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...
It’s easy to get complacent when hauling horses. Months or years of incident-free trips can give any driver a false sense of security. And while it’s true that confidence is a good thing, a little bit of caution can...
Circle too small, horse falling off the rail, rider cutting corner, horse weaving down the centerline ... Do these judge’s comments seem familiar? They do to many riders; and like many riders I’ve had them on my own score...
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...
Here are some basic philosophies to keep in mind when jumping:Build confidence from the start. Never test a young horse's courage over fences; give him a chance to learn how to be brave in...
Riding the flat and running walk on a Walking Horse is like floating through air—it’s the ultimate ride,” says performance horse trainer Wendy Said, who has trained pleasure (flat shod) Tennessee Walking Horses, among other breeds, in Southern California...
Practice makes perfect, right? Yes, but if your speed event practice consists of running a pattern over and over again, all that hard work could backfire. Horses that run a barrel or pole pattern for practice begin to think...
One of the things that draws us to horses is their beauty. In halter classes, this attribute is center stage. Both grooming and health care play a role in creating an eye-pleasing picture.The single best thing you can...
It's amazing that horses agree to our strange requests—and this includes wearing a flashing Rudolph nose and reindeer ears at Christmas. But every now and then horses draw the line at some sort of human behavior. Baths often fit...
What ignites the competitive spark? Does it happen the first time a lead liner finally masters the up/down of the posting trot? The moment a western rider discovers just the right pace for a lope? And what continues to...
