A Feel for Feet
Many of us at some point have experienced horses that don’t respect us very much, or we experience trouble on the ground or in the saddle. These problems can be frustrating and intimidating, leaving us not knowing what to do.
Establish Your Personal Space
Horses, donkeys and mules are very big animals. This may seem like an obvious fact, but it’s crucial to keep it in mind any time we interact with or train horses. Every day I get to work with these awesome creatures and teach folks how to act around them. More…
Handling “Spooky” situations
by Brent Winston, equine trainer. As winter began and the busy part of riding season came to an end, a lot of folks started calling Harmony to recap their rides or ask for advice on issues that had come up for their horses over the summer. One of most common…
Happy Feet
If you own an equine‚ whether it’s a horse, donkey, pony or mini‚ chances are good that you’ll need to have its feet maintained on a regular schedule. Equines hooves are continually growing, and unless they’re walking 20 miles a day or more on rough terrain, the hooves will have to be…
Is your horse fit to be tied?
by Brent Winston, equine trainer. Well, it’s that time of year when we’re all excited to get out and enjoy the great outdoors on our horses! Some of us ride around our neighborhoods, some of us trailer to horse shows and various events, and others pack up and hit the…
Make Time for Spring Training
The signs of spring are everywhere, which means it’s high time to start working with your horse before you begin riding. Any work is better than no work, and it will help your horse get in shape physically and mentally.
Neck reining the right way
by Brent Winston, equine trainer. With summer officially behind us, I hope everyone enjoyed the nice weather and long days with their horses as much as I did. Just because we have entered a different time of year doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy our horses. We might just need…
Plan Your Ride, Ride Your Plan
by Brent Winston, head trainer People often ask me about a training issue they‚Äö√Ñ√¥re having with their horse or wonder how to get their horse to perform a certain task. Without being able to see the horse or coach the rider through the task, it can be difficult to answer….
Polishing off the winter rust
by Brent Winston, equine trainer Wow, what a start to the year! With the unseasonably warm weather and longer days, many of us are getting the urge to take our horses out and ride through the beautiful Colorado landscape. However, many of our horses have been not doing much all…
Remember the Release Point
As a trainer, I often get the question, How do I get my horse to do this? or the statement, My horse won’t do that. Many times, as I’m offering advice about what I would do in a given situation, people tell me, I tried that, and it didn’t work…
Shape Up
by Brent Winston, equine trainer. As we are being teased with warmer weather, many of us are anxious to get out and enjoy our horses with some trail-ride therapy. Maybe we haven’t had time to ride during the winter because it’s too dark by the time we get home or…
Standing tied
by Brent Winston, trainer, Harmony Equine Center. As I have been out riding this summer, I have noticed that a lot of people struggle with some of the same issues I used to struggle with. One of those issues is standing tied. It’s not uncommon for horses to pull back…
When the Behavior Helpline Can’t Help
Our Animal Behavior Helpline counselors have completed an extensive training program taught by animal behavior professionals. They are able to assist pet owners with many types of problems; however, there are some that can’t be resolved by email or phone, because it isn’t safe or accurate to diagnose certain problems…
Whoa, baby
Over the years, I’ve had numerous conversations with folks telling me they have trouble stopping their horses. I often hear, I’ve tried this bit, I’ve tried that bridle, and nothing seems to get my horse to stop. If you have this problem, you’re certainly not alone‚ but in order to correct…