Articles: training

Do you ever run into the problem of not having enough time to spend with your horse? It's something that can plague all of us. We wish we had more time to go out and spend time with the horses. Perhaps the weather has kept us inside, or late working hours brings us home too late to spend much time with the horses. It's a very common complaint I hear from a lot of folks. When this happens, does it seem like your horse becomes resentful of you? When you approach him, he'll turn and walk away or pin his ears at you?


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Do you have a horse that likes to rush downhill? This can get unnerving on steep hills on the trail. Here are some tips to solve this problem. I have been riding my mare a lot in the recent weeks, and a big majority of this has been some pretty steep mountain side riding. She is doing really well for the majority of everything I have asked, but there is one issue I have a question on. When going downhill, she wants to trot. This mare NEVER wants to go faster than she has to. Now, my thought was that she is still weak in her hind end and so she doesn't yet have the muscles to keep us slow.. but I wanted to have an outside opinion.. She wants to start trotting down some inclines that really spook me, and she really NEEDS to walk! Should I just keep doing what we are doing and perhaps just go around some of these inclines if possible? On the road its not such a big deal, I can get her attention and keep her slow.- Nichole via Facebook


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Keep in mind that this article is not designed to teach you how to start a colt. It is designed to ensure that you're aware of what needs to be done and in what order. This helps when you already know what you're supposed to do but a good refresher will help make sure you aren't missing anything. Be sure to seek professional assistance from a Natural Horsemanship trainer for starting a colt. The tips below should line up with your trainers philosophy for starting colts. If they believe the best way to start a colt is to "ride out some of the bucking", you should seek another trainer. When starting a colt, the #1 most important thing to consider throughout the process is your safety. Don't try to be a hero, and don't ride out any bucks. Get all of that out on the ground so that by the time you do get in the saddle, your horse is already broke to ride. Second, don't be in a hurry or rush anything. Take all the time you need to. While starting colts can be done in a couple of days, it's best to spread it out over a couple of weeks. Third, make it a great and fun experience for you and your horse. Never end on a bad note, always end on a positive. Your horse will look forward to the next time you work with him. Fourth, groundwork can not be stressed enough. There is a saying that the more times you hit the ground, the better your groundwork becomes. You'll get to see all of the hot buttons and deal with them from the ground and in a safe manner. Groundwork is where respect and eventually trust is established. Respect is gained by moving the horse's feet forwards, backwards, left and right and always rewarding the slightest try.


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When someone says that their horse runs off out of control with them, the first thing we think of is the rider pulling desperately back on the reins and the horse running with his head up and mouth wide open. It's impossible to physically force your horse to do what he doesn't want to do - in this case, stop and remain calm. Instead of trying to "out-muscle" your horse you need to "outthink" him.


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JediHorsemanship Clinic: Fundamentals Series II Date: June 4th - Saturday Time: 10am - 4:30pm with a lunch break Location: Fairview Stables in Mead (Click here for a map and directions) Cost: $60 per horse and rider. Includes haul-in fee. (Limited to 20 participants) - A deposit is required to register for the clinic. Free to audit. Free ride and arena use following the clinic for participants. Click here for the Participant Registration Form It is not necessary to register if you plan on auditing Clinic Agenda for Series II


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JediHorsemanship Clinic: Fundamentals Series I Date: May 7th - Saturday Time: 10am - 4pm with a lunch break Location: Fairview Stables in Mead (Click here for a map) Cost: $60 per horse and rider. Includes haul-in fee. (Limited to 20 participants) - A deposit is required to register for the clinic. Free ride and arena use following the clinic for participants. Click here for Registration Form Clinic Format This clinic is the first in a series designed to dramatically improve your handling skills on the ground and in the saddle, enhancing your overall equine experience. You’ll have easy access to not just one, but three trainer/clinicians! The clinicians will be working with you one-on-one to assure your understanding and successful implementation of the exercises. In addition to the clinicians, we will have trained assistants on hand to make sure that you receive the assistance you need to succeed.


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In this video, Dennis Reis demonstrates how to do teach basic laterally yielding from the ground as well as common beginner mistakes. Teaching the lateral yield from the ground can be the first-step to teaching the sidepass both on the ground and in the saddle. Learning how to laterally yield your horse will give you better body control and the horse will learn those yields from the saddle much faster.


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Every moment that I spend working with my horse, I work on teaching him to yield one of his five body parts. One of the most common exercises I like to use is the sidepass and halfpass (also called two-tracking). These are great exercises that teach your horse how to yield off of leg pressure. In this article, Clinton Anderson shows us how to teach our horse to sidepass. I usually teach this exercise on the ground along a fence at first, and then move to the saddle and follow these steps.


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Horses are spooky because they are prey animals. In the wild it is the spookiest prey animals who will survive the longest. Horses that are too slow to react to danger will be the eaten. Instinct says run now and ask questions later. If you even think, hear, or smell danger, run first. Horses would rather be 100 miles away and then ask if it was really a tiger that they heard in the bushes. In the wild, horses can not afford to stop and think. A spooky horse will be reactive, jumpy, nervous and quick to take flight. Why? Because as a prey animal, the horse must constantly be on the lookout for looming danger, which could be behind a rock, hiding in the tall grass, or prowling in the bushes. Those that react and bolt the quickest are more likely to survive in the wild.


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Baby, It’s Cold Outside. There is snow on the ground and ice on the roads. We are certainly feeling the full presence of winter here in the Pacific Northwest. When the mercury drops, we prefer to stay inside where it's warm and cozy, and neglect the fitness and wellbeing of our horses. We often let our horses stay in the stalls and get fat on hay. But is this really good for them? Horses don’t hibernate during the winter. The exercise that you give your horse will have a direct impact on his fitness and performance for shows and other riding events come spring. Here are some tips for exercising and working with your horses during the cold winter months.


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