tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52730608820619821352011-11-27T15:36:43.858-08:00GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.comBlogger3621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-33683632490964135512010-01-15T21:29:00.001-08:002010-01-15T21:30:16.759-08:00

Eric has a new horse training blog where several of his video samples are being published. Learn about Eric at Natural-Horse-Man.

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-37157341170452331482009-12-24T07:11:00.000-08:002009-12-24T07:13:28.848-08:00

Horse training video showing how to get started riding bareback and bridleless.http://gentle-horse-training.comIn sample 6 of 7 horse training videos, horse trainer Eric Bravo demonstrates natural horsemanship training riding bareback and bridleless. Everything done in groundwork carries over here, but now we're really using body language to communicate cues to the horse to move the forehand,

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-10046560138081186012009-12-23T21:58:00.002-08:002009-12-23T22:00:00.958-08:00

http://gentle-horse-training.comThis is sample clip 3 from the Eric Bravo Gentle Natural Horsemanship Leadership horse training video series. In this episode, Eric Bravo demonstrates how to use circling/lunging to forge a connection with the horse that will open the door to effective communication. After showing how to train a young horse using natural horsemanship with circling, he teaches a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-41686756367258938662009-12-23T21:58:00.000-08:002009-12-23T21:59:56.183-08:00

http://gentle-horse-training.comThis is sample clip 3 from the Eric Bravo Gentle Natural Horsemanship Leadership horse training video series. In this episode, Eric Bravo demonstrates how to use circling/lunging to forge a connection with the horse that will open the door to effective communication. After showing how to train a young horse using natural horsemanship with circling, he teaches a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-59457180467191370302009-12-23T21:56:00.000-08:002009-12-23T21:57:58.666-08:00

http://gentle-horse-training.comSecond sample clip from Eric Bravo's Natural Horsemanship Leadership Series, horse training video 2: Starting Your Horse. In this video Eric demonstrates natural horsemanship training methods that can be used to start training a horse on the ground. Includes horse training to yield to and from pressure on the nose/front-end, mid-section, and hindquarter. Also

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-84559336726816172612009-12-23T21:53:00.000-08:002009-12-23T21:55:56.663-08:00

Horse Training Video on cathing a horse using natural horsemanship techniques. Want to Subscribe? Sign In or Sign Up now! http://gentle-horse-trainin... Sample clip from Eric Bravo's Natural Horsemanship Leadership Series, horse training video 1: Catching and Leading Your Horse. Eric works with a hard to catch horse ...

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-38003506859895064262009-10-14T02:05:00.001-07:002009-10-14T02:10:29.724-07:00

If you have an iPhone or iPod touch and love horses then you'll want the new Horse Wallpaper app for the iPhone. This easy to use app allows you to select from dozens of beautiful pictures of horses to select a horse lover's background for your iPhone. The app lets you scroll through the images and select images you like to save to your camera roll. Then you can select the image you like as your

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-40891196484220894562009-09-09T10:26:00.000-07:002009-09-09T10:28:52.898-07:00

The famous course in horsemanship put together by legendary horse trainer Prof. Jesse Beery more than 100 years ago is now available on the iPhone. The cost is just $2.99, and the app works on the iPod Touch as well. For more information check this link:Jesse Beery Horsemanship iPhone App

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-36671926275947663762009-08-31T07:46:00.000-07:002009-08-31T07:53:58.404-07:00

Another year of crazy fires in California. This year though, the blazes appear to be near some really populated areas. Pasadena has been mentioned, which is a pretty dense urban area. This morning they're saying that the fires are threatening LA's media communications towers along with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mount Wilson.Being a horse person I was struck by the pictures of horses

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-41067345684314532962009-08-29T17:54:00.000-07:002009-08-29T18:02:34.686-07:00

Well the summer heat is finally cooling off enough that I can ride my horses without baking. Today I took Wishes out for a short ride on the nearby King Ranch. These days there aren't many people to ride with, all the folks I used to trail ride with have left the ranch so I have been riding out there by myself. On the way back I decided to do a little walking, and Wishes followed me without a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-47454090946978832042009-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:002009-08-10T07:51:03.295-07:00

Its amazing what a little rain can do. Instead of tumbleweeds blowing across the road you've got an almost lush green landscape. Here's what the weeds look like before drought sets in.Anyway, this weekend I got my paint horse Henry out and was having all kinds of problems with him. I was short on time so wasn't planning on riding but wanted to take him out and groom him so he'd remember who I was

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-18565564735826153332009-08-04T02:08:00.000-07:002009-08-04T02:30:38.067-07:00

Someone I know recently purchased a "Level Two Parelli Horse" (oooh-ahhhh watchout!!). Apparently the horse has impeccable ground manners, but can't be ridden. He's spooky as hell on the trail and seems to come unglued at random intervals. OK with something one minute (like a parked car) and going into fight-or-flight the next over the same stimulus.Interestingly this controversy was going on

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-24351283980474677192009-08-02T23:01:00.000-07:002009-08-02T23:08:27.517-07:00

On the way to the ranch where I board my horses, there is a group of long horn cattle. I guess they are just keeping them as pets. They just kind of hang out in these people's front yard, which is big but not some kind of cattle ranch by any stretch of the imagination. They look cool so I thought I'd take a quick pic with the cell phone.By an interesting coincidence last night I was reading a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-23022471279184228882009-08-01T14:14:00.000-07:002009-08-01T14:18:04.660-07:00

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-36295636507157396232009-07-27T22:13:00.000-07:002009-07-27T22:16:03.836-07:00

Check out wild hoofbeats, a blog by Carol Walker about wild horses. Carol is a photographer and has some AMAZING shots of horses.http://wildhoofbeats.blogspot.com/

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-14974757184886218632009-07-26T11:08:00.001-07:002009-07-26T11:14:46.524-07:00

The first review on the Pocket Horse Trainer iPhone app was posted the other day on the iTunes App store. Some Lady who calls herself "Freddy's Mom" just trashed it. She titled her review "Ridiculous" and gave it one star out of 5. Her review says:"This guy couldn't train a flea to jump. Poor, swaybacked, ill bred horse. Horse doesnt have a clue what he wants from her because he doesnt have a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-83126997650269169962009-07-25T14:19:00.001-07:002009-07-25T14:34:40.622-07:00

Once again my big plans for Saturday were squashed by waking up late and high desert heat. By the time I got over to the horse ranch is was a nice 95 degrees.My first order of business was to check on Henry (shown in the picture with Goose). I may have mentioned that Henry was scheduled to participate in a "posse" ride, a long trail ride through the Lincoln national forest. Unfortunately Henry

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-61858062732108722262009-07-22T17:18:00.000-07:002009-07-22T17:21:01.547-07:00

Eric is now offering a free version of his horse training video iPhone app. It includes two full horse training videos. If you have an iPhone you can grab it free at this link:Pocket Horse Trainer LiteThe paid app has 5 videos in total, but the free version will give you an idea of what its like. The only downside is the app is a large size (due to the video content) so you have to download it

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-77945549925936305542009-07-20T09:33:00.000-07:002009-07-20T09:46:42.944-07:00

I went to the ranch yesterday but it turned out to be a 100 degree summer day in the high desert. Naturally the horses were lethargic, I think even the fire ants stayed indoors.Despite the heat I managed to take Wishes out for some groundwork training. And treats. As you can see from this picture, Wishes enjoys sniffing the air when treats are around.Wishes doesn't really need training per se, it

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-23927585084887216022009-07-07T07:17:00.000-07:002009-07-07T07:28:12.313-07:00

I'm wondering if anyone out there is familiar with fire ants. I live in central New Mexico and haven't come across them before, at least until now. This past weekend I was at the ranch checking on my horses when I noticed something odd-a huge mound near the round pen. It was almost a foot high so I went over to check it out, and saw that it was an ant hill that was full of bustling, large, red

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-79802262246231219602009-07-06T22:31:00.001-07:002009-07-06T22:31:52.076-07:00

Click to Play http://gentle-horse-training.com In Groundwork horse training, horse trainer Eric Bravo demonstrates basic horse training to use with your horse. This begins with basic movements on the ground (backing up, moving the forehand, and the hind quarter). The goal is to build leadership with your horse, prepare your horse for riding,

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-6272846870323308122009-06-29T17:18:00.001-07:002009-06-29T17:28:47.483-07:00

Eric Bravo has just released two new horse training apps for the iPhone. Pocket Horse Trainer, available for just $1.99, provides five high quality horse training videos you can watch right on your iPhone or iPod Touch.Click Here to View Pocket Horse Trainer in the iTunes StoreThe videos, lasting more than one hour, cover several aspects of groundwork horse training including catching a horse

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-55832738538440846522009-05-02T16:44:00.000-07:002009-05-02T17:53:27.538-07:00

In this horse training video sample, horse trainer Eric Bravo of http://www.nmhorse.com talks about safe horseback riding. First he discusses how to mount a horse safely, giving tips on how to deal with a horse that bucks. Then he discusses some exercises you can do in the saddle to help make your horse better and safer to ride.

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-74800308267426428502009-04-25T08:09:00.000-07:002009-04-25T08:11:54.070-07:00

Interesting article about a boy with autism, and how horseback riding has helped him.'Horse Boy,' family find respite from autism in Mongolia(CNN) -- When 3-year-old Rowan Isaacson darted away from his father and dived into a herd of grazing horses, it easily could have been the end of the small autistic boy. He was babbling under the hooves of a boss mare.Read Full Story Here

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-41139355706364295172009-04-21T21:19:00.000-07:002009-04-21T21:33:11.382-07:00

Eric Bravo uses his version of Jesse Beery technique of laying a horse down. For more information please visit nmhorse.com

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-73112329302641238462009-04-20T20:14:00.000-07:002009-04-20T20:22:01.010-07:00

If you read Jesse Beery's horsemanship course, indeed any horsemanship course from the 19th century, you're going to see a section on how to get a horse to lay down on command. At first this has to be accomplished with a complicated rope contraption of some kind.To the modern eye, this could seem like abuse. I have to admit I had some misgivings about it when I first heard about the idea. Until I

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-60812401502911580052009-04-18T14:05:00.000-07:002009-04-18T15:23:11.877-07:00

Ever have trouble catching your horse? In this horse training video horse trainer Eric Bravo explains how to use body language to catch and halter horses. Eric also talks about reading horses and what cues to look for when catching. http://www.nmhorse.com provides horse training videos that cover all aspects of horsemanship, from starting your horse to catching, leading, groundwork, round pen

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-56139918377159414192009-04-17T14:57:00.001-07:002009-04-17T15:39:54.780-07:00

In this horse training video Eric Bravo demonstrates some dramatic trailer loading. First he trailer loads his horse while standing on the roof of the trailer. Then he gets down off the roof, onto his horse, and then asks his horse to back into the trailer. You can do these kinds of things easily and gently if your horse is trained the right way. For more information please visit Eric Bravo

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-40422237454038409752009-04-16T07:55:00.000-07:002009-04-16T07:58:28.543-07:00

If you've read Jesse Beery's horsemanship course, which was published around the year 1900, I wonder if you were struck by its resemblance, in some respects, to what modern horse trainers teach.In lesson one Beery talks about building an enclosure and having the horse circle around. If you read it you might think, hmmm, is this where Monty Roberts got his Join-up technique from?Beery then goes on

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-50494894503291022412009-03-20T15:37:00.000-07:002009-03-20T15:38:45.020-07:00

Your horse runs over you or crowds you. He bites. Or maybe balks, bucks, or tosses his head. He won't take the bridle, and he rears, runs away and bolts.If any of these describe your horse, then you're dealing with bad horse behavior. While each of these problems can have their own specific solutions, it turns out that by applying some very general but effective horse training principles, we can

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-78946230885667269842009-02-28T11:52:00.000-08:002009-02-28T11:54:49.743-08:00

MONA T. KANCIPER scanned the pastures that ring her blue and white barn, now at close to capacity and crammed with four-legged creatures temporarily, and in some instances permanently, residing here for lack of anywhere else to go. As the hard-driving president of New York Horse Rescue, a nonprofit organization that had its origins in the rehabilitation of racetrack castoffs but now copes with

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-58417317588683723562009-02-26T07:10:00.000-08:002009-02-26T07:15:49.135-08:00

A sign of tough times? A man near Salt Lake City, Utah shot his horse and left it for dead on the side of the road.The man, who was accompanied by two dogs took the horse out of his trailer on a lead rope. Witnesses said the dogs were attacking the horse. Then the man shot the horse and drove off.What kind of sicko would do that? Did the man want to euthanize the horse but was lacking in money?

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-18440147382859382022009-02-25T07:00:00.001-08:002009-02-25T07:02:02.193-08:00

Boise, Idaho -- When money's tight, the food cost for horses and cattle is often the first thing reigned in. Over the past six months, hundreds of malnourished animals have been seized from Treasure Valley ranches and handed over to the Idaho Humane Society. Just last month one of the largest cattle seizures in state history occurred at a beef ranch a few miles outside of Meridian. On the

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-63091179586929545922009-02-24T08:01:00.000-08:002009-02-24T08:06:34.911-08:00

Working a horse at liberty means doing ground training exercises without a halter or lead line. Typically this is done in a round pen, after all if you were doing it in the open there's a good chance the horse is just going to run off when he gets tired of working. If you're not Pat Parelli or Clinton Anderson, or even if you are, there's certainly a good chance that's going to happen!One reason

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-9152964543276980052009-02-19T23:09:00.000-08:002009-02-19T23:10:26.581-08:00

Opponents of horse slaughter, not satisfied with existing state legislation prohibiting the practice in the United States, are pushing to go one step further. Federal lawmakers recently reintroduced legislation that aims to abate the transport, sale, delivery, or export of horses for slaughter for human consumption. It aims to criminalize the purchase, sale, delivery, or export of horsemeat

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-16633061396120264852009-02-19T06:39:00.001-08:002009-02-19T06:48:17.539-08:00

I'm a big fan of treating animals well. I've got 2 rescue horses and I've "saved" a few dogs in my lifetime. But those PETA folks, while I agree with them sometimes, are all too often a bunch of wackos. Sometimes they probably hurt the cause of animal welfare rather than helping it by turning mainstream folks off with their extreme positions.Well now PETA is calling for the end of horse drawn

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-53404651259771743632009-02-18T12:48:00.000-08:002009-02-18T12:49:11.526-08:00

The slaughter of horses for human consumption is no longer legal in the US. Sadly more than 100,000 horses each year are shipped to Canada and Mexico to satisfy the palates of “gourmands” overseas. Upwards of 90 percent of the horses sold for slaughter are healthy, sound animals, according to USDA statistics. Of that 90 percent, some are bred solely for the slaughter market, others come from

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-70587644865723031942009-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:002009-02-16T12:12:03.065-08:00

What if you could eliminate biting, kicking, bucking, rearing and other bad horse behaviors?Today I'd like to tell you about a brand new set of horse training guides being released to the market. It's called Horse Magic: The Essential Guide to Understanding Horse Behavior. You can view it here: Horse Magic. It's just been released today. For a limited time, its available for just $37.95. After

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-8601404657273021882009-02-15T12:39:00.001-08:002009-02-15T12:46:31.758-08:00

Well today Sharon's 4 year old niece Hannah came to town and wanted to ride her horse. Actually her horse is really my horse, we just pretend he's her horse when she's in town. Last weekend I couldn't get near Wishes once he saw the halter, not within a thousand feet of him it seemed.OK so I'm thinking this is going to suck leaving the little girl disappointed. I don't like trying to encourage

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-55944981469258919062009-02-14T07:48:00.000-08:002009-02-14T08:01:24.702-08:00

Lately the weather has been up and down, going between wild extremes of cold and unseasonably warm weather. One recent day though it was warm on a day when I could make it to the ranch so I went out to see my horse Wishes.Seems Wishes has enjoyed his time off. Maybe a little too much!You see awhile back Wishes went through this phase of being hard to catch. He lived in a fairly big pasture, and I

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-85381236439614395872009-02-12T21:59:00.000-08:002009-02-12T22:17:46.150-08:00

These days resources for learning about horsemanship can get pretty expensive. That's why I stood up and took notice when I found Prof. Jesse Beery's course in horsemanship for sale on the internet. What's really amazing is the entire course is available online for just under $38.Who is Jesse Beery?The complete course is extensive-and filled with a wealth of information about horsemanship You see

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-87497265977212332302009-02-12T12:16:00.000-08:002009-02-12T12:17:44.377-08:00

This isn't a horse story, but I thought animal lovers would be interested.BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The shotgun blast rips into the stray dog's midsection, sending it tumbling over and over. Agonizing yelps echo through the streets as it tries to reach and bite at the gaping wound. Minutes later, the dog is dead.A few miles away, a puppy eats a piece of poisoned meat. Its body starts to twitch and

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-53430566245385984782009-02-11T08:10:00.001-08:002009-02-11T08:14:49.102-08:00

Elk at SunriseMidnight WatcherBugling Elk

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-63615425303406705152009-02-10T22:43:00.000-08:002009-02-10T22:48:11.384-08:00

So the economy gets a bit tough, and legislators respond by proposing slaughtering horses.I have to admit I'm a bit confused. I thought Congress had put a moratorium on domestic horse slaughter.HELENA, Mont. (AP) A Montana legislator is sponsoring a bill that would clear the way for a horse slaughterhouse in the state, if investors want to build one. The United States no longer has a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-34945346317546418892009-02-10T18:35:00.000-08:002009-02-10T18:41:44.676-08:00

My Horse Goose loves being photographed-NOT! (click photo to enlarge)

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-137929994238581682009-02-10T12:16:00.001-08:002009-02-10T12:19:17.958-08:00

Goldie is a sweet old mare brought into Walkin N Circles rescue ranch in Edgewood, New Mexico. She arrived as a serious case of neglect, as you can see from this picture.I don't know the details of her case, but horse rescues are having a hard time in this economy and Goldie needs your help. Please visit the Walkin N Circles website and donate a small sum to help pay for Goldie's hay and feed (

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-75644670955330245862009-02-09T23:15:00.001-08:002009-02-09T23:19:50.506-08:00

Sadly stories of horse abuse continue to come in. This story is so horrifying I almost hate to repeat it. Apparently, two well-cared for horses were possibly snatched and dumped in a creek, possibly even drowned. Can you imagine what kind of Sicko would do this? If you know anything about this case be sure to contact the authorities. We can't let the sick people who perpetrated this act to remain

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-41257186538659365452009-02-09T21:21:00.000-08:002009-02-09T21:36:10.007-08:00

Years ago southern California was an agricultural landscape, and no doubt in the history of the Los Angeles basin the history of the horse has loomed large as it has throughout the American west. But its no surprise that horse culture is on the decline there. Pressured on all sides by urban development, and a culture that values instant gratification and prefers video games to real experience,

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-65308059991220534202009-02-09T17:52:00.000-08:002009-02-09T17:59:13.410-08:00

Sadly this weekend I learned of the death of Amy, the mare on the left in this photo I took last year. She died after an episode of colic. Along with Abby, the horse on the right, Amy came from a case of neglect where she was being starved while pregnant. She was at the horse rescue ranch for nearly 2 years, and while she came in a "green" horse trainer Eric Bravo had made pretty good progress

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-138362820139860392009-02-09T08:01:00.000-08:002009-02-09T08:08:54.671-08:00

We've been keeping an eye on the plight of wild horses managed by the BLM and efforts to secure a permanent home for them. In the current economic climate, demand for horses is sure to drop way low and fewer people that ever are going to be up for adopting a wild horse or burro. Despite Madeleine Pickens plan to create a sanctuary for all the horses currently being held by the BLM, the issue

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-81156377260424971522009-02-08T12:46:00.001-08:002009-02-08T12:48:20.688-08:00

Bailey is a great all around horse. She has been ridden western, but we ride her mostly english.We've been working on collection for dressage and also started over jumps. She performs beautifully in the arena as well as on trail rides. She is not a dominate mare and gets along well with others.She's a flashy bay and would do well in the show ring. She is safe and we've given lessons to children

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-53947430201538306772009-02-08T10:15:00.000-08:002009-02-08T10:17:34.958-08:00

A Los Lunas resident is railing against a horse owner for what she calls the sad condition the horse is kept in. But the owner, and even the horse's vet say nothing is amiss.DayPortPlayer.newPlayer({articleID:"10481",bannerAdWidth:"300",bannerAdHeight:"60",autoPlay:"false",slideShow:"false",playerInstanceID:"6E68EC0F-99BA-7874-34DF-5F11200832D1",domain:"kob.dayport.com"});Original Source

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-83677024518672577442009-02-08T04:51:00.000-08:002009-02-08T06:44:36.984-08:00

In this video horse trainer Eric Bravo talks about dealing with resistant horse behavior. Eric asks a horse to lower his head for the first time, but this particular horse doesn't like the idea. Now, if a horse is resisting lowering his head, where is he putting his energy? He's directing his energy up or thinking backwards.There are two key horse training ideas that can be applied here. First,

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-70217572682398905522009-02-07T21:05:00.000-08:002009-02-07T21:11:16.646-08:00

Take a look at the nice horse in this picture. By the time you see him, he's probably someone's steak in Italy.This makes me sick, sick, and more sick. Horses are still being sent to slaughter from the United States to Mexico despite a ban on horse slaughter passed by congress. This is the nation built by the horse. Look again at this poor quarter horse being sent to slaughter so some jack ass in

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-64118145069419786332009-02-07T09:16:00.000-08:002009-02-07T09:20:49.901-08:00

I thought that congress had banned horse slaughter in the United States? Apparently the glut of horses on the market caused by overbreeding and the bad economy is giving some people an excuse to promote horse slaughter. There are too many cases of horse neglect. But as an analogy, there are lots of abuse cases of dogs too. More dogs than homes available, but who would suggest slaughtering dogs

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-60253529449035930562009-02-07T08:11:00.001-08:002009-02-07T08:13:56.027-08:00

Libby is a beautiful mare who produces wonderful foals. She has had one pinto from a pinto saddlebred, and two blacks from a sorrel quarter horse. She is conformational correct. She has been shown english and hunter pleasure in her past but has been more of a broodmare and trail horse for my husband when he ever gets a chance to ride. She does need more experienced rider but on the ground or

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-19845171098901285452009-02-06T18:11:00.000-08:002009-02-06T18:13:29.175-08:00

Awhile back I reviewed the Parelli level one videos I had watched and noted some shortcomings. A reader pointed out that the newer Parelli Success series had more hands-on with horses. I haven't had the chance to watch these videos yet, but here's a promo I found on You Tube. If anyone else has seen the Parelli Success series be sure to write in and let us know what you thought about it.

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-56327353063417465532009-02-06T13:38:00.000-08:002009-02-06T13:44:49.601-08:00

You know what makes me really sick is that once I decided to start posting news about horse abuse, I discovered there is no shortage of material. Today's scumbag award goes to Elliot Saffran, a 57 year old man that makes Satan look like a nice guy. Apparently Saffran seems to get enjoyment out of forcing crippled horses to walk, using a whip. The victim this time was a 29 year-old mare that the

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-21758190112166837932009-02-06T13:32:00.000-08:002009-02-06T13:36:27.070-08:00

Here's an article that will turn your stomach. Can you believe these idiots had 69 horses without food or water? What kind of sick sadist would do that? Charging them with torture is definitely the right way to go.Unfortunately this story indicates how problematic prosecuting animal abuse cases is. People often don't take it seriously. A circuit judge made the ludicrous statement they meant no

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-11493767166617092512009-02-06T07:14:00.001-08:002009-02-06T08:08:29.563-08:00

In part two of the horse training journal, I discussed how Goose taught me about personal space with horses. My lessons with Goose didn't end there, and still haven't stopped.When fall came my first year of owning horses, the Parelli seven games were explained to me. Say what you will about Parelli, but as someone completely brand new around horses, the seven games were a Godsend. People who

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-16881222360693377992009-02-05T16:23:00.001-08:002009-02-05T16:25:38.517-08:00

Horse for sale: 10 yr old Thoroughbred Gelding in NY state.Click here for Details

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-75320776918604715662009-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:002009-02-05T16:05:42.393-08:00

Sad story from the Mexico ledger (that's Mexico, Missouri in case you're wondering). People who can't afford horses are abandoning them. Some people assert this is because horse slaughter has been banned, so what else are folks going to do? The economy is a factor. If you end up on unemployment hay starts to look mighty expensive.That being said, ultimately the root of the problem is too much

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-53393795972000767422009-02-05T06:43:00.000-08:002009-02-05T06:45:29.660-08:00

A dramatic rescue saves a six-year-old horse that had fallen into an ice-covered pond. The horse, named Pencil, spent hours in the frigid water with its hooves stuck in the pond's muddy bottom - not able to move. Local 12's Joe Webb was there.For at least four hours today, Pencil the walking horse was up to his neck in a frozen pond. His owner ran a snow plow all night. When he came home around

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-70060508019212910722009-02-04T20:41:00.000-08:002009-02-04T21:14:47.497-08:00

Soon after meeting my first horse Goose, my real journey into horsemanship began. At the time, I was taking horseback riding lessons from a wonderful woman named Diane Nicholson. She lived in Belen, New Mexico which is just south of Albuquerque along the Rio Grande.Diane was a great horse trainer, and one of her skills was matching up people and horses. The folks at the ranch were telling me that

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-23620420035071175702009-02-04T16:42:00.000-08:002009-02-04T20:28:44.419-08:00

It's easy to see why art featuring horses is such a popular element in paintings… The power, beauty and sheer grace of the horse is great subject matter for paintings, and, among horse lovers is a spark for socializing and conversation. A great addition to the living area, dining or bedroom, a print featuring horses captures the imagination, sparking ancient memories of an

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-38105952774992748022009-02-03T23:00:00.000-08:002009-04-17T11:51:29.061-07:00

There's no better feeling in the world than riding a horse you can trust. Safety and trust come from effective horse training. But you're not a horse trainer right?

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-69644825355754491842009-02-03T12:53:00.000-08:002009-02-03T12:58:13.391-08:00

Hi folks-these are tough economic times but its still important for us to step up and help those in need-including horses. When times get tough they get really tough for horses because they're expensive. When people can no longer afford hay, upkeep, vets, and board-horses that once would have ended up in slaughter are ending up with rescues. Unfortunately tough economic times means fewer

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-37339165400152181102009-02-03T08:35:00.000-08:002009-02-03T09:07:57.618-08:00

It's been said that we never forget our first horse. While many sayings are "cliches" this one is a fact any horse owner can attest too. I know I will never forget mine.I came to horses relatively late in life, actually very late in life I suppose. I grew up in the city and had never known a single person that owned a horse. Until I was around 40 horses were an obscure curiosity-something you'd

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-9047322425157062162009-02-03T07:22:00.001-08:002009-02-03T07:31:55.312-08:00

If you go through life without planning chances are you're going to find yourself going around in circles. It recently occurred to me that when it comes to horses while I have a general approach to horse training I don't have a specific plan laid out. I usually have a vague end goal in mind, like making my horse behave better, having him ride better on the trail, or something like that. But

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-37203063743845716252009-02-02T18:44:00.001-08:002009-02-02T18:57:22.439-08:00

Fugly horse of the day declared today "Adopt an Animal Already in Rescue Day". Since I board my horses at a rescue ranch I had to chime in with my support. Fugly writes:"The point was that frequently people adopt animals that are somehow in dire jeopardy (the slaughter truck, the auction, on the "red list" at the pound) and ignore the animals that are already in rescue, assuming they are "safe"

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-32710427077132798282009-02-02T08:01:00.001-08:002009-02-02T08:12:02.321-08:00

Getting and keeping the attention of your horse is one of the most important things you can do when training. You don't have to be a horse trainer-in fact this applies to everyone. When riding your horse its important to have her attention at all times for safety reasons. A horse owner needs to become an expert at getting the attention of a horse, and recognizing signs a horse is paying

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-88068580531072913932009-02-02T04:04:00.000-08:002009-02-02T04:09:47.062-08:00

Call me sappy but I always worry about animals used in police and military work and now three nut jobs have shown my worries were justified. It appears that these idiots hit some police horses hoping to spook them. This happened in Tampa, not sure if they were Super Bowl "revelers" or not. Amazing this Thomas Schuster character is 50 years old. Never ceases to amaze me you can be a chronological

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-74980145456712663602009-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:002009-02-01T08:11:37.333-08:00

While its rare its not unheard of for a horse to deliver twins. Only 1 out of 10,000 births results in healthy horse twins-so its a remarkable event indeed when two horses celebrate their first birthdays together. That's exactly what happened on January 30th for Will and Grace, two quarter horses that just celebrated turning a year old with a carrot and apple birthday cake (boy now I feel like

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-21335839881510921322009-01-31T08:26:00.000-08:002009-01-31T08:51:25.817-08:00

When it comes to starvation of horses there can only be two kinds of people. There are those who just have their heads right up their ass. They toss the horses out to a field, hope they'll find grass, and for some reason don't notice when the horse's hip bones are poking right out under the skin. The other kind are outright sadists who get a sick kind of enjoyment from watching animals starve-a

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-75228738287526117922009-01-31T07:18:00.000-08:002009-01-31T07:31:45.954-08:00

Its unfortunate but true-the world is full of scumbags that abuse and neglect horses, and some plain folks who simply can't afford them. All too often people want a horse but have no idea what they are really getting into. Others are just miscreants and do unspeakable things to horses and donkeys. Thus the need for horse rescue ranches. Horse rescue ranches can be magical places. One such place

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-63481096624724639022009-01-30T15:45:00.001-08:002009-01-30T16:05:08.047-08:00

In this video horse trainer Eric Bravo gets on top of his horse trailer. From there he lunges his horse, and then loads him into the trailer. This is all done without any treats, carrots, or grain. Then he has the horse back into the trailer. 

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-20981954197155013752009-01-30T07:36:00.001-08:002009-01-30T08:02:27.001-08:00

This has to be one of the most idiotic horse training videos ever made. So I'm browsing around on YouTube and find this deal on how to teach your horse respect. One of my favorite topics. Starts off OK-they say feeding time is a good time to teach your horse respect. You've got to do it everyday, feed that is, so why not build some horse training into that? Sounds like a great idea to me. But

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-11577894498596616952009-01-29T12:07:00.000-08:002009-01-29T12:35:51.267-08:00

These days horse ownership is soaring to new heights of wackiness. We've already been introduced to absurd world of Equine Friendship where people like Monty Roberts are too harsh and abusive. Now I've stumbled upon Carolyn Resnick. I won't go so far as to put her in the Equine Friends category of wacked out nut-jobs, but she says some things that are really questionable. It seems that natural

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-87997797164995146982009-01-28T14:11:00.000-08:002009-01-28T14:19:30.620-08:00

I'd like to be optimistic, but here in my own state of New Mexico its more often than not proven hard to give animal abusers real sentences. Texas horse trainer Greg Collier is on trial for beating a10-month-old-colt to death. The colt was owned by Kevin Williams of El Paso, Texas. I'm assuming the horse was kept in New Mexico because that's where the trial is taking place. Apparently the beating

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-58478127036711141682009-01-28T07:52:00.000-08:002009-01-28T07:58:28.043-08:00

An article in the recent issue of Western Horseman indicates that the bad economy may be taking a bit out of horse sales. Given the expense involved in owning and purchasing a horse, this shouldn't be a surprise. You've not only got to have land, shelter, and water-you've got to take care of riding hay bills, vet bills, and farrier. So no wonder horses are getting harder to sell. The National

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-17452499932742240842009-01-27T10:30:00.001-08:002009-01-27T10:54:42.337-08:00

Horses can take your breath away in photographs. They inspire with their beauty, athleticism and sheer power. Here are some shots I recently cross that really caught my eye.SourceSourceSourceSourcePhoto by meSourceSourceSourceSourceSource

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-21079986505912473592009-01-27T04:46:00.000-08:002009-01-27T04:51:17.851-08:00

The squeeze game from Parelli is a good thing to do with your horse, especially if you have a nervous type horse. One year I took my spooky-Arab Goose to a one day Parelli clinic, and the instructor spent lots of time on squeeze game which was really helpful for him. Goose was a nervous wreck when we got there that morning, I thought he was going to explode just walking him into the training area

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-54094150714968764752009-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:002009-01-26T11:30:38.353-08:00

In today's quick horse training book review we look at Horseback Riding for Dummies by Audrey Pavia and Shannon Sand. Written in the typical for Dummies style, Horseback Riding for Dummies gives the nuts and bolts of Western and English riding in an easy to understand style. While short on information for an experienced rider, the 350 page book is a gem for the novice. Chapters include safety

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-54300520100141609292009-01-25T21:14:00.000-08:002009-01-25T21:18:02.673-08:00

I've often had the thought that many of the horses at the rescue ranch are fat. Turns out this is true of many horses throughout the nation, according to Equus magazine. A recent study found that not only are lots of horses fat, the problem may be so bad that as many as 50% of horses may be overweight. While horses can't get heart disease the way we can, being overweight can lead to all kinds of

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-81866770838209258282009-01-25T08:34:00.000-08:002009-01-25T09:10:17.626-08:00

Once your horse has gotten some groundwork training, you don't always have to spend a half hour or more working with her. A few minutes before going to ride will do.I don't know if getting to that, er level, is what Parelli has in mind. But in level 2 they have you do their seven games in seven minutes. I think that's a good idea actually. That way you get your horse going through all the

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-59832189921624804812009-01-23T14:55:00.001-08:002009-01-23T14:58:11.346-08:00

Check these guys out! One of my favorite past-times during the summer is trail riding on a nearby cattle ranch. If only I lived in Scotland! A friend of mine saw these creatures-which look like they're straight out of a Hollywood movie-while on a visit to Scotland. How would you like to see these fellows in your local rodeo? Or how about in the next bull fighting match? If I had the land, time,

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-9650955360367891952009-01-23T14:12:00.000-08:002009-01-23T14:45:26.140-08:00

Today I present this weeks list of the top 5 horse breeds! OK only as I see it-this list is purely subjective.1. Quarter HorseWhat could be better than a good, solid quarter horse? The product of breeding of thoroughbred horses with horses of Spanish origin residing in the New World back in the 16-1700's, the quarter horse got its name from its ability to sprint for a quarter mile. Its claimed

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-51610860810721832202009-01-23T09:04:00.000-08:002009-01-23T09:09:47.002-08:00

This just sucks on many levels. They had 80 dogs too. Apparently this is a case of hoarding and getting overwhelmed. 30-plus horses removedfrom homeInvestigators also find 2 dead horsesISLE OF WIGHT CO., Va. (WAVY) - The bodies of two horses led state and local investigators to a massive case of animal neglect in Isle of Wight County. Thirty-plus horses were removed from a home on Sand Pit Road

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-23965925358801853842009-01-22T08:40:00.001-08:002009-01-22T08:43:25.958-08:00

This has to hurt-seriously. In this video a horse that's running collides with a reporter. I wonder if there is any follow up to find out if he survived, I mean this has to be very dangerous. Also where is the rider? Weren't they paying attention? Sounds like a law suit to me. Anyway hoped the guy survived without any serious injuries. The collision scene is preceded by some great shots of horses

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-84190128109699022682009-01-21T08:22:00.000-08:002009-01-21T08:34:11.353-08:00

So I am reading Bombproof Your Horse and he's got a section on bad horse behaviors and what to do about them. Naturally one of the bad horse behaviors he discusses is bucking. I have to admit bucking ranks right up there among the bad horse behavior rankings, and I don't think I have to explain why.So the suggestion of how to deal with it is that to buck you off, or to buck at all, a horse has to

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-73100715032788626642009-01-20T18:23:00.000-08:002009-01-20T18:29:02.431-08:00

Well here he is-my paint horse Henry all saddled up and ready to go. As I mentioned a couple of days ago he went down to Socorro for a trail riding class. Henry is one of the worse horses you could possibly ride. He is safe (i.e. has yet to give any indications of bucking, is too lazy to run off) but incredibly frustrating. When you ride him in the arena he's good for three steps if you're lucky.

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-49531283567983016592009-01-20T13:39:00.000-08:002009-01-20T13:43:21.852-08:00

Tom Pompei talks about leadership with horses. He says "horsemanship is a compelling metaphor for what it takes to be an effective leader". I couldn't agree more. Being a leader is so important in your relationship with your horse, and I think most horse owners will agree it carries over to other aspects of life.Here's another video from Tom Pompei, doing Parelli level 3 trailer loading:

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-23635480748161915342009-01-20T09:42:00.000-08:002009-01-20T09:59:22.505-08:00

One of the most fascinating things about horses is the large impact they've had on human history. Not only did they revolutionize transportation, as we all know they changed military dynamics. Historians and anthropologists often talk about the "Iron Age", the "Stone Age" and the "Industrial Revolution". Instead, we can call the entire 6,000 year period that ended with the invention of the

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-32009707664988799822009-01-19T19:24:00.000-08:002009-01-19T19:37:01.541-08:00

So I am reading How to Train and Break Colts, a book written in the late 1800's by the famed Prof. Jesse Beery. Well famed on the internet at least, don't know how well known he really is among horse circles. His writing is really "forward thinking". When I think about the 19th century, I don't often think of people having animal welfare in mind, but Beery states:"Kindness is essential in

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-29544673114148736452009-01-18T20:28:00.000-08:002009-01-18T20:36:16.563-08:00

I've been reading more material on that "Equine Friendship" or whatever it is website. On this link, they claim the round pen is the worst thing that ever happened to horses. In fact they say you don't even need training aids at all:"...'round pen work' and the use of restriction to 'train' a horse hasn't been working too well for the last six thousand years. If it did, we would not see an

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-12099473152850258862009-01-18T20:24:00.000-08:002009-01-18T20:26:41.760-08:00

Late this afternoon the folks arrived back at the horse ranch from their trail ride. The ranch manager took my paint horse, Henry, down for me (I was not able to go). Apparently Henry had a great time! She said he went into the Rio Grande River, apparently where the water was about as deep as his chest. She also discovered that Henry, who is known as Mr. Lazy paint horse, is able to trot as fast

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-39422139513652951512009-01-17T08:24:00.000-08:002009-01-17T08:31:32.613-08:00

A reader recently called my attention to this website:They talk about the cruelty of Monty Roberts "Join-up" method (something used by other trainers like John Lyons, and my friend Eric Bravo uses it often). The website promotes the notion of the Equine Friend:"But there is another type of relationship that we have paid no attention to because we have been so deeply engrossed in

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-37847045076431227422009-01-17T07:58:00.000-08:002009-01-17T08:10:59.475-08:00

Trailer loading is one of the biggest problems many horse owners face, so I thought I'd look in John Lyons book "Communicating with Cues" to see how he advises handling trailer loading. He begins by working with the horse completely away from a trailer. The goal here is to teach the horse to step forward on command. You stand on the left side, holding a lead rope two inches below the snap. Then

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-16906401391228832042009-01-16T13:30:00.000-08:002009-01-16T18:21:41.081-08:00

In an effort to bolster my horsemanship skills I've been reading a lot of horse training books lately. So here it is-my top ten list of horse training books.1. Communicating with Cues: The Rider's Guide to Training and Problem Solving, Part IIn my opinion, John Lyons is one of the best horse trainers around. His books are clearly written, and will give you insights into horse behavior you never

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273060882061982135.post-20444578247476898092009-01-16T08:04:00.000-08:002009-01-16T08:08:17.523-08:00

Join-up in the round-pen is one of my favorite horse training techniques. It's something I think you should do on a regular basis with your horses, even if they are well trained. In my opinion, and this is only based on my own experience, you need to periodically reinforce your leadership with horses, and join-up is a great way to do it. In the round-pen you're controlling the direction and

GNHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15180342767762548292noreply@blogger.com3