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 Health

MEET HANNAH PETRIE HAY

Member of The Horseback Vet Team and Core Conditioning proponent Could the key to your horse's long-term soundness be hiding in plain sight, not in the vet's diagnostic kit, but in the way your horse moves, and the way you ride? It's a question that's gaining traction in equine circles, and one that veterinary surgeon…

BylizzieApril 30, 20260Comments

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

CHANGING THE LANGUAGE OF RIDING

How awareness, biomechanics, and horsemanship are reshaping rider education Text: Alejandra González I have loved horses for as long as I can remember. I was fortunate to grow up in a family with horses - my father was a horse trainer - so horses were never just a hobby; they were part of my everyday life. But…

BylizzieApril 12, 20260Comments

A portrait of a dainty grey horse with a pink nose wearing a bridle with a showing browband and a plaited mane on a black background

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: SHIFTING A HORSE’S WEIGHT BACK

Q: When my instructor says I need to ‘shift my horse’s weight back’ (on the ground), what does she mean? A: When your instructor asks you to shift your horse’s weight back, she’s probably noticing that he’s leaning onto his forehand, even while standing still. Many horses naturally park themselves with more weight over the shoulders…

BylizzieDecember 13, 20250Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: ADJUSTABLE TREES

Q: How does an adjustable tree work? A: The tree of the saddle is essentially its framework, and its purpose is to distribute the weight of the rider evenly over the horse’s back. Saddle trees were developed more than 2000 years ago, and whilst their role remains the same today, there have (thankfully) been many developments…

BylizzieAugust 30, 20250Comments

Horse Health

SOLE DEEP

What we know about sole thickness and soundness When we think about hooves, we often focus on wall cracks, flares, or the perfect white line, but the sole plays a vital and often underappreciated role in keeping our horses sound, especially in the age of synthetic surfaces and intense sport schedules. The thickness and integrity of…

BylizzieAugust 7, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

THE BIOMECHANICS OF COLLECTION

What really happens when a horse ‘engages’ Ask ten riders to define collection, and you may hear ten different answers: “The horse carries more weight behind,” “He lifts his shoulders,” “She sits more,” or “It’s self-carriage.” While these phrases capture aspects of the concept, true collection is rooted in biomechanics — and understanding what actually…

BylizzieJune 20, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Know How

Arena surface construction and maintenance

Can arena surface affect the biomechanics of your horse's legs? [dropcap]P[/dropcap]rofessionals are all choosing to install or only work over synthetic mix surfaces – but do these arenas actually make a difference to the horse and your schooling? This month, HQ talks to Peter Morrison, who heads Martin Collins South Africa – equine facility specialists –…

BylizzieJuly 14, 20160Comments

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