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Riding and ground work goals for Summer, 2023
I confess, I have done only a minimum amount of riding this winter, though I've spent plenty of quality time with my horses...grooming,...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 30, 20231 min read


Yoga for Equestrians
As winter moves into spring and we feel the urge to spend more time in the saddle, our winter bodies may object! Yoga is a great way to...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 29, 20231 min read


Horses and Baking?
I have heard others share my sentiment that sometimes the best thing about baking is the aroma that fills the house, and lingers long...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 28, 20232 min read


Morning Reflections
Several years ago I had the distressing realization that much of the time that I spent doing chores was filled with negative internal...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 27, 20231 min read


Spring Fever
This winter has been particularly generous with the gift of snow, offering weekly blizzards for many weeks in a row if memory serves -...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 24, 20231 min read


Dressage Book Study
Monthly, throughout the winter months, Pam Larson led the book study based on The Gymnasium of the Horse by Gustav Steinbrecht. This...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 8, 20232 min read


Why Equine Therapy?
In previous blog posts I've described my own personal experience and convictions about the benefits of being around horses. Today I'll...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 15, 20222 min read


Horses Can Bring Out the Best
Winston Churchill's quote "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man" sums it up. Again I cite...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 10, 20221 min read


Horses and Therapy
Have you ever hugged a horse? Most people who have, or who have laid their head on a horse's shoulder or buried their face in a horse's...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 9, 20221 min read


Riding, Training and Theory
This dressage post is an essay that I wrote for our book study, in response to Pam's essay question: "Imagine you have trained your...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 5, 20222 min read


The Majesty of the Horse
I am filled with awe when I watch the horses cavorting around the pasture. They are the embodiment of grace, beauty, power and majesty! ...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 5, 20221 min read


Amber Heads North!
Amber is a solid chestnut Paint mare who has lived with me for about ten years. She is friendly enough, but challenging to ride, and as...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 3, 20221 min read


Welcome Kendra!
Since I retired (and even before that, actually), I've become a little more cautious about riding. For years I've ridden Raznik - a 14-1...
Brigid Ripley
Mar 2, 20221 min read


Connections
As I shift my focus from one area of interest to another, I am continually amazed at the connections I see between one topic and another....
Brigid Ripley
Mar 1, 20221 min read


Dressage Book Study - Restraining aids, continued
Steinbrecht was born in 1808 and studied veterinary medicine in Berlin. He drew referenced physical therapy in humans, which was coming...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 28, 20221 min read


Dressage Book Study.The Purpose of Dressage
Steinbrecht describes the horse as having the most versatile talents of all animals. Throughout the book, he expresses his admiration...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 27, 20221 min read


Dressage Book Study.The Supporting Aids
Steinbrecht spells out the supporting aids which I will briefly summarize here. First he mentions weight in the stiffups; shifting more...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 26, 20221 min read


Dressage Book Study.The Restraining Aids
In this section of the book, Steinbrecht again gives explains very clearly and in great detail, how to correctly use the restraining...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 25, 20221 min read


Dressage Book Study.The Driving Aids
Steinbrecht gives very detailed information about driving aids which I will not ennumerate here. He points out that the rider's legs...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 24, 20221 min read


What a Blizzard!
After many years with insignificant snowfall, the blizzard that hit on Sunday night, February 21, 2022 unloaded more than 28" of snow,...
Brigid Ripley
Feb 23, 20221 min read
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