Hey Reader, As I begin to reflect on our summer season that's now winding down, I daresay that Tony Pony and I have made more progress in the last twelve months than any other period in our fourteen years together. We’ve overcome some BIG hurdles this year, and I’m so dang proud of how our hard work has paid off. Tony has long struggled when we’re away from home. For all that he excels at, he’s a horse who can quickly tip into severe anxiety when all is not right in his world — and Tony’s...
14 days ago • 4 min read
Hey there, Reader, It’s been a minute since I’ve been in your inbox! I do apologize for the radio silence — it was not my intention… To tell you the truth, show season hit, my computer crashed, and here we are now halfway through August! 😮 Our outdoor season is quite short here in Alberta. The ground isn’t dry enough to do much until at least mid-June, and it’s not unusual to see a few snowflakes before the end of September. So that means that we pack a LOT of driving into three short months!...
28 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Sometimes, I'll notice someone say, “that's not safe,” or, “that’s so dangerous,” when what they really mean is, “that's not how I prefer to do it,” or “I didn’t know you could do it that way,” or sometimes, “my horse and I don't have the skills necessary for that to work for us.” In driving horses, there are very few “alwayses and nevers”. Things are rarely black and white. There are almost always many different paths to the same outcome, and many different possible “right” ways....
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Throughout the years that I was training carriage horses to drive in the city, and ever since, I've remained deeply committed to this one core principle: I don’t care if my horse spooks… but I care a whole bunch about how he recovers. Horses are prey animals, with instincts that have evolved over millions of years to flee at the first sign of possible danger. Over the four-thousand-some years that horses have been domesticated, that flight instinct remains as one of the things...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Reader, Of all the things we do with our driving horses, that time when we are in the process of hitching to the carriage is when the margin for error is smallest. When we’re halfway hitched, but not yet fully secured and in our seat, if something goes sideways, the consequences can be dire. That’s not a reason to be nervous about it, but it is a very good reason to give this part of the process particular respect and consideration.Now, respecting that risk doesn’t mean that there’s only one...
3 months ago • 6 min read
Hey Reader,Carriage driving is built on trust — trust between you and your horse, you and your passengers, and you and everyone sharing the road or trail. It's also, by its very nature, an activity that carries real risk. A horse is a living, reactive animal attached to a vehicle with limited stopping power, that can quickly become a projectile if things go sideways. No matter how experienced you are, that combination demands respect every single time you hitch up.I say this not to scare you,...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Hey there, Reader As the summer driving season begins, I've been having a lot of conversations with my students lately about preparing to take their horses to upcoming clinics. Clinics are a great opportunity to get away from home, learn and grow with your horse, and connect with other drivers. Often, clinics hosted by a local club or group afford you the opportunity to learn from a higher-level pro than you might normally have access to in your area. I love both attending and teaching...
3 months ago • 6 min read
Reader, I’m writing to you from a cozy little room in my new barn, that is slowly taking shape as my tack room. There are a few hooks now on the walls, with many more strewn across the wooden floor, as I try to envision the best layout for all my gear. I remind myself to leave room for more harnesses, for the clients that will join us here in the coming months.We moved to a new barn this past weekend — one that is closer to my house, and that promises more opportunities for my growing lesson...
5 months ago • 2 min read
I recently joined The Empathetic Trainer podcast with Barbara O'Brien for a real, honest conversation about driving, communication, and what horses actually need from us. Check it out: It's Not The Spook, It's Wha... Apr 15 · The Empathetic Trainer 65:34 Hey there, Reader, happy Thursday!I had the pleasure this week of being a guest on “The Empathetic Trainer” podcast, hosted by the lovely Barbara O’Brien. We had a wonderful conversation about carriage driving, horsemanship, training, and the...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, how often do you lead your horse? Pretty frequently, right? From the pasture, to the barn, to the arena, to the barn… more days than not.Now how often, while you're leading your horse, are you actively thinking about what you're doing? Given how frequently most of us are leading our horses, it’s worth considering what habits we’re practicing as we do.And leading work does not have to be limited to the long walk from the pasture back to the barn. There is so much more to the leading...
5 months ago • 2 min read