Can you help me with my blog?

[BigMama1]

I am playing with building a dressage-focused blog. Could I impose upon you, my dressage-loving COTH friends, to have a look and share any feedback you may have? I am not super skilled with graphics and design, so my ability to make layout changes is limited. Would love your thoughts on look, layout, content…anything!

www.dressageaddict.ca

TIA

[GraceLikeRain]

Love it! I enjoy your writing style, photos loaded quickly, and layout is simple and straight-forward. Personally, I love photos of the bloggers horse/life/whatever because it helps me connect to the pair being highlighted. I look forward to reading more.

[BigMama1]

Thank you!

[WannabeDQ]

I really enjoyed your blog! I don’t know of any other blogs specific to Canadian dressage, so I thought it was unique and your writing is quite good. I personally don’t care about layout and design as I read blogs through feedly and rarely actually go to the site. I would only worry about this if you are trying to attract sponsors.

One critique is that if you are going to do posts about personal training sessions, be sure to use media (photos/videos) as those posts can sometimes be boring to others. Even if its just a cell phone picture of your horse in the cross ties that day, it helps break up the post and gives the reader something to look at.

If you are looking to grow/monetize you really need to have a social media presence these days. It’s never too early to create instagram/facebook accounts to drive traffic to your blog.

Here are some of my favorite blogs if you want to check them out for inspiration:
A Enter Spooking - A riders personal journey with her horses. Updates regularly and keeps it real. (aenterspooking.blogspot.com)
The Blonde and The Bay - A light, fun read. Equal amounts of personal posts and lifestyle posts. (theblondeandthebay.com)
The $900 Facebook Pony - An eventer so not all about dressage but one of the best all around equestrian blogs out there. (the900facebookpony.com)

Anyway, i’m adding you to my reader. Have fun with it!

[MissAriel]

Very nice!

I like the clean layout and the balance of text to photos is just right IMHO.

I must say, I am not Canadian so I got an education on the state of Canadian dressage. I found it interesting to read, but not necessarily something I would search out to read on its own.

I definitely resonated most with your post on the struggle is real. I think we have all experienced this 2 steps forward, 10 back progress and I appreciate hearing others’ experience, particularly the affirmation that when you look back over a longer time period the progress is real and measurable.

I am looking forward to your posts on tack/equipment, and I think an introduction to Gus would be nice!

[BigMama1]

Thanks so much for the feedback and suggestions!

[Pascal]

I am a Canadian dressage rider - and I agree there are not a lot of blogs or discussions about dressage in our country, but there is a small-but-mighty community of passionate people in this sport. I read the first post and then I read them all, so I will add you to my bookmarks list! I appreciate the angle of not trying to snark or tear down, because I agree that there is already a lot of that in the equestrian world. I look forward to reading more!

[BigMama1]

Thanks Pascal! I feel like I’m starting to get in the swing of things. Also added an instagram at @dressageaddict.ca so maybe I’ll see you there too. Anything you’d like to read about, let me know.

[Moosequito]

I just caught up on your blog and wanted to say that I really appreciate that you’re also covering para! Your writing is engaging, by the way. Great blog! I’ll definitely keep following.

[Magicboy]

I just read your blog and like it especially the comparison to golf,