Does your horse behave as if his feet are a little "ouchy" after a long trail ride over rough terrain? Are his tootsies tired by the end of a long day of showing? Of course, establish that this is...
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...
A systematic training approach addresses your horse’s fitness from head to tail. Whether you run barrels or trail ride, regular use of basic dressage movements can improve your horse’s athleticism, achieve a deeper level of communication and responsiveness and...
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...
Sometimes we become so relaxed around our horses and so nonchalant about our daily routines, that we forget safety issues. For example, when longeing a horse it's easy to forget that we're in a very vulnerable position when we...
Aside from barrel racing, pole bending is the most popular speed event in America. Throughout show season, at local competitions, gymkhanas and breed shows, you’ll find the top riders dashing through a set of six poles so fast it’s...
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...
"The Vaquero method of training is a beautiful song,” explains Sheila Varian, “sung with the softness and beauty of the rhythm of the horse. It’s about the total harmony and togetherness of horse and rider.”Based on centuries-old traditions, the...
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...
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...
