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Horse Training Article's
Name: Submitted by: Professional Trainers Jenny Lance and Angie Robinette-Dublin of www.LiveToRideHorses.com
Who says a trail horse isn't a performance horse?
Moving hips and shoulders on cue
It seems like many folks believe that a trail horse is just a horse which doesn't show. Many believe that a trail horse should be a lot less expensive to buy than a show horse. We here at "Live To Ride" beg to differ!
Does your safety and possibly your life depend on whether your horse spins perfectly in the show ring? NO. Does your safety and possibly your life depend on whether your horse can move its shoulder on cue in an instance on the trail? MAYBE!
Suppose you are coming up on another horse which suddenly decides to cow kick or double barrel? Let's hope you can move your horse away quickly so that your horse, your leg, or something else doesn't get hurt or broken.
Maybe you are trotting through the woods and need to save your knee cap from getting knocked against a tree…better be able to move your horse over right NOW!
Watch each month for more insight on why a Trail Horse had Better Be a Performance Horse! Your life may depend on it!
Stop on Cue
It seems like many folks believe that a trail horse is just a horse which doesn't show. Many believe that a trail horse should be a lot less expensive to buy than a show horse. We here at "Live To Ride" beg to differ!
So…your horse has a great sliding stop. That's awesome!
Your trail horse had also better STOP on a dime on cue. Your life, your horse's life, or avoiding an injury could depend on it.
Consider that you are cantering along on a beautiful path and suddenly there is a rattlesnake ahead on the trail! How about a swarm of bees? Maybe the trail is washed out? Maybe you are heading toward a cliff?
Now having a great stop sounds like a really good idea, doesn't it? Your horse has to perform on the trail. Take the time to train it and you will have a valuable partner that you will enjoy riding more than you can imagine. A Trail Horse IS a Performance Horse.
Controlling One Foot at A Time
It seems like many folks believe that a trail horse is just a horse which doesn't show. Many believe that a trail horse should be a lot less expensive to buy than a show horse. We here at "Live To Ride" beg to differ! We believe a good trail horse is invaluable.
Have you ever been riding along and there it is…the huge tree across the trail? You look each way and there just isn't any way around it! Now what? Do you turn around? Jump? Or step over it calmly and with confidence?
Hopefully, you have traveled out on the trail with protective boots (such as Professional Choice Sports Medicine Boots) on your horse so that you are taking care of your partner should you encounter such a situation or any other that might skin up or cut his legs. Knowing that your horse is protected and trained to listen to your cues to place one foot at a time over any obstacle you deem safe to cross gives you peace of mind that you can safely step over this tree and continue your enjoyable day in the saddle.
Take the time to teach your horse at home to place one foot at a time over an obstacle or into a trailer making sure you can stop at three feet (that can be the toughest challenge!) and you will be light years ahead on the trail when you need it most.
Your trail horse is a performance horse and just like a performance show horse learns it patterns at home first, you need to practice in a safe enclosure at home. Once you are confident you have the control you need, you can venture out to the beautiful wide-open spaces. Remember… your life may depend on it!
Speed Control
It seems like many folks believe that a trail horse is just a horse that doesn't show. Many believe that a trail horse should be a lot less expensive to buy than a show horse. We here at "Live To Ride" beg to differ! We believe a good trail horse is invaluable.
It is said that if a horse is walking faster than you want it to walk it is a "run-a-way." This is said because your horse is not listening to you, but is choosing its own speed. You are in the driver's seat just like in a car. You decide the speed you want to travel, not your horse.
A horse has a "slow spot" (the shoulder) and a "go spot" (the hip or engine.) An important point is to practice at home as we do with all exercises before heading out on the trail. If you have control at home 90% of the time, you need to expect you will only have 50% control on the trail. Distractions of any kind impede your horse's ability to respond so once you are solid without distractions, practice and train with them at home and then on the trail. YES… you do need to "train" while trail riding until your horse is solid on the trail!
Take the time to teach your horse to respond to your seat and one rein slow down cues and your seat and leg aids to speed up. Do this at the walk, trot, and canter. Don't forget to also teach the all-important emergency stop, too.
Its easier to train all of this in a snaffle bit because it gives you one rein control side to side as well as front to back. However, you may have to take baby steps and work your way to using a snaffle on the trail with control. Add steps so you stay safe whenever you need to in your training.
Your trail horse is a performance horse and just like a performance show horse learns it patterns at home first, you need to practice in a safe enclosure at home. Once you are confident you have the control you need, you can venture out to the beautiful wide-open spaces. Remember… your life may depend on it!
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