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A Balanced Horse

Having a balanced horse is not only a physical term but also a mental one. Mentally, horses need to be balanced in order for us to ride them correctly and safely. A horse who is not balanced will not be content where he is.  Instead, he will be attracted to magnets such as the gate, barn, and other horses. When your horse is balanced mentally, he will be on your aids ready to do anything you ask while staying relaxed. Continue reading A Balanced Horse

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Trail Training Part 1: Going Away From Home

The reason that many horses bolt, buck, rear, or balk on the trail is because they want to go back to the barn, other horses, their pasture, etc and you aren’t letting him. If the horse misbehaves by doing any one of these behaviors he learns that he can escape the pressure, go back to where he wants to be, or you may even end the ride, get off and take him home. You must start at the cause of the problem and figure out the source of your horse’s need to be at a certain place. Continue reading Trail Training Part 1: Going Away From Home

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English Saddle Fitting Checklist

 

There is a lot to saddle fitting. However, knowing the basics will help you to select the correct saddle for your horse, or to adjust the one you already have so that your horse feels more comfortable. Continue reading English Saddle Fitting Checklist

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Problem Solving: Biting

Biting can mean a variety of actions. Horses are known to bare their teeth, swing their head with an open mouth, nip at your clothes, beg you for treats with his face in your pocket, nibble on you, and everything else around the barn. Continue reading Problem Solving: Biting

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Desensitizing Part 2: Plastic

Now that your horse is comfortable with pressure from your rope and stick it’s time to move on to plastic bags. Exposing your horse to plastic gives both you and your horse confidence. You never know when a piece of frightening plastic will fly into your path while on the trail or in the arena. These lessons will teach your horse that plastic is nothing to worry about and give you tips on how to desensitize him properly. Continue reading Desensitizing Part 2: Plastic

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Bridling

Bridling a horse can be tricky if you don’t know the proper steps to follow. Here I will give you some tips on how to bridle a horse if you have never done so, have only done it a few times, or if your horse has a problem with bridling. Continue reading Bridling

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Refine The Stop

Does your horse stop when you say “Whoa.” or does he push through the bridle and continue on? Maybe he stops when you give him a rein cue but you would like to refine your cues. If either of these situations sound familiar this lesson will help you teach the horse to stop on your seat and voice cues alone from any gait. Continue reading Refine The Stop

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Softening and Slowing The Trot

Many horses have a less than perfect trot. Two of the most common issues are horses that trot hollow with their head held high in the air, and horses that trot too quickly resulting in a rough ride. Many times both of these behaviors occur together and can be very frustrating to any rider. In this article I will give you some tips on how to quickly and effectively solve your horse’s problems at the trot. Continue reading Softening and Slowing The Trot

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Vertical Flexion

Lowering the horse’s head and neck will relax an inverted horse and teach him to give to bit pressure. This is exercise also teaches the very beginning of collection. Continue reading Vertical Flexion