Training Tip: Judging Experience vs. Ability With Horses
When people tell me how long they’ve been riding or working with horses in general, I put no stock in it. I form my opinion of their ability when I see them ride and interact with a horse. You may be 65 and have been riding horses since you were 4, but if you can’t […]
Training Tip: Why all Riders Need to be Confident Riding the Walk, Trot and Lope
I stress the importance of being a confident rider at all three gaits – walk, trot and lope – because if you’re only comfortable at the walk and trot and never lope your horse, you’re setting yourself up to fail. If you can’t lope your horse confidently and you take him out on the trail […]
When you first get in the saddle, don’t immediately go somewhere. Instead, spend a few minutes flexing the horse’s head from side to side. This not only reminds the horse to be soft, but it’s also a great way to remind him that when you get in the saddle, it’s not his cue to immediately […]
Training Tip: All Business When Selecting a New Horse
When looking for a horse, you need to assume a business mentality. You’re entering into a business transaction, not finding a horse to fall in love with. Most horsemen get tripped up and allow emotions to sneak into the equation because they go into their horse shopping experience unprepared. They have a vague idea of […]
Training Tip: One Rein Stops With Hot-Blooded vs. Cold-Blooded Horses
Since a hot horse is always going to be thinking ahead of himself, you’ll want to shorten him mentally by not letting him go very far before doing a One Rein Stop. This is especially true at the lope. Don’t let him build up to 100 miles an hour before you shut him down. If […]
Training Tip: Be Smart About How You Introduce Your Horse to Trail Riding
The ideal location for first taking a horse outside is a long dirt road because it gives you plenty of room to move the horse forward and it gives him a straight line to follow. Beyond that, you need room to move the horse’s feet, meaning you can bend him down in circles to soften […]
Training Tip: The Benefits of Training Your Horse Outside of the Arena
No matter which category a horse falls into — hot-blooded or cold-blooded — riding him outside the confines of an arena and taking him down the trail is one of the best things you can do for him. Riding outside gives cold-blooded horses a reason to go somewhere. They’re already unambitious as it is, so […]
Training Tip: Set Your Horse Up for Success When Riding in an Unfamiliar Location
When taking a horse out on the trail for the first time or riding him in an unfamiliar location, I do groundwork before getting in the saddle to make sure the horse is using the thinking side of his brain and tuned in to me. I’m setting us up for success. That’s one reason I […]
Training Tip: You Can’t (and You Shouldn’t Try to) Change Who Your Horse Is
The important thing to keep in mind when working with a horse is that you’re not going to change who your horse is. You’re not going to get a 19-year-old gelding that’s been stiff and dull his whole life to be an athletic, soft, supple, talented machine. Can he improve?
Training Tip: Handling a Horse That Refuses to Go Into the Arena
When you’re working with an arena-sour horse, don’t think, “How can I make the horse get in the arena?” Think, “How can I make it uncomfortable for him not to go in the arena?” You’ll do that by working the horse where he wants to be (outside the arena) and letting him rest where you […]
