Summer Style for Schooling at Home
For the most part, there are two types of riders in the world: those who polish their tall boots even when riding at home alone, and those who occasionally let their old Garth Brooks tour t-shirt double as both pajamas and riding gear when they think no one is watching...
Ask The Vet: FastTrack
Accurately diagnosing injuries in horses can be frustrating, since they're often hesitant to let the vet know precisely where it hurts. Still, as frustrating as diagnosis can be, rehabilitation of an injured horse can be even more so. Gingerly trotting a 1200 pound athlete...
Catch a Buzz: 6 Solutions for Fly Control
True story: One of us walked into a barn recently to find a fellow rider in the tack room fetching flies from midair with a Dirt Devil. “The feed room is next!” she proudly exclaimed. While this creative attempt at fly eradication might result in immediate gratification, it is obviously not practical long-term...
Footing First: The Low-Down on High-Performing Surfaces
In addition to an extensive grasp of horsemanship, any serious rider can be expected to be aware of two things: first, the weather; and second, the quality of the ground upon which he or she is standing. Any athlete who is familiar with slippery, unforgiving, or uneven terrain knows...
Pumped Up Kicks, Part Three: Ask the Farrier
A few weeks ago, one of the OR geldings had an acute case of sore feet. We quickly called in the big guns, and a combined visit from the vet and farrier inspired a creative set of new shoes that had him on the mend.Those visits also gave rise to our three-part series, "Pumped Up Kicks"...
Hauling Hiccups (The Funny-in-Retrospect Kind)
Hauling horses is not for the faint of heart. Speeding down the highway with one’s most prized and beloved possessions in tow is stressful in and of itself, but when it comes to parking, fueling up, or backing into a tight spot (or worse, out of a tight spot)...
A Refined Pallet: Clever Recycled Wood Projects
At OR we are motivated by the endorphin rush of a home improvement idea that can be successfully tackled on our own. Rather than simply purchase what we desire or hire a pro, we enjoy the humorous mishaps and...
Pumped Up Kicks, Part Two: Ask The Vet
Last week, we shared some of our favorite hoof hacks (a.k.a. products that we use on the OR steeds when their tootsies are a bit tender). As promised, this week we follow up with Part Two of the "Pumped Up Kicks" series. We tapped into the knowledge of long-time OR veterinarian and founder of Grand Prix Equine, Dr. Mark Baus, who gave us the low down on...
Pumped Up Kicks, Part One: DIY
We’ve all heard the old adage, “no hoof, no horse,” and while there are certain breeds that are more prone to sore feet or compromised hoof structure, the concept is universal. Of course, a great farrier is a wonderful way to mitigate issues in the feet, but horses will be horses...
The Stock Industry: Bloopers
We pride ourselves on beautiful imagery at OR. Of course, we want our weekly dispatches to be thoughtful and entertaining, but we also work hard to include a bit of eye candy. We often use photos that we’ve taken ourselves, but for the occasions on which we don’t have an applicable...
Ask The Vet: Gastroenterology with Dr. Amy Polkes
Several months ago, we ran a series called “The Power of Nutrition” in which we discussed basic equine feeding regimens with a nutritionist, explored how carbohydrates affect the equine diet, and “Asked The Vet” about when it might be time to investigate issues...
2-on-1 with Jackie Crawford
Many of us would have a hard time recalling where we were or what we were doing on January 11 of this year. However, on this particular day in Chicago, competitive breakaway roper Jackie Crawford was busy participating in a monumental breakthrough...