Training Horses

Training level dressage is quite simple, requiring only walk, free walk, trot and canter. If a horse and rider can perform all the gaits and steer reliably around the dressage court, they should...

Reining is an equestrian sport that requires the horse to perform sliding stops, circles at different speeds and sizes, spins, flying changes and rollbacks in one of the 10 patterns developed by...

If you are a fan of dressage, jumping, Western riding or reining, you know the signature of a well-trained horse by a smoothly executed lead change. A rider with subtle cues can direct her horse...

All effective horse training starts with a solid foundation, and it is very important to lay that foundation when working with a beginner horse. Ideally, your training should begin right after the...

Most top notch hunter jumper horses are high energy animals that need that energy to get over big fences. When an ordinary horse has extraordinary energy, however, this can create big problems for...

This article explains in detail how to train a crooked or thug horse how to canter on the correct lead.

Using a round pen is one of the best ways to start a young horse or exercise an older horse. Teaching the horse some basic commands makes riding much easier as you will have another tool in your...

Not every horse or pony will be competent at the sport of dressage, but all horses can benefit with some basic dressage training. This helps the horse become better coordinated and often more...

For an equestrian, few experiences are as exciting as feeling your horse leap easily over obstacles. Done well, jumping feels like flying. But although all horses can jump, few do so naturally....

Except for Intro A, the USDF Intro B dressage test is the easiest of the tests. It is an opportunity for horses and riders that are new to the sport to compete in their first show or two without...

The Introductory A dressage test is the easiest of the tests, designed for horses and riders new to the sport a no-pressure way to compete in their first show or two. All of the movements are...

To jump a horse, keep your heels down, reins tight and trot into the jump. Learn to jump a horse with tips from an equestrian team coach in this free video on horseback riding.

To make your horse trot, start with a sitting trot, which requires squeezing legs together to encourage the horse to move forward. Learn to trot your horse with tips from an equestrian team coach...

Starting with a sitting trot, canter your horse by increasing leg pressure. Learn to canter a horse with tips from an equestrian team coach in this free video on horseback riding.

Before learning how to trot on a horse, an equestrian should be comfortable walking and maintaining basic control over a horse. Close both legs to get a horse to trot with help from an equestrian...

A nice slow hand gallop is beauty in motion. The headset combined with such a slow speed makes all the training worthwhile. Years ago I trained my appaloosa gelding Light Buck to do such a slow...

Showing Arabian horses is a glamorous and exciting business, but it is not easy. A great deal of preparation and training goes into the showing of these beautiful and sensitive equines. This...

Dressage is considered to be one of the most complex and difficult equestrian sports on the planet. It is a precise partnership between horse and rider, with the pair performing a series of...

Arabians are stunningly beautiful horses and look their best when they are prepped and shown in the halter ring. Halter is the equivalent of a beauty pageant for humans and nothing but the most...

Foals are impressionable creatures. Like small children, they can be influenced for good or ill for the rest of their lives by the treatment you give them as youngsters. Teaching a foal how to...

Riding horses can be fun and great exercise. There are many ways to ride, but the most challenging, as well as arguably the most fun, is bareback riding. When you take all the saddles off, and...

Side reins are training tools used most often in English equestrian disciplines, such as dressage, and are intended to be used while working a horse on the lunge line. Side reins connect from the...

Upward transitions are extremely important in horseback riding, and describe the transition from a slower gait to a faster one. For example, if you want your horse to move from a walk to a trot,...

The extended trot is often one of the most difficult and most uncomfortable gaits on horseback, but you can still master it. With a little practice and concentration, you can make a horse's...

Downward transitions are used to bring a horse from a fast gait to a slower gait, such as a transition from canter to trot or from trot to walk. The goal is to make downward transitions as smooth...

Learn how to longe a horse in this free video on horse riding and training.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to ride and transition on a horse in the western style in this free video clip. Get horse safety and training tips.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to ride a horse English style in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips and safety advice.

Learn how to trot and jog on a horse in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips from an expert.

Learn how to trot and jog on a horse in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips from an expert.

Learn how to trot and jog on a horse in this free video clip. Get horseback riding tips from an expert.

Learn how to train a horse to lunge freely in this free video clip. Get horse training and safety tips from an expert.

Learn how to train a horse to lunge freely in this free video clip. Get horse training and safety tips from an expert.

Learn how to train a horse to lunge on a line in this free video clip. Get horse training and animal care tips from an expert.

Learn how to train a horse to lunge on a line in this free video clip. Get horse training and animal care tips from an expert.

Learn how to properly lead horses in this free video clip. Horse safety and training tips.

The leg yield is the simplest lateral movement that a rider can perform on horseback, and is often an introduction to advanced dressage movement. In the leg yield, the horse moves both forward and...

The piaffe is a high school movement that doesn’t make an appearance until the upper level dressage tests. Before you can even begin to train your horse to piaffe, you must first have...

A 2-point position on horseback is a common position in English riding, particularly for equestrians who want to jump their horses. Essentially, the 2-point position is the position you would...

Horses can pick up commands at a variety of levels. You can also train your horse with visual, voice or physical commands. Once you have taught your horse to respond to these types of commands,...

Getting a horse to jump an obstacle is an exciting accomplishment for a rider. There is nothing like flying over jumps on the back of a horse. Teaching a horse to jump has to be done correctly or...

Impulsion is one of the most important concepts in dressage, but it is also one of the most illusive. If you feel that your horse doesn't have sufficient forward impulsion, it could be dropping...

The gallop on horseback is a more advanced gait that you can practice after mastering the walk, trot and slow canter. Despite its speed, the gallop is a rocking gait and is not generally too...

You must train a pony before you can ride it. Training a pony can more difficult than training a mature horse. Ponies often are as stubborn and ornery as they are cute. To train your pony, follow...

Trotting or jogging your horse is a faster pace than walking and will allow you to cover a lot more ground. In the trot the horse will pick up and land one front foot and the diagonal hind foot at...