The Importance of a Safety Check

From issue No.111 It was an ordinary late summer day—dry and warm—the perfect moment to be on horseback. We had been riding daily since mid-June and had led almost one-thousand kids the ages of eight, nine, and ten out on trail rides; most of them were first-time riders and all incident free. The wrangler crew […]

Saddling a Tied Horse

Written by Buster McLaury This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.69 I rarely saddle an older horse that is tied up, and I never saddle a young horse that is tied up. I think too much of my horses. Let’s give a little thought (Ray would be proud) to a scenario that could happen; […]

The Half-Circle Exercise

With Buck Brannaman This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.27 I learned this exercise by watching people get taken advantage of by horses. This is the exact opposite of what horses typically train you to do; they gradually advance toward you all the time and you end up back pedaling to avoid getting […]

Clearing Out the Front Quarters

With Buck Brannaman photos by Emily Kitching This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No. 26 Subscribe Today! There are two parts to groundwork; safety and refinement. The safety part is where you are working on having your horse to where he is relaxed enough so that when you get on you can have […]

Centering Your Horse with Buck Brannaman

What I am looking for when I am riding a horse of any level, a green colt or an experienced bridle horse, is for him to stay centered underneath me. When I’m riding, I draw an imaginary rectangle around my horse; there is a line in front of his nose, one on each side of […]

Getting Off On The Right Foot

With Buck Brannaman photos by Emily Kitching This article originally appeared in Eclectic Horseman Issue No.1 “By working on driving your horse past you and changing directions, you will establish influence over your horse’s feet. If you can gain some from the end of the halter rope when you are on the ground, then you’ve got […]

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