Horse Blog – Horse Training Blog – Cowgirl Blog

Horse Safety for Kids and Beginners

May 24, 2011

For those of us who had the opportunity to grow up around horses, responsibilities and safe horse-handling practices became lifelong habits. But there are a lot of families with children who are starting from scratch, buying their first horse, and have no idea how to go about handling one. Here are some basic guidelines that kids and beginners should know about horses:

One-Year Anniversary Giveaway!

May 10, 2011

It was one year ago today that I started this horse blog, and it’s been a wonderful adventure to share my horse experiences with all of you. Bringing so many old memories to life has been richly rewarding, and I love thinking back on the horses I knew as a kid. As a big thank you to all of my readers, I am holding my very first Cowgirl Diary Giveaway right here on this blog post!

Gunner

April 24, 2011

One thing I love about horses is their individual personalities. Just as every person in the world has his own characteristics, every horse is wired differently. And just like every good group of friends has a goofball in it, the horse bunch I grew up with had its own class clown, Gunner.

Spring Turnout

April 21, 2011

Here in the midwest things are changing. It’s unbelievable what a week’s worth of rain can do for the dried up roots of winter….everything in Iowa is magically green! Our horses are anxiously awaiting turnout, greeting me with whinnies whenever I appear. I love watching them canter out to graze, usually bucking or tossing their […]

Symbols of Springtime

April 19, 2011

Spring is right up there on my list of favorite things. There’s nothing more refreshing than new flowers, baby calves, twittering robins, and the earthy smell of overturned dirt. It always gives me a sense of excitement and anticipation of the even better season of summer that’s coming. Spring brings so many reminders of the good things in life.

Short On Time

April 9, 2011

“I’m so busy I don’t know whether I found a rope or lost my horse.” A co-worker read this quote aloud to me yesterday from a t-shirt catalog she was thumbing through. As I laughed aloud, I thought, “That pretty much sums up how I feel.” Spring hasn’t really even gotten into full swing, and I am feeling left behind and swamped by undone projects.

Wide Open Spaces

April 5, 2011

I have a friend here visiting from Australia for a couple of months, and we went horseback riding yesterday. It’s finally starting to warm up here in the midwest, and with warm breezes beckoning, we put on our riding boots and headed out to the farm.

Songs From Grandma

March 31, 2011

My grandma was an avid horse lover. Maybe not as horse crazy as I am, because she had too much work to do to spend any time on horses. But I think that horses were always on her mind. I don’t know what kind of fool I’d be if it weren’t for my Grandma, but I sincerely doubt that I’d be the horse crazy fool that I am.

A Horse That Bites

March 26, 2011

Writing in response to a recent question from a reader of my horse blog, I’d like to address the issue of how to correct a horse that bites you when you’re handling it. In this day and age of political correctness, what kind of discipline is acceptable to train a horse to not bite?

Friendship With Horses

March 23, 2011

It’s been awhile since I’ve had the chance to just spend the day following my horse around. But today I was thinking back to when I was a kid, when I would be at the barn all day, not necessarily riding, but just spending time with the horses. There’s a lot to be said for getting solid hours of horse time.

Scars

March 19, 2011

Every body’s got a tale to tell, and if you’ve been as enthusiastic about outdoor activities as I have, chances are you have some scars as reminders of your experiences. I noticed a scar of mine the other day, which made me start thinking about how I got that scar, which made me wonder just how many scars do I have that are horse-related? I have to say, almost all of my scars have a horse story behind them.

My Black Colt

March 13, 2011

I always think about my black colt this time of year. If you read my previous post about saying goodbye to a horse, and my horse poems I wrote about his death, you understand part of the story. But I would like to tell the rest of the story and give more of a background about this horse that was so special to me.

Saying Goodbye to a Horse

March 10, 2011

One of the hardest things in the world is saying goodbye to a pet or animal that you love. I have lost several horses during my life, and each occurrence was something I felt I would never quit hurting over. So much of grief involves the frustration of being helpless to remedy the situation

Horse Sense

March 3, 2011

Here’s a point to ponder for all of you horse lovers out there: Don’t get so horse crazy that you lose all common sense. Getting caught up in your enthusiasm and passion for horses can easily overshadow some basic truths that I would like to point out.

Cowgirl Apparel

February 26, 2011

Some of my latest musings have been on the attire related to the western horse person. I saw one of the local “cowboys” at the gas station today, he was driving a Ford Escort and stepped out to pump gas wearing a starched western shirt, cowboy hat, boots, spurs, and nasty-tight Wranglers.

Rewarding the Try

February 16, 2011

Training a horse can be really hard and really easy. It depends on how well you can communicate to the horse and how well you can read what the horse is thinking. If you can recognize the moment in which the horse is trying to work for you and reward him for it, it creates a trust and a learning progression that will develop a strong foundation in the horse’s training.

Choosing A Trainer

February 12, 2011

Whether you’re paying someone to train your horse, give you lessons, or simply choosing which trainer to watch and follow on RFDtv, it’s important to understand what you’re learning and make an educated choice concerning trainers.

A Horse of Her Own

February 9, 2011

I know what it’s like to want a horse of your own and work to find a way to make it happen. My dreams have always revolved around horses, and whether it was saving my allowance money to buy a saddle or mucking out stalls to secure a spot for my horse to live, I was willing to do whatever it took.

Horse Conformation Tips

February 6, 2011

I’m no expert on horse conformation. I sometimes look at a horse and think, “Wow—he’s beautiful!” and totally miss that his shoulder is too straight or his stifle is weak. For the average horse lover, conformation isn’t a big deal. We just love looking at horses. But for a serious rider, it’s one of the most important things to look for in a horse.

What To Do With Winter?

February 2, 2011

I’m feeling a bit of cabin fever today. This is our second day of a blizzard here in the midwest, and it really puts a damper on my mood. I did venture outside once, to feed the horses and make sure their water was thawed.

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