CRACK OF DAWN
The light from the morning sun is nearly blinding as we glide across the rolling, snow-covered land. The cold makes my skin feel stiff, like a thin layer of ice. I can’t control the ear-to-ear grin, even if it means my cheeks will crack. The movement feels like slow dancing, swaying to soft [...]

You may be familiar with Clicker Training, a technique that uses auditory cues and positive reinforcement for training horses, dogs, cats and other animals. I haven’t tried this method, but it looks really interesting.
This past week while reading another story submission that touches on the subject of barn cliques, I got to thinking — why [...]

you never really know what you’re made of
’til you ride out on your own
From “Guardian Angel”
Lyrics by Templeton Thompson, Sam Gay, Porter Howell

When I first heard Templeton Thompson sing Guardian Angel, it brought to mind my first solo trail ride. Boy was I nervous. I told myself I’d ride halfway, then get off and [...]

It’s been on my to-do list to write a post about the difference between inspiration and plagiarism, and this week that task moved to the top when we discovered something in a story submitted to the Loft Book Club that was taken from dialogue in a recent horse movie. Oops!
At Girls Horse Club, we believe [...]

One Spring morning a girl and her faithful old horse went for a ride. As they meandered through a beautiful Aspen grove, they came upon a young, wild mare lying alone. She was solid black with no markings, a bit thin and dirty. The solitary horse watched as the other horse and rider approached, alert [...]

Before the holidays Annie and I went for a walk into a wooded area near her pasture and had a little chat (I did most of the talking) about how we can do a better job seeing eye-to-eye in 2007. This animated photo offers an interesting perspective when it comes to horse-human relationships.
Some might think [...]

Dear Saint Nicholas,
I have a question for you. It’s the day before Christmas and there must be millions of young (and not so young) girls who have been *very* good throughout the year. I know you’re a generous spirit who tries to grant everyone’s wish. So I was wondering — how are you possibly going [...]

Some of you have expressed interest in hearing the story behind GirlsHorseClub.com. This post will start to tell the tale.
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INSPIRATION
I was an animal-crazy girl from the time I was born. When I was about your age, I fell in love with horses for their beauty, elegance, and power. I didn’t have access to *real* horses, [...]

This hilarious photo was taken last May when we visited the Irish National Stud. I was bitten by a young colt a while back so I knew enough to keep some distance when taking a picture of this little guy. The fence does not feel pain.
But up until last Friday, I had not been kicked. [...]

Back to the Future
When Lord Ventry built his estate in the late 1700’s on the shores of Dingle Bay in West County Kerry, did he know what the future held?
Did he know that less than three hundred years later, it would be the home of Coláiste Íde Stables, a riding school nestled between crumbling stone [...]