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Training Tips

Training Tips
October 27, 2015

Training Tip: Treats Should be a Surprise

One of the most important rules of feeding treats to your horse is that you should never give a horse a treat when he’s expecting it. Whenever I give one of my horses a treat, I want it to be a surprise. I want him to think, “OMG!

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Training Tips
October 20, 2015

Training Tip: An Exercise to Slow Down a Speed Demon

If you know your horse has a tendency to turn a leisurely trail ride into an all-out race, set the situation up at home so that you can safely correct him before taking him out on the trail. Horses that grab the bit and charge ahead of the group are not only dangerous to themselves, […]

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Training Tips
October 13, 2015

Training Tip: Horses That Gape Their Mouths

A horse that constantly gapes his mouth or chomps on the bit has one of a few things going on. He might have a dental issue and the bit could be irritating him and making him feel uncomfortable. Before you do anything else, you should have his teeth looked at by an equine dentist and […]

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Training Tips
October 6, 2015

Training Tip: Don’t Create a Cinchy Horse

A mistake that tends to create a cinchy horse often happens the first time a colt is cinched up. If the girth is tightened too quickly, too soon, it frightens the horse and makes him feel really uncomfortable. Because he’s not used to having anything on his back, a tight cinch makes the new experience […]

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Training Tips
September 29, 2015

Training Tip: Balance Out Your Training

To balance your horse so that both sides of his body are equally relaxed and responsive, you’ll spend two-thirds of your time working on his bad side (the side that is stiffer, pushier or more reactive), and one-third of your time working on his good side. For instance, if your horse is spookier on his […]

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Training Tips
September 22, 2015

Training Tip: Safely Handle Horses That Rear

Rearing is a very dangerous situation for both horse and rider, and if left uncorrected is a problem that only gets worse. Here are three tips to handle a horse that rears. #1 Go back to basics. Horses that rear can generally be put into two groups: Rearing out of fear (he’s hot and nervous […]

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Training Tips
September 15, 2015

Training Tip: Introduce Scary Objects to Your Horse

Trying to protect a horse from objects he’s scared of only makes the situation worse. I’m sure you’ve experienced this yourself. Your horse is afraid of fly spray, so you slowly tiptoe up to him with the bottle safely hidden behind your back. When you reach him, you tentatively reach out to pat him on […]

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Training Tips
September 8, 2015

Training Tip: Calling Out to Other Horses

Oftentimes, busy-minded horses are guilty of sending shrill whinnies up and down the trail, hoping to hear a response from another horse. From nervous whinnies to deep neighs, horses’ voices carry very well, which can attract a lot of unwanted attention. When your horse whinnies, he’s telling you in big bold letters that his attention […]

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Training Tips
September 1, 2015

Training Tip: Kicking in the Trailer

Because horses are prey animals, when they are made to go in tight, narrow spaces – such as a trailer – it’s natural for them to feel trapped and claustrophobic. When a horse feels trapped and claustrophobic and his ability to run and move his feet is taken away from him, his only other option […]

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Training Tips
August 25, 2015

Training Tip: There is No Such Thing as a Magic Bit

Bring up the topic of bits around horse people and you’re sure to enter into a conversation that’ll turn into a heated debate ranging from one end of the spectrum (you need a different bit for every horse in your barn and every situation you ride them in) to the other (only a cruel barbarian […]

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