Hay Fever Farm LLC

29/03/2026

One thing you do at your own risk and at great peril is to be an expert in one piece of the big horse world and to then go to some other piece expecting to be treated as an equal.

A hero in one world is a nobody in another, ESPECIALLY if the outsider tries to come across as being a big deal.

Honest unfamiliarity is usually fine. It's trying to fake it that gets someone in trouble.

Sure, go watch, but unless you like being joked about, keep your mouth shut except to ask honest and non-provocative questions.
This is true in all kinds of situations, not just in the horse world.

The dog in this photo has as much credibility as an outsider from another horse sport. Actually, probably MORE.

01/01/2026

If you ask trainer and “R” judge Geoff Case how to become a better rider, he won’t tell you to buy a better horse. He’ll tell you to ride more horses—especially the tricky ones.

“The best riders aren’t the ones who only ride nice horses,” he said. “They’re the ones who learn from every horse they sit on.” The goal is growth. And the fastest way to grow is to stop waiting for ideal conditions and start learning from whatever you have right now.

Case’s training philosophy is rooted in experience, not ease. “If you only ride perfect horses, you don’t actually learn that much,” he said. “You get better by figuring things out.”

He remembers his early years, when getting on a variety of horses—green, lazy, spooky, or stubborn—wasn’t optional. It was how you earned your education. “You got on whatever needed to be ridden,” he said. “That’s how you learned timing, feel, and patience.”

That trial-and-error process, Case explained, teaches a kind of adaptability that can’t be coached. “You start to realize there’s no one-size-fits-all answer,” he said. “Every horse requires something different from you.” Those lessons stick with riders far longer than ribbons or medals. “It’s the uncomfortable horses that teach you the most,” he said. “They make you think. They make you better.”

Case believes curiosity, not perfection, is what turns good riders into great ones. “You have to want to understand what’s happening under you,” he said. “That curiosity is what makes you improve.”

When something doesn’t go right Case encourages riders to ask questions instead of getting frustrated. “Don’t get mad, get curious,” he said. “Ask yourself, ‘Why did that happen?’ Then try to fix it.”

That self-reflection, he added, is the real mark of a thinking rider. “It’s easy to ride well when everything goes right,” he said. “The real riders are the ones who figure it out when things don’t.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/12/29/why-the-best-riders-dont-wait-for-perfect-horses/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

28/12/2025

Bill Steinkraus & South Bound

Bill Steinkraus: The Gentleman Gold Medalist of American Show Jumping

In the history of American show jumping, few names carry the respect, influence, and quiet authority of Bill Steinkraus. Known as much for his intellect and horsemanship as for his competitive success, Steinkraus represents a golden era of the sport—one defined by elegance, discipline, and deep partnership between horse and rider.

A Champion on the World Stage

Bill Steinkraus reached the pinnacle of international sport at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, where he won individual gold aboard Snowbound. That victory was historic: it marked the first time an American rider captured individual Olympic gold in show jumping. The win was not flashy or aggressive—it was precise, thoughtful, and composed, much like Steinkraus himself.

Snowbound, a former hunter turned international jumper, embodied Steinkraus’s belief that correct training and understanding could elevate a horse far beyond expectations. Their Olympic round remains a masterclass in rhythm, balance, and calm ex*****on.

A Horseman First, Competitor Second

What truly set Steinkraus apart was his identity as a horseman-scholar. Educated, articulate, and deeply reflective, he viewed riding as an intellectual pursuit as much as a physical one. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail—both in the saddle and in language—often emphasizing that how we speak about riding reflects how we think about it.

Steinkraus believed that good riding was rooted in:

Balance over strength

Feel over force

Communication over control

These principles guided not only his competitive career but also his writing, teaching, and influence long after he stepped out of the show ring.

Influence Beyond Medals

Though his Olympic gold secured his place in history, Steinkraus’s legacy extends far beyond medals and championships. He became one of the sport’s most respected voices through his essays, columns, and commentary, particularly for Practical Horseman. His writing often explored topics like riding position, terminology, horsemanship philosophy, and the dangers of trends overtaking fundamentals.

He was famously skeptical of jargon and shortcuts, advocating instead for classical basics and thoughtful training. Riders across disciplines—hunters, jumpers, and equitation alike—continue to quote his observations decades later.

A Lasting Legacy

Bill Steinkraus is remembered not only as an Olympic champion but as a standard-bearer for excellence and integrity in American show jumping. He proved that success at the highest level did not require brute strength or theatrics, but rather patience, intelligence, and respect for the horse.

In a fast-evolving sport, Steinkraus’s ideas remain strikingly relevant. His career reminds us that true greatness lies not just in winning—but in how you ride, how you think, and how you honor the partnership with the horse.

Bill Steinkraus didn’t just win gold—he elevated the conversation around horsemanship itself.

27/12/2025

Stick to ONE SYSTEM!

We live in a time where information is everywhere.
Endless opinions. Endless systems. Endless “solutions”.

Because of that, many riders never fully commit to anything. They try a bit of this, a bit of that, and end up stuck at the lower levels — not because they lack talent, but because they never stay long enough for real progress to happen.

This is often called cross-training.
But dabbling and cross-training are not the same thing.

Cross-training is intentional.
It supports a main system.
It’s chosen because it helps the horse develop better for the job you’re training it for.

Dabbling is different.
Dabbling avoids difficulty.
It avoids repetition.
It avoids accountability.

And because of that, it avoids progress.

The uncomfortable truth is that every good system will eventually expose your weaknesses — as a rider and as a trainer. That moment is where growth happens. It’s also where many people leave.

They change discipline when it gets hard.
They change trainers when progress slows.
They change goals when weaknesses show up.

The horse pays the price.

Without a consistent system, the horse never learns how its body should develop. It never finds a clear balance. It never becomes confident in the aids, because the message keeps changing.

Real horsemanship isn’t glamorous.
Some work is repetitive.
Some lessons are uncomfortable.
And some of the hardest work has nothing to do with the horse at all.

Anyone can dabble.
Staying, committing, and working through the difficult parts takes courage.

Question

Be honest — where do you see this most in your own riding: switching methods when it gets hard, or staying with one system long enough to actually change?

FOLLOW ME!

25/12/2025

22/12/2025

𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠

Growing up riding in Ireland, I genuinely thought this was just how riding worked. You went to a riding school, you rode in an arena… and then you were sent out into a field to face whatever solid, slightly questionable fence had been living there since the 1980s and looking back now as a coach, I realise just how lucky I was.

No one made a big song and dance about it. You didn’t book a cross-country clinic. You just… went cross-country.

The riding schools I went to were nothing fancy, but they all had land. One had access to a proper cross-country course, the other had a big field with a selection of jumps that absolutely did not move if you got it wrong. Somewhere along the way, Pony Club happened, but by then the bravery had already been installed.

You learned very quickly how to find your brave pants. There was no standing around discussing feelings. You were told to kick on, look up, and stop steering like you were parallel parking. You trusted your pony, trusted the process, and off you went usually with a mix of excitement and mild terror.

And the funny thing is, it worked.

Showjumping felt easier because you weren’t frightened of fences. New questions didn’t feel so dramatic. If you chipped in, met it long, or had a wobble, it was just part of riding not a life altering event that required a full debrief.

Fast forward to now, and the picture looks very different, especially in the UK.

So many riding schools don’t have access to land anymore. No fields. No cross-country fences. Insurance companies breaking out in a sweat at the very mention of the words solid jump. Everything happens neatly inside four white boards, with poles that fall down if you breathe on them too hard.

Now, don’t get me wrong arenas are brilliant. They teach accuracy, control, and how to ride a corner without ending up in the fence. But they don’t teach bravery in quite the same way.

Because bravery doesn’t come from riding perfect lines between coloured poles. Bravery comes from cantering across grass, feeling your heart rate go up, and thinking, I hope this works, while your pony thinks, we’re definitely doing this.

That moment when you commit, that’s where the big boy pants and big girl pants are earned.

Kids today are incredibly capable riders but I feel that bravery is missing spark somehow but I see Irish kids that still have the opportunities I did and by god the brave pants on by age 6/7, but many just don’t get the chance to ride outside the arena. And that’s not because they don’t want to it’s because the opportunities aren’t there.

So maybe it’s not about every riding school magically acquiring acres of land and a cross-country course. Let’s be realistic.

Maybe it’s about loading up the ponies, hiring a cross-country venue for the day, charging a set fee, and making it part of normal education again. Not an elite thing. Not a special treat. Just another way kids learn to ride.

Because confidence doesn’t suddenly appear at 90cm or at your first big event. It’s built years earlier in muddy fields, over solid fences, with slightly sweaty palms and massive grins.

And if you grew up riding like that, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

This picture is from 2013 so please don’t say about the stones, this was my brave pants moment on Vicky.

20/12/2025

Hot take:
If your horse ignores small aids, you are in trouble.

When riders say,
“He just doesn’t react unless I really ask,”
what they usually mean is this:

The horse has learned that quiet aids don’t matter.

That didn’t happen overnight.
It happened slowly — every time a small aid was ignored and nothing followed.

Horses don’t suddenly become dull.
They become dull when whispers have no consequence.

And here’s the important part:
When a horse ignores the whisper, he forces the rider to shout.

Bigger leg.
Stronger hand.
More pressure.

From the horse’s point of view, that feels unpredictable and unfair —
because the correction comes late, not clear.

That’s why I repeat this so often in lessons:
If he ignores the whisper, clarify immediately.

Not aggressively.
Not emotionally.
Just clearly.

A quick clarification, followed by an instant release, teaches the horse that light aids matter.

And once light aids matter,
everything gets easier:
– the horse feels lighter
– the reactions improve
– the tension drops
– the ride becomes calmer

Quiet horses aren’t born.
They’re trained — through timing and clarity.

💬 Be honest — does your horse react to the first light aid, or only the second or third?

👥 If this sounds familiar, follow me for more clear, practical training advice like this.

19/12/2025

As Margie Goldstein-Engle looks across today’s show rings, she sees a sport that has changed dramatically since she first started riding. Horses are bred with more blood and sensitivity, courses have become more technical, and young riders are climbing the ranks faster than ever. But there’s one thing missing that worries her—the pipeline of riders willing to bring along young horses.

“It seems like there are very few that really deal with young horses much anymore, especially in our country,” Margie said. “It’s getting harder and harder to find people who want to do that.”

When Margie turned professional, she built her career from the ground up. “When I was twelve, I started breaking ponies and horses because of my size,” she said. “People would send ponies and horses to the farm for me to break.” That early experience gave her an understanding of horse development that still guides her today.

Now, she worries that new generations of professionals aren’t getting the same education. “Financially, it’s getting more and more difficult to carry horses and pay the showing expenses, shipping, and care,” she said. “Before, there were lots of riders who wanted to bring young horses along. It’s harder to find that now.”

The economic realities of modern horse sport have reshaped how riders build their careers. For many, focusing on made horses in upper divisions is the only sustainable path. Margie understands the pressure but still believes something is lost when riders skip the process of developing a horse from its first jump.

“The sport’s grown so much,” she said. “There are so many more people looking for horses all over the world, and fewer breeders and owners who can afford to keep young horses long enough to develop them. It’s getting more and more difficult.”

That shift, she explained, creates a talent gap. Not just in horses, but in riders. Without time on green or unpredictable mounts, riders lose valuable experience. “The more time you can spend with different horses and horses of all ages, the more knowledge you gain,” she said. “It gives you a lot more tools in your toolbox.”

Riding young horses, Margie explained, teaches lessons that can’t be learned in the show ring alone. “You learn their personalities, their likes and dislikes,” she said. “It helps you develop horse sense.”

That understanding builds the kind of adaptability that’s kept Margie competitive through decades of evolving trends. “The sport is ever evolving,” she said. “You have to try and keep knowledgeable and keep evolving with it. Every new horse teaches me something.”

Margie has seen the shift firsthand. “There are fewer and fewer people who want to help bring the young horses along,” she said. “Everyone wants to go straight into the bigger divisions.”

In earlier generations, working with young horses was part of a natural progression. Riders learned patience, timing, and feel from colts and green mounts before they ever jumped a 1.30m track. Those lessons don’t come easily, or quickly, but Margie believes they create stronger, more intuitive horsemen.

“You develop a broader background when you ride different types of horses,” she said. “The difficult ones make you appreciate the really nice ones that much more.”

To rebuild that foundation, Margie believes the industry needs more opportunities and incentives for riders to work with young horses. Programs that reward patient development, she says, could help restore balance to a system increasingly driven by quick results. To secure the future of show jumping, riders must embrace the slow work again. “Every horse is different,” she said. “They all have different personalities. The more you ride, the more you learn.”

Margie’s own longevity in the sport is proof of the value of that approach. Her ability to adapt, stay current, and produce results stems from decades spent listening to horses, not just riding them. “You can learn even by watching,” she said. “The horses are the best teachers that we have.”

For Margie, the next generation’s success depends on rediscovering that kind of horsemanship. “The more you can ride different horses, the better it is for your knowledge,” she said. “It’ll help you immensely when you go to do the sport, even at the higher level."

📎 Save & share this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/12/15/where-have-the-riders-willing-to-develop-young-horses-gone/
📸 © Andrew Ryback Photography

18/12/2025

18/12/2025

This goes for the jumping disciplines as well.

PART 3 ~ Classical Foundations vs. Modern Competitive Dressage: Where They Align—and Where They Drift Apart

As riders and trainers, we inherit a lineage of horsemanship that stretches from Xenophon’s ancient writings to the structured systems of the H.Dv.12. These classical foundations were built on kindness, clarity, gymnastic development, and long-term soundness. Their purpose was simple and unwavering: to create a horse who was strong, balanced, supple, safe, and willing for many years.

Modern competitive dressage exists in a different landscape—shaped by judges, public performance, ambitious timelines, scores, and money. While the sport claims its classical heritage, these pressures have inevitably transformed the work. The result is a blend of continuity and divergence—places where modern dressage still honors its roots, and places where it has grown away from them.

At its core, the movements remain the same. Shoulder-in, half-pass, pirouettes, extensions, and collection all come from classical schools. The training scale—rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion, straightness, and collection—reflects principles Xenophon described and H.Dv.12 later organized into a clear progression. When competitive dressage follows this lineage, the result is extraordinary: true harmony expressed through athleticism.

However, the purpose behind the training has shifted. Classical systems emphasized slow, methodical development, never asking the horse for more than he could physically or mentally understand. Modern sport often accelerates this process under competitive and financial pressure. A classical four-year-old and a competitive four-year-old frequently do not resemble each other at all.

Another divergence lies in expressive movement. Big, dramatic gaits are increasingly rewarded, sometimes tempting riders toward shortcuts that sacrifice relaxation and biomechanical correctness. Classical training always valued purity of gait over extravagance, because purity protects long-term soundness.

Contact and frame also differ. Xenophon and H.Dv.12 emphasized elastic contact and natural self-carriage. Modern competition often favors a more compressed outline, which may look striking but can block the back, shorten the stride, and increase tension—exactly what classical trainers worked to avoid.

The deepest split is seen in the horse’s mental state. Classical horsemanship viewed relaxation as non-negotiable. Today, mild tension is often mistaken for brilliance. But wide eyes, tight mouths, and electric reactions signal stress, not harmony. 😧

Modern dressage does not have to abandon its classical roots. Many successful riders prove that patient, biomechanically correct training produces healthier, happier horses with longer careers. When competition embraces classical values, the result is breathtaking—and sustainable.

Ultimately, the rider must choose which values to uphold. True beauty in dressage does not come from force or spectacle, but from balance, harmony, and joy—the same qualities celebrated more than two thousand years ago.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” 🌎

18/12/2025

The benefits of having fit horses are almost too numerous to mention. Fit horses will have fewer injuries, longer careers, more rapid recovery time, and be better able to cope with all the demands of travel and horse show life. Whether your goals are maintaining fitness, increasing fitness, or enacting a rehabilitation program, many riders overlook probably the most underutilized fitness technique: the mindful walk.

A proper walk, one with forward momentum that positively pushes off all four limbs, has so many benefits. When beginning a ride, this walk will get your horse’s blood flowing and limbs loosened, diminishing risk of injury and strain in the workout to follow. While at the walk, you can establish boundaries and keep your horse focused and listening and set the tone for the full ride. By changing your outlook on the walk and using it as a tool to your advantage, you can develop a more productive ride and improve your horse’s performance. You can include exercises like ground poles to improve topline and allow your horse to think through exercises for themselves.

If you’re looking to increase your horse’s fitness or rehabilitate from an injury, incorporating a second walk into your horse’s program to focus on strength and mobility is more beneficial than you might think. Especially if a horse is stalled during their horse show or rehab regimen, a second ride at a proper walk can have on not only your horse’s physical strength, but their mental well-being as well. By having a second ride only at the walk or focused at the walk, you’re not stressing or straining the recovery or fitness process- you’re providing more natural motion to increase muscle strength while minimizing impact and risk of injury.

Start at a working walk, putting your horse in the bridle, and complete all the movements your horse knows how to do. Practice walking forward, extending and shortening the walk, working at a medium walk, performing a haunches in, leg yield, half pass, haunches out.

Bending their necks aids in loosening their muscles—ask your horse to come around as far as they can on both the left and right side until they soften. Once they complete at the halt, begin working on this exercise at the walk. This will help them learn to listen, and can also help to identify pain responses.

Backing up can illuminate any weakness or lameness issues—if your horse cannot back up in a straight line, that is an indication of something to work on. When horses walk, they rotate their pelvis underneath them, so that when they walk off correctly they can get their weight off of their front end.

Things to note when completing walking fitness: keeping your horse six feet off the rail and riding straight, rotating the footing you work on: working in the arena, in the grass, and on pavement. Performing the working walk on concussive and various surfaces (including but not limited to rings, grass, pathways, and driveways) can help to build muscles around all injury-prone areas in your horse’s legs.

If you can’t include a second ride, give yourself as much time as you can to walk at the start of each ride and warm-up carefully and mindfully listening to your horse.

📎 Save & share this article by Abby Funk at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2022/09/13/mindful-riding-walking-fitness/