In the name of horse-friendly open space

Horses need space. Riders do, too. If you look at Swisher, Iowa by satellite, you’ll see lots of open space. When I moved here from Maine, I was excited to explore the 14,000 acres of nearby Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area. I did. It was wonderful. […]

Maine, Iowa, Utah

From Maine to Iowa and now Utah! These past few weeks have been nutty, as I traveled home to Maine, then back to Iowa and now, we’re off to Utah. The time in Maine was too short. I did manage to catch up with a […]

Swamped Trails

Last June, I was in a mild panic, buying hay and feeding it out. That’s how quickly our 10-acre pasture was eaten up by grazing and burned up by the high temperatures and lack of rain. We loved the sun and warmth, but animals and […]

Absence makes the heart grow Appreciative

May has been full of travel. It’s involved truck and horse trailer alright. But this time, the rig was filled with bookcases, lamps, clothes, and keepsakes instead of horses. 3,000 miles. From Iowa to Maine (empty), then back to Iowa (full) as we completed the […]

Horse, Trailer, Bird

The timing for the Trailer Depot’s recent article on trailer safety and servicing couldn’t have been better. Trips are around the corner. Trailer’s been sittin’ for a few months. It’s nesting season. I found this robin nest on top of my gooseneck trailer’s spare tire. […]

Final appearance ’til EBH Seminar

This weekend, Dr. Steve Peters and Martin Black will make their final presentations before their May seminar for Evidence-Based Horsemanship. The pair will be speaking at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. Tonight, they’ll present at the Great Basin College. Friday, they’ll be […]

Big City, Bright Eyes

Just spent a week away from the farm. Had a great time. I rode the train, enjoyed museums, and ate in restaurants just fine. But all along, there was a thread of unease. I realized there’s something holistically different in us horse folks. A certain […]

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 […]