Coachman’s Delight Home

Do you ever struggle with getting your horse to give you a good reinback? You're not alone. Most people skip the most critical step in teaching the reinback to their horses. Even if your horse "knows how to back," try this fundamental exercise to improve his back right away.

Loretta's been on a well-earned break, but the work isn't done — it's just getting bigger. We're taking Retta Roo to the 2026 FEI World Championships in Munich, and we need your help to get there.

Loretta won the marathon for the second competition in a row at the Katydid CDE — but the real story is what it took to get there. A brutally technical opener, a split-second bridge decision, and a cones round that came within 4 seconds of a podium finish. Here's the full account from Andy Marcoux and the Princess herself.

My "Close Shave" video from Live Oak has gotten a lot of love, but there's a little more to this story. There's more to the miss than you think. The part your horse noticed, and he's keeping score...

Roo Report — Live Oak International 2026 FEI 3* Horse Single | Loretta with Andy Marcoux, Tara Devine backstep, Sue Amendola OG Groom Live Oak International has long been one of my favorite combined driving events in the country. This was the 35th Anniversary of the event. My first experience at Live Oak was as [...]

There's just one Driver Slot left for the Dec. 5-7 Clinic at the Florida Horse Park. Grab it before someone else does! Auditors will be included in all group discussions, and I'll have a mic, so you can hear the teaching throughout the clinic. If you miss that last slot, grab an auditor pass and mark “Driver Waitlist” on Your Profile — if a spot opens, I’ll fill it by date of signup, and if not, you still get the full auditing experience.

I’m joining the Whip’R Snappers Driving Society for their Educational Day and Meeting in Temecula, CA, to dig into long lining and combined driving strategies — from what you teach on the lines to how it shows up in dressage, cones, and obstacles. Check the Whip’R Snappers event page for full details and RSVP info.