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Dear Riders and Sleuths of TES, This evening, while innocently reorganizing our boot shelves (as one does, before the moon is high and the horses begin whispering), I stumbled upon a chilling discovery worthy of a Nancy Drew spinoff or at least a mid-season Agatha Christie twist. Six boots are missing. But not just any  boots.Not even matching pairs. Six RIGHT paddock boots — all size 6 and 6.5 — have mysteriously vanished. Left boots? All present. On duty. Innocent.Right boo

You may have seen a horse with a red ribbon tied in its tail and wondered what it means. A red ribbon is a universal warning: 👉 This horse may kick if another horse gets too close. ⭐ Arena Etiquette 101 1️⃣ Maintain at least two horse lengths of space Horses need room to feel safe. Crowding can cause kicking, nipping, pinning ears, or sudden stops. TES rule: 👉 Always keep at least two full horse lengths between your horse and the one in front of you. If you get too close, c

✨ TES Weekly Riding Skill Spotlight: Turn on the Forehand What Is a Turn on the Forehand? A turn on the forehand is a basic movement where the horse’s hindquarters step in a small circle around the horse’s front end, which stays almost in place. The hind legs move The front legs mostly stay near the same spot The horse bends slightly around the rider’s inside leg It teaches the horse to move away from gentle pressure — one of the most important skills in riding. 🟦 What Aids

🐴 Riding Tip of the Week Your reins are your connection to the horse’s mouth, so proper hand position makes a big difference! Keep your thumbs on top and your knuckles facing each other, as if you’re holding small ice-cream cones. Avoid “piano hands” (palms flat)—that weakens your contact and control. Soft, steady hands help your horse trust you and move more comfortably in every gait.

A 20-meter circle is one of the first figures riders learn, and it’s valuable for western, English, and dressage  riders alike. It’s a perfect circle, 20 meters (about 66 feet)  across, and it teaches balance, accuracy, and rhythm. A standard dressage arena measures 20 meters by 60 meters. Riders usually ride 20-meter circles at the ends of the arena—at A or C—or in the middle at B and E . You can practice 20-meter circles in the TES dressage arena or the jump arena,  though

This Sunday marks one of the most exciting days of the year at The Traditional Equitation School — our annual Spooktacular Horse Show ! Not only is this a fan-favorite event filled with costumes, candy, and fun… it’s also the final show in our 2025 TES Four-Show Series , where we will determine our Year-End High Point Champions. If you’ve been competing throughout the season, this is your last chance to collect points and move ahead in your division — or defend your lead! 🏆

🐴 Team TES IEA Horse Show The TES IEA Team kicked off the 2025–26 season with two great shows at Vista A and Vista B last weekend! Riders competed in multiple divisions, earning valuable points toward the Zone Finals — riders qualify for postseason competition after earning 15 points in their class. 🏅 Vista A Results Verona – 2nd in Future Novice Test (5 pts) Edyn – 4th in Varsity Intermediate Test and 5th in DSE (5 pts total) Leni – 4th in Future Novice DSE (3 pts) Roma

At The Traditional Equitation School, we’re all about horses — but have you ever wondered why humans ride horses and not their striped...

🏆🎤 Ladies and Gentlemen… it’s SHOWTIME! 🎤🏆 Get ready, TES family—the moment we’ve all been waiting for is here! The 2025 IEA Team...

If you’ve spent time around horses, you’ve probably heard someone mention “the withers.” But what exactly are they, and why do they...

🎙️ TES IEA Weekly Round-Up: Tryouts, Team News & the Road Ahead!  🐎 Ladies and gentlemen, saddle up — the 2025–2026 IEA season is...

🎯 TES IEA Dressage Team Tryouts – Fall 2025 We’re forming our new team for the 2025–2026 season, and you do not need to be a current TES...

Horses once roamed North America, but they went extinct here around 10,000 years ago. It wasn’t until the 1500s, when Spanish explorers...

🐴 What Is the Posting Trot — and Why Does It Matter? If you've started riding lessons, you’ve probably heard your instructor say “start...

Can Horses Throw Up? It’s a strange question — but one that surprises almost everyone: Horses can’t throw up.   Ever. Unlike humans and...

🐴 How Many Hours Do TES Horses Teach Per Week? At The Traditional Equitation School (TES), the health and well-being of our horses come...

No—they can’t!  Horses are known as obligate nasal breathers , which means they can only breathe through their nose , not their mouth....

If you’ve ever seen a horse curl its upper lip and stretch its neck in the air like it just smelled something very  strange, you’re not...

Spoiler: Yes, you are. Thinking about signing up for a horse show but not sure if you’re ready?If you're riding at TES, the answer is...

President Ulysses S. Grant  was known for his love of fast horses — and in 1872, he was actually arrested for speeding in a horse-drawn...