Jodi Makes Progress Thanks to Shea

Progress with the big girl took a big step forward today as we worked with her in the round pen. Steve worked with another horse first and Jodi stood outside, wanting in. A good sign! When she got her turn, Steve first worked on the […]

NickerNews on Campus

Last week, I visited a college class called “Facing Your Demons.” Ok, the course was actually “Product, Brand, and Category Management,’ a business class offered by instructor Anne King at Mt. Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. King invited me to speak to her students […]

Starting Jodi

With this improved blog, comes categorization and today we introduce a new one: Starting Jodi. (see categories listed above image) NickerNews readers have come to know the horses in my life. The newest is Jodi. We acquired her in July from a kind Wisconsin owner. […]

Man, Horse, Deer

Can you see the deer in this top image? Scroll down for a closer look! Ah, Deer Season. In Maine, deer hunters hang out in the thick woods. They can use rifles and the gun season runs the length of November, more or less. It’s […]

Warwick Schiller makes the right thing easy

Warwick Schiller flew under my radar at first. The Australian transplant (he calls California home now) watched the horsemen of the Horsemen’s Re-Union with me last April. We talked about what they were doing and who was doing well. He’s friendly, knowledgeable, and outgoing. It […]

Honored to be Ignored

We’ve had some mild days this autumn. They come after a stretch of cold ones that had my girls anxious for hay at all hours. They seemed to be girding themselves for the long winter ahead. But yesterday, we got into the 50s. The warm […]

Looking for a Good Time

As a kid, I was pretty clueless about horses and riding. My mom and grandma taught what they could to a stubborn but enthusiastic girl. Mom sent me to English lessons for a while. I can still hear the drone of the instructor’s voice across […]

Chincoteague Ponies just peachy

The Fire Chief of tiny Chincoteague, Virginia (population 4,347) may not be a horseman, but he had an idea that the Chincoteague ponies would take care of themselves if given the chance. The manager of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge thought so, too. So instead […]

Horses: Nonplussed or Verklempt

Ok, I love words, especially when you can have fun with them. Forgive me in advance for this post’s tangents. Yesterday, we took a long ride across the Greencastle Bridge and into the next town of North Liberty. I’ve become quite fond of snack breaks […]

Equine Therapy in Child-Size Doses

Us horse owners are so lucky. We get to soak up good equine vibes daily. And we get to share. This summer, I had the privilege of introducing a young friend to trail riding. Gracie, a four-year old suburbanite, took to it quickly. She had […]