My Horse Rushes Jumps

Question:  My very green hackney pony is learning to jump – and he is really talented! Has a great eye and picks up his little knees great! When working on the flat, he’s calm and focused, however, our problem is this: when jumping, he is a maniac! He is so full of spunk and pep […]

Pulling When Going Home

Question: We have a somewhat green mare who is doing very well learning to trail ride.  Until we start to come back and we get to near her field. Then she is a major pain…constantly pulling, not responding to the bit…I have been doing circles with her, but  yesterday she was really pulling hard on […]

Snaffle Bit

Question: A trainer I know insists ALL horses be ridden in a snaffle, can ALL horses really perform in one, including older horses who have harder mouths, or mouths that can ignore a snaffle? Answer: This is a question that, taken at face value, I would have to answer as “yes,” since this question is […]

Backing Out of a Trailer Problem

Question: I have a 4 yr. old gelding who I can get into a stock trailer but I can’t get him to back out. When I put just his front feet in I can get him to back out very nicely but when I get him all the way in he won’t back up even […]