Horse Training

Perfecting your ranch riding transitions is key to efficient work on the ranch and earning high scores in the arena.

Preventive measures are the best way to make sure you never find yourself on a runaway horse.

Your demeanor when training your horse should enable him to be alert yet calm and trusting…because that’s when he learns best.

Working equitation is a hot new sport in the U.S. Find out how working equitation can improve your horse and make you a better rider.

Mounted shooting rein management skills are required so you can cue correctly and get the proper response from your horse. Targets come fast, even at the beginner level, and gun handling requires quick thinking. This makes mastering rein management at home a key to competitive success. Kenda Lenseigne shares her best tips here.

Don’t let an increase or decrease in speed at the lope put you in the penalty box. Learn how to prepare your horse for speed transitions at home so you can show mastery of them when it counts.

A precise end to a set of spins keeps you out of the penalty box and prevents your horse from developing bad habits.

Is your dream trainer out of trailering distance? Consider a video coach for personalized, expert instruction to achieve your riding goals.

There’s a common misconception among horses and humans that what we want lies somewhere else. It’s why horses graze on the other side of a fence when the grass is just as green and lush on their side. And why humans long for something—tangible or not—that we don’t have. I call focusing on that other place or thing we want “destination addiction.” Here I’ll discuss why destination addiction can hamper your training and riding progress and how to move away from it once and for all.

Can you put each of your horse’s feet where you want them? Learn how with my tips.

Use this approach-and-retreat method to train at home or to get your horse over an obstacle on the trail.

The hackamore plays a pivotal role in traditional training for reined cow horses, following the snaffle bit. It allows you to use direct-rein cues, just like a snaffle, but begins to introduce the concept of neck reining. That concept is further honed with the two-rein setup and then eventually the bridle. But the hackamore isn’t exclusive to reined cow horses. You can incorporate it into your training program, no matter your area of interest.

Ready to take your riding to the next level? Fallon Taylor shares her best advice for riders of all disciplines trying to reach their riding goals.

This exercise challenges and promotes your in-saddle balance so you can begin to develop a truly independent seat.

Not reaching your riding goals? The key might lie in letting your horse do his job.

Looking for a new event for the entire family? Consider mounted shooting. With its fast pace and levels of competition, it’s an event you can enjoy together. But before you can hit the course, you must safely expose your horse to gunfire. World champion gunslinger Kenda Lenseigne explains the steps to help your horse accept the unfamiliar sound of gunshots with the help of a group of experienced horse-and-rider pairs—what Lenseigne calls “the beehive method.”

This simple, go-to piece of tack has more going for it than you might know. Learn about proper use and different styles of snaffles.

The responsibility for problems between a horse and rider rarely lies solely with one or the other.

Executing four consistent lead changes in a row is challenging. Here I’ll offer advice on how to improve your changes down the line and score when it comes time to show.

Do you have complete control over where every foot lands when riding your horse? Foot placement is crucial for precise navigation of any obstacle, whether it be poles or logs in a trail or ranch riding pattern, working through tires in an obstacle course, or navigating unsure footing on a trail. Where your horse’s first foot lands right before you enter the obstacle can make or break your execution. Here I’ll give you tips to ace that placement every time.

Here’s how to take charge and build a better, more responsive trail partner for safety and control.

Try this quick exercise to boost your control while encouraging forward motion.