Reining Essentials

Book excerpt: World Champion trainer and rider Sandy Collier provides this indispensable guide of progressive training exercises for the reining horse. Whether green broke, or "push-button," every horse will perform more willingly, cleanly, and quickly with work on what she calls the "Seven Essentials"—the foundational basics every riding horse needs. Like no other book out there, Collier breaks down the maneuvers required in a reining pattern and the tricks and techniques for introducing them, perfecting them, and showing them off in competition. You'll learn about: • Collection and steering—condensing your horse's frame and getting his feet to follow his nose • Lead departures, circles, and spins—preparing for the lope, "hunting the circle," and driving into the spin • Stops, back-ups, and rollbacks—perfecting the slide, moving backward with cadence, and swinging around 180 degrees over the hocks • Lead changes—getting it right and preventing anticipation