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However you came about horse ownership, you likely have some goals in mind for you and your horse. Whether you have your sights set on a competition or simply a peaceful ride out on the local trails, a good ride is founded on harmony with your horse. Harmony in horsemanship isn’t some elusive concept that we chase. You can actually achieve harmony and build on it daily with your horse. Read on for tips to make your future rides your best yet.

When I was an adolescent, I used to go with my friends to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA. We would get paid 25 cents to walk a hot thoroughbred horse until he cooled down. That process usually took 45 minutes, so we thought we were sitting in tall cotton making all that money.

What in the world is a pasture potato? Well, I see them all over the world. Driving down the road, I’ll look over to my side, and—behold—I spot one or two horses just standing in the pasture. From human standards, the pasture looks big. But from horse standards, that same pasture is minuscule compared to what's in their heart—what’s in their DNA—which is to be out in the wild, running and roaming free.

Walk a mile in your horses horseshoes is what Troy Henry and Tom Dorrance tried to get me to understand!   Showing a horse who is boss was an easy concept for me to grasp as a young man.  I loved horses and I loved the notion of being a good enough cowboy to make horses do what I wanted whether it was halter breaking a young horse, riding them for the first time , getting them to stop or turn quickly, rope a cow, or any other ranch duties. I found out quickly that if I stayed focused and wor...

We interviewed Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s founder, Pat Parelli, to get the scoop on his favorite products he uses daily. Here are his top 6 picks!

What is the difference between playing and training? Well, to me, if I go back to the first weekend of March 1982, I was putting on my first seminar. My opening statement was: “Horsemanship can be obtained naturally through communication, understanding, and psychology versus mechanics, fear, and intimidation." The Parelli Program has become the world's largest train-your-horse-at-home, web-based program with over 200,000 students. Parelli students apply the principles of communication, unders...

One of my best friends and true mentors, Dr. R.M. Miller—Bob, as I call him—introduced this concept of foal imprinting to the world. He talked about it the very first time I met him, and I just nodded and said, “Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.’ But it wasn't until he came to the little ranch I had in Clements, California, that the concept came alive to me, because during his visit we had a newborn foal.

How does a horse lover know the seasons are changing? By our horses’ coats, of course! Now that we’re heading into the Spring season, you’re probably excited about that beautiful new coat coming in on your, but the shedding that comes along with it is no joke. Today we’ll cover why and when horses shed, and how to help your horse shed more effectively.

When we go to ride our horses, we often focus on how we will challenge and connect with them psychologically, especially if we’re working on moving through the Levels. To accomplish anything on the ground or in the saddle, however, they need to engage their whole bodies. Even short rides with your horse can be a workout, and there are things you can do to help ensure that your horse recovers properly.

“Foundation Before Specialization” is a very interesting catch phrase that reminds us that our horses may have a very difficult time trying to do something specific if they have not yet learned the value of following simple requests.  Imagine being asked to dance a ballroom dance before you’ve even learned which foot is your left foot and which is your right foot.  Or perhaps being asked to construct a box before you know what tools will be needed. 

In 1990, I wrote a book for Western Horseman entitled Natural Horse-Man-Ship, which outlined the Six Keys of Success. The Six Keys were simple: Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time, and Imagination. These Six Keys still exist (and at the end of the article, I will tell you about the seventh that I discovered after I wrote the book).

Horse lunging is simply the practice of moving your horse around you in a circle at a walk, trot, or canter. Typically, it is used to burn off excess energy before riding your horse or to do some structured exercise between riding sessions. Horse trainers will also use it to develop a horse’s balance at different gaits or to teach new riders who aren’t ready to go out on their own in the arena yet.  But there are so many more benefits, particularly if you don’t limit your horse to just runni...

Bareback horse riding is simply riding without any saddle on your horse’s back. Riding bareback can yield many benefits for you and your horse; but learning to do it well is not quite as simple as just removing the saddle and hopping on. Read on to learn how to prepare for riding bareback and our top tips to make the most of this exercise.

When determining how to engage with your yearling horse, the first thing to remember is that horses are prey animals and precocial species. This means that they are full-faculty learners at birth. As soon as a foal is about a month old, they start playing with the other foals. Guess what they do: they play prey animal pecking-order games! Most of these games are fun and friendly to see who is the fastest, who can turn the quickest—fun little things like that. But it doesn't take very long bef...

Perhaps the most common sticking point in developing a partnership is when your horse reacts with a big “no” to what you ask of him. Understanding equine behavior doesn't have to be a mystical phenomenon reserved for those with decades of experience in the horse industry. Getting a fundamental blueprint for understanding a horse's reaction will significantly improve your ability to address the behavior and work towards a solution (minus the frustration).

Whether to leave a horse barefoot or not is a question that arises a lot, and one of my mentors, Tom Dorrance, had the perfect answer for everything: “It all depends”. Since we're talking about feet, we must remember that the horse industry is predicated on four things: wives’ tales, mythology, bovine fecal matter, and ego. For a lot of people, their ego gets in the way, and they believe the wives’ tales and mythology they've been raised on. For example: Horses with white socks have white fee...

"I found myself with a lot of ambition but no patience or principles. I also found out once I got to the show that the trainers showed their real colors in the warm up arena, this is were I found out that birds of a feather flock together. I soon started calling the warm up arena the torture pit and I was in there doing the same things." 

Principles purpose and time are the tools of teaching. In other words, if the horse understands the purpose he will understand the meaning and will start putting his own thoughts and exuberance into the equation. The same applies to cows and humans!

Catching a horse, for a lot of horse owners, is a point of frustration. But before we go into methods, I would first suggest that we get rid of the word “catch” and we replace it with “connect and halter”. The real secret is to have your horse want to connect with you. Remember: horses are like computers. They may never do what you want, but they always do what you tell them or eventually program them to do. Most people apply very direct-line thinking to this process, and only go out and halt...

What could be more idyllic than waking up to soft muzzles and hooves thudding around the pasture, really? Backyard horse ownership is not only amazing for you as the horse owner, but it also means that you can ensure the best possible care for your horses. But even if you have property, keeping your horses with you is not always the best fit. If you’re considering taking the plunge into backyard horse ownership, here are some factors to consider first.

You may have heard of the benefits of essential oils for yourself, but did you know that they can be used on horses, too? Essential oils can benefit horses in many ways, from aromatherapy to natural topical remedies. Read on to find out which oils are safe for equine use and how to incorporate them into your weekly routine.

Many of us horse owners are accustomed to working in the round pen, arena, or on the trail. Yet the incredible thing about working with horses is that every moment we spend with them is a teaching moment. Horses are never not learning, so your work together starts not when you swing your leg over, but from the very moment your horse sees you.

Equine Lordosis, commonly known as swayback in horses, is a relatively rare condition where the ligaments around the horse’s vertebrae start to slacken, causing a noticeable dip right behind their withers. While the condition looks severe, it is usually not painful, and there are things you can do to help strengthen the swaybacked horse’s back.

You plan weeks in advance to take that incredible trail ride on the beach. Your trailer is packed and you’re excited to hit the road with your barn buddies. Everything goes to plan up until the day of the ride, and your horse refuses to load. After a fit of pulling back, kicking, and finally just halting as far away from the trailer as possible, you give up and commit in your mind to working on trailer loading before the next group ride.

Taking your horse camping is a great way to share a new adventure with your best friend. Camping allows you to travel further away and for longer periods than you could by trailering to a trail for a day. Experiencing new trails together can expand your relationship with your horse, too. But, having a great camping experience with your horse takes preparation and planning.

It’s no surprise that a healthy morning routine will not only start your day with less stress but help you make time for the things that are important, such as working out or spending more time with family. Sounds almost impossible, right? Remember every journey starts with a single step, and even a morning habit with occasional ‘misses’ will benefit you more than one you don’t do at all. Here are some morning routines that help you reach your health goals...

Horses have always been symbols of strength and valor. With their sturdy form, amazing stamina, and elegance, it is easy to be in love with these fine creatures. Owing to proper training and care, your horse can build its name as one of the successful horses in history like the following: