Braiding your horse's mane is easier than you might think. Practice these steps for a neat and polished look in the show ring.
For step-by-step mane braiding instructions, click here
For step-by-step tail braiding instructions, click here
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Learn what western pleasure judges are looking for and see some of the common faults of gait that you should avoid with your western pleasure horse.
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Regina Mayer, a then-15-year-old resident of Lauffen, Germany, could not have a horse. Her parents said no. This is a story all-too-familiar to many young aspiring equestrians, but Regina's story takes a turn. Since she couldn't have a...
Shifting the shoulders at the trot to correct a horse that overbends at the neck
Ellen demonstrates how to get better control of your outside rein and stop pulling on the inside rein by turning the horse’s shoulders. She moves...
Here, Ellen rides Tvauri forward and sideways in approximately equal measures, while keeping his body parallel to the long sides of the arena; his forehand is correctly slightly in advance of his hindquarters.The aids to leg-yield from left to...
Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer Reese Koffler-Stanfield instructs student Ellen Wall on her Dutch Warmblood gelding, Tvauri. Reese has Ellen start with a light aid to ask Tvauri to move forward; if he doesn’t respond instantly, Ellen must...
If your horse is young or green and hasn't spent much time on the trail, you might be apprehensive about leaving the arena. In this video, trainer and clinician Jonathan Field instructs a rider on how to prepare for...
Read more about Zenyatta.See more horse videos.
Throughout 2011, the Horse Illustrated team will be trying different equestrian sports for the Test Ride column. In the February issue, Senior Associate Editor Kim Abbott took a saddle seat lesson aboard an American Saddlebred mare named Eve at...
How do you know if your horse is too fat, too thin, or just right? The Henneke Body Condition Score (BCS) system assigns a value from 1 (extremely emaciated) to 9 (extremely obese). Most horses are considered healthy at...
