by Roxanne Sapergia
We hear it all the time, “That horse is soft in the face,” or “This horse is soft in the bridle!” But what exactly does that mean? And, more importantly, how do we attain it and keep it?
Recently, I asked well-known trainer, Vance Kaglea of High River, AB, to discuss his program for keeping his horses “soft.”
continue reading "Keeping Horses ‘Soft’…Vance Kaglea"
17
Nov
By: Cody McArthur
The lead change is a maneuver that causes stress and sleepless nights for many riders. Not only do non-professional riders have this fear, but trainers do as well.
I will contribute my thoughts in this area with the hopes of seeing many +1 circles in the show pen.
Generally, in my program of training a horse to change leads, the first thing I want to know is: “does my horse have a natural lead change?” The easiest way to answer this question is “does my horse change leads when I circle up a cow?” or “When I chase him around the arena at a high rate of speed and I change direction, does he change leads?”
continue reading "The Lead Change"
by Audrey Pavia
We’ve all experienced it: a horse that won’t give to the bit, pulls back when you ask for its head, or just completely ignores your rein cues. Horsemen have a term for this syndrome: hard mouth.
The term “hard mouth” conjures up images of horses with concrete jaws and steel gums, bracing themselves against a skinny little bit that has no hope of making an impression.
In reality, the syndrome of a hard mouth is less of a physical issue and more of a psychological one. Horses with hard mouths have simply learned to resist the bit.
continue reading "Softening the Edge: Dealing with the Hard-mouthed Horse"
by Marcia King
There he goes again. You’ve loped just a few strides with your horse when his gait disintegrates into a stumbly, half-hearted, four-beat lope.
Instead of a fluid, three-count stride, your horse sticks that extra beat in there. It’s certainly not pretty to look at, makes for a rather “herky-jerky” ride, and just about ruins your hopes of ever showing well in any class. Your horse is a lazy loper, but is his a hopeless cause? Perhaps not.
continue reading "Correcting the Lazy Loper: Tips from AQHA horseman Alex Ross"
by Roxanne Sapergia
Last month, Lyn Anderson shared her thoughts on show strategy and the boxing portion of the reined cow horse fence run. This month, we are going to discuss the real deal, the place where the “rubber meets the mat,” sort of speak. Only in our case it is the place where steel plates meet dirt and the only thing between the rider and the dirt is his trusty mount, the ever-loyal cow horse!
After 25 years of teaching non-pro riders how to stay safe in the pen, Anderson has learned that safety of the horse and rider are of the utmost importance. Knowing this can be a very dangerous sport, Anderson reminds us all to remember to always ride smart and safe. With that in mind, she begins our training session.
continue reading "Down the Fence with Lyn Anderson: Part II"
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