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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Tag: horse training
5 Common Horse Myths Busted
Here are a few common horse myths that you've probably heard before and might believe, all of which are untrue. Horse Myth 1: All horses need grain or some type…
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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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Battle Show Ring Burnout
If you do a lot of concentrated training with your horse, there is always a danger of burnout, particularly with younger horses. Even if you are careful not to…
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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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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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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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Ranch Halter: The Most Overlooked Versatility Class
Ranch Versatility has taken the stock horse show circuit by storm, providing a fresh arena for competitors to flock to. Versatility is generally made up of six classes -- ranch riding,…
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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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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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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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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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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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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 Secrets to Improve Your Riding
As riders, we are always looking for that magical secret to develop our riding. There are a few simple keys that I’ve discovered that advanced my riding overnight. The most…
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