Versatility Training for the Pleasure Walking Horse

I love a versatile horse.  Many may only ride their horses in the ring, around the barn, or go on trail rides.  What ever the activity, I want a horse that is a pleasure to be with.  I use my horses for trail rides, field trials, pack horse camping trips and as driving horses in cart.  The more the horse is exposed to the better the horse. 

Riding through the woods with 3 or 4 dogs running around can be a challenge for many horses. Being able to carry a pack rig (see video-The Pack Horse) in line is different than controlling a horse from the saddle. Driving a horse is good for muscle development, bit control, and traffic/road conditions. Everything they do is a different experience. Can your horse tie out on a picket line or a stake out (see video) over night? Do they have good ground manners? Will they ground tie? A horse that has been to a field trial is exposed to a variety of circumstances. Some horses require injectable medication to be able to ride them in unfamiliar settings. This is not the type of horse that I would care to own. When good horses know what is expected of them through training and experience, they become more secure.

Some people have a "spooky" horse, know what scares them, and go out of their way to avoid that situation. This is a training opportunity to desensitize them to that stressor. I put my horses thru different experiences to look for the possible fear situations. I then require my horses to face them until calm or move at my request in the direction of my choosing.

I have always liked horses but I didn't love them until being introduced to the Tennessee Walking Horse. The Tennessee Walking Horse is a perfect candidate as a pleasure horse. The majority of Walking Horses have the right temperament with a willingness to please. They are generally calm, tolerant and gentle in nature. A day in the saddle on your all terrain Walking Horse is a pleasure that won't leave you with a two day recovery. You can buy any horse for any price. Horse owners know that the purchase price is just the down payment. It costs the same amount to feed and care for a good horse as it does a sorry one. Whether you buy a horse from me or someone else, spend a little more to get what you want. It is cheaper and more fun in the long run.

Fred Lowry Jr.