On March 11, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rocked the Tohoku region of Japan. The earthquake and resulting tsunami killed more than 14,000 people, but humans weren’t the only ones affected by this disaster. Animals, including horses, have been struggling to survive after losing or becoming separated from their owners.

Be sure to tune in to the Horse World Gives Back Radiothon tonight by clicking on the graphic below.

George Morris is a legendary rider, horseman, author and teacher, not to mention the chef d’equipe for the U.S. show jumping team since 2004. He has always preached the importance of riding without stirrups, and he was happy to take a few moments to underscore the importance of everyone’s least favorite training experience.

Q: What are the benefits to riding without stirrups?

What’s one way to stand out in the show ring? Wear stripes!

After Zack the zebra kept jumping out of his field, Sammi Jo Stohler figured he might have a knack for having fun over fences. “I had to build an 8' fence around the property because he kept jumping out,” she said. “He can clear 5' without a problem; he just walks up to a fence and ends up on the other side of it. I said, ‘I bet he can do it with a rider,’ and yep, it was no problem.”

Animal communication is one of those polarizing topics—some people are vehement believers, others view it as a litmus test for insanity. I’ve used animal communicators before with decent results, so I guess you could say I’m a little to the left of sanity—not willing to stake my life on the fact that animal communication is possible but also not above utilizing some helpful tips, no matter the source.