A blog about training trail horses.
Posted in Riding Camps, Riding Lessons, Trail Horse Training on Mar 16th, 2011
This was a wonderful day in January where I took a group of ladies trail riding at Latta Plantation in Charlotte, NC. The weather was beautiful and the temperature zoomed to a warm 70 degrees by mid afternoon. We were able to ride out to the lake and picnic on an outcropping overlooking the lake [...]
Posted in Tennessee Walking Horses, Trail Horse Training, Trail Horses, Uncategorized on Dec 25th, 2009
I remember my first horse. I was 28 years old and purchased a mix breed that was advertised as a TWH. If there was walker in him, I didn’t know it. But I had fun and learned a lot. AND I KNEW IT ALL! Afterall, I had watched all the westerns with my Dad; John [...]
Posted in Trail Horse Training, Trail Horses on Dec 22nd, 2009
If you are a trail rider, and you have been bored with the same trails year after year, you need to look into ACTHA.us . I recently started to feel I need a more challenging trail experience, so I signed onto the American Competitive Trail Horse Association website. I quickly discovered I needed to brush [...]
Posted in Trail Horse Training on Dec 15th, 2009
Know what your goals are. Don’t just round pen to wear your horse down and don’t round pen unless you have a specific goal in mind for training. For example, when I round pen a horse the first thing I want to teach that horse is to look at me for direction. Then I want [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 7th, 2009
Let’s face it, when cold weather comes around most of us want to hibernate. It’s not much fun going out in the cold to ride, especially if it is wet out. And in Statesville, North Carolina it seems all we have is wet winters. Cold one day, warm the next, plus rain…… Shorter days, yucky [...]
Posted in Tack and Equipment on Oct 7th, 2009
I have been riding for around 23 years now and I have been training for nearly 18 years. I have taken lessons and continue to do so, but one thing I was never formally taught about was saddle fitting. I have ridden saddle seat on Saddlebreds and TWH, I have ridden western in western saddles [...]
Posted in Trail Horse Training on Oct 7th, 2009
I have been training trail horses going on 17 years now and have always been rather surprised at the ability these animals have shown. Training can be such a rewarding experience for both trainer and student (the horse). I used to be just an instructor and trained only my own personal trail horses and those [...]