Over $43,000 was paid out to competitors at this year’s Spring Classic held June 8 to 10.

Highlights included a 226 score by Jarvis Anderson on Hercs Midnight Roost in the Five and Six-year-old Derby; a 148 posted by Shawna Sapergia on Ima Docs High Sign, the highest payout by our Sire Incentive program to date at $5336.66; and thrilling run-offs for first place bragging rights.
continue reading "Reining Alberta Spring Classic Results 2007"

By: Lyle Jackson

One of the most difficult parts of training reining horses and cow horses is learning when to pull the reins and when to push with the leg. This is timing, and riders fail at training horses usually because they get it wrong.

The knowledge of when to pull, when to push, and when to let go is the difference between creating a trained performance horse that gets better with time and lasts for years, or a sour, resistant beast that is best to get rid of.

Most everybody that rides in our industry has read and heard about countless training methods. Direct rein, indirect rein, bump with the leg, build a frame etc. etc. And all these things work for the professionals, in a lot of different ways. There is no one, magic system; they all work for some people.
continue reading "Pushing & Pulling"

by: Nicole Brown

It is a “must back, now” response called “get back” that I feel is crucial in developing a great stop. In my program, it is imperative that a horse feels a “sense of urgency” to get back. This means he must be willing to respond immediately to the signal by rocking back over his hind end and stepping quickly back.

Most importantly he must back up with clean steps and in the correct frame, as frame in the back-up directly relates to the frame in the stop. Unfortunately, this is not a precise step-by-step process. Sometimes, the steps overlap each other to compensate for the horse’s response.
continue reading "The Great Stop"

by: Wendy Weichel

The process for teaching your horse to finish their turn-around can be broken down into four steps.

If you followed the steps to start to teach a turn-around, which I provided in my previous article (October 2005), these next four steps should come easily and you should be well on your way to a fluent and fast turn-around.

Once your horse is turning consistently from your inside rein, it is time to introduce the first step in helping your horse finish his turn-around, which is to have him learn to move off of outside rein and leg pressure.

Start by walking your horse in a small circle approximately 10 ft. in diameter in the same direction as your intended turn-around. As you walk the circle keep the horses shoulders, rib cage, and hips in a straight line rather than allowing their body to arch around the circle.
continue reading "Finishing The Turn-Around"

Canadian reiners: the show season is upon us! Great plans are underway with the show committees across Canada.

Their tireless volunteer efforts often mean long hours before, during, and after the show. Thank you, show committees, for your efforts!

Reining Canada is preparing a show secretary’s manual to be used by secretaries across Canada. The show/rules committee has finalized the document and it is now available.
continue reading "Reining Canada… it’s Show Season!"

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is pleased to be included in a premiere equestrian competition in North America for junior and young riders ages 14 to 21. For the first time ever, reining has been added to the United States Equestrian Foundation’s 2007 North American Junior/ Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC).

NRHA Executive Director Dan Wall says: “This is such an important step for the sport of reining. To be recognized as the only Western discipline is a real honour. It is a great opportunity for our young riders, and we look forward to even more people becoming involved in the excitement of reining.”
continue reading "Reining Added to Young Riders’ Championships"

Alberta gold medalist reiner Lance Griffin is the official spokesperson of Horse Week 2007, which takes place from June 2 to 10.

“Being raised in Canada and having horses in my life from an early age has allowed me to experience a closeness and special bond with my parents, my wife, and children and now, hopefully, my grandchildren,” said Griffin, who is based in Dewinton, AB.

“The friends that you gain through horses are truly the type that you want to keep forever. Because of these reasons and more, I encourage you to support Horse Week 2007.”
continue reading "Lance Griffin Spokesperson for Horse Week 2007"