Category Archives: Brain-Based Horsemanship

Time: that annoying measure of life that’s worth its weight in gold! In these weekly articles, I often describe brain-based training techniques that proceed slowly. Most people, especially those who pay...

Today’s title might perplex those who read this column regularly and know that for brain-based reasons I prefer to train by reward, but non-edible reward. The three treats refer not...

OK, let’s climb on my young Warmblood True and see how this roundness business works in real life. As with any maneuver on a young or green horse, be sure...

Last week, we reviewed the basics our youngsters need to know before learning to move in a long rounded frame. “Frame” refers to the position of the horse within an...

A couple weeks back, I promised some words on teaching roundness in young and green horses. This is kinda complicated, so let’s approach it in chunks over the next few...

In the past couple weeks, I’ve described my green Warmblood True’s progress with the lessons on my training agenda. But maybe the most fun to consider is his training agenda—all the stuff...

In all my training, with my young Warmblood True and other horses, I use reward as a primary technique. In general, it’s quicker over the long term, lasts longer, is...

Young horses are often awkward in learning to back up while under saddle. It’s an unnatural movement, both physically and mentally. Most youngsters don’t yet have the musculature and physiological...

Last week, we assessed Baby True’s achievements and found that he’s learned a lot in the past eight months. We can use that assessment to refresh our goals for the...

A few months ago, I described my first discovery ride with my three-year-old Warmblood True in his new home. He was comfy with tack, led well, and longed obediently but...

Last week, we talked about the inevitable: falls. We know what it means to a rider to fall, but what does that experience mean to a young horse? What is...

In my last article, you might have noticed that I continued north while True spun away from a Killer Bird and went south. On young horses, these things happen in...

While practicing his basic walk-trot-canter, True, my three-year-old Warmblood gelding, is captivated by new sights, sounds, and scents. He was transfixed by his first bicycle and his first child. In...

Young horses are notorious for trotting clumsily into a canter. It’s hard for them to balance the weight of a rider and still get all those feet in the right...

My discovery ride also flagged my three-year-old Warmblood True’s inconsistent trot pace. Fast, slow, medium, whoops way too fast, and so on. This is a very common problem in young...

A couple months ago, I described my first discovery ride on my three-year-old Warmblood True. He had only just arrived and, in that ride, he displayed a few basic needs...

On with the Discovery Test in the round pen from last week… My second round pen peeve is the whoa. Here, my three-year-old Warmblood True fails my test. Some youngsters...

I usually start young horses with the round pen before transferring that knowledge to the longe line. Like the “Discovery Ride” described in an earlier post, my first round pen...

By now in this weekly column, you might think I never ride my young horse! I do, almost every day, but it is important in brain-based horsemanship to establish a...

Young horses use their mouths a lot, and my three-year Warmblood True is no exception. As a baby, he wants to chew on his halter, his reins, his lead. Anybody’s...