reinersblog.com

I once read about a big Florida trainer who got burned out upper level dressage horses and taught them reining. The burned out reiners he taught dressage. So I began a quest. How do reiners train? What is dressage?  

   I learned about half halts in dressage and feeling the feet for timing the aids or cues this week on a dressage forum. Someone on the forum recommended Dorrence’s book- Horsemanship through Feel.   These two things I may work on all winter to get them from the brain to the ground- or horse.  Today I have been reading mugs blog. She is a delightful reining horse trainer in Colorado.   I went to this reiners blog- and she recommened 2 dressage books. LOL.

Now I am rereading Henry Wynmalen from a reining perspective. I went back to April when she started her blog- I am hooked on mugs. She has heart.

www.mugwumpchronicles.blogspot.com/2008/06/favorite-books-or-adds-guide-to-horse.html

Our computer crashed 3 times this week. Everything  that works sometimes doesn’t work. At one horse forum I got this link of Stacy Westfall- she’s awesome. On my D Board everyone thought they had seen this already- however it had just been taped. A demonstration by Stacy Westfall before the freestyle reining at the 2007 All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, OH. Part 1, Demonstration- followed by part 2. The standing ovation blocked the camera a little bit. oops-

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4h8lLsfaV8
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFD8daKaXZk 

Its been raining and I has not been riding; just feeding my ponies; and waiting for tomorrow.  We go camping next week but the horses stay home.  Tomorrow- always tomorrow I wil ride.  Someday- soon-  

Early May in Central Idaho and we have had a long winter. Snow is melting slower than normal, and good riding  days have been hard to come by.  I have worked a little bit wtih a few horses on basics. I took my top mare on a trail ride and she did pretty good; we were galloping home- then full run - then slow to lope- then stop. I remember at a reining  clinic they suggested we practice the gallop on trails. Just get out and run your horse- I have not done that much because mostly I walk on trails. It was fun- gave the dogs a workout too.  Happy trails to you. -   

I have studied hard to learn the foundation or basics of horse training. It is different strokes for different folks, what one says to do another says not to do. I guess we all have to find our own way on the journey. Les says to start with lateral flex and exercises; also master picking up and releasing your rein. I can release my rein, but picking it up with grace can be a struggle. Is my hand in my nose in that picture, oh no! Maybe if I video me and watch me ride that might help?

Ginger -Grace a Morgan mare tosses her head and resist the bit. We walk in a small circle and practice lateral flex. I may ask the nose to come one inch or less over ( spot one give) or I may want her nose more into her shoulder, where the leg meets the shoulder; ( spot 6 give. ) See this give in Les Vogt Cowhorse U foundation. Maybe Les has another name for it, or no name?

If she does not give me her nose, (spot one give) I may correct her by taking her head ( to spot 6) and moving the hindquarters ( turn on forehand) for a correction. I want the nose to move softly as I pick up the rein. This exercise works on horses who rear also, the head goes up before the feet come up, its hard to rear when your nose is in your shoulder.

Walking in a small circle asking for spot one gives softened Boonie on the bridle after a 4- H kid got done riding him. She put more pressure on the reins than I did which taught him not to respond. I got my light snaffle bit horse back with those foundation exercises. Foundation exercises fix the broken places in our horses. They also get our colts started right. Doug Milholland said if you train with no mistakes, then you have nothing to fix. That is good advice, but most folks dont start a horse from the beginning.

Hello ReinersBlog community. Its good to be here. LesVogt Cowhorse U is a great investment. The foundation level is very well put together. I love the students in the clinic, because they make the same mistakes we all do. Thank you Les, and thank you MJ for this home on the web Range.

up Kelly Creek in the 1990’s on Morgans 

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