Check out Charlie's winning run aboard VS Code Red at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress to see what truly spectacular lead changes look like in action. Notice the horse's position, timing, and pace come together to present a spectacular run.

For Charlie’s lead-change refinement tips, pick up a copy of the June 2012 issue of Horse&Rider.

Can your horse roll back on the fence? You may think of rollbacks as part of a reining pattern or something a cow horse does. But in fact there are many practical reasons why you might want your horse to perform a rollback—even if you never set foot in a reining or cow horse pen.

In this month’s arena exercise, I’ll show you how to teach your horse to roll back along the fence. You’ll ride a circle near the fence, then approach the fence at a 45-degree angle. You’ll let the fence stop your horse, then use your leg and rein to ask him to collect himself on his hindquarters, execute a 180-degree rollback, and continue in the opposite direction.

Why You Need This
Rollbacks are the easiest way to start teaching your horse to move his front end, work off his hindquarters, and collect himself. They’re especially beneficial for horses that want to run around on their front end and resist carrying more of their weight on their hindquarters.

This exercise is also great for horses with “sticky feet” because it gives them a reason to get up and go somewhere.

Another advantage of rollbacks is that you can start teaching them even with a colt that’s had only five to 10 rides, because you’re not forcing him into anything—you’re just using the fence to redirect his energy.

Bottom line: Mastering the rollback will improve your horse’s steering, collection, and overall attitude. Plus it will set you up for next month’s arena exercise, stopping on whoa.

For Best Results…
• Practice this exercise next to a sturdy fence that’s ideally at least 5 feet high. Avoid fences that are too short, made of flimsy or barbed wire, or potentially dangerous in any way, as these could cause injury to you or your horse.
• Outfit your horse in a snaffle bit; you’ll be riding with two hands for clearest communication.
• Do groundwork first to get your horse relaxed and using the thinking side of his brain.
• Learn this exercise at a brisk trot. I prefer to ride a rollback at a lope, and the photos show me at that gait, but I recommend you start at a trot so you can understand the steps before

going faster.
• Allow at least three or four sessions of working on this exercise, ideally on consecutive days, to give your horse enough time to “get it.”

As your horse rocks back and turns into the pocket you've just created, look back over your inside shoulder to put your body in the same position as your horse's body, making it easier for him to balance and come through the turn.

Here's How
Warm your horse up by walking, trotting, and loping around your arena’s perimeter. When you’re ready to begin, hold the reins in both hands, with your hands comfortably out in front of you. (For this exercise, your hands should never come back past the saddle horn. If they do, your reins are too long and you won’t be able to be effective with your cues and timing.) Ride your horse at a brisk trot, posting (rising slightly out of the saddle every other step) if need be.

Now, begin making a 50-foot circle right next to one of the long sides of your fence. Every time you come around to the fence, you should be near enough that you could reach out and touch it with your hand.

Complete at least two circles, or as many as needed to get your horse to relax. When he does, as you come around to the fence, approach it at a 45-degree angle (see diagram). This will create a “pocket” for your horse to roll back into. (If you were to draw up to the fence so that your horse’s body was parallel to it, he wouldn’t be able to get his front end around without bumping into the fence. He’d have to kick his hindquarters out before bringing his front end through—the opposite of what you want. The goal is for him to stick his hindquarters in the ground and roll over his hocks.)

In the April 2012 issue, we wrote about the controversial topic of unwanted horses. In the June issue, our "We Hear You" section featured many reader responses to the article. Review the full article here.

He stands in a pen of mud and manure. His mane is long and tangled, and his feet haven’t been trimmed in over a year. Although he’s hungry, his kind expression and gentle face greet me hopefully when I approach the fence along with the humane officer who’s been called out by a worried passerby. He was once a champion. Now he’s starving and has no home. This is the plight of the unwanted horse.

The number of unwanted horses has increased significantly in the past five years, and experts agree on several contributing factors. With the minimum estimated annual cost for supporting a horse running between $1,800 and $3,600, the recession that hit our country hard in December of 2007 has made it simply impossible for some to support their horses. Meanwhile, closure of U.S. slaughterhouses that same year, the increased pressures on rescue facilities, cost of euthanasia and body disposal, and a greatly weakened horse market left many desperate owners with no options other than abandonment or neglect.

The harsh realities are hard to believe for horse lovers who haven’t hit desperate times, and aren’t faced with such decisions as “feed my horse or feed my family.” Misconception and controversy abound. In this article, I’ll answer the questions I’m frequently asked about the state of the unwanted horse.

Unwanted Horses: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is an “unwanted horse,” and why has this become such a problem?

A: The American Association of Equine Practitioners and now the American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition define an unwanted horse as “one that is no longer wanted by its current owner because it is old; injured; sick; unmanageable; fails to meet the owner’s expectations in terms of performance, color, or breeding; or is a horse the owner can no longer afford to maintain.” Over 150,000 horses each year fit this description, and numbers are increasing steadily in these economically troubled times.

Experts agree on a combination of factors that have made the problem of and consequences for unwanted horses more prevalent. These include indiscriminate breeding, the struggling U.S. economy, the high cost of humane euthanasia and disposal of remains, and the closure of U.S. slaughterhouses. There are simply too many horses, and too few people who can afford to care for them.

Q: Why do people get a horse if they can't afford to take care of it?

A: In some situations, owners who once could afford their horses have found themselves out of a job. Savings are depleted, and they may even be at risk of losing their homes. Feeding and caring for their horses becomes a low priority.

In other cases, people simply aren’t educated enough about the cost and commitment required for horse ownership. One of the main objectives of the Unwanted Horse Coalition is to find ways to educate owners to purchase and own responsibly. Owning a horse is a luxury—and a long-term commitment.

Q: I hear so much about equine rescue facilities—don’t they rehabilitate these abused and neglected horses to help them find new homes?

A: Yes, they do. But sadly, rescue facilities throughout the country are almost all at or near capacity, meaning there simply aren’t enough resources to save every horse. In a national survey conducted by the Unwanted Horse Coalition in 2010, 63 percent of rescue facilities reported that they were at or near full capacity, and, on average, these facilities turn away 38 percent of horses brought to them. AAEP has estimated that 2,700 new rescue facilities would have to open every year to accommodate the number of unwanted horses at current increasing numbers.

Not every horse that ends up in a rescue facility can be adopted or sold. Reports from rescue-facility operators indicate that, on average, 25 percent are unadoptable due to age, health, or temperament issues. These unadoptable animals drain resources and limit the ability of rescuers to focus on horses that might be rehabilitated and rehomed. One of the proposed solutions to this problem is to adopt the small-animal model for managing populations at horse shelters, including euthanasia for unadoptable horses.

Finally, it’s sad but true that some horses must be rescued from their rescuers. Reports of neglect at rescue facilities that have run out of resources aren’t uncommon, and when a rescue facility fails, large numbers of unwanted horses may find themselves with nowhere else to go. Lack of rescue-facility regulation is a problem that needs to be addressed as part of the unwanted-horse dilemma.

In the June 2012 issue, we shared ways to stretch your tack budget with tips from five of the sharpest shoppers we know. Check out more of their tips below.

Donna Kennedy
Donna has been in the tack industries most of her life. Here are her extra nuggets of wisdom:

"Tack sales are a terrific way of purchasing used items and most people want to get rid of the items they bring and not have to pack them up and take them home. At the end of the day, you can pick up some great buys from people just wanting to reduce the item and get it gone," says Donna.

Web sites like Tacktrader.com, eBay, and Craigslist are good options for a bargain, but you have to be careful. "Know what you're looking at before you spend the money, as you may not be buying an item that is worth the money they're asking. However, you can find some great deals with those sites," she adds.

Some of Donna's best buys have been local finds. "I've spent hours scouting out garage sales that list horse tack."

Lastly, if you're a do-it-yourself type person, consider making some tack items. "I've learned ways of making a lot of my own tack items, such as draw reins and many miscellaneous items."

Ruth Nelson
As a longtime non-pro rider, Ruth has found a couple of ways to save some extra cash.

"Last year, I was at a show that had a lot of vendors, and I fell in love with a bit and some saddle blankets. My trainer had her eye on a new saddle and a bit, and another friend wanted a blanket and a headstall. We were able to get a huge discount when all three of us purchased at the same time," says Ruth. "Overall, we save hundreds of dollars off the retail price."

Also, Ruth suggests seeing if "display" items are for sale. "I got a big discount on a saddle blanket because it had been on display and was dusty."

Karen Bannister
As a well-known Paint trainer, Karen has a few extra tips for saving money--and getting your money's worth.

"Carefully examine any used tack. Look under the saddle skirts to see if the leather is clean. If the previous owner has taken the time to really clean their saddle, it's a good sign that they've taken good care of it the entire time they've owned it, and that it's in decent condition."

When it comes to show clothes, invest in a tailor or seamstress. "If there's a big circuit with used-apparel vendors in your vicinity, toss a couple of extra dollars to your seamstress to go to the show to examine any consignment purchases you're considering. She can evaluate the quality of fabric and let you know if it's a good investment, let alone if it'll make it through the first dry cleaning," says Karen.

"Your tailor doesn't have to know a thing about horses or riding. He or she has to know clothes and fit. I recommend seamstresses who alter wedding or prom dresses, to ensure that they're familiar with intricate beading and embellishment and difficult fabrics often used for show clothing," she adds.

Karen also recommends not getting caught up in the details--like whether your bridles and saddles match--or in the trends. "Trends come and go. Traditional, well-made tack is always in style and is always a sound investment."

Well-made tack is key. "A lot of entry-level riders can't see past the shine. They want a shiny headstall with shiny "silver," but they  don't have the cash to make the purchase--so they get a knockoff online. The truth is, the leather on a knockoff bridle is treated to be "shiny" and never breaks in--and might break altogether. The "silver" on those bridles isn't--it's going to tarnish and dull and look terrible in a short time. Buy high-quality items with basic style, because they leave a lasting positive impression, even without the bling."

Terry Wegener
Having to outfit 60 horses for a guest ranch, Terry also had some extra insights.

If you're in a situation like he is and have to accommodate many different types of riders, consider saddle size. "You can put a small person or a bigger person in a 16- or 17-inch saddle, but you can only put a tiny person in a 14-in saddle," he says.

Another way Terry helps save Vista Verde money (and you can, too) is by doing many of the repairs in-house. To start, try taking apart an older, unusable saddle. Practice making repairs on it until you feel comfortable enough to repair your other saddles.

Terry also encourages deal seekers to know what a saddle looks and feels like when it's broken. "I recently watched people buy saddles with broken trees and/or horns, and that's a bad deal." To avoid that, try taking a tack-savvy friend with you to an auction.

Terry's last bit of advice is to watch out for divorces--whether it's a human-human divorce or a human-horse divorce.

"I feel a twang of guilt capitalizing on those situations, but they're going to sell it to somebody, so you may as well buy it," he says.

In the June 2012 "Have You Tried" section, we introduced you to the sport of Competitive Trail Rides through the North American Trail Ride Conference.

To find out what you can expect on a competitive trail ride, check out the video below!

The program: The National Reining Horse Association’s new “starter levels” of competition, which debuted in 2010, welcome riders of all backgrounds and abilities to the sport of reining. The Green Reiner class in particular takes the pressure off if you’re at the very beginning/introductory level of the sport, and wouldn’t feel comfortable in NRHA’s more competitive Rookie Reiner division. Green Reiners compete at one of two levels depending on prior points and monies earned, so that the more advanced Green Reiners aren’t mixed in with the newest of the newbies. Moreover, once a rider earns 100 Green Reiner points, he or she is no longer eligible to compete in that class, making it truly an entry-level competitive opportunity. NRHA’s complementary “Ride” and “Slide” classes offer small steps up to slightly tougher competition, creating an inviting ladder by which you can improve your performance in the sport.

Players: All types of riders. You need only an NRHA associate membership ($20) to compete in any of the entry-level classes, and you needn’t even own the horse you show. For both the Green Reiner and Ride classes, neither non-pro declarations nor competition licenses are required.

Other Advantages: Patterns are tweaked to make first experiences less intimidating. In Green Reiner classes, for example, you can ride with one or two hands, plus choose between simple (through-the-trot) or flying lead changes. Ride classes may also have reduced pattern requirements. You don’t need fancy gear or attire, either—just a long-sleeved shirt, a hat or helmet, boots, and a Western saddle and bridle.

Good to Try If: You’ve always admired reining but thought it was “above your pay grade.” In these classes, the atmosphere is supportive and encouraging, and you’ll always be competing against riders with about the same level of experience as you.

Success Tip: Work with a trainer or a knowledgeable friend to learn the basics, watch how the pros and experienced non-pros do it to absorb their knowledge and techniques, and ride a veteran reining horse if at all possible. “A seasoned horse allows you to learn how to rein versus trying to school a green horse while you’re learning yourself,” recommends Butch Human of Advance, North Carolina. Butch earned his Green Reiner buckle in less than six months aboard his “old war horse,” Mr Jerry Jac. “My wife and I started riding green horses and we struggled. With this gelding, I could go into the pen and think about what I needed to do, instead of worrying about my horse.”

The Buzz: These entry-level classes provide more than camaraderie and the satisfaction of learning and improving. They also offer the chance to win great prizes. By accumulating Green Reiner points at NRHA competitions, riders can earn trophy jackets (50 Green Reiner points) and Montana Silversmiths trophy belt buckles (100 points).

And for the Wee Ones: Youth riders can participate in the entry-level classes they qualify for, and for the smallest fry, there’s the short stirrup class. It uses NRHA Pattern No. 11, created especially for this class. The pattern calls for slower speeds and eliminates flying lead changes. As in the new entry-level classes for adults, the youngsters needn’t own the mounts they ride, making it easier for those great old reining horses to teach the sport to the next generation.

Learn More: All approved shows and NRHA affiliates are listed at nrha .com; (405) 946-7400.

Watch Clinton perform a rollback on the fence at the video below.

In the May 2012 issue, we reported that 87 percent of readers in our "Gallop Poll" had observed changes in climate trends where they lived. Read more about how those climate changes could affect your horse.

Climate change: The heating of the inner atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces of the earth. The warming is associated with more intense extreme weather events and the altered timing, intensity, and distribution of precipitation.
—Paul R. Epstein, “Climate Change and Public Health: Emerging Infectious Diseases,” Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment

You’ve been hearing about weird weather for a while: A historic drought in Texas... followed by regional flooding. Killer tornadoes in Alabama and elsewhere. A rare hurricane on the upper East Coast. Balmy weather in New Hampshire...in January. What gives?

Theories abound. But regardless of cause, changing weather patterns seem to be the new norm. Such weather-pattern changes may cause more than the typical weather-related problems, which can range from inconvenience to destruction. (Last year alone, the U.S. suffered a record-smashing 14 separate billion-dollar weather disasters.) They also may be affecting the spread of infectious disease (and more).

I’ve witnessed that firsthand in Texas, where I live. (See, “Outbreak!,” This Horse Life, page 10.) That led me to contact three experts in equine infectious disease: Dr. Craig Carter, of University of Kentucky, and Dr. Noah Cohen and Dr. Tracy Norman, of Texas A&M University. (See, “The Experts,” page 2.) I asked them how climate change might affect our horses’ health. Here’s what they had to say. Then read on to see how you can help protect your horses.

Dr. Craig Carter, University of Kentucky

Dr. Craig Carter: 'A scary thing to watch'
Climate-change scenarios project a shift in the spread of infectious disease, due to warming and associated weather extremes, such as flooding and droughts. “It’s a scary thing to watch,” says Dr. Carter. “My wife is a master gardener, so she keeps me up to date on plant zones. In the ’80s, Kentucky was a Zone 6. Today, the state is mostly a Zone 7, which indicates it’s warming. (Such zones, with 1 being the coldest, and 13 the warmest, are the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s indicator of whether a plant or tree will survive the winters in a given region.)

“Insect vectors (carriers of disease) are in concert with that trend,” he continues. “For instance, West Nile virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, appeared in Canada for the first time in 2002. Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and other insects are moving northward as it warms. It’s not just horses (and people) at risk; crops are being affected, as are trees, due to beetle infestations. Climate change affects all forms of life.”

It doesn’t appear that the warming trend will end anytime soon.

“Ice caps are melting. I read one study done down on the Equator estimating that 2,000 plant and animal species are moving north at a rate of a mile per year,” Dr. Carter says. “We need to be ready, such as with vaccine development, better drugs, preventive measures—that all takes increased research dollars.”

Pigeon fever, which typically causes deep-muscle abscesses, is an example of an equine infectious disease on the move.

“Drought increased the biting-fly population in areas like Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado,” says Dr. Carter. “Flies can mechanically transmit Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, the cause of pigeon fever.” (More about that later.)

Leptospirosis is also on the move.

“We’re currently doing a study on equine leptospirosis at the University of Kentucky,” Dr. Carter says. “Interestingly, the horse is the only domestic animal that gets infected by lepto that doesn’t have a vaccine. Somehow it’s considered a ‘Kentucky’ problem. But our research team is seeing high blood titers (indicating exposure to the bacteria) all over the country.”

Leptospires are one cause of equine recurrent uveitis, an eye inflammation that eventually can cause blindness; lepto also can cause abortion in broodmares. “It’s a multi-species disease,” explains Dr. Carter. “Horses, cattle, dogs, and other animals pick it up from rodent urine in grass, contaminated hay, and other things in the environment. The Leptospira bacteria bore through the mucous membranes and infect the animal.” Outbreaks seem to follow wet years.

“Last year, Kentucky had the highest rainfall on record. We had 67" of rain; normal is about 40",” says Dr. Carter. “That’s resulting in a high prevalence of lepto this year. In 2006, another very wet year, we had 41 abortions confirmed in our lab alone, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. Yes, we predict 2012 will be another big lepto/abortion year.”

The economic impact on Kentucky farms alone is huge.

“In 2006, we attempted to trace back all the lepto abortions confirmed in our lab. We were only able to get good data from 20 of the affected farms. The value of the foals lost on those farms was $3.5 million. We can’t estimate the economic damage and suffering related to the uveitis syndrome. Again, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“We need more funding for research to better understand the epidemiology of this disease,” he states. “But we’re not going to give up until we have a vaccine for the horse.”

Dr. Carter says a recent graduate-student study at the University of Kentucky demonstrated that infected horses may be a risk factor for humans.

“Leptospirosis affects the kidneys in humans and can be fatal,” he says. “It’s a worldwide issue—it’s one of the most prevalent zoonotic (spreads to humans) diseases seen around the world.”

Unusual weather makes disease a moving target for veterinarians.

“Take equine herpes virus, a neurological disease that can be fatal, and one that’s highly contagious,” Dr. Carter continues. “It tends to follow cold-weather stress, which causes a horse’s immune system to be suppressed. EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis), another neurological disease, has also been associated with cold stress. When a cold snap hits areas where horses aren’t used to it, they get stressed until they acclimate. They can come down with just about anything.”

On the May 2012 Health page, we offered some tips on how to manage your pastures to thwart worms. To learn more about new approaches to deworming, keep reading.

Internal parasites can be a critical threat to your horse’s health. In recent years, reports of parasite resistance to common deworming medications have caused experts to rethink standard strategies for parasite control. We asked our consulting veterinarian, Dr. Barb Crabbe (author of The Comprehensive Guide to Equine Veterinary Medicine, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.), to answer common questions and share her own practice’s approach to the problem. Here’s what she told us.

What has caused changes to deworming strategies? Over the last two decades, a number of different types of parasite populations have changed in ways that alter how those parasites respond to medications. Species of worms such as the small strongyle and tapeworm, for example, have become more problematic, while others, such as the large strongyle, have become less so.

In addition, widespread use of deworming drugs has led to resistance within some of these parasite populations. It is true that the deworming ingredients ivermectin and moxidectin remain effective against most classes of parasites, with very little reported resistance to date.

Still, if we overuse these medications in our environment, we risk encouraging the development of resistance in these drugs, too. The same is true for praziquantel, the medication most effective for treating tapeworms.

So what is the solution to avoiding resistance? Monitor your horse’s parasite load using fecal egg counts on manure samples, so you can target dewormers more effectively and not overuse them.

My practice’s approach is designed to avoid overusing the still-effective dewormers. It also identifies resistant horses (which harbor larger numbers of parasites than others and may be more resistant to deworming medications), plus monitors whether overall resistance is developing on a farm. Fecal egg counts are the key to achieving all these goals.

How does that approach work in practice? Our schedule calls for regular dewormings twice yearly, in the spring and fall. In, say, March or April, we deworm all horses on a farm with a product that contains moxidectin/praziquantel. In September or October, we use ivermectin.

We check fecal egg counts on all horses before the dewormings, then do a follow-up check—and additional deworming if needed—on any horses with an EPG (eggs per gram) higher than 200 prior to the initial deworming.

Then, in summer and winter, we check fecal egg counts again, administering a dewormer only to any horses with EPGs over 200, with the choice of product determined by the fecal exam. Once a farm is stable for a couple of years (no horses moving in or out) and we know from testing that there are no “high shedders” (horses with high parasite loads), then we drop the summer/winter fecal counts.

Why routinely deworm in spring and fall, instead of deworming only according to the EPGs? A for-sure deworming twice a year does three important things: It helps protect against possible false-negative fecal tests; it takes care of larvae that may not be shedding eggs at the time of the test; and it treats for bots.

Isn’t it expensive to do all those fecal egg counts? Managing your deworming program with fecal egg counts costs about the same each year as interval deworming programs—the cost of lab testing replaces the cost of administering unnecessary chemicals to your horses. Moreover, getting together with other horse owners for group-testing “parties” can further reduce the expense.

What about the daily deworming strategy? In many situations, daily deworming with a pyrantel product is still a great strategy. Although some resistance to pyrantel has been reported, it’s not necessarily more likely to develop in horses receiving daily doses. In fact, there’s more resistance to pyrantel reported in European countries where daily dewormers aren’t in use, than there has been here in the U.S. The advantage to daily deworming is that it reduces the overall numbers of eggs shed by individual horses, and can thereby help minimize pasture contamination.

In the May 2012 issue, we shared with you how to set—and achieve—your riding goals. Sometimes when working toward a goal, riders hit a plateau. Check out these 7 tips to ride it out.

Plateau: The perceived inability to move forward when learning a new skill.

Based on “please, help me!” questions and other forms of reader feedback, this is how many horse owners regard a riding or training plateau—as a place where one gets stuck. Frustratingly stuck.

But what if you could experience a plateau from a different perspective? Rather than treating it like a negative, discouraging spell in your riding, why not spin that around and see it as an opportunity for improvement? A chance to work with your horse to better understand each other to reach a goal?

Here, with input from a pro with experience guiding aspiring riders up the achievement stairway, we’ll define what a plateau is and isn’t, and offer seven tactics that will help you and your horse off a plateau and back on your way toward reaching your goals.

What a plateau is
Whether experienced in athletics, education, personal relationships, or elsewhere, plateaus are universal facts of life. The key past frustration lies in seeing a plateau for what it is:

• A chance to brush up on foundation skills to ensure that the needed building blocks are in place for improvement.
• An opportunity to work toward a well-defined goal.
• A time to refine and finesse the nuances of your riding.
• A chance to learn about yourself and your horse.

Embrace the plateau and realize that on the plateau is when real improvement occurs—for both you and your horse. Set an attainable goal, develop a vision to reach it, and then start working. Move slowly in the right direction, and be sure that all of your actions support the end goal. (Example: If your goal is to improve your horse’s lope, you aren’t likely to achieve it by devoting most of each training session to the jog.)

When you get there, you might call it a breakthrough, but, in fact, you’ve been working toward that end all along, taking baby steps that led you to achieving your goal.

What a plateau isn't
Don’t get bogged down in seeing a plateau as a source of frustration and even boredom. A plateau isn’t:

• A place that you and your horse are stuck and can’t get past.
• Something you can “bust through” or rush to get through.
• A time to give up.

If you focus on this negative view of a plateau, you run the risk of getting burned out and rushing your horse for results. This can lead to resentment between you and your horse, and even to injury.

To get back on a positive track, use any of the seven improvement tactics suggested below.

1. Step Back to Go Forward
Improvement tactic: Return to the basics of your horse’s training.

Why it works: When something isn’t working as you attempt to advance with your horse, it’s likely that one or more elements of his foundational training needs tuning. Before you can successfully move forward in building a reliable, solid mount, all the basics must be solid.

For example, if you’re having trouble backing your horse in a straight line, go back and examine your ability to move and control each of his four corners (both shoulders and hips). Your horse’s ability to back straight is only as good as your ability to isolate and move those individual corners. Maybe he doesn’t yield his right shoulder well or is stiffer in one hip than the other. Improve these areas, and your back-ups will improve as well.

2 Cross-Train Your Brain
Improvement tactic: Read a book or watch a DVD, but think outside the box when choosing it.

Why it works: Books and DVDs are chock full of information. Not only that, they’re something you can study almost anytime, and without trailering to a lesson.

To get the most out of them, think critically when choosing which one you read or watch. Let’s say you want to improve your Western riding patterns. Reading a book or watching a DVD about Western riding might offer some new insight while reiterating what you already know. That’s fine, but why not think critically and choose a discipline that’s tangentially related, so you can learn something new? Choose a dressage book or DVD and apply its techniques to your own training methods.

For example, Western riding calls for flying lead changes that require your horse to demonstrate suppleness, balance, and straightness. Dressage exercises develop those skills in the horse so he can perform those advanced maneuvers.

3 Go to Class
Improvement tactic: Attend a clinic-as an auditor if you're not able to participate as a rider.

Why it works: Auditing a clinic is a cost-effective way to learn and gives you some unique opportunities. You can closely watch other riders and really listen to questions and answers without the distraction of your own horse.

Obviously, if you ride in a clinic, your issues will get special attention from the presenter. Either way, watch the expert closely to give yourself a better picture of where you’re headed. If you’re not sure whose clinic to attend, ask other horsemen who you respect whom they admire and would want to learn from.

4. Switch Horses
Improvement tactic: Ride someone else’s horse.

Why it works: Think about the professional riders whom you admire. They ride a variety of horses every single day. This automatically hones their riding skills as they compare and adapt from one horse to another. This tactic of riding more than one horse can work for you as well.

Ideally, ride a horse that’s better-trained than your own. Riding an advanced horse gives you a feel for what a maneuver is supposed be like, which you can apply to your own mount. Having a first-hand understanding of how what you’re working toward feels can make all the difference. But you can also learn from a horse that’s not as far along as yours. At the very least, you’ll come away with an appreciation for what you have taught your horse so far.

5. Employ Fresh Eyes
Improvement tactic: Take a lesson from a trainer or other instructor who’s new to you.

Why it works: You can elicit a light-bulb moment simply by having another set of eyes look at you, your horse, and what you’re doing. The trainer/teacher might address the exact same problems other trainers, books, or DVDs have covered, but in a different way that speaks to you on a different level. Or he/she might see a problem that’s gone unidentified by others who’ve tried to help you.

If it’s not feasible for you to haul to or pay for a lesson, don’t fall into the excuse trap of “I can’t.” Get creative on your own behalf. Some ideas: Look into instructors who might be willing to travel to you. Ask a friend if you can observe one of her lessons. Have someone video your riding, and then post the result for comments via your favorite social media.

6. Seek Balance
Improvement tactic: Carefully manage your work/play balance.

Why it works: Over-training and under-training both lead to burnout and boredom. Committed practice is important, but be sure to balance it with healthy breaks.

How you define a break is up to you. Maybe you go for a quiet, relaxing trail ride after—or instead of—an intense training session. Or perhaps you need some time away from the barn. Figure out what gives both you and your horse time to take a deep breath and relax mentally and physically.

7. Lighten Up
Improvement tactic: Enjoy the process and the journey.

Why it works: When you get completely wrapped up in getting to the end goal, you might miss things your horse is telling you, such as when he reveals holes in his basic training (see No. 1). Furthermore, tunnel vision eliminates your ability to identify other ways to reach your goals, leaving you stuck

Have a vision and set a goal, but don’t try to push toward it too quickly at any cost. That can lead to injury, burnout, and frustration for both you and your horse. Instead, take your time, pay close attention to your horse’s and your own actions, figure out what will work best for you both, and enjoy the learning process. The next time you find yourself in a rut, you’ll rely on the experience you gained getting off this riding plateau to move forward again.

Don't Call it A Breakthrough
“People will work on something for a long time and feel like they’re grinding away every day,” says trainer Carol Dal Porto, Brentwood, Calif. “They don’t think they’re getting it. They think they’re stuck. Suddenly one day, they get it! They think it’s a breakthrough! but, in my experience, the breakthrough didn’t happen on that single day with that single ride. All the practice on the plateau solidified the horse and rider’s skills. if you’re working toward something every day, you know that something great is bound to happen.”

The editors thank Carol Dal Porto for contributing insight to this article. Carol and her husband, Steve, run Dal Porto ranch in Brentwood, California, where they’ve trained multiple open, amateur, and youth champions across many breeds.