total sense or leave you scratching your head. How you absorb and apply them is equally variable. It depends on your attitude, perspective, and education. Those who worked with Bill and Tom Dorrance told me Bill […]

Introducing the ‘Not Too Old to Learn Challenge’!

We’ve been celebrating the NickerNews and BestHorsePractices community with guest columns and photo albums dedicated to our readers and their equines. Inspiring stuff. And as often happens in the dark, quiet months of winter, I got to thinking: Let’s do something with these inspirations. Let’s […]

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 […]