Training

Pain and Gain: AQHA Welfare Concerns

A Utah horse trainer with a history of launching strange and unsuccessful lawsuits has found an unlikely ally in his latest court battle.

American Quarter Horse Association hall of famer Carol Harris has leant her support to Edward Allan Buck’s …

Moving Forward, from a Solid Foundation

It’s hard to believe the year is nearly over, or how much we have covered in this series, from establishing trust, obedience and respect; to creating calmness and rhythm; and, most recently, developing suppleness, straightness and balance. These are the …

Establishing Contact and Impulsion

Over the years, I have seen a lot of impulsion without a good understanding of contact. This type of movement is often nothing more than nervous energy from the horse, and all it does is create a potential runaway situation. …

Give Your Horse a Turning Tune-Up

Whether you ride for pleasure or in competition, English or western, in speed classes or judged events, in the arena or on the trail, you have to ride corners, circles or turns. Wide turns or tight turns, the elements that …

Creating Calmness and Rhythm

Over the past few weeks I hope you – and your horse – have had plenty of ‘thinking time’ and the opportunity to work on establishing the trust that is essential to a building a strong foundation in your training.…

The Perfect Halt

As with the canter departs we discussed in the last issue, the quality of your ridden halts will depend on the level of training of the horse you’re riding, plus your own skill level. It would be unrealistic to expect …

What Does the Judge Want?

HUNTERS

Hunters are judged on their form over a course of natural looking fences, and on their manners and the quality of their gaits on the flat. The ideal hunter:
• walks or trots into the ring relaxed, on a …

Lungeing Part 1: The Basics

Try lungeing him. Lungeing means having your horse travel around you on a circle at the end of a long line, and it has many uses:

* starting a young horse’s training or retraining a spoiled horse

* improving condition …