Morning Star Equestrian Center, LLC

05/24/2026

Our little pony rider with big heart!! ♥️ The rain didn’t stop the show or the joy of this partnership!

05/23/2026

Random thing for globetrotters who love history!

This strange stone was once Newcastle’s public “mounting block” — a set of worn steps used to climb onto horseback.

Known as the Lowping-on Stone, it stood for centuries outside the Golden Lion Inn in Newcastle’s Bigg Market. Riders climbed its worn steps before “lowping” — a local word for leaping — into the saddle.

The inns behind it were demolished in the early 1880s, but the stone was saved and later placed beside Newcastle Castle Keep, where it still survives today.

05/16/2026

More than ever we need to support local businesses. What is happening right now with Dover Saddlery must be understood by those of us who will be directly affected by the aftermath of this disaster.

www.theplaidhorse.com

By Piper Klemm You can’t go online without seeing Dover Saddlery branches closing, final sales, and people urging others to use up their gift card. Steep discounts. Inventory moving fast. Emails hitting inboxes with the kind of urgency of a liquidation. And for the average rider scrolling through ...

04/28/2026

Only 1% of people have ever run a marathon. Pretty inspiring.

Yes it is very motivating, to join that elite club where you can forever say ‘I did that’. But do you know what else is a very elite club?

Riding a horse to any level of competency.

Don’t get me wrong, running 26.2 miles is impressive - but attempting to convince Kevin, the half tonne of bad decision, to go over the raised pole near the scary end of the arena that he’s been past 100x just this morning, is a whole different level of achievement.

Yes marathon runners push through the pain, but horse riders push through spooking, panic, mental instability and the pain of getting off after a long ride in winter.

Only 1% of people run marathons.�An even smaller percentage can sit on an overgrown hamster that’s determined today is the day you need a surface inspection, look calm, and pretend this is all going according to plan with any degree of dignity.

Elite is relative.

04/07/2026

Understanding Lateral Movements in Horses

Lateral movements are foundational to the art of dressage, developing balance, strength, and flexibility in both horse and rider. They are movements where the horse moves forward and sideways simultaneously. Here’s a breakdown of the key figures shown in the diagram:

🔄 Shoulder-in & Counter Shoulder-in

The Shoulder-in movement will present the horse’s shoulders slightly inward from the track while the haunches stay on the track. The horse bends around the rider’s inside leg. The Counter Shoulder-in is the same position but with the head and shoulders directed towards the outside of the ring.

🔄 Renvers & Haunches-in (Travers)

These movements involve the haunches being displaced from the line of travel.
Renvers (Tail-in) - The horse’s head and shoulders stay on the track while the haunches are brought inward. The horse bends towards the outside.
Haunches-in (Travers) - The head and shoulders are on the wall (outside rein) while the haunches are brought inward. The horse bends to the inside.

🔄 Half-Pass & Pirouette
These are more advanced lateral movements:
Half-Pass - A diagonal movement across the arena, with the horse parallel to the long side but bending and moving sideways in the direction of travel.
Pirouette - A 360-degree turn in a canter (or walk) where the horse turns around its hindquarters while moving slightly sideways. It demands great balance and control.

Mastering lateral movements improves coordination, engagement of the hindquarters, and responsiveness to the rider’s aids.

03/25/2026

She’s… not wrong at all. 😂

03/15/2026

🩵🩵🩵

She has a nicer horse... He’s been riding longer… They make it look so easy…

Comparison is the fastest way to sabotage your own performance. It pulls you out of YOUR plan, YOUR preparation, YOUR partnership.

✨The only rider you need to be better than is the one you were last week✨

Stay in your lane. Ride your ride. Trust your journey.

03/09/2026

02/24/2026

💯 Worth their weight in gold!

It’s sales season, and as the comment sections start to rumble, Chronicle blogger Lauren Sprieser has thoughts. The dressage trainer unpacks the reality of selling your “best friend,” why not every sale has a sinister backstory, and why she tries not to overlook horses over 12.

Before you book that flight to Wellington, read the blog at the link in comments.

02/10/2026

The number one most dangerous thing a horse can be is behind the leg. This includes being behind the forward aid from the ground; horses who are sulky to lead or want to walk behind the rider have any number of life-threatening tricks they can pull from being behind the aids. And of course there are any number of physical reasons why a horse might be sour to the leg or unwilling to go forward, but it is imperative that a horse learns - first and foremost! - to go like hell from driving pressure. We joke-not-joke around here that we’ll slow them down when they’re 8. (Maybe.)

And that’s forward, by the way. Not fast. Fast isn’t forward. I know plenty of horses who go fast behind the leg, and piaffe or canter pirouettes are forward. In order to be safe, a horse has to accept the driving aid with a smile. If he doesn’t, he’s not properly backed yet. The kindest thing to do for your horse’s long term safety and security is to make sure they go forward when they’re told, both under saddle and in-hand.