Whitney Weston recently set up her farm in Southern Pines, North Carolina where she rides, trains, teaches lessons, sells horses and competes in upper level eventing. Whitney was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about what events she enjoys, her horses’ special personalities, how she ensures their comfort and catching the horse bug at an early age. Continue reading
A proper cool down is always important, but with summer rides taking place in hot and often humid weather, your horse is more likely to become overheated while working. Make sure to keep an eye on the heat index (combination of temperature and humidity) and tailor your rides accordingly so both you and horse exercise without overdoing it. After a ride, follow these general guidelines on how to cool down a horse to ensure your horse is comfortable when you put him back in his stall or pasture this summer. Continue reading
With plush, green pastures, bright sunny skies and warm temperatures, summer can easily be your horse’s favorite time of the year for turnout. While chilly temperatures are gone, and winter blankets have been sent off for washing or storage until next season, your horse may still benefit from being covered with a fly sheet. A fly sheet does more than just ward off flies, so before you decide your horse is fine sheet-free, consider these reasons he might need one: Continue reading
Kerrits® has been creating equestrian clothing that is a favorite among many riders for 28 years. While show clothing is important for the competitive rider, high-quality casual riding apparel is just as crucial. Kerrits focuses on technical clothing for the equestrian athlete, which allows the rider to perform optimally while in the saddle regardless of weather and season. Wearing these casual riding apparel items from Kerrits this summer will help you stay cool and comfortable as you enjoy your horses. Continue reading
We all know riding is a very physical activity. While your main goals may often be focused on building your horse’s stamina and muscle, the time you spend in the saddle and around the barn is taxing on your own body as well. If your horse is sore, injured or just needs a little preventative support after a tough workout, you apply liniments, wraps, ice or any range of other treatments to help him feel better and be ready to keep working as the athlete he is. Why not do the same for yourself? Continue reading
The beautiful weather of spring and summer is often marred by the presence of pestering stable flies, ticks and other biting insects. We douse our horses in fly spray to try to make rides and time in turnout more enjoyable, but bugs are relentless. A new, exciting fly spray is available now from Ecovet™, which has us here at Dover smiling happily as our horses’ tails hang quietly and still while they graze in their paddocks. We were able to chat with veterinarian Tim John about this new fly spray he created and what makes it different and effective. Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago we began leading you through the complex array of horse bit types. We covered the variety of mouthpieces most commonly used, but cheek pieces also play a crucial role in how a bit functions. As a reminder, all horse bit types are built of two main components: the mouthpiece and the cheek pieces. Continue reading
Joe Meyer has had quite the career, from starting to compete at just six years old to representing New Zealand in the 2008 Olympics, he is an equestrian one would want to aspire to be like. In between his time spent competing and practicing, we were lucky enough to talk to Joe about how he got started, where he has seen success and what his favorite products to use are. Continue reading
Unless you are using a hackamore or bitless bridle, you’ll have to select a bit for your horse. The many types of horse bits available can make this choice a tough one. The correct bit for each horse is different and depends on a variety of factors. The experience of the rider, temperament and training level of the horse, discipline being ridden and training goals all factor into bit selection. Some riders even use various bits on the same horse to address a range of challenges in the horse’s development. Continue reading
Avid riders spend a lot of hours at the barn, which means a lot of time in riding clothes. If you are anything like us, you end up running errands, meeting friends for lunch or even stopping by the office in those clothes as well. So why not express your personality and unique style with high functioning breeches? Fashion and function truly do go together with this season’s new Riding Sport™ breeches which offer the best technology for performance, updated styling and a price tag that will bring them to your closet. Continue reading
