When wintery weather sets in, many riders put a halt to all horse activities other than rudimentary care, in essence missing a great opportunity to continue training throughout the year. Actually, a fair amount of groundwork can be done...
Q: My gelding is a great ride in the round pen
or on a trail, but as soon as I get him in an open field he starts stops
listening to me and starts bucking. I have tried groundwork, but it...
Q: One of the horses I ride was professionally
trained for western pleasure. Now I want to ride him English and do some low
jumping, but whenever I try to canter he just lopes instead. This makes jumping
very awkward. Plus, continually...
Barrel racers know that overpracticing the pattern
can sour a speed horse. But what do the pros do during the week to keep their
horses in tip-top shape, both mentally and physically, for competition season?
Champion barrel racer and trainer Sue Smith...
Q: I recently purchased a new pair of field boots. I’ve been wearing them around the house and at the barn to break them in, but they still feel really stiff, and I have some shows coming up. Is...
There’s nothing unusual about me and my 8-year-old Morgan gelding, Majic, crossing creeks, jumping a log, picking our way up a rocky cliff or loping across a grassy meadow. We do these things every chance we get. But it’s...
On Saturday, Oct. 8, approximately 200 riders will
embark on a 100-mile ride for the Tevis Cup. Riders will attempt to journey
from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, California in a single day. Here’s an overview of
this landmark event....
English riders are introduced to the two-point position
during their first few lessons. But western riders can improve their position,
too, by practicing in two-point. Here’s how to do it properly.
But first it’s important to know the definition of
"two-point.” Hunt...
Do you ride western? Are your stirrups too long or too
short? Western stirrups that are too long will undermine your sense of
security. If your stirrups are too short, you’ll pop up and down in the saddle with
every stride. So...
Adding trot poles (often called placement poles) to your
schooling jumps can have a positive effect on your horse’s performance. They
can help regulate the pace of a horse that has begun to rush the jumps. They
also help a green horse...
