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Sample Our Newsletter
"Simple Steps to Power Steering," from my FREE monthly newsletter
From the Natural Horse Training Series:
"The Subtleties of Steering: Bearing in mind that if you can't steer your horse, you haven't got much of a horse, let's find out how well we're doing in that department. This particular tip has everything to do with "What we ask for" vs. "What we accept." How many times have you asked your horse to turn right and looked down only to realize you're "just barely doing so"? Are you turning your horse's head to the right and thinking "right," but going straight or even left? (If you can look right, but walk left, so can your horse.) Or is "the leakage" more subtle? Maybe the two of you just need a little fine tuning.
Regardless, the point of this entire article is the importance of learning (and consistently applying) single, one-dimensional concepts. To that end, your take-away at this moment is this: We don't aim our horses and hope we end up somewhere. You can train your horse to step on a precise spot when you ask him to. It's not about "turning right." It's about "put your foot exactly there, at that angle and do it with your very next step." Anything else is aiming and laziness. If you ask for a precise, 30 degree turn with the very next step, shuffling loosely over at 12 degrees is just not acceptable."
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From John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman |
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Stop Bucking Study Course
A Downloadable Book
A sample from Day 1:
"To start, think back to a dog you purchased. If you had a child at home, you or your spouse no doubt said “Let’s get it from so-and-so’s litter ‘cause her dog gets along great with kids.” You didn’t look at the snarling ball of fury behind some fence and say “Gosh, let’s get one like that for Jr!”
Why not? Because like horses, not every dog is meant for every person in every situation. It’s not that they can’t be trained for a task, it’s that some are more easily trained than others. Some dogs would rather guard a yard then have their ears tugged on. Same goes for horses: While every horse can be trained to be ridden calmly down the trail, ignoring blowing plastic bags and other horses running past, you may have found yourself with one that simply takes more time, patience and commitment than others. Your success depends on the nature of your horse, the amount of work you put in, sheer time spent - and how many corners you don’t cut." - Print out from home
- 5 Days, 5 chapters
- Learn at your own pace
Just $4.99
For more info:
this course | all courses
Available Downloads:
"Stop Bucking"
"Rein/Speed" (for Nervous Horse Owners)
"Round Pen First Steps"
"Trailer Training"
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GUEST AUTHOR ARTICLES
Horse Trail Riding Tips
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"Riding Down Hills"
Written by Ron Petracek
When you are out riding on trails, there is a right way-and a wrong way-to go down hills. As with many skills in riding, the key to successfully and safely navigating hills is good balance.
A horse going down a hill has a hard enough time balancing on his own, let alone with a rider on his back. To that end, it's important that you do what you can to help him out. If your horse is having a hard time riding down hills he'll let you know. If he rushes, tosses his head, or even bucks, it means that he's is having a hard time balancing.
First of all, if you ride your horse down hills frequently, it's important that his saddle fit correctly. A shifting saddle will cause pain, and even a horse in good balance may speed up going downhill in an attempt to get away from the pain the saddle is causing. Second of all, be sure that you are knowledgeable when it comes to riding down hills. That's right! It's not just up to the horse. You have something to do with it as well!
What is the most common mistake riders make when going down hills? For some reason, novice riders often feel safer asking their horses to "zigzag" down hills. But if you are going down a hill without switchbacks or a trail, this isn't a good idea. Why? Well, if you ask a horse to angle down a hill, he won't be able to balance himself over his hindquarters. A horse's hindquarters should be aligned with his body, otherwise he can actually fall over. As you can imagine, this isn't a good thing for either horse or rider!
It's tempting to play with your position when riding down hill, but avoid the temptation. Instead, just stay in your basic position, with your body balanced over your feet and your weight in your heels. Be sure to look up and ahead, not down.
Many riders instinctively lean backward going down hills, thinking that this will help the horse. It won't. Your horse really needs his hindquarters to navigate a hill, and by leaning back you are just getting in the way. Instead, lean forward ever so slightly and keep your balance over your feet.
The less you interfere, the better things will go. While novice riders may feel more secure going down hills with an iron grip of the reins, it's best to give your horse lots of rein so that he can use his head and neck. If you restrict the reins, you'll be restricting his movement, pulling him off balance, and making things difficult for him in general.
If you are a beginning rider, it's best to practice going down some small hills before you tackle the big ones. Find a short hill with a gentle slope, and take care to stay in balance and keep your position. As you master the smaller hills, you can move up to progressively larger ones. Soon you'll be taking them all on!
Ron Petracek - Director of Articles & Equine Classifieds
Educate yourself on the how to's of equine here ::
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Recommended articles featuring the methods of John Lyons:
• Solve Every Horse Problem
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Disclaimer: Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury. Keith Hosman, Josh Lyons, Patrick Benson, their associates and other trainers listed on this site will not assume any liability for your activities. Our newsletter, books and videos provide general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. No warranty is given regarding the suitability of this information, the instructions, and techniques to you or other individuals acting under your instructions.
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Horse Owning: Horse Trail Riding Tips, advice for the horse owner provided by John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman
Bookmark horsemanship101.com for Horse-Keeping Tips
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