FRIESIAN HORSES & ISLAND LIVING
The Friesian Horse Association of North American (FHANA’s) Ride and Drive event is in full swing and Izzie and I are all signed up and tracking our rides! This is the first year for this fun Ride and Drive event. It is a virtual event bringing together Friesian enthusiasts from cross North America showing the …
Continue reading "Riding for a Cause! The FHANA Ride and Drive Event"
Game Changer! A few months ago I discovered the beautifully designed, high quality, braid protector from Vos Brouwer. My goal was to protect Izzie's mane from dirt and dust during turnout, keep her mane clean and tidy after bathing, before a show and for everyday riding and to keep it hidden from the sun's damaging …
Continue reading "Protecting the beautifully long Friesian Mane"
Happy New year! Ok, so it might be a little late to still be saying that as February rapidly approaches… but seriously… to everyone… Happy New year! The month of December including Christmas and New Years was a total blur for us here in Hawaii. It was filled to the top with training activities, horse shows …
I am excited to announce world renowned, Belgium based, Grand Prix Dressage rider and instructor, Jenny Veenstra will be traveling to Maui this March for a Masterclass Clinic. Dates are March 16-18, 2024. Lessons will be 45 minutes and customized to where you and your horse are in your journey. Learning areas can include: Dressage riding …
Continue reading "Jenny Veenstra is coming to Maui for a Masterclass Clinic!"
It’s been a wet couple of weeks. I know it sounds hard to believe that Maui, the land of sunshine, would have rainy weather. But, it’s true. It’s now officially winter for us here in the tropics and that means rain. It’s how our island stays so green. After the summer we had with no …
Continue reading "Winter days. Fun things to do with your horse when it’s not ideal riding weather"
Such a fun weekend! Izzie and I participated in the Dressage Anywhere, UK Friesian Federation, Friesian League, virtual dressage show. The show season started in January and we just submitted our second entry for March. In January we entered the Introductory C class and for March we entered the Introductory B class. All of the …
30kt winds, sideways pouring rain, water drops the size of gumdrops. Sloppy paddocks and gutterless barns. Not entirely a picture perfect tropical post card. We love the rain…really we do. The rain makes our pastures green and our waterfalls flow. But, we really aren’t set up for rainy weather. The ground, with a base of …
Continue reading "Maui Storms… not always a tropical paradise"
Today I set out our first Equi-pole Polework App exercise; the snake. You can see the resemblance as the poles zig zag down the center of the arena. I choose this exercise because I wanted something simple as an introduction to pole work for Izzie. In our recent training sessions we have been working on …
Continue reading "First Equi-Pole Ground Pole Session. Gymnastics for your horse!"
The power of a horse hug. It can make you forget the stresses of the day, lift the weight of the world from your shoulders and remind you that there is magic to be found in friendship. How and why is that anyway? Horses are incredibly sensitive and preceptive and they have a large electromagnetic …
I’m a huge fan of Hay Chix Hay Nets!! Did you know the average horse needs 15-20lbs of forage a day. That number can increase depending on the size and workload of the horse. While hay is a great forage for meeting the nutritional needs of the horses, a typical flake can range from 3-5lbs …
Continue reading "Hay Chix Hay Nets- Slow feeding at it’s best!"
Tonight was a fabulously playful ride. It was later in the day and I really wasn't feeling like "training". I went through my usual grooming routine and then moved on to a light lunge session. Lunging lately has become so boring. Athena is so good at it. She picks up each new gait on cue, …
The holidays are a great break in the routine. They are a time to celebrate, to do something out of the norm and to get a little silly. I love holidays and I especially love it when I get to bring my horse to the party too! What better way to kick off spring than …
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