In my younger, tougher years, I was content to ride through almost any weather conditions. Riding was not just something I enjoyed; it was how I earned my living, and that sense of responsibility often outweighed comfort. Looking back, obligation frequently replaced enjoyment. As the years have passed, however, I have become much more of a fair-weather rider — or, at the very least, someone who no longer seeks out extreme conditions.

The timeline for training a horse varies widely—both between individual horses and the people working with them. In my experience as a trainer, I firmly believe that slowing down the process actually accelerates learning. Horses not only absorb information more efficiently, but they also gain confidence in the process. Confidence, or lack thereof, plays a major role in how steadily a horse progresses through training.

The popularity of obstacle disciplines is growing. These include Working Equitation, Mountain Trail, Show Trail, Ranch Trail, and Extreme Cowboy. Riders tell me the appeal of obstacles is a change and challenge from dressage circles or the Western pleasure rail. Others are opting out of jumping for a less risky challenge. An eventing coach friend calls Working Equitation her “Senior Eventing” — the three-phase format with the precision of obstacles in place of jumps, and yet with the fun of a speed phase. Many obstacle events offer in-hand options so folks can get out with younger horses not yet ready for ridden obstacles.

Wrong lead, reposition, relaunch. It’s the two-strides-forward, one-stride-back process of learning leads for riders and their horses. Fast forward a year down the road to see the same rider who once dreaded hearing “Wrong lead!” from her coach now initiating the wrong lead …on purpose. Why? She’s discovered the counter-canter as an essential tool in building a solid training foundation for her horse