Spring is here and with it comes show season. Futurity horses are being stepped up and the cobwebs are being knocked off of the trusty showponies. I sat in the middle of my arena on my futurity horse the other day thinking about the definition of a reined horse. Both the NRHA and the NRCHA have similar definitions that touch on the description of a reined horse as one that is willfully guided, responding to the rider with little or no visible cues. These words have stuck with me and have come to hold strong meaning with regards to my training program.
I have always held a very strong belief that talented horses can be trained and allowed to perform at the highest level without compromising the well being of the animal, physically or mentally. In this blog we will delve into the process of building performance horses in a sustainable way. As riders and trainers we have a unique opportunity to have an impact on a specific animal. This is both an honor and a responsibility. I hope you will join in the discussion.
"Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he/she will have to accept that his life will be radically changed."— Ralph Waldo Emerson
