A collection of articles discussing standardbred rehabilitation and retraining, equine health and horsemanship.
Authored by Raising the Standards Founder Nic Tassone, featuring guest commentaries from leading equestrian professionals.
We hope you enjoy this standardbred tutorial video, discussing the importance of celebrating the ‘little wins’. The free activity sheet which accompanies this standardbred video training can be downloaded by scrolling down below the video and leaving your email in the box – it will be sent directly to your inbox! Learn more about …
Standardbred Training: Celebrating the ‘Little Wins’ Read More »
It’s funny how often the simplest things can bring us the biggest successes in life. This is no different when it comes to training a standardbred to canter. By taking a minute to step back and look at the ‘big picture’ of standardbred retraining on the whole, you’ll unlock some powerful strategies you can use …
Let’s face it: retraining a standardbred can be tricky! When you’re working with an animal who was bred and trained to do a job which is very different to what you’re asking of them as a riding horse, moments of confusion are to be expected. Even though you can understand why your horse may be …
3 Trainer Tips to Avoid Overwhelm in Your Standardbred Retraining Journey. Read More »
When I first started my journey as a standardbred retrainer, I didn’t take much notice of the way my horses moved. Their wooden straightness went straight past my gaze. I didn’t pay attention to how they turned like sprinklers. I had such limited knowledge of equine anatomy and biomechanics (movement). In the early days …
Why your Standardbred Can’t Bend Properly and How to Fix this Common Problem Read More »
Many riders write in to Raising the Standards and confess that they ride their standardbred far less than they want to. And we so get it… Life is hectic and time really can slip away. We make plans to go and see our standardbred. We break plans to go and see our standardbred just as …
How do I get my standardbred to stop pacing? Firstly, we want you to know that if you’re wondering how to get your standardbred to stop pacing, you’re not alone! Standardbred pacing is a topic we discuss with the majority of riders who reach out to Raising the Standards for help. In fact, it’s one …
How do I get my Standardbred to Stop Pacing – The Reasons Why your Standardbred Paces. Read More »
As a professional standardbred retrainer, I often get asked what the most important things standardbred owners should be doing in the early stages of their retraining journey. My advice is twofold: 1. Take your time and be patient. Acknowledge that your standardbred is going through a lot of mental and physical changes and that it’s …
Connecting with a Standardbred: How to Build an Unshakable Bond with your Standardbred Read More »
Standardbred Strength and Conditioning: Simple-Yet-Powerful Exercises you can do with your Standardbred to Accelerate your Progress Standardbred strength and conditioning isn’t something I thought much about when I first discovered the breed (and, to be completely honest, even when I started my professional standardbred retraining career). Given their kind natures and willingness to please, I …
Standardbred Strength and Conditioning Exercises to Accelerate your Progress Read More »
If you’re dealing with strange standardbred behaviour, you’re in the right place! Standardbreds are weird. There I said it. With love. But also a big face-palm If you’ve found your way here by doing a bit of a search trying to solve a strange standardbred behaviour, then please let me reassure you that whatever …
How do I teach my standardbred to canter? Teaching a standardbred to canter is one of the biggest topics in standardbred retraining and something we regularly have riders reach out to Raising the Standards for some support with (along with ‘how do I teach my stadardbred to stop pacing’) So if you’re struggling to get …
How do I teach my standardbred to canter? – 5 Tips for Teaching a Standardbred to Canter Read More »