Horse Training -

The training or breaking of a young horse to saddle or harness consists in gradually introducing the animal to wearing various pieces of tack and then to carrying or pulling a weight. The forcible breaking of older horses, in which a horse that has had no previous training is bridled, saddled, and ridden, is regarded as primitive and unsatisfactory training. A young horse is broken to be haltered and led first, then gradually to accept a saddle and a bridle. Most horses are pretty good about this if you work slowly with them and don't mistreat them. Advanced training, as with advanced equitation, takes many forms. The training of racehorses and cow ponies is a highly specialized art, best accomplished by professional trainers. The horseman or horsewoman who rides for pleasure, however, should have the knowledge necessary to exercise a choice in training a horse to jump, hunt, behave in a show-ring, or learn the basic dressage maneuvers. Because these accomplishments are based on the natural movements of the horse, patience, skill, and repetition are the prime teaching factors.

Fitness for Horses

• Gymnastics To Increase Your Horse's Flexibility

• Conditioning the Dressage Horse

• Conditioning a Horse For Summer Riding

• Conditioning a Horse to Gait

• Conditioning the Performance Horse

• Preparation and Conditioning

• Body Conditioning Scoring

• Fitness and Conditioning: Swimming Horses

Aids

• Basics of Using Aids

• Horse Training Voice Commands

Half-Halt

• Performing A Half-Halt

• How Do I Ride a Half-Halt?

• Classical Riding: The Half-Halt

• Halts and Half-Halts

• Half-Halts: What Are They and When Do I Use Them?

• The Half-Halt

• Harnessing Your Horsepower With The Half-Halt

• Understanding Half-Halts

Seat and Hands

• Basic Spiral Seat: Independence of Seat and Hands

• Hunt Seat Hand Position

• Nonverbal Communication

• Body Position and Gaits

• Seat and Hand Contact

• The Horse Seeks the Contact, The Rider Grants It

• "Trapping" The Horse

• The Art of Riding: Rein Contact

• The Simplicity of Dressage: Contact

• It's All In The Hands

• Rein Contact: Q&A Forum

• Making Contact: How To Use A Bit

• The Classical Seat

• 2400 Years Experience Teaches Correct Seat a Must

• English Equitation: Mounting, Correct Seat

• Achieving the "Correct" Seat

• The Seat - Part 1 (foreword)

• The Seat - Part 2 (heavy and light seat)

• The Seat - Part 3 (understanding)

• Aids Vs. Cues

• Forward For The Legs - Leg Aids

• Teaching Leg Aids

• Communication 101 - Riding Aids

• Clarity and Response in Aids

• Horse Sense - Leg Aids

• Reining Aids

• What Is Artificial?

• The Use of Artificial Aids

• Using Whips

• More on Whips

• What About Discipline?

• Whips and Spurs and All That Excitement

• The Use of Side Reins

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