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"I have a notebook of the tips from your site and I love them... Bonnie Anderson has been wonderful. All the tips I tried of hers worked the first time. I am now in the riding stage and my horse is awesome. Thank you all very much and keep the training tips coming!!!!!!"
Karen Gossard
Fayetteville, NC

Whats the biggest problem for gamers in pole bending, barrels and keyholes? Some gamers dont do enough basic training. They figure the pattern is easy enough to learn, and assume the horse is in good enough shape to do the fast starts and fast turns, and end up rushing the whole process. By starting over at a slower pace, like an easy walk or trot, you will at least be doing the horse a favor. Watching videos and reading about your particular event will help as well.

What makes the horse slip in the hind end on the turn back in keyhole? The rider is not waiting for the horse to settle and turn before demanding more speed. Some riders are either mentally/physically ahead or behind their horses. Have a friend watch you ride to see exactly what youre doing in the saddle.

Why do horses lose time when bending around the poles or barrels? The rider isnt sitting correctly in the saddle and the horse is trying to stay under the rider. Convincing the rider that better horsemanship will improve their times will help this. Ride with a balanced seat. To gain a balanced seat, you must learn to sit in the saddle on your seat bones. To find your seat bones, place your hand under your bottom while sitting in the saddle, and rock back and forth, and youll soon feel your seat bone pressing into your hand. This is your starting point. Once you are conscience of sitting on your seat bones, you can proceed to sitting up straight, shoulders back, with an imaginary line running from the top of your head, straight down through your shoulder, down your hip, to then end in the heel of your riding boot.

How much time should I spend training on a pattern? It takes practice to gain the muscle memory needed so that the horse doesnt have to think its way through a pattern. They need to get their mind out of their bodys way in order to run in a relaxed and confident manner. Running through a pattern two to three times a week, a half dozen runs each day, is plenty. Try to keep the hard and fast runs for the competitions, this also keeps injuries down. If your horse is hurting from poor fitting tack, or from a recent injury, or constantly pressured by the rider to do a perfect run each time, the horse will think too much. It can get defensive, and not pay attention to the rider or the pattern, and start evasive bad habits.

Isnt winning everything? The mentality of a few gamers is that the clock is everything. Some gamers think the horse is replaceable if its too slow or injured, or they may run three to four horses per event to better their chances of winning without really getting to know each individual horse. And some use horses that dont even know the basic walk, trot, and cantering skills, and know only how to run. Instead of running against the clock to beat the other competitors, try running to beat your own best time. That way you still win in your own mind, even if you dont get a ribbon. Winning isnt everything. Being a good partner to your horse is. Becoming a better horseman should always come first, winning second. Relax, have fun! Gaming is a great way to spend time with your horse, win or lose.