Category: Horse Training

Correcting a Lead Change Problem

Some riders tell me they have a problem when a course they are riding requires a roll back and a lead change. Some horses pick up the lead change in front but not in back. This is a problem that can pop up in any discipline and the cause is one of three things. The first is simply that the rider is not clearly communicating the desired action and is the cue is confusing the horse.

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Trouble-Free Trailer Unloading

Trouble-free trailer “unloading” is really quite easy… just reverse the steps used to teach your horse to load. Let’s start with your horse already loaded in the trailer, ideally with another experienced horse to give him confidence. If you followed my recommendations, his loading experience was a good one.

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Feel and Timing

One of the current topics of discussion and an important part of horsemanship is timing and feel. For me it is more correct to say feel and timing. You must feel what the horse is doing and then act promptly. Let’s look at what these aspects are and why they are important?

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Whoa!

“Whoa” is the first verbal command a foal hears, and will be repeated many times over the course of its lifetime. How well the horse responds to “whoa” depends on training and consistent reinforcement.

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Reading Your Horse

Before we start training outside the box (a confined area), it is important to recognize and learn how to read the horse to tell if he has inner energy and playfulness that needs to be released through forced exercise like longeing.

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Training On The Trail: The Spooky Horse

We are continuing our series on “training outside the box.”  To review, we have discussed important steps to prepare for training on the trail, including reading the horse to recognize his inner energy level and working with him to release it, preparing the rider through warm up and stretching exercises, and building safety and confidence on the trail. 

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