Originally published in Plaid Horse
By MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ
The name of Ruthann Smith’s business, Lucky Braids, is endearingly derived from what clients used to call Smith’s seemingly magic effect on horses and their manes.
“People said I braided luck into the manes,” Smith says, “but really, my work was about encouraging calm and centeredness in the horse during the process of braiding. What happens in the barn establishes a horse’s worldview, which is pivotal to what happens under saddle. By teaching the horse to stand still, I am teaching it to relax.”...
Washington International Horse Show 2023's Barn Night Winner was Great Escape Stables in Bowie, Maryland. Their prize was a Top Turnout Clinic and Hands-on Braiding Workshops with me, Ruthann Smith.
Here's a look at the weekend of learning and fun...
In any weather, a horse getting dehydrated is a quick path to colic. Now that it is hot, we need to be particularly proactive to help keep our charges healthy. Here are sound horse care routines and tips for adjusting to your horse's needs in the barn, on the road and at horse shows...
Would you wear tight pajamas that pinch? What is your day like if you don't rest well? Your horse needs to sleep comfortably, too. Clothing for bed is not just a matter of keeping horses warm. If sheets pull or restrict the shoulder when the horse lie down, he'll get stiff and sore. Blood is constricted in the area, so...Receive Grooming Tips & Exclusive Invites.
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While teaching horsemanship clinics over decades and across the continent, it was clear to me that people love their horses, but are not privy to practices standard among top horsemen...