These articles give advice and information on various training techniques and exercises. Some articles dive into training theories and explanations of different training techniques while other articles are How-To Guides designed to help you implement a new training exercise at home.
None of the advice on this page is meant as a substitute for professional help. Please consult a trainer or riding instructor when you have any doubt about what you are doing.
When I hear about a horse with behavioral or training issues the first thing I ask about is the horse’s environment. Although the behavior certainly requires some training to correct, the first step in any problem solving is to determine the cause. Nine times out of ten I find the Read more
Recently I’ve been working with a few horses who have some rather serious issues. Most of these issues occur when the horses are stressed or put in unfamiliar situations. This has really gotten me thinking about the coping mechanisms horses develop and how we can help horses cope better. Horses Read more
When we think of working a horse we automatically think of movement and physical exercise. Many equestrians lament not being able to work their horses in the winter do to weather. While not everyone has an indoor arena to ride in, there are plenty of other ways in which we Read more
It is pretty well accepted that equestrians should be the leaders in their relationships with horses. However, the term “leader” means a lot of different things to different people, making it easily misunderstood. As with governments, there are many different ways in which we can be leaders to our horses. Read more
There seems to be this idea in the horse world that you are only training your horse when you are specifically working on something. Most people don’t consider their grooming and tacking up time to be part of their training. Training only occurs when you are actively working the horse Read more
With Thanksgiving tomorrow I thought it would be an appropriate time to give thanks to all the horses who have helped shape my horsemanship and all of you who have allowed me to learn and grow with you and your horses. Thank you for being patient and forgiving as I Read more
There are two distinct schools of thought in determining the correct rein length. Some people will say you should ride with a short rein until your horse earns the right to have a long rein. Others will tell you to ride with a long rein until you have earned the Read more
18 year old me with my horse looking at me and saying, “Really? I don’t believe you.” There is a certain school of thought in horse training that you should never hit, push, or otherwise use physical force on a horse. Although I certainly don’t want to promote beating horses Read more
Goals are great for life and they are great for our horsemanship journey. They keep us focused on the path ahead and motivate us to keep trying. However, goals also make us rush and forget about the journey that we are all on. When we become too focused on where Read more
It seems there are as many philosophies on tying horses as there are horsemen. Opinions vary from those that think every horse needs to know how to tie to a solid post to those that never tie. I think there is a middle ground. Safety Concerns When Tying First off, Read more