MINDING YOUR WAY TO BETTER REINING PERFORMANCES
by Sherman Tegtmeier with Kimberly Beer
When horse, rider and arena dirt meld effortlessly into one entity during a well executed
sliding stop it will take your breath away. Just watching a well performed reining pattern will make you crave the ability to create that magic with your own horse. As you know, however - it ain't as easy as it looks. This challenge is part of what makes reining so much fun for such a broad range of riders. The trick in rising to the occasion is found in minding your horse's daily performance in the practice pen and in minding your role as rider. Your horse's success depends on your ability to know not only what needs to get done but how to do it.
It's very hard to reach a destination if you don't know exactly where you're going, so the first step is to make an achievable, stepby- step plan for you and your horse. Examine your goals carefully - are they in line with the abilities of your horse and y o u r s e l f ?
Acknowledge up front if any of your goals may be problematic - or even impossible - and be very realistic in your expectations. Once you have considered your options carefully, take out a piece of paper and write down your long term goal - something you want to accomplish within the next year. Post this in your feed room so it will be a reminder of not only why you're feeding your horse but that nourishing his abilities is just as important as nourishing his body.
Next, break down your goals into a long term plan by noting the steps you will need to take to reach them. If you're wanting to progress from rookie to non-pro, for example, you might want to note that you'll need to really refine your stops and spins. Whatever you think it's going to take, write it down. Make it detailed, specific and honest.
Now that you have an idea where you're going, it's time to map out a route to get there. Take each step in your plan and make a lesson plan for your horse. Using index cards, write down the specifics of the drills and practice maneuvers that will help you build each step in your long term plan. Carry your cards with you when you ride and use them to keep yourself focused on the task at hand.
Even with the best of plans, you will encounter problems that seemingly have no solution and halt your progress. Instead of getting discouraged when this happens, step back and re-examine what you're doing. Take a good long look at your riding - are you calling the shots or are you letting your horse do the thinking? Always actively ride your horse. If you're not getting the response you want, keep trying until you do. If you're still not making progress, consider getting help from a professional trainer.
As you progress along on the journey to reach your primary goal, it is important to mark your progress - both daily and long term. Make notes on the back of your index cards indicating the positives and negatives from a workout. Use your notes to determine if you need to modify your plan as well as to determine what and how much you need to ask of your horse the next time you workout. To keep track of your overall progress, copy your show videos off onto one tape in chronological order as well as have a friend come over and video your practices on occasion. When you watch your runs one after the other, you should be able to readily see the progress of your horse from start to current as well as pinpoint problem areas that need more
work.
Sherman Tegtmeier is a professional performance horse trainer located in Southeastern Nebraska. He actively trains and competes with toplevel reining horses as well as coaches green, rookie, and non-pro reining enthusiasts. Sherman holds numerous regional and world championship performance horse titles.
Kimberly Beer is an award winning photographer and writer from Adrian, Missouri. She is owner of Midnight Productions, Inc., a small company devoted to providing creative publishing and marketing services to the equine industrySherman and Kim are currentlyworking together on a video series thatwill help green, rookie, and non-proreining enthusiasts improve their riding skills as well as further the abilities of their horses. The first titles of the series are available online now at either www.nereiner.com or www.midnightprographics.com
