The difference between the reining horse and the cow horse
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The reining horse and the reined cow horse, the flashy show-offs of the western showpen. We admire them with their grace, beauty, and refinement, but what is the difference between…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Ranch Halter: The Most Overlooked Versatility Class
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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,…
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…
Why being on the forehand is detrimental to your horse
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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…
1 Exercise To Collect the Trot and Extend the Walk
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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…
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…
3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 3): Yielding the Hindquarters
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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…
3 Exercises Every Horse Needs to Know (Part 2): Lateral Flexion of the Poll (not the neck)
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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…
