Over the course of one year (12 issues), we produce about 48 long-form features and more than 200 departments. We strive to make each and every page count, to bring you the best information we can to improve your horse life.
In all that output, we’re bound to have a few favorites!
Here’s a list of our editors’ picks for 2014 material, with links to each of the articles, in case you missed them in print or want a refresher.
Also, if you want to save any of these articles (or any others on our site), be sure to create a login (top-right of the page). Then you can click the “disk” icon (up by our social media icons) to save any articles for future use.
Did you have any favorite articles from 2014? Please share them with us in the comments, because we’d love to know your picks!
Favorite Feature:The Man Who Invented Reining, January 2014
Why We Loved It: Larry Rose’s memoir of the late Dale Wilkinson, citing his transformative effects on the sport of reining, is a story that needed to be added to the record. It revealed the personal side and inner values of a horseman whose pioneering ways deserve to be remembered.
Favorite Feature:11 Tips for Finding Mr. (or Ms.) Right, June 2014
Why We Loved It: Bob Avila knows a thing or two about selecting the right horse for various riders, and in this piece, he shared his secrets. One great quote: “Emotions are a seller’s dream. When you show them, he or she starts to see dollar signs.” Keep that in mind before you ooooohhh and ahhhhh over a prospective new mount.
Favorite Feature:Second-Barrel Blues, November 2014
Why We Loved It: Darla Kennepohl offered easy-to-implement drills to keep your barrel horse sharp and honest. And, even if the second barrel isn’t your issue, her advice reminds you why it’s important to keep your horse cued-in on your body language.
Favorite Feature:Your Best Show, September 2014
Why We Loved It: If there’s anything a DIY rider needs constant reassurance about, it’s that competing against yourself and working to improve with every show is the way to success. Cindy McCraw offered six insights to ensure that you keep your focus on what really matters to reach your goals.
Favorite Feature:The Little Horse That Could, August 2014
Why We Loved It: Who wouldn’t love such an amazing horse? Amateur Kelly Lear’s account of how she used love and elbow grease to transform her Pinto mare Saddie from ugly duckling into prizewinning show horse was one of the feel-good stories of the year.
Favorite Feature:The School of Odd Vet Cases, June 2014
Why We Loved It: Any horse owner can relate to how bizarrely things can go wrong, and this piece delivered in its “oh, dear” shock value. But it was also educational, as Dr. Barb Crabbe explained all the things you can do to lessen the chances of bad stuff happening to your horse.
Favorite Feature:Ahead of the Game, April 2014
Why We Loved It: With 10 show-savvy prep steps, editor-at-large Juli Thorson found this one fun to write. “And I don’t say this lightly, because creating a magazine feature is hard work,” she says. “The writing process took me back to many personal experiences accumulated over a lifetime of showing horses. My favorite part: the sidebar in which I confessed five of my own flubs from the show-prep hall of shame.”
Favorite Feature:7 Signs of Saddle-Fit Trouble, June 2014
Why We Loved It: If white hairs are suddenly appearing on your horse’s withers, or his back is swollen, chances are your saddle doesn’t fit properly. Dr. Barb Crabbe’s offered outstanding insight to find out if your horse is comfortable in his saddle, and if he’s not, learn how to fix it.
