I’m gonna go ahead and add a copy of IN THE MIDDLE ARE THE HORSEMEN by Tik Maynard to this working student survival guide @HeelsDownMag 😉 #horsebooks

'I should be proud of the horse he is - a Thoroughbred - not that he can pass as something else.'

This week we’re talking to an equestrian fashion designer and body positivity advocate on why horses are great for everybody, no matter your waist size. And would you ever list your farm on Airbnb? Thanks for tuning in.

'Practice over smaller stuff with just putting your hands down and leaving the horse alone.'

'No woman on Earth is 10 feet tall with legs going to her armpits and a 12-inch waist.'

Send this to your friends who have businesses. We’re assembling a collection of our favorite gift and tack items to simplify holiday shopping.

Now is the perfect time to let your horse wind down and hit the trails.

It’s not uncommon for my local vet to receive anywhere from 50 to 100 texts and 30 phone calls a day.

'You do not have to be X number of pounds to jump a course with a light seat, soft hands, and good eye.'

'Here’s the thing: I can afford my horse. I look forward to riding my horse, without the lurking dread of being over-mounted.'

I opted for the Havana pad, because I like the contrast it offered with my jump saddle, girth and bridle and my horse's shiny, copper chestnut coat.

'Like all horse girls, 15-year-old Katelynn Conner was scheming of ways to buy more tack and equipment for her paint mare Sassy, when she came up with a brilliant business idea.'

It's one of the most heated topics I see discussed among off-the-track Thoroughbred owners. What do you think?

The cheap shots at "horse dancing" and "the horses do all the work" are pretty tired at this point.

It's easy to listen to your trainer's instructions, but it's a totally different thing to feel your horse respond correctly to the aids.

I do not kick my horse to make him go faster, nor do I pull on his mouth to get him on the bit. I ask him with my aids, sometimes more strongly than others, to respond to the cues I present to him.

Knowing how to layer your clothes so you’re comfortable at the barn is an art every New England equestrian has to master.

'I was (and still am) privileged to be able to go to the barn during the thick of it all this year. Riding became the most important part of my day.'

For a sport that is so focused on the individual team of horse and rider, it is easy to forget how much we depend on each other.