Confusion is an emotion that we do not always allow our horses to feel. When you work with your horse, think about the horse as being always right. Most horses want to please us, so when they respond to a cue, they respond the way they think we want them to.

The Painted Warriors Horseback Riding Backcountry Boot Camp is all about building skills and independence in riders of all levels. The five-day camp is one of a variety of horse- and nature-based programs offered at Painted Warriors Ranch, located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies about an hour-and-a-half northwest of Calgary, Alberta. Painted Warriors creates authentic outdoor experiences from an Indigenous perspective, based on co-owner Tracey Klettl’s Cree and Mohawk heritage and on the Ojibway heritage of her partner and business co-owner, Tim Mearns.

Fine horses and Fair-Minded Riders – Modern Vaquero Horsemanship by JuliAnna Ávila is a love letter written to a long-standing tradition of Vaquero horsemanship, as it finds its way through the new world of easy-access information.

Keys to an effective horse training session. I’ve trained a lot of horses. After nailing up my sign as a “professional horse trainer” several decades ago, I learned quickly that overhead is high in the horse business so you’d better make some hay if you’re going to pay your bills. Consequently, I rode many horses each day, breaking young ones and tuning up show horses.