Andrea Equine Blog
Hoof Care Basics For Every Horse Owner
Healthy Hoof = Healthy Horse. Without a healthy and strong hoof, you have a horse prone to pain, discomfort, and career-altering issues. Routine care of the hoof is vital to proper horse management.
Saddle Fit Basics- An 8 Point Checklist to Find the Proper Fit
There are many physical and behavioral signs that a saddle does not fit a horse. A horse that bucks, rears, swishes his tail, or displays any of the other signs of pain when under saddle are all ways in which the horse is telling us that the saddle might not be fitting them correctly.
Winter Grooming Provides Moments of Bonding with Our Horse
Winter, for a lot of us, is a slow time when it comes to riding and training our horses. The days are shorter and the weather is colder, making it challenging for us to put in the horse hours that we would like to. So what can we do to maintain our relationship with our horse?
When to Use a Hackamore: Real-Life Success Stories for Inspiration
The dream of galloping bareback on the beach or through an open, gopher hole-less field is something we’ve all had at least once in our lives; but if you’re anything like me (a control freak with an overactive imagination for worst case scenarios), you’ve wondered what happens when the beach runs out or when the fence line inevitably approaches in that vast open field.
How I Keep My Horses Safe When Traveling
At some point or another in owning horses, travel and trailering horses is necessary. For some of us, it’s a constant occurrence. For others, it may only happen every once in a while.
How to Spot Discomfort in Your Horse (And When to Change Equipment)
When trying to understand horses and have a better relationship with them, I find it very important to remember one simple concept: A horse is always a horse. They don’t have a brain that allows them to be deceptive or lie. Every behavior or reaction from a horse comes from a true and honest place that can be sourced. Horses are the ultimate truth tellers if we know how to speak their language.
The Best Beginner Horses Share This One Trait
Despite considering myself a fairly competent rider, I sometimes love nothing more than schooling and tuning up the solid and true lesson and beginner horses. These horses warm my soul in ways it is difficult to describe.
Pressure Points of the Horse's Head: Why It Matters for Bit & Halter Selection
The horse’s head consists of multiple pressure points, all which are subject to influence by the bits and halters we decide to use on them. Let’s break down the anatomy of the equine skull and the pressure points associated with it in a simple manner.
Teaching Your Horse to Yield the Forequarters from the Ground
Being able to have your horse effortlessly perform a correct spin on the ground is an essential exercise for many reasons.
Horse Bits 101: How to Choose the Right Bit For Your Horse
Have you ever browsed through your local tack store or scrolled through the endless pages of your favorite online tack site and thought to yourself, “How do I know which bit works for my horse?!”. There are so many types of bits available to us with very little descriptive information that it is easy to become overwhelmed.
Rope Halters vs Flat Halters. What's with all of the rope halter hype?
Our world is filled with trends, fads, and memes that influence our everyday decisions and ideas. Now while I try to steer clear of the general bustle and hype, I do pay close attention to the horse world’s trends… because well… horses. Duh.
Why I Ride With *Very* Loose Reins (And Why It's Key)
I often post pictures of me riding on Instagram (@RealAndreaCao), and a pattern you’ll notice in all of my photos is that I always ride with very loose reins. I usually get one of two responses when people notice this-- either they applaud and commend me or they question why in the world I would ride like that.
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