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 […]

Memorial Day may be for horses, too

Barbara King is a member of a small group of articulate scientists discussing and contributing exciting research on non-human emotions. It’s a fascinating field and one that has, over the generations, weathered challenges of anthropomorphizing and, on the other end of the spectrum, outright dismissal. […]

Live simply. Include Horses.

Ali Brock was recently featured as a guest columnist with her whimsical House Swap. Recently, we talked about her horses, motherhood and her over-arching approach to life. You may find points of agreement and inspiration here. After all, horse care can have a ripple effect […]

Treatment as Tattoo

I was talking with Chris Lombard the other day about horsemanship. The dictionary calls it the ‘skill of riding horses.’ But we know it as the relationship with the horse and the skills around that relationship. “It’s not only how to handle horses,” said Lombard. […]

Welcome Rose & Sagebrush

I want to welcome two friends, Kimber Bogue Black and Sandy Black, to the blogosphere. The ranch ladies have started up Roses and Sagebrush. Way to go, gals! They nominated me for a blog award and had a few questions. Why did you start blogging? […]

New Horseman, Old Soul

My friend, Rick, was born and raised in Harpswell, Maine. He started lobstering at the age of 10, when he’d ride down to his skiff with bait bags hanging off the handlebars. After graduating from Mt. Ararat a few years ahead of me, he worked […]

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 […]

Horses are Weather, Part A

Working with our horses for the short NickerNews holiday video taught me something about their nature. In two words: Predictably unpredictable. Like the weather. I rode Shea and ponied two others to the far end of the field. Herd dynamics being what they are, I […]

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 […]

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 […]