The Thinking Rider

Senior Editor Jennifer Forsberg Meyer offers insights and resources to improve your riding life and help you enjoy your horse more—around the barn, in the practice arena, at the horse show, or down the trail.

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Horse-lope-prepurchase-check-confidence-blogdec17tie

The Number 1 Thing You Should Do Before Buying a Horse

When you’re buying a horse, don’t neglect this one key pre-purchase check that will tell you if you’ll be able to ride him with confidence.
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Horse-evacuated-wildfire-stall-Sep220

Wildfire—Go! Advice from the Horse-Evacuation Front Lines

H&R’s consulting vet just had to evacuate her horses from the Oregon wildfires. Here’s her real-world advice.
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Horse-too-hot-to-handle-Sep120

4 Reasons Why Your Horse Is Too Hot to Handle

Learn what to do if your horse’s behavior makes you question your ability to manage him well.
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Horse-write-down-goals-better-horsemanship-Aug120

The Simple Act That’ll Improve Your Horsemanship

You’ve heard of the value of writing down goals. But you’ve never heard tell of a method as easy as this one.
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Horse-kids-get-great-benefits-July220

When Investing in ‘the Horse Thing’ for Your Child Feels Like a Gift to Yourself

Yes, horses are expensive and time consuming. But what they do for your kid also benefits you—bigtime.
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Horse-vet-who-rides-Crabbe-blog-July120

2 Key Insights from a Horse Vet Who Rides

H&R’s go-to vet has more to share with you than horse-health advice. Here’s wisdom to make you a better horseman.
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Horse-survivor-Julie-Goodnight-rescue-blog-June120

What Stressed-Out Horses (and Humans) Need

In anxious times, we can learn a lot about what we need to survive by applying lessons from the horse world.
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Horse-swim-safely-with-your-horse-blogMay120

6 How-To Tips for Swimming Safely With Your Horse

Riding your horse into water deep enough for swimming is a rush. Here’s how to have fun *and* stay safe while swimming with your horse.
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