Category Archives: Training

It's no secret that the arena can become a dreadfully boring place. Even the strongest, healthiest, most loving and connected horse-and-rider team are sometimes driven into the doldrums by circles...

So you want to become a horse trainer, huh? Sounds like fun—doing what you love and getting paid for it? Score! You are about to embark on a wonderful journey...but...

My Connemara cross, Anna, is not known for being the most forward thinking of mounts. While she is pretty willing to do whatever is asked, she does not naturally possess...

Remember that ridiculous Monty Python comedy sketch “The Ministry of Silly Walks”? It has inspired all manner of copycat moments over the years, and while this might be neither the...

The vertical-to-vertical combination—it sounds like a simple exercise. But, as a training tool, it is actually quite complicated, says US team veteran and EquestrianCoach.com founder, Bernie Traurig. “It’s the study of...

Riding horses is exhausting. No, I’m not talking about the physical exhaustion that comes with hours in the saddle. I don’t mean the sore muscles, aching back or multitude of...

Automatic flying changes. It sounds like a desirable skill in a horse. But is it in practice? USET veteran and EquestrianCoach.com founder Bernie Traurig says a horse on autopilot is...

In 1996 I participated in a Natural Horsemanship clinic given by the late Tom Dorrance. Even though he was a cowboy, well over half of his students rode English. Tom...

When I was a kid, we used to call it “parade gait”…the bouncy jig our ponies performed when we all lined up in an open field before racing each other...

This article was supposed to be a new installment in my Liberty Training for Amateurs series, however, I've been consumed by a terrible tragedy. My father, avid equestrian James P....

There are a few things to consider before hopping on your horse without a saddle and bridle. First, your seat and leg should be proficient riding bareback to the point...

I left the ring with a huge grin on my face and signaled my student with a thumbs up as we made eye contact. I knew she was nervous about...

Transitioning a Thoroughbred from racehorse to sport horse is no easy task. The process of rehabilitating and retraining these amazing athletes for success in other sports involves several factors, both...

One of my students came up to me a few weeks ago and started listing her goals for the season. Being a goal oriented person myself, I was intrigued. Claire...

Nothing will ever replace my childhood daydreams of galloping my horse down the beach without a saddle or bridle, just like Alec Ramsey and "Black" in the first of "The...

Admit it: it is one of the trickiest lines to walk as a horse owner and rider. Most of us want our horses to be happy, comfortable, and love us...

Miniature Horses and small ponies can be just as athletic as their full-sized counterparts. We often see them driven or performing tricks, but believe it or not, they can also...

Have you ever watched or ridden your friend’s horse and thought: “I wish my horse was like that?” Have you ever known the husband or wife of one of your...

Elisa Wallace knows a good horse when she sees one. Problem is, she's capable of bringing out the good in every horse she encounters. So it was no surprise to find Wallace...

“Jumping courses today in different disciplines requires different seats at different moments in time on course. Sometimes we are up out of the saddle, sometimes up more, sometimes sinking into...