You’ve seen sleekly groomed western showmanship horses with expert skills move in sync with their handlers while outfitted in halters with shining silver. The horses stand at attention with their legs in perfect alignment. They walk, trot, pivot and...
The sidepass is a maneuver that shows up in most trail courses and some horsemanship patterns. Knowing how to move your western horse laterally in a sidepass (sideways) can help you with lead changes, opening gates and most of...
Reins are the key to communicating with your horse from the saddle. Used to cue and control direction and speed, the right set of reins can make the difference between a good ride and a disaster. American Quarter Horse...
You’ve been running barrels for a while now: You know the pattern. Your turns are solid. Your seat is stable. But you just aren’t going fast enough! If that sounds familiar, then this guide is for you. We’ll walk...
Try it once. Cattle work can be addictive. Once you’ve learned how to quietly ride into a herd and you trust your horse to listen to your commands, as introduced in "Introducing Your Horse to Cattle" in the August...
Champion trainer Julian Nemmers explains how to navigate through AQHA Ranch Riding Pattern 1.For Pattern 1, you’ll enter with a big walk, moving around the corner, and then start the trot.The collected trot is first but should be ground...
The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) leadership announced that they will add ranch riding classes to their growing western division. Ranch riding competition includes the individual performance of an approved pattern. The patterns emulate maneuvers commonly used in ranch...
Style your pony’s mane for English with rubber band braids or western competition with mane banding.
Rubber Band Braids
Materials:
◆ Braiding rubber bands that match your horse’s mane (white was used here so they were easier to see)
◆ Metal pulling comb
◆...
If the idea of guiding your horse through a series of obstacles sounds fun, you’ll probably enjoy trying a trail course. The obstacles were originally based on things you’d encounter while trail riding, but they’ve evolved into an event...
If you’re the type of person who enjoys setting a goal and tackling each step to achieve it, chances are good you’ll find a western dressage show quite satisfying. For the newcomer, barriers to entry are low, but the...
