Richard Winters Articles

{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters clinic with cattle
Be prepared upon arrival at a horsemanship clinic.
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
Richard Winters

When I was 15 years old, a friend loaned me a guitar and showed me three cords to play. I could play almost every cowboy western song I knew with just those three cords! It’s now over thirty years later and I still enjoy playing my guitar. Someone told me recently, “Richard,...

Taking lessons, having a horsemanship mentor or participating in a clinic are all great ways to advance.
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
Richard Winters

The practice of hobbling has been around since humans began riding horses. For some horsemen hobbling is as common and comfortable as putting on a halter. For others, hobbling a horse seems intimidating and maybe even dangerous. In this article I’ll discuss the value of...

Putting on a set of hobbles often quiets everything down and defuses a situation.
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters

Round pens are very popular at stables and ranches across the country. Yet, I’m not sure that people always have a good plan on how they’re going to work their horse once inside the round pen. Any time we work with our horse, it’s important to have an objective and be able to...

Any time we work with our horse, it’s important to have an objective and be able to clearly communicate our ideas in a way that our horses can understand.

Advertisement

{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
Richard Winters

I train horses in southern California. That means I have more riding days available to me than probably anywhere else in the United States. I was recently presenting at an expo in Wisconsin and realized that many of the attendees had not been able to ride for the last five...

Knowing what to look for in a pre-flight checklist can go a long way in keeping you and your horse out of trouble and ready to fly. (I mean ride!)
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
Richard Winters

When riding, our reins are a direct communication link between horse and rider. Understanding how to handle our reins effectively will better equip us to cue our horse in a positive manner. Below is a list of principles and techniques that every horseman (or woman) needs to...

understanding how to handle our reins effectively will better equip us to cue our horse in a positive manner
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Richard Winters
Richard Winters

Whether you are working on ground work with your horse, or riding exercises, it’s very important to keep him working equally well on both his left and right side. The first thing necessary to developing a balanced horse is to be aware that a horse’s brain is divided into two...

Richard Winters gives us exercises to create a more balanced horse.
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Desensitizing on the ground
Richard Winters

If everything goes according to plan, I will add something new to my horsemanship resume. I’ve been asked to gallop my horse around the arena as 7,000 observers stand for the national anthem at this year's Road to the Horse in Tennessee. It sounds like fun and I am honored to...

Richard Winters shows how he prepares his horse for a patriotic moment.

Advertisement

{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Backing in an inward arcing circle to the left
Richard Winters

My daughter has spent the last two years as assistant trainer to one of the National Reined Cow Horse Associations million-dollar riders. While she was home for Christmas we had the opportunity to ride together. This was my chance to “debrief” her. While we were working some...

It's really important to get a horse broke "through the body."
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Side-Pass to the Right
Richard Winters

Training a horse is like building a house. If you want to build a house, you need a strong foundation underneath. You can erect the building, paint the walls, and hang the curtains. Yet if there is no foundation, you’ll have problems when the storms come. Choosing paint...

Taking shortcuts with horse training does not deliver desired results. This month, Richard Winters explains why that is.
{node-type}Editorial{/node-type}
Analyzing The Sliding Stop
Richard Winters

Feel, timing, and balance are three abstract terms often used to describe the qualities that great horsemen and women bring to the horse/human relationship. The late iconic horsemen, Tom Dorance and Ray Hunt, brought these ideas to the forefront for students and prodigies who...

This month Richard Winters explains the importance of feel, timing and balance in riding.
Syndicate content