Like contestants in a Miss America pageant they strut and parade their exceptional beauty and perfect bodies. Their glossy coats reflect the sunlight like varnish, emphasizing every movement and highlighting the sinuous curve of muscle rippling as they walk...
Have you noticed that your horse is flipping his head when you take up contact with the reins? Does he seem to open his mouth as a form of resistance? How about the position of his headset? Is your...
Headset Defined
The ideal headset for the western pleasure show horse can be seen on a horse that carries its neck flat with the rest of its topline."He will have a totally level topline from his poll all the way...
Neck reining to a western horse is like a steering wheel is to a car. Without it, you have no control over where you go. It's one of the first fundamentals a western horse learns, and without good neck-reining...
The ideal western horse, according to trainer Patty Meek, is one that "gives to the bridle and is supple, giving both at the poll and to the left and right." Beyond responding just to the rider's hand, the horse...
Riding in an arena would be a lot easier if, once the aids had been given for the required gait, the horse simply responded by keeping one eye on the fence and merrily found his own way around. But...
Don’t forget your safety sense when longeing. The following guidelines will help keep you safe. Equipment:
A cotton longeline, rather than synthetic, will stop rope burns.
A broken...
Horse show season is in full swing, and it's time for me to plan the rest of the competition year. But being entrenched in our family's horse breeding business, I'm forced to gaze only wistfully this year at premiums...
As riders, most of our attention is usually focused on how well our horses go forward. In the show ring, our minds are cluttered with concerns: Is the jog too fast? Is my horse staying balanced at the lope?...
If you find yourself longing to compete at national shows, here are four tips that the A-circuit riders and trainers we spoke to agreed upon as prerequisites for venturing into the major leagues:Have a...
