The Language of Training

Editor’s Note: Kari Weil is University Professor of Letters, College of the Environment and Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Wesleyan University.  She is the author of Precarious Partners: Horses and their Humans in Nineteenth-Century France (University of Chicago Press, 2020), Thinking Animals:  Why Animal […]

The Psychology of an Exciting Moment

Note from Maddy Butcher: A few years ago, on a beautiful, sunny day, my friend, Raechel and I headed out for an end-of-summer, celebratory ride. We each took two horses and two dogs. Oh, and a donkey. We rode about 8 miles, climbing some 2,000 […]

Books for your consideration

By Maddy Butcher Most of us have a stack of books in the living room or on the nightstand. Or both. They collectively stare at us, waiting to be read. Such is the world of a bibliophile! Of course, there are compelling selections in the […]

Cold Weather Imperatives

Editor’s Note: Julie Kenney is an avid horsewoman, former Best Horse Practices Summit board member, and runs Blackberry Farm in Harpswell, Maine. She shares this reflection on moving forward, resisting trending calls around the New Year. Julie writes: In Maine today, even here at the […]

Fires Bring Action to CO Horse Communities

Editor’s Note: Randy Winter is an experienced endurance rider, an active horse community member, a Best Horse Practices Summit sponsor, and creator of Rein Safe. He sent this report from his home in Boulder, Colorado, which the Middle Fork and Marshall fires narrowly missed. Those […]

Education: One of Three Rider Essentials

Editor’s Note: Best Horse Practices Summit presenter Katrin Silva grew up riding dressage in Germany before moving to the United States at age 19 to learn to ride Western. She’s been riding both disciplines for the last 20 years and is a regular guest columnist […]

Saying Goodbye to Tucker

Editor’s Note: Since many of us count animals as companions and friends, and since many of us have dogs, we offer this guest post. You can read more dogs posts here. Read about beloved Belle’s quick end here. Julie Kenney is an avid horsewoman, former […]

Beasts of Being now available!

Maddy Butcher’s third book, Beasts of Being: Partnerships Unburdened is now available. Order here and get free shipping. The book, her third, is a collection of her work over several years. The loose parameter is “life with horses.” This book leads with the more academic […]

Dylan Biggs Provides Perspective. From 1915

Editor’s Note: I haven’t met Dylan Biggs, but the owner of TK Ranch in Alberta, Canada, caught my attention when, some months ago, I heard him talking about stock dog training here.  I following his ranch news on his Instagram feed. Occasionally, Dylan shares excerpts […]

Summer Goals and Adventures

Summer is for tackling projects and dedicating time to making progress with ourselves and our horses. (Okay, winter is good for that, also.) As you may have heard on the Best Horse Practices podcast, we’re curious to hear how your summer is going, what you’re […]