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 […]

The Power of a Good Start

It’s been a busy summer. I’ve been helping a few ranchers with cow work – good, hard work for myself, my stock dogs, and, of course, the horses. We are learning more about the art and science of moving cattle on big parcels of land […]

Orange You Antsy?

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published several years ago when we interviewed Maine game warden John MacDonald. Since then, we’ve noted several shootings of horses by deer hunters. Maine game warden John MacDonald has seen a lot in his 10 years as a warden […]

Micro-steps with Rewards Work Best for Dogs and Horses

The weather is warming. Snow is disappearing. And like riding season, herd dog training season is back! My dogs and I are fortunate to resume our training with Ann Chernoff Allan, a remarkable local trainer. Read more here. Last year, we trained faithfully for six […]

The Most Fun You Can Have With Dogs in the Dark and Cold

I’m servant to three, highly energetic, mixed-breed-but-mostly herding dogs: Peeko, a heeler mutt; Kip, a mostly Aussie girl; and Monty, a mostly border collie boy. Together, we trek between two and ten miles every day. Especially during the winter, many of those outings happen in […]

Stretch That Dog makes us better dog owners

Dr. Petra Sullwold, a Best Horse Practices Summit sponsor and owner of six equines, dedicates her days to serving horses, dogs, and humans with her chiropractic services. She has worked on me as well as my mule, Jolene. We are better off for her attentive, […]

Herd Improvements

Dog work is like horse work. The more you learn, the more you realize there is so much to learn. Dogs, horses, and humans all benefit from Dwell Time. Read more here. Over the past few months, I’ve been working with an accomplished herding dog […]

Quick End for Beloved Belle

Since many of us count animals as companions and friends, and since many of us have dogs, please Dear Reader, allow me to remember Belle and recount how she died this week. You may recall her in another piece here. The Basset hound mutt with […]

Progress in strange places

Progress comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be planned or spontaneous, pretty or pretty ugly. Over the past few weeks, we’ve worked with Jolene at all of the above. Read more about deliberate tips for working with a spooky horse. Meanwhile, we had […]

Kurgo gives us reason to smile during Mud Season

Mud, mud, glorious mud Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood So follow me follow, down to the hollow And there let me wallow in glorious mud — Flanders and Swann Mud Season’s around the corner. How will your back seat look? Is it […]