Aside from the thrill of speed, what draws many riders to barrel racing is the fact that it’s a purely objective competition. You don’t need a lot of silver on your saddle, the latest show apparel or the best-bred...
Training your horse to maneuver through and over various western trail class obstacles will also teach him to calmly negotiate many, if not most, natural obstacles found out on the trail. As a bonus you'll discover that your own...
A systematic training approach addresses your horse’s fitness from head to tail. Whether you run barrels or trail ride, regular use of basic dressage movements can improve your horse’s athleticism, achieve a deeper level of communication and responsiveness and...
Aside from barrel racing, pole bending is the most popular speed event in America. Throughout show season, at local competitions, gymkhanas and breed shows, you’ll find the top riders dashing through a set of six poles so fast it’s...
"The Vaquero method of training is a beautiful song,” explains Sheila Varian, “sung with the softness and beauty of the rhythm of the horse. It’s about the total harmony and togetherness of horse and rider.”Based on centuries-old traditions, the...
About the AuthorKim and Kari Baker are identical twins who raise Appaloosas on their Montana...
Riding the flat and running walk on a Walking Horse is like floating through air—it’s the ultimate ride,” says performance horse trainer Wendy Said, who has trained pleasure (flat shod) Tennessee Walking Horses, among other breeds, in Southern California...
Practice makes perfect, right? Yes, but if your speed event practice consists of running a pattern over and over again, all that hard work could backfire. Horses that run a barrel or pole pattern for practice begin to think...
When schooling, the majority of western riders focus their attention on establishing consistently slow and steady gaits, which are essential for competition in many western events. However, there is a downside to reducing a horse's speed—he can lose the...
A good equitation rider will always stand out by creating the impression that horse and rider are one, riding effortlessly and effectively so that it appears he or she could just as easily be sitting up there having a...
