It's that time of year again! The December edition of Horsemanship Journal and Western Horse UK is out, and I’m excited to share what's inside.
This quarter's issue is packed with articles on horse care, training tips, and much more.
December cover stars
Tash Daszykowski is featured on the front cover of Horsemanship Journal, picture courtesy of Dawn Cotterell Photography. You can read Tash's article as us to achieve softness with horses on page 26.
Our Western Horse cover is a fantastic photo of Catherine Whitall and Midnight Sparkles at their 22km Lavender Ride. Picture courtesy of Andy at ARW Photography.
Must Read Articles
If you would love for your horse to load themselves into a trailer, check out Zoe Coade's article as she helps us to Get Good at Trailer Load-In - also, check out our 12 Days of Christmas competition to win access to Zoe's Load-In course.
As the weather turns, everything can feel a little more challenging; if you have a bad horse day, you need Helen O'Hanlon's tips to keep your mind positive.
If you dread trashed fields this winter, look at the Equicentral system to see how it can help you maintain healthy paddocks and keep horses and humans happy.
If you are considering buying a horse, take a look at Ask the Vet, Nikki explains the vetting process.
In September's issue, Ben Longwell discussed the principle of 'Response In Spite of Trouble', the foundational understanding and some examples of situations starting on the ground. Now, in this issue, he looks at the ridden aspect. Ben is kindling providing a six-month subscription to his video library as part of our 12 days of Christmas giveaway. Make sure you join the competition to be in with a chance to win this fantastic prize.
Reader Stories
We love hearing from our readers, and in this issue, Claire Artis pays homage to the magic and wonder of non-ridden equines by sharing the natural horsemanship journey of Exmoor pony Cloudy.
Kimberly Dunn shares her experience dealing with Lymes disease from when she first noticed unusual symptoms to diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Emma Thompson re-lives her first western experience when she joined fellow western riders at the Scottish National Show in September.
Christmas Treats
We have put together a fabulous Christmas giveaway for you, which starts on Christmas day. During your post-Christmas dinner slump, head to the Horsemanship Journal website and click on the competition. We have 12 prizes to give away over 12 days.
2022 Final Thoughts
2022 has been as turbulent as any recent year; the challenges are different but as disruptive. A huge thank you to our authors, advertisers and subscribers, who keep us motivated and focused.
We wish you a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.
