Horse and Rider

THE RIDER IN THE EQUATION: WHAT PERSONALITY RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT HORSE WELFARE

A German study of nearly 500 equestrians has found that a rider's self-esteem, empathy and adaptability measurably shape how horse-centred their riding is, and how their horse experiences the relationship. It is one of the more useful welfare studies to come out in a while, because it turns the lens away from the horse and…

BylizzieJuly 7, 20260Comments

Image for Unbridled Challenge Bridleless Show at Stellenbosch District Riding Club

Horse and Rider

BEYOND THE BIT: WHAT BRIDLELESS RIDING REALLY ASKS OF YOU

Bridleless riding is having a moment. Earlier this year, Britain held what was billed as its first fully bridleless competition, with more than twenty riders jumping and doing dressage tests with nothing on their horses' heads, watched by a sold-out crowd and, once the clips went online, by hundreds of thousands more. A run of…

BylizzieJuly 3, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider

THE DSA CHALLENGE – NATIONAL DRESSAGE WITHOUT THE ROAD TRIP

For most South African dressage riders, 'competing nationally' has always come with a catch: the cost, the kilometres and the stress of loading a horse onto a truck and sending it across the country. The DSA Challenge was built to solve exactly that, and more than two decades on, it remains one of the quietly…

BylizzieJune 22, 20260Comments

Rainer Korber on 334 Sea of Stars at the Shongweni Aquelle Foresyte Winter Classic

Horse and Rider

CONGRATULATIONS TO RAY AND 334 SEA OF STARS

Rainer Korber and 334 Sea of Stars jumped clear in the mare's first 1.50m Grand Prix at the Aquelle Foresyte Winter Classic in Shongweni yesterday. By Stakkato out of a Calato mare, bred and campaigned under the 334 banner, the mare. "Team 334 are overjoyed," said Aisling Triggol. "Govett in particular, because he has always believed…

BylizzieJune 20, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider

YOU’RE NOT CROOKED; YOU’RE HUMAN

Have you ever looked at a photo or video of yourself riding and thought… Alejandra Gonzalez Why am I always sitting just a little to the left? You adjust. You centre yourself. You think you’ve fixed it. Then five minutes later, there you are again. Slightly off-centre. It’s frustrating, especially when you’re doing your best to ‘sit evenly’ in…

BylizzieMay 15, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider Horse Channel

BUILDING CONFIDENCE AFTER A FALL

Psychological strategies and progressive exercises for riders returning after falls Every rider falls eventually. This is not dramatic pessimism; it’s just statistics. Whether it is a simple loss of balance, a spectacular spook, a refusal you were not expecting, or something more serious, the moment you hit the ground, something shifts. What was once unconscious…

BylizzieMay 6, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider

SHOWJUMPING COURSE WALK STRATEGIES

How to walk a showjumping course effectively The rider who rushes through the course walk, barely glancing at fences, then wonders why distances feel awkward. The competitor who walks diligently but still gets lost mid-round, missing fence four entirely. The nervous showjumper who sees only terrifying heights rather than rideable lines. These scenarios play out…

BylizzieMay 5, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider

NOTES FROM ALEJANDRA GONZALEZ – RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility always belongs to the one with the more complex nervous system. This idea has been on my mind as I hear more conversations about horses needing to self-regulate or take responsibility for their emotional state. These ideas usually come from good intentions. We want partnership, not control. Safety, not force. But horses are prey animals. A horse’s nervous system is…

BylizzieApril 27, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider Horse and Yard Horse Health

AN INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA ANDERSON

HQ: ⁠How did you become involved in saddle fitting? What led you to this work? Amanda: When I was in my early 20s, between undergrad and grad school, I was still a bit unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. I took a couple of massage and saddle-fitting courses from Don Doran of…

BylizzieApril 26, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider

HEARD AT HQ WITH FELICITY THEUNISSEN AND RONNIE HEALY

Two generations, one dream There is something quietly extraordinary about chatting to Felicity Theunissen. She is 13 years old. And yet she speaks about horses, pressure, and the road ahead with a clarity that would put many seasoned competitors to shame. In our latest Heard at HQ interview, we brought Felicity together with Ronnie Healy, her…

BylizzieApril 16, 20260Comments

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