Cross Training 101 Reining, Cutting, Cow Horse

By Richard E. Dennis

Cross Training 101 Reining, Cutting, Cow Horse is the second book in a training series authored by Rick Dennis. The author is a professional reined cow horse trainer with over 20 years experience in the stock horse industry and an avid teacher of cross training reining, cutting and cow horses. His training methods teach a student and a horse to per

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wind River Company LLC
• Release date: May 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9780578906348

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

2-YEAR-OLD COLT BREAKING 101 FUNDAMENTALS OF BREAKING AND STARTING A 2-YEAR-OLD

Blondys Dualin Oak (Dual Oak x Stella Peaches x Blondys Dude) as a 2-year-old, prior to being trained.

As January signals the beginning of a New Year, it’s also the signal that it’s the time when long-yearling horses, coming 2-year-old colts and fillies, are brought into the Wind River Ranch training facility to start training. I start accepting colts and fillies for breaking and starting during January of their 2-year-old year no matter what month they were born in, as that signifies their 2-year- old birth date.

One of the most often-asked questions I receive is, How old should a young horse be before training begins?

This single question has a myriad of meanings and answers. Training can be interpreted as imprinting at birth, halter breaking at an early age, teaching the yearling to lead, teaching it to pick its feet up as well as washing and grooming.

I refer to this type of human interaction as simply, Getting to know your horse and your horse getting to know you. This early-age, hands-on affiliation definitely is a step in the right direction in preparation for future training, either by you or sending the youngster off to a trainer.

The real training begins when the young horse comes into the barn for breaking and starting under saddle. Quite often I receive horses for breaking and starting that were simply left to grow up in a pasture with minimal human contact since birth. These are the horses requiring the most effort and time spent from a trainer.

Any pre-training and handling the breeder can accomplish by his or her self prior to either initiating training or sending the horse off for training is a great help and a step in the right direction.