by Christine Sweet

Tim Johnston is not just a horse trainer. He also works with the horse’s owner at the same time to create a strong and productive partnership between horse and owner.

Johnston believes that without focusing on the way the handler interacts with their horse, there really isn’t much point to “training” the horse because when they go home the problems will return.
continue reading "Training Tips By: Tim Johnston"

For the past 25 years or so, the round pen has become a very effective tool for training horses. First we need to determine the size we need. Here’s what I prefer: approximately 55 ft (anywhere from 40 to 60 ft will do).

A hotter horse needs a bigger pen, a lazy horse a smaller pen. Some folks like their pen 8 ft high with solid walls. I don’t. I like open walls and like it to be only 5 ft high.
continue reading "The Round Pen: by Bernie Nikkel"

by Janeen S. DeBoard

Whenever a horse does not make proper contact with the bit, but instead raises his nose too high or tucks it too low, or simply opens his mouth and pulls, he is performing an evasion, a way of “getting around,” or evading, the rider’s signals.

There are three basic types of evasions. Each one has its own cause and solution.
continue reading "The Horse That Avoids the Bit … and what to do about it"

By: Lyle Jackson

While comparing notes with my friend and fellow trainer, Jimmy Anderson, we agreed that we have a mutual pet peeve within the reining industry. A common thorn in our side is the reluctance of our non-pro riders to ride one handed.

Whenever the situation gets tough, they always revert back to two hands. The problem is that they then plow-rein the horse left, right, here and there, and in doing so totally mess up the horse’s frame.
continue reading "A One-Handed Job: By Lyle Jackson"

By Gary Hunt

At the beginning of every training session, I warm up my colt in the round pen both ways. All athletes warm up their muscles before a work out, and this is a very important part of the training.

When colt starting, I first sack out the colt. I use my Easy Start Rope to bring the colt back to me so I can touch him with my hands. The colt is always very nervous about my touching him, but, I bring him back, bring him back and soon, he understands that my touch is nothing to be afraid of and he will let me touch his eyes and face, body and tail and even his legs and feet. That is an important step so very early in the training of the colt.
continue reading "Starting the Colt: By Gary Hunt"

by Roxanne Sapergia

Last month we discussed the first 30 days of training with Jesse Thomson of 7P Ranch Horses in High River, Alberta. This month Thomson will give us an idea of what surprises the next 30 days will hold and what we should expect from our young horses as they progress through their training.

Thomson begins by explaining that by 30 rides the colt is starting to get fairly comfortable with the training program and having a rider on its back. With a quiet chuckle he explains, “This can be a very good thing or a very bad thing!
continue reading "Colt Starting with Jesse Thomson: Part II"

By: Lisa Schiestel

Can you catch and throw with both hands equally? Probably not. Well, horses are a lot like people, and also predominantly right or left-handed (hoofed), which means that, for them, picking up the correct lead on cue is usually easier on one side than it is on the other.

With that in mind, AQHA Professional Horseman Lisa Schiestel, shows us an exercise that will help even the most awkward of horses pick up either lead properly when asked.
continue reading "Picking Up The Correct Lead"