Category: Articles

By Armand Leone Shame on those who refuse to acknowledge the past sexual abuse of minors by trainers in the horse industry as reported in “#MeToo: The Story Of A Trainer, A Trophy And An All-Too-Common Betrayal,” April 9 & 16, pg. 42. Shame on those who question the equestrians who have been brave enough […]

Q: I have the opportunity to host a top international show jumper for a clinic at my barn, and I’d love to make the clinic available to any outside riders or auditors interested in participating. I’ve never hosted a clinic before; is there anything that I should be aware of to ensure that it goes […]

Q: I own and operate a boarding stable at which I’ve always allowed boarders to happily bring their children along, however, I’ve never allowed them to bring their dogs. But I’m now getting an increasing number of requests to change that rule!  I just worry about scenarios such as a dog spooking a horse and […]

Q: I have the opportunity to reduce my monthly board payments by allowing my horse to be used in my barn’s lesson program. I love the idea, because I could really use the extra money, and my horse is generally extremely quiet and straightforward. However, I’m also a bit worried about the ‘what ifs.’ What […]

It’s no secret; if you do not get paid for your horse training, boarding, or professional services, you will not be in business for long. Horses are expensive to own and keep, and when clients don’t pay bills, those costs still must be paid. Whether it is an expensive horse that competes at the top […]

Show jumping today is becoming less accessible to more Americans as the costs of participating increase. This is a dangerous trend, because the wealthy rider has become the new normal. Fifty years ago, riders made their way up the ranks riding both good and bad horses owned by others; now, most grand prix riders or […]

Much like our Thelwell ponies and difficult horses taught us physical and mental toughness, the sport itself and the courses demanded it. In the second part of this series, we discuss taking care of the horse and teaching the horse. Most shows had permanent outside courses for hunter competitions when I started riding as a […]

Visit Chronicle of the Horse to subscribe and view the article as it originally appeared.  Recently, several prominent trainers and riders have discussed how the discipline of show jumping has changed, and it has. Prior to 1950, American show jumping, with its standing martingales and rub classes without time allowed, was a vastly different sport than the […]