Ask Cari

Little Red, an 8 week old puppy found Ryan at the Purina Feed Event at Eastern Hay last week where he decided to adopt Ryan.  Here he is learning to allez onto the post.  Red is super smart and has integrated into the Icelandic herd of dogs at Windrock Farm.  He will soon be traveling to California with Ryan.

Hollywood horse, Harbor Mist,  is in the upcoming film Secretariat where Diane Lane portrays  Penny Chenery, the owner of the famous red horse.  The Disney film will be released in October this year, and Harbor Mist will be at the Belmont May 29-30 at the Northeast Equine Expo, come visit Harbor Mist and his trainer Rex Peterson.  Rex is a master horseman who has trained horses to perform some stunts many have claimed impossible, including burying a horse alive to jump up out of the desert for a music video.  Nothing is impossible but it may take hours to train and will require tremendous trust and patience.

Rex worked with two young horses starting under saddle, taught several how to bow, worked on trailering issues with several horses that eventually walked in the trailer at the end of a 30 foot lariat, improved the rhythm and gaits of a lovely quarter horse and gave a leading and ground manners lesson to a fell pony.  I worked with Barb and her young dressage mount, Paloma.  We had a full successful day and look forward to returning soon.  For future clinic schedule check the web site

Ryan working his yearling filly with the flag…she had a very successful first day outing at the Horse Park and learned to have all her feet picked up relaxed and calmly.

Mr. T from Dreamer and Secretariat films, leads RJ’s 4 year old filly through the tarp with Fiona and Simon last weekend,

this is a fun obstacle course that gives all riders more confidence and ability to navigate anything.

After schooling all the horses through the obstacle course, we went on a hack to cool the horses down.  Many of the horses did not like the tarp initially, but everyone was successful at working through all he obstacles….including walking under a tarp, over a tarp, over logs, through hanging plastic bottles, backing around a tree, and various cross country jumps.  These are excellent exercises to improve your communication with your horse.  Jumpers, Dressage and Event horses improve each day.

Rex traveled to the New Jersey Horse Park to teach a clinic for improving communication with your horse.  Many different breeds were represented and riders from various disciplines came to learn from the master horseman who drove across the country from California just last week.  Over 150 people came out to meet Rex and RJ/Hidalgo at Rick’s Saddlery around the corner from the horse park.  check here for upcoming dates for upcoming clinics and an opportunity to meet RJ/Hidalgo and watch him work with his trainer.

A new book to teach you how to ride effectively and safely from day one to day one thousand.  Excellent exercises to test your skills as a rider and your horse’s training.  Beautiful illustrations by Mary Bridgman and photographs demonstrating clearly how to ride better.  Order Whoa Means Whoa! from Blurb now.

Come to the Rex Peterson Clinic this weekend at Windrock Farm and train your horse to walk through the obstacle course…take the spook out of your horse and improve communication with him.   Contact cari@cariswanson.com to sign up

Levi is a confident bold jumper, he has a motor, great personality,

loves cross country, uncomplicated to ride, super event, dressage or hunter prospect.

Congratulations to Chip for his first foal of the season, this handsome colt is beautiful, smart and has a great sense of humor at one month old.  We just returned from a quick road trip to VA to drop off a horse and pick up a pony and have a quick layover at Chip’s farm in Berryville where Spring is in full bloom.

Learning to ride at Windrock Farm

sometimes hanging out with Webster is the best thing to do on a sunny afternoon….

Rules to Ride By

go slowly to go fast

patience, patience, patience

take one step at at time

Ride bareback to improve your balance

(excerpted from the new book Whoa Means Whoa! available soon)