Better Jumping with Ground Pole Exercises
June 26, 2013
Setting up some ground pole exercises in your arena or schooling field is a great way to make flatwork more interesting to the older horse, and it’s a stress-free method of introducing a green bean to jumping. Walking, trotting and cantering over ground poles teaches a horse to balance himself,...
Dressage Arena Exercises
October 10, 2012
The basics of dressage focus on asking your horse to move forward into contact in a relaxed manner so you can create a connection. In the quest for connection, riders spend countless hours on the 20-meter circle. However, there are other figures and exercises you can use to avoid the...
How to Speak Horse
May 24, 2012
In the 1920s, author Hugh Lofting wrote a series of charming children’s books about Doctor Doolittle, whose pet parrot, Polynesia, taught him how to speak with animals in their own language. As a horse owner, you may sometimes wish you had your own Polynesia to teach you the equine language....
Entry-Level Eventing
December 7, 2006
Can you keep your horse on the bit through basic dressage movements? Is he comfortable negotiating difficult terrain while hacking out? Can he handle a course of small jumps with ease? If you answered yes to all three, you’ve probably considered eventing. If you’re not already involved in this exciting...
Practice Trail Obstacles
August 1, 2005
Training your horse to maneuver through and over various western trail class obstacles will also teach him to calmly negotiate many, if not most, natural obstacles found out on the trail. As a bonus you’ll discover that your own horsemanship skills will sharpen, which in turn will fine-tune your horse’s...
Equine Skin Problems
July 14, 2005
The signs are obvious: A couple of scaly, crusty areas on your horse where the hair has fallen out. Your horse has some sort of skin disease, but what? And, more importantly, what should you do? Attempt to treat your horse yourself but risk a delay in getting the right...
Softening a Horse’s Hard Mouth
October 21, 2004
We’ve all experienced it: a horse that won’t give to the bit, pulls back when you ask for his head or just completely ignores your rein cues. Horsemen have a term for this syndrome—hard mouth. The term “hard mouth” conjures up images of a horse with concrete jaws and steel...
Stop Jumping Refusals
September 13, 2004
What happened? You were galloping down to a jump, your horse’s ears were up, and your eyes were analyzing the approach for a correct take-off spot. In your heart, you sensed a blue ribbon. But then, your horse made a sudden decision to avoid the jump, spraying sand against the...
Graduating Your Western Horse From Snaffle to Curb Bit
October 31, 2001
Prominent Quarter Horse trainer Dana Hokana has a philosophy of thoroughly educating the young horse in the snaffle bit before moving him into a curb bridle. Just as a child must learn the basics in elementary school, Hokana believes the horse must be supple to the rider’s aids and learn...
