An Intro to Lunging with a Cavesson
https://youtu.be/yOzAmxCCPxY In the past, I've addressed lunging in the classical style using a bit and side reins. However, some people expressed an interest in learning how to lunge without a…
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Category: Training
Calmness: A Key to Collection
As aspiring equestrians, we love to talk about collection. I talk about it quite a bit on this blog. But there seems to be one factor that most people overlook…
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Maintaining Gaits and Fixing Lazy Gaits
Author's Note: This is a rewrite of an older post. My approach to teaching a horse to maintain gaits on his own has changed, so I have included a new…
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Self-Carriage: The Effects of Preempting Mistakes
Self-carriage is a vital part of achieving true collection. It is the ability of the horse to maintain its frame, rhythm, speed, and balance without the rider having to micromanage…
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Correction vs. Preemption: What is the difference?
In horse training, there is a distinct difference between correcting a mistake and preempting a mistake. Too often, as equestrians, we find ourselves instinctually preempting mistakes before the horse has…
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Desensitizing: Shutting Down vs Calming Down
With all this "natural horsemanship" that has been a growing trend, people just love to desensitize their horses to death. They think that because their horse can stand there quietly…
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Creating Relaxation Stage 3: Lunging with Side Reins
Lunging with side reins is the next step of the process for creating relaxation. Lunging is a commonly misunderstood exercise. It is often viewed as a way to run the…
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Creating Relaxation Stage 2: Long and Low
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a video demo of teaching long and low on the ground. Stage 2 of the Creating Relaxation series starts teaching long…
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Creating Relaxation Stage 1: Releasing the Jaw
UPDATE: Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a video demo of releasing the jaw. Relaxation is the key to collection. However, there is a key component of…
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The Physiological Benefits of a Strong Topline
Many people will tell you that building up your horse's topline is important for proper movement and collection. This is true. However, not all of them know the physiological benefits…
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How do I pick up my horse’s shoulder?
Do you have problems with picking up leads? Dropping leads? Lopsided circles? A horse that is heavy on the forehand? Do you know what all these problems have in common?…
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A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Impulsion
The concept of impulsion was briefly touched upon in my article on the Classical Training Pyramid. However, this vital building block of collection deserves a more in depth discussion. If…
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How to Build Up Your Horse’s Topline
A strong topline is vital to any horse's training. A strong topline helps ensure correct saddle fit, long term soundness, and overall ability to perform demanding physical tasks. Some people…
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A Step-by-Step Guide to the Counter Arc
Uses for the Counter Arc The counter arc is often used by trainers to correct a horse with a tendency to drop his shoulder. It is an especially important tool…
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10 Habits of Highly Effective Riders
Have you ever wondered what qualities set the best riders and trainers apart from the rest? Unfortunately there is no magic formula, however, there are some common habits that highly…
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What do I look for in a good boarding barn?
We've already discussed the common types of boarding available in many areas, but choosing what type of boarding is best for your horse is only the beginning of the process.…
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How do I ride inside leg to outside rein?
Riding inside leg to outside rein is one of the foundation exercises of classical dressage. Really, it should be the foundation for any discipline. It is a vital component that…
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What is pressure and release training?
You've probably heard about pressure and release training at some point. It's become all the rage with this "natural horsemanship" movement. However, this is a very misunderstood method of training.…
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The Language of Silence
So often we forget that horses are non-verbal creatures. We teach them verbal commands like walk, trot, canter, and whoa. However, responding to verbal commands goes against their nature. In…
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The Secret to a Soft Mouth
Softness is a key part of collection in any discipline. There are many exercises and theories behind creating a soft mouth in your horse. However, softness is not…
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Disclosing A Disability to A Trainer
Last year I did an article on dealing with chronic illness as an equestrian. This was inspired by my own struggles with severe asthma and epilepsy. However, I recently got…
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The Art of Neck Reining
Neck reining is one of the most misunderstood arts in horse riding, second only to collection. The very name itself is misleading enough to make you wonder who on…
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Horse Selling Red Flags
Selling a horse can be a tumultuous experience. As a continuation of Tuesday's article A Beginner's Guide to Horse Selling, here are a few red flags to avoid setting…
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A Beginner’s Guide to Horse Selling
Deciding to sell your horse is a difficult decision. There are many different reasons why you might decide to go through with it. Often, this decision has to do…
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Horse Shopping Red Flags
Buying a horse can be an overwhelming experience for first time horse buyers. As a continuation of Tuesday's article A Beginner's Guide to Horse Shopping, here are a few…
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Horse Buying: A Beginner’s Guide
It is easier than ever to shop for a horse online. Thousands of horses are listed for sale on all kinds of websites--some more reputable than others. With so many…
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Open a Gate While Mounted: A Step-by-Step Training Guide
Learning to open a gate while mounted has many uses. Whether you just want to make use of the skill around the farm or need the maneuver for pattern classes,…
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Rhythm and Cadence in Classical Training
The concept of rhythm was briefly touched upon in my article on the Classical Training Pyramid. However, this deserves a more in depth discussion as as rhythm -- or takt…
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The Mechanics of Bolting (and How to Prevent It)
Bolting is one of the most terrifying habits for a horse to develop as well as one of the most dangerous. Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of riding…
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Consistency vs Repetition
In horse training we talk a lot about horses' need for consistency. However, their need for consistency is too often mistaken for a need for repetition. There is a…
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Habitation vs Desensitization
You probably hear a lot about desensitization in horse training. It is a common approach used to acclimate horses to strange objects and environments. The most common application of this…
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The Classical Training Pyramid
One of the governing principles of classical dressage is the training pyramid. It lays out the roadmap for the entirety of the horse's training journey from very first day…
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The Mechanics of Lateral Flexion
Lateral flexion is a bit of a hot topic in horse training. Most people know it is necessary to achieve softness in the bridle, but too many people do not…
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Achieving Softness Throughout the Body
Softness is something that most equestrians strive for. Softness is the bridle, through the rib cage, moving off your leg, responding to your aids. It is vital to putting a…
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Straightness vs Bend: How Much is Too Much?
We talk a lot of about bend when training horses. "You have to get him supple." "He needs to be soft in the poll to achieve bend." "You need to…
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The Importance of the Counter Arc
Does your horse constantly drop his inside shoulder in a turn? This is a common problem in all disciplines, but it is a particularly pervasive problem in barrel racing. The…
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The Mechanics of Rearing
Rearing is every rider's nightmare. The biggest fear for most riders when a horse rears is that they will flip over backwards. This is a legitimate concern for some…
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Bucking the System: Mechanics and Prevention of Bucking
Bucking is arguably the most dangerous behavior a horse can develop. It can quickly become a habit if not addressed immediately. But, before you can understand how to stop your…
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The Panic Button: How to Avoid Making a Bad Situation Worse
Even the best horses have bad days. No matter how broke your horse is, no matter how seasoned or how well trained, every horse can have a bad day.…
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The Art of the Perfect Circle
The circle is the basis for so many pattern classes in the show ring today. It seems like such a simple maneuver, but creating a perfect circle really is…
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Sequence Your Aids: How and Why
We've talked several times now about the importance of consistency. Horses are creatures of habit. This is why we use set cues to ask for certain behaviors. This may seem…
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Spirals: Their Value and How to Use Them
Spirals are a very valuable exercise for any discipline. They really help with shoulder and rib cage control. Spirals test a horse's balance and collection. They can be done at…
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The Intelligence Factor: Are Horses Really as Simple-minded as We Think?
There seems to be a lot of misconceptions about equine intelligence. A common comment I hear about horses is "oh, they've got a brain the size of a walnut, they…
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Lead Changes: The Secrets to Successful Flying and Simple Changes
Lead changes are a vital component of all disciplines; from dressage to barrel racing, show jumping to reining. Every discipline aspires to perfect this seemingly simple maneuver. What are…
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What does it mean for a horse to have a good handle?
It is fairly common in the western industry to hear trainers remark about what a "good handle" a horse has. Many newcomers to the industry get confused by this statement…
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Leg Yield: The Basis of All Lateral Movement
The leg yield is perhaps the single most important maneuver you will ever teach your horse. The leg yield forms the basis for every other lateral movement from the sidepass…
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4 Great Rider Fitness Exercises
Last week we discussed conditioning your horse after a layoff. But, just as important as horse fitness is rider fitness. No matter what level of exercise you maintained during the…
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Conditioning Your Horse After a Layoff
Many horses are not kept in consistent work over winter. This, of course, leads to a lack of fitness and muscle tone that must be taken into account when starting…
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Synthetic Saddles: Pros and Cons
Last week we started the discussion of synthetic vs natural materials by addressing the issue of saddle pads and cinches. Today we will address the pros and cons…
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Natural Fibers vs Synthetics: A Guide to Pads and Cinches
This is a long standing debate in the equine industry: natural fibers vs synthetics. With so many new technologies and synthetic materials being produced every day, the market…
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4 Items in Your Tack Room That You Can Repurpose
With winter in full swing in the northern hemisphere, riding time is limited. But that just means that you've got more time to clean out that tack room and sort…
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Teaching Your Horse to Take Responsibility for His Own Feet
A few weeks ago, we discussed the dangers of micromanaging and why it is detrimental to your horse's training. However, that discussion raises the question of how do we teach our horses…
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Making a Barrel Horse: Push Style vs Free Runner
In barrel racing there are two kinds of running styles: push style and free runners. They both have their pros and cons. Push style is the more common of the…
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Micromanaging: Are you helping or hindering?
You’ve got a wonderfully trained horse. He’s dead broke, bombproof even, if there is such a thing. He listens to your every cue, attentive to the smallest shifts of body…
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Equine Stage Fright: Fixing Rough Lope Transitions
Transitions are a sticking point for many riders, especially the lope transition. Even if you get everything perfectly set up, asking for a lope transition can often lead to balking,…
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Mastering the Reining Spin
The reining spin is a coveted pinnacle of achievement for many amateur western riders, yet if you don’t have access to a reining trainer, it can be difficult to teach…
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Teaching the Western Rollback
The roll-back is a vital maneuver for the western showpen, especially for reining and cowhorse class. Fortunately, it is a relatively simple maneuver once you break it down. Prerequisites…
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The Secrets of the Sidepass
Sidepassing is an important maneuver to master for the western showpen. Many pattern classes – especially ranch horse classes – will ask for sidepassing maneuvers. Sidepassing can be done over…
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Long and Low
In classical dressage, there is a concept called long and low, also known as stretching which is used in the very beginning stages of collection to develop a correct topline.…
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The Anatomy of Collection
Collection, the great holy grail of horsemanship. It’s the unicorn many amateur riders spend years of practice and thousands of dollars chasing. In its simplest form, collection is raising the…
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The difference between a halt and a stop
No matter your discipline, at some point in the show pen you are going to be asked to halt. The halt is a deceptively simple maneuver that is often overlooked…
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Bits 101: “Specialty” Bits
Well, our Bits 101 series is finally drawing to a close. It looks like we'll wrap things up with one last post on "specialty" bits. This article does contain affiliate…
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Bits 101: 10 Common Bit Myths Busted
Myth 1: Anything with a broken mouth piece is a snaffle. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I walk into a tack shop or look at an online…
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Bits 101: The Bitless “Revolution”
Bitless bridles are one of the most controversial points of the horse industry. They can be anything from the traditional vaquero bosal to the increasingly common mechanical hackamore.…
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Bits 101: Leverage Bit Basics
Let’s start with some basic parts of all leverage bits. There are the cheeks, which are made up of the purchase and the shank. Then there is the mouthpiece which…
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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Snaffle Bit for Your Horse
Choosing the right bit is crucial for both the rider's and the horse's comfort and safety. However, selecting the right bit can be overwhelming with so many options available. A…
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Bits 101: Mouth Pieces
Today will kick of a new series on western bits. We will start by discussing the basic types of mouth pieces. Mullen mouth These bits are very mild.…
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Common Mistakes That Many Riders Make When Catching a Horse
Catching is one of the most common problems faced by horse owners. So, if you are struggling with catching your horse, know that you are not alone. Most of us…
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Why the “Rescue” Label Can Do More Harm Than Good
This is a direct follow-up to Friday’s article on The Secret to Turning Every Horse Into Your Dream Horse. When you hear a horse labeled as a “rescue,” what is…
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The Secret to Turning Every Horse Into Your Dream Horse
I’ve had several friends ask me “how do you always manage to find these amazing horses?” They look at the horses I have and seem to think that I have…
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Why your horse is the best trainer you will ever have
As equestrians, we are always (or should always be) on the lookout for good teachers we can learn from. As amateur equestrians though, we don’t always have the resources to…
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Clicker Training: Dogs vs Horses
Clicker training is a controversial topic in the horse world that gained popularity along with the rise of the natural horsemanship movement. Some hail it as a humane way to…
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Is “anthropomorphizing” really as dangerous as people say it is?
Oh yes, I just went there. This is a huge taboo to some people who insist that horses are working animals who should be classified as livestock while others prefer…
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Training a Bombproof Horse
This one of the most common questions in the industry: how do I get my horse bombproof? First, I don’t like the term “bombproof.” It implies that a horse will…
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Patterning: Barrels, Poles, and Beyond
There are many different philosophies out there about how to “pattern” a horse on barrels or poles. One prevalent method that I see a lot though is what I refer…
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Dealing with Chronic Illness as an Equestrian
So far, I have kept most of my blogging focused on the horses. However, given my current struggles with seizures, I think this is a good time to address the…
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Slower doesn’t mean collected
There seems to be a bit of a disconnect for some riders in the western show pen. There is still a misconception for some riders that slower somehow…
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Why being on the forehand is detrimental to your horse
Last week we discussed the importance of knowing the ‘why’ behind everything you do with your horse. Here is an important ‘why’ that is sometimes skipped over because so many…
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1 Exercise To Collect the Trot and Extend the Walk
For some riders, getting that collected western trot and a forward walk that doesn’t look like the horse is wading through molasses is a constant battle. I have found that…
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The Difference Between a Breast Collar and a Pulling Collar
The pulling collar is popular among working ranchers and ropers as a practical tack choice. The have also been gaining popularity along with AQHA’s new ranch horse pleasure class as…
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Teaching the Western Backup
The western backup is one of the maneuvers that is seen as simple by so many, but actually takes quite a bit of training to get all the pieces in…
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The Trained Monkey Bandwagon
In riding, we tend to focus our efforts and education on learning the “how” of everything. “How do I warm up my horse?” “How do I know my saddle fits…
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Standing While Mounting
This may seem like such a small and insignificant exercise, but it far more important than many people realize. Too often I see people who need someone to hold…
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Hippotherapy: Horses as Therapy
Animals are widely considered to be therapeutic for humans, but none so much as the horse. Physical Therapy There are many therapeutic riding programs throughout the world. The technical term…
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Facing the Fear Monster
We’ve all faced this one at some point in our riding career. Maybe you had a accident with broken bones and shattered confidence. Or maybe you lost the one horse…
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Bonding with Your Horse: Are you his friend or his leader?
It is common to hear horse owners talking about their “bond” with their horse. Some see “bonding” as a sort of mystical art that is the pinnacle of horsemanship while…
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The Importance of Examining Your Horse’s Sweat Patterns After a Ride
Proper saddle fit is important for every horse, whether you are a trail rider or a show competitor. One of the easiest ways to check for saddle fit is to…
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Why “Heels Down” Is Right Out
No matter your level of riding, we’ve all been there. Constantly fighting to keep those heels down. It’s a mantra that get drilled into us from day one. But is…
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4 Keys to a Good Warmup
The warmup is a vital part of training that is too often overlooked. Sometimes you see riders walking their horses in the warmup letting them get strung out and lazy.…
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Top 10 Things to Remember When Horse Shopping
1. Know what you want before you start shoppingThis is one of the biggest mistakes I see a lot of buyers make. They have enough money saved up to buy…
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Toddlers in Timeout: Is this really a human phenomenon?
Even if you’re not a parent, you’ve probably been an aunt, uncle, or cousin to a toddler at some point. So, you’ve probably experienced the joys of dealing with a…
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9 Good Horse Training Habits
1. Let the horse catch you We’ve all been there. It’s 4am the morning of the show. Everything is packed. The trailer is loaded and sitting in the driveway. You’re…
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Teaching a Horse How to Learn
This is a follow-up to my June 16th article What does it mean for a horse to have “a lot of heart?” At first, this one sounds like an oxymoron,…
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Practice Until You Can’t Get it Wrong
Riding is like any sport. It takes practice to get good, but it is not enough to practice until you can get it right. If you want to become truly…
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What does it mean for a horse to have “a lot of heart?”
Have you ever been mystified when hearing a trainer or rider comment that they like a horse with “a lot of heart?" This is a phrase that is often thrown…
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Why you don’t need an arena to train and how a lack of facilities can be an advantage
There is a common misconception that you need a "proper" arena to train horses. I’ve heard too many people justify giving up on their show dreams by saying: “Well I…
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The Big Bit Band-Aid
One of the big controversies in the horse world, particularly in the western arena, is over-bitting. The show pen seems to have developed the mentality that bigger is better and…
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3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 3): Yielding the Hindquarters
This is part 3 of a series covering my 3 most important exercises that every horse needs to know to make them a safe riding companion: Lunging Lateral flexion at…
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3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 2): Lateral Flexion of the Poll (not the neck)
This is part 2 of a 3-part series that will cover my 3 most important exercises that every horse needs to know to make them a safe riding companion: Lunging…
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3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 1): Lunging
I’ve had several people tell me, “I would be so scared to try that with my horse, you are so brave.” It makes me chuckle when I hear this because…
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