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Month: July 2019

Lessons with Jim: Pre-Flight Check with a New Horse

July 31, 2019
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“It’s all about helping a horse shape up to a feel. And when I say shape up, it’s from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. It’s not about just turning the head in or the shoulder in, it’s about the whole body picking up that shape.” In this video lesson, Jim continues his work with training horse Sandy, an 8-year-old quarter horse who was started under saddle a few years ago but ridden very inconsistently since. He runs through a few little evaluation exercises before swinging a leg over the saddle.

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Lessons with Jim: Lunging with the Rear Cinch

July 31, 2019
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In this video lesson, Jim works with a horse who is having a difficult time accepting the rear cinch during a lunging exercise. "Closeness just gives us the ability to have a better conversation with our horse. Distance and feel in the lead line is like distance when trying to talk to somebody across the room or the arena. The closer I can get that person to me, the better they understand what I’m saying. The closer I can keep this horse to me on this lead line, the better she can understand the feel of what I’m offering up

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Round Pen Lesson: Teaching a Horse to Turn In

July 31, 2019
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Why is it important to turn in? You never want to turn a horse away from you. You never want the horse thinking that the relief comes from the outside of the circle-- relief should come from you. It also translates well outside of the round pen, especially when you go to catch your horse! In this video lesson, Jim explains why he prefers most horses to make their turns toward him when round penning instead of away from him. He teaches Sandy, a quarter horse who has been allowed to turn to the outside, to turn to the inside.

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The Horseman, The Potter

July 31, 2019
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Riders often come to me for advice because they’re having a hard time getting their horse’s mind and body soft and willing when they go to work in the arena. I always respond with the same question— “How do you go about your lesson with your horse?” Their response always seems to be the same. “I catch my horse, lead him to the barn, put him in cross-ties, groom and saddle, lead him to arena, get on and hit the rail for our warm-up.” Usually, they go on to say that the horse starts pushing through all directions once they

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