Accomplished show jumper, horse trainer, and resident rider at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, Brian Morton’s defines collection as "the shortening of the horse's outline and stride, with increased impulsion and engagement from the hind end." He emphasizes that "If you are not able to shorten your horse’s stride, you will never be able to get a horse to fit a stride into a line that is set short. And, if you lose the impulsion when you shorten the stride, you will never be able to produce a powerful round jumping effort off a short distance.”

Whenever I coach a new group of riders at a clinic or in a lesson, I am always surprised at how few people can tell me the five different rein aids and the purpose of each. Therefore, it is always a question I like to throw out to the group. I usually see people looking down and moving their hands around, some vague stares, and the occasional rider being able to describe at least one or two of the five.

Canada is a massive country, with large distances between equine competitions and a relatively small number of upper-level equestrians. Hence, Canadian riders who want to be competitive at upper levels struggle to find enough higher-level competitions to advance their riding careers. Canada also has winter weather that precludes many riders from training outside for half the year. This can limit advancement and horse fitness. For example, three-day event riders can’t school cross-country jumps or get their gallop training in when fields are drifted with snow, nor can endurance riders do long rides on varied terrain.

Braiding a horse’s mane and tail is a tradition with deep historical roots. Originally, it served a very practical purpose—keeping the mane from getting caught in tack, tools, or the weapons used by mounted hunters and soldiers. According to old legends, fairies were believed to sneak into barns at night and weave “elf knots” into horse manes to ride them. A more sinister version of the tale suggests that thieves would tie knots in a mane to mark horses they planned to steal. Over time, braiding also came to symbolize class, with neatly plaited manes and tails identifying horses of high breeding or importance.