If you have a finished horse that doesn’t need a lot of work on the barrel pattern, the last thing you want to do is drill the cloverleaf over and over while you work to perfect your seat and...
Cade McCutcheon has spent most of his 18 years aboard reining horses. His dad Tom McCutcheon, mom Mandy McCutcheon, grandparents Tim and Colleen McQuay, and numerous members of his extended family are all super-successful horsemen. But he’s already received...
The rollback is a distinctive reining maneuver designed to showcase the performance horse’s athletic ability and willingness to be guided. A fast approach, showy sliding stop, snappy 180-degree turn on the haunches and an explosive takeoff are all important...
Q: I’m having trouble getting my horse to sidepass. He wants to go forward, backward, or sideways with his body crooked. How can I get him to do it correctly?A: The fix for your horse’s sidepass is improved body...
Is your horse a whiz at speed events, but tough to slow down when you want a calmer ride in the arena? If you ride a horse that was once a barrel or gymkhana star, he may want to...
Spurs can seem like a ubiquitous piece of any horseman’s gear, but they’re not always necessary—or even desirable. Certified Horsemanship Association Chief Executive Officer Christy Landwehr shares her litmus tests for incorporating spurs, with advice on proper usage.Are You...
Knowing how to balance correctly on your seat bones can be tough for new or inexperienced riders, but it’s important to learn. As the old rhyme goes, the seat bone’s connected to the leg bone; the leg bone cues...
The walk, trot, and canter (or gallop) are the natural gaits of the horse. The jog and lope are cultivated gaits that were born on the ranches of the West. Instead of a fast ground-covering long trot, the shorter...
Cueing your horse to canter (or lope, whichever term you prefer) can cause a bit of tension, especially if your horse has a history of kicking out, bucking or refusing to move forward.How can you get a perfect canter...
Is your horse a whiz at speed events, but tough to slow down when you want a calmer ride in the arena? If you ride a horse that was once a barrel or gymkhana star, he may want to...
