Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Raising a Stallion Colt
On a balmy fall afternoon back before the turn of the century, in 1999 to be
specific, Vanessa and I stood at a paddock and looked at Kovat, our magnificent
purebred Arabian stallion. He was snorting and prancing as usual. I gave a nod
of agreement when Vanessa commented that life on our... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Gait Training 101
Gaited horses have several more "gears" than do trotting horses. As a gaited
horse owner , your goal will be to "get the gait" consistently, without your
horse reverting to a trot or pace. Further, you need to make sure he isn't
performing a stepping pace, which is smooth to you, but will... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Creative Control
Imagine riding a wiry mustang at full gallop into a herd of racing buffalo
and maneuvering at top speed for the best shot. You can't rely on your hands to
guide your bareback pony, since you're holding a bow and arrow, aiming for the
kill.
Talk about a solid seat! The Plains Indians were... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Halter a Hard-to-Catch Horse
Question: I board my 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding at a farm near my home.
He's in a small pasture by himself. Whenever I try to catch him, he runs away
from me. Treats worked the first two or three times, but he got wise to that,
and now it takes me hours to catch him. Do you have any... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Mounting Tips
To get on with the fun of riding--whether during a formal
riding lesson or climbing onto grandpa's old gray mare--the first thing we have
to learn is how to mount up. And, of course, what goes up must come down.
However, once we get on--and off--our horses those first few times, it's easy to... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Seasoning for Timed-Event Horses
Preparing your horse for a competitive career takes time.
First you spend time at home teaching the basics, then the pattern. You add
speed incrementally, staying at the same velocity until that pace becomes your
horse's comfort zone. Then you add a little more speed and stay at that speed... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
A Direct Approach to Neck Reining
If you are a recreational rider just starting to learn the
hows and whys of horsemanship, you may be wondering about the necessity of neck
reining. You may have even told yourself that neck reining is only important if
you're going to show your horse. Otherwise, it's not something you and... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Perfect Horse
Get a Better Back-Up
From left to right: Still riding forward, John works on getting control of the horse's hip. He picks up on a single rein to ask Preacher to step over behind. Center: He again uses his rein to move the horse's hip over, but notice how Preacher's front leg has naturally begun to move backwards.... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Downhill Tips
When your horse travels downhill, he lifts his back and reaches his
hindquarters far beneath him for support and balance. He also uses his abdominal
muscles. Help him get into this position by not leaning far back in the saddle,
says top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight . "If you lean back... | read »
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Training: Western
from the pages of Trail Rider
Teach Safe Tying
My 7-year-old Paint Horse gelding trailers well and does well on the trail,
except for when I tie him. When I tie him to my trailer, he dances and pulls
back so much, it's hard to tack up. When I stop for a lunch break and tie him,
he does the same thing. I'm worried he'll hurt himself.... | 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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