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Training a Reining Horse

So you are considering taking your horse training to the next level? Before you go ahead and start training your horse to become a reining horse, make sure that you have built a solid foundation. Your horse should be able to make a decent stop after a sprint.

Ideally, what should happen is that your horse needs to be able to consistently stop in a single stride and slide through a few feet. Perfecting this stunt is a must since this is the basic in training a reining horse. The length of the slide is affected by several factors.

Not all horses can manage to stop by sliding less than three feet on nice ground. Only the best of horses can do that. Most horses slide up to 20 feet. If you want to train a horse for reining, first build on his ability to stop.

Unfortunately, not all horses have the ability to be good at stops. Thus, before conducting any further trainings, make sure that the horse you’re working on has the natural ability to stop. If you’re going to force a horse into learning something he’s not naturally built for, then you will need to be harsher during training, which isn’t good. It’ll be an ordeal for both the trainer and the horse.

The ground also plays a major factor in determining the length of the horse’s slide. It’s easy to figure out why. Obviously, a nice sliding ground compromises of a smooth hard base with loose dirt on top.

Then good horse shoes are a must. Sliding shoes are recommended. The manner in which the hind feet of the horse are shod also have much to do with how perfectly the horse slides.

Of course, how fast the horse is running dictates with how far he would slide. If he’s not going fast enough, then obviously, no matter how good a trainer and rider you are, you won’t be able to make him slide very far. The horse should also be strong enough to make a stop even if he’s running very fast.

And equally vital in training a good reining horse is how you cue the horse to stop. You should be able to properly use the reins and maintain a good riding posture. The timing when you give out your cue should also be perfect.

There are different techniques in making the horse stop. Different techniques work best with different horses. The basic includes in saying “whoa”, tightening the reins a bit and then just let the horse slide.

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