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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Integrating a New Horse into the Herd
Summer is always a time of travel
and movement--and with it, horses seem to follow. If you're planning on adding a
horse to your herd, follow these tips to make sure the transition goes easily
and no one gets hurt.
Remember that horses are herd
animals, so a single horse will probably... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Speed Control: Tortoise and the Hare
Frustration and fear can go hand-in-hand when we are talking
about control issues with an animal who weighs half a ton. Unfortunately,
neither emotion contributes to the calm leadership that horses both need and
want.
Ol' Molasses : "My buddies are back
at the barn. You say we have to... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Ease Your Horse Back Into Work
It doesn't matter what your horse's level of fitness was when
you stopped riding. By the end of three months of inactivity, all conditioning in your horse
is essentially lost. You're starting at ground zero of training your horse again. Even if the horse had
plenty of turnout, many horses... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
A Pleasure to Lead
Your new horse is gorgeous. you proudly start to bring her out
of the stall for your friends to admire, but she takes one look at the great,
wide world through the stall door and refuses to budge. First you tug. Then you
lean hard on the lead rope, your body making a 45-degree angle to the... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Tied to Nothing
You get off your horse, drop the reins, and turn toward the judge
with a confident, "Look! My horse can ground tie!" expression, only to hear a
burst of laughter as Ol' Reliable trots merrily away, reins dangling, and a
happy gleam in his eye.
You now have two options. You can slam your hat... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Use Breathing Halts to Settle Nerves
If anyone knows how to calm a nervous horse or rider, it's Susan
Harris. She teaches Centered Riding, a series of techniques that use body
awareness, centering, and imagery to improve a rider's balance and communication
with the horse. Susan tells us how she handles nervous horses and riders... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
The Makeover of a Mustang
One hundred trainers, one hundred feral mustangs, and one
hundred days. The call came for horse trainers throughout the nation to test
their skills in the first Extreme Mustang Makeover.
The program, organized by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, put
Bureau of Land Management Mustangs into... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Making Smooth Gait Transitions in Horses
Are your horse's transitions between gaits as smooth as glass? Or
do you hold your breath and hope for the best as your horse hops on his forehand
to slow down and lurches forward when asked to go?
If your response is the latter, then it's time to relax and
take a big breath, in and out,... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
GPS: Get Power Steering With Your Horse
Whether we're riding our horse in the arena or down the trail, having a
horse that easily changes direction certainly makes the experience more
enjoyable. It is akin to driving an automobile that has power steering versus
one that does not. Not many of us would choose to go back to a vehicle... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Cinch Checks
Riding with your cinch too loose can be a big problem for you, causing your
saddle to slip; while fastening the cinch too tightly can cause a big problem
for your horse by making him sore or giving him girth galls or even a hemotoma.
Here are a few tips to make sure both you and your horse... | read »
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| Bonding Exercises |
| Question: I have a 7-year-old grade-horse gelding that’s very receptive to training. I'm aware of the importance of bonding — that is, building mutual respect and trust to create a positive relationship. I was wondering whether you could suggest some specific exercises... | read |
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