A well-trained, responsive, and intelligent working cow horse is more than just a pleasure to ride or watch in action; such an animal is an integral part--a prized employee, if you will--of a ranch's workforce. How to find and then educate the horse to work cattle in pens and on the range, to negotiate a variety of terrains, and perform all the other tasks it will be asked to do (under a variety of often adverse conditions) is the subject of this handy guide. For example: Being able to open a gate from horseback is a mandatory job for any cowboy. A good place to introduce the young horse to this experience is by using a gate set up as part of an obstacle course. It is desirable and safer if the gate can swing freely and is without any attachments. Start by simply walking your horse through the gate when it's open. Reaching down and gently swinging the gate as you pass through it is the next step. If your horse is a little spooked by your reaching down, be aware that horses are naturally afraid of tight places. Once your horse can pass through an open gate, then attempt to open a closed gate. Be sure your horse fully understands your hand and leg cues before attempting this step, because he must be able to move off your leg to stand next to the fence, move toward the fence as it swings open to let you pass through, and then move around so you can close it. Written by an experienced rancher and horse trainer, 101 Ranch Horse Tips will show you how to start a young horse or improve an older one with techniques that can apply to performance and enjoyment on or beyond the cattle ranch.

Invaluable advice for preparing horse and rider for competition

Western Horsemanship requires balance, finesse, and above all, effective communication between horse and rider. Not only is Western Horsemanship an important and popular horse show class, but it is also the foundation for such other competitive events as reining, roping, trail, and working cow horse.From selecting a suitable horse, necessary tack and equipment, and preparing for competition to winning strategies for the show arena, 101 Western Pleasure and Horsemanship Tips is an essential guide for all Western riders.

Ground training is the key to a safe and pleasurable riding experience. Designed for easy reference while working with your horse, this guide can be hung on a post. Riders of all disciplines and skill levels will benefit from these exercises that reinforce good habits and help develop a strong bond between horse and rider.

This series of Western Dressage exercises are designed to improve suppleness, balance in movement, and responsiveness. Each exercise has a specific goal in mind, and they are organized by different areas of focus: softness, looseness, rider development, engagement, adjustability, and ground work. With illustrated step-by-step instructions and full arena diagrams, you’ll quickly be on your way to mastering this exciting discipline.

Are you ready to build a stronger partnership with your horse? Hoping to achieve a remarkable softness from the ground before you swing into the saddle? Starting a youngster or working to overcome training and behavioral problems in an older mount? Becoming bored with endless round-penning? Australian equestrian stars Dan James and Dan Steers of Double Dan Horsemanship are here to show every horse owner the basic steps to an infinitely useable training skill: long-reining. If ever there was hidden treasure in the diverse and ever-evolving realm of horsemanship, it is this underused but incredibly valuable practice. Long-reining benefits every equestrian discipline--as James and Steers demonstrate--improving the horse's self-carriage and responsiveness to the aids,and your feel and timing, like nothing else, and all from a safe and controlled position on the ground. Bring long-reining into your barn with these 20 easy-to-understand lessons, explained step-by-step with full-color photographs, including: how to use and hold long reins, how to introduce them to your horse, how to navigate with accuracy and change speed, and how perform lateral work that improves your horse's flexibility and overall movement. You, and your horse, will enjoy the drive.

This sequel to Cherry Hill's top-seller 101 Arena Exercises presents step-by-step instructions for unique patterns in the most popular classes of English and Western competition. The book's comb-bound format allows it to hang in the barn or lay flat on a barrel for easy reference. Full-page arena maps for every pattern make this the perfect in-the-saddle workbook for riders of all abilities.

Few equestrian sports are more exciting than barrel racing, in which horse and rider carve a lightning-fast cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, then gallop down to the finish line. Time is measured in hundredths of seconds, and winners receive substantial prize money and the admiration and respect of fellow competitors and spectators alike. As thrilling as barrel racing is to watch, doing it is even more fun, as thousands of people are discovering every year. To help them--and you--get started, champion racer and internationally respected instructor and clinician Marlene McRae shares her program that has taken hundreds of her students to success in the arena, as well as to becoming educated horsemen and-women: * Selecting Your Champion Horse: Choosing a barrel-racing prospect based on conformation and temperament; finding a qualified veterinarian to help you assess the prospects. * Choosing and Using Equipment: Determining the right saddle, bridle (including bits), leg protection, and other tack to buy, as well as their proper fit and use. * Feeding and Nutrition: Establishing a basic commonsense feeding regimen for your horse; the role of supplements, as well as their possible misuse. * Shoeing and Foot Care: Proper foot care, with an emphasis on working with your farrier and veterinarian to avoid foot- and leg-related injuries. * Conditioning and Exercising: A comprehensive program for developing your horse's stamina and fitness, along with ways to avoid unsoundness problems. * Getting Started in the Barrel-Racing Patterns: How to set up the pattern correctly; techniques for training the horse, with an emphasis on rider position, balance, and using hands, legs, and voice as communication aids. * Competing: Locating entry-level local events, clubs, and associations; the "mental game of competing to stay focused; achieving teamwork with your horse." Barrel Racing 101 is the perfect textbook for the sport. Study it and use it, and you're bound to finish at the top of your class.

If you are like most people, you know what you want your horse to do and how you want him to behave. You want your training experiences to be safe and enjoyable for both you and your horse. But maybe you aren't sure what to do and when. In 101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises you'll find complete ground training lesson plans from square 1 to square 101. Cherry Hill starts with basic in-hand and free longeing lessons, then takes you through the addition of a longe line, cavesson, bridle, surcingle, side reins, saddle, and long lines. You'll learn a wide variety of ground training exercises suitable for both English and Western horses. In-hand section: * Fancy footwork * Whip works * Pitching a wave * Turn on the forehand * Sidepass * Longeing section: * Stop, look, and listen * Outside turns * Inside turns * Whip talk Spirals * Wagon wheels * Bending tune-up * Contact and collection * Long lining section: * Long line lingo * Yin y ang * Figure-8 * Serpentines * Backing * Cavalletti work * Trail obstacles Each of the exercises is laid out with a diagram, step-by-step instructions, and an explanation of its benefits. The exercises progress from the basic skills to more advanced ones, such as counter-canter and flying changes of lead. This book and its companion volume, Longeing and Long Lining the English and Western Horse: A Total Program, give you a solid foundation for helping your horse work in productive form.

Take your riding to a new level! Bringing together recognized classic exercises for both English and Western riders plus her own original patterns and maneuvers, Cherry Hill provides an array of drills that will improve your riding technique. Whether you are a rider interested in expanding your repertoire or an instructor looking for new drills, these exercises will add excitement and variety to your training.