In my weekly blog, “Amateur Equestrian Confessions,” I share the passion and the pain of one of the most endearing pursuits in the world, horseback riding.
Everyone has seen riders slap their horses on the neck enthusiastically at the end of a showjumping round or dressage test. It’s intended to let your horse know they performed well – but what if it delivers the opposite message? This article from Horse Nation explores whether horses like to be patted. The U.K. group Equine Behaviourist shared a study on the subject and found that scratching around the wither area consistently lowers a horse’s heart rate. Further, the tech
