Bridles & Barbells

08/11/2026

08/05/2026

🐾 Winnie's Wellness Tips Are Back! (My Publicist Insisted)

Hi friends! I know... I've been gone for a while.

My publicist said I needed to stop chasing squirrels and get back to work. 🙄

So, last Sunday I took my human for a walk at French Creek Reservation. She seemed to enjoy it.

Trip highlights:
✔️ Sniffed approximately 7,482 smells.
✔️ Climbed the giant stairs like a mountain goat.
✔️ Conducted several important stick inspections.
✔️ Kept my human moving.
✔️ Smiled like I owned the place.

Today's Wellness Tip:
Get outside and explore! Fresh air, sunshine, movement, and new places are good for your body and your brain.

Also... don't let anyone rush your sniffing. That's basically reading the neighborhood news 📰🐶

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
10/10. Would take my human there again.

Until next time...

Love, Winnie 🐾
Chief Wellness Officer & Professional Sniff Inspector

07/18/2026

Wide open spaces

****ck

06/29/2026

❤️

05/10/2026

Riding a horse with big, flashy and lofty movement will humble you REAL quick 😅

After riding Archie, I realized there were still some weaknesses in my stability, alignment, and core control—especially during transitions and moments where I’d start getting pulled forward.

I’ve been consistently working on these exercises for the past few weeks, and I’m already noticing improvements in my stability and body control in the saddle 👀

So here’s a little glimpse into what I’m focusing on off the horse:

➡️ Dead bugs for core stability + control
➡️ Walking lunges for balance and lower body stability
➡️ Side planks for lateral strength and keeping myself from collapsing inward

Because rider fitness isn’t just about getting stronger… it’s about being able to stabilize against the movement of the horse while staying balanced and effective in the saddle.

And trust me, horses like Archie will expose every weak link 😅

Regardless if you compete or not, if our horses are athletes, we don’t get to opt out. We are athletes too and need to show up for our horses 👏

04/19/2026

This horse exposed weaknesses I didn’t even know I had… or at least thought I had already fixed 😅

Only our fourth ride together, and he’s already keeping me honest.

Dutch Harness horses (and especially former cart horses like Archie) have a big, forward, elevated way of going… which means you don’t get to just sit there—you actually have to stabilize.

And that’s where things got interesting 👀

➡️ Getting pitched slightly forward in the trot
➡️ Inside side collapsing (which = him falling in too)
➡️ And that trot → walk transition at the end… yeah, my core was NOT ready for that drop 😅

That last one really hit me—because it’s not just a riding issue, it’s a core stability issue.

If I’m not stable, I’m not just affecting myself… I’m affecting how he moves too.

So back to basics:
✔️ Posting up, not forward
✔️ Cleaning up my alignment
✔️ Building more core stability

This is going to be a fun one to work through this summer 👀

If this looks familiar, shoot me a message—happy to talk through it!

04/18/2026

Horsin’ around with the Dettore Farm crew 💕

04/13/2026

New horse, new challenges, new opportunities to get better.
Excited to grow with 𝓐𝓻𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓮 💪🐴

04/04/2026

And I don’t mean that in a harsh way—just in a “we’re leveling up” kind of way.

With the increase in equestrian physiotherapists, athletic trainers, and coaches who specialize in riders, the standard is shifting.

There’s been a noticeable change in the equestrian world, and honestly, it’s a good one.

More riders are starting to realize that time in the saddle (and barn chores) alone isn’t enough anymore.

Riding absolutely is physical. Barn chores absolutely do count toward daily activity.
But physical activity doesn’t always equal an effective workout.

Because riding is incredibly asymmetrical. And if we don’t address weaknesses off the horse… it shows up real quick when we’re in the saddle.

And guess who feels it the most?
Your horse.

This isn’t about lifting the heaviest weight in the gym or walking around at 6% body fat.

A lot of the most effective training for riders focuses on:

bodyweight control
resistance bands
functional movement
mobility through the hips and shoulders

The stuff that actually transfers to your riding.

And the reason this is trending?

Because more people are starting to see riders for what they are:

Athletes.

Our position, strength, and balance directly affect how our horse moves, feels, and performs.

So no—this isn’t about doing more just to do more.

It’s about showing up for your horse in a way that actually helps them move better, stay sound, and do their job comfortably.

Because if they’re putting in the work, we should be too.

This is exactly why I train the way I do. If you want help applying it to your riding, let’s talk.

Side note: I love doing ba****ck dressage with Piper. She's such a little superstar 😌