I am twelve-years-old and just rode in my first ACTHA ride. It was a two-day CTC and I really liked it. I got to ride with my older sister and we had a blast. The obstacles were really fun, especially the water crossing. And, we got to see wild hogs out on the trail. I won first place both days, and won my very first belt buckle. It's so cool. My little sister also just started with ACTHA, but she was sick and couldn't do this ride. I can't wait for the next ride so both of my sisters and I can ride together.
––Bridger Jesse, Florida
Well, I do that too, but what I’m talking about is having your horse so loose and supple that bending through obstacles like the trot weave, well, you make it look slicker than a greasy tooth. Not only that, but when everyone sees your trot transition obstacle and all your lateral obstacles, they think when God said, “Let there be light,” you hit the switch. None of it can happen without supple horses.
How do you make that happen? It could be a variety of techniques you use, but first it has to be coupled with an understanding from you on how it impacts your horse and your riding.
With that adventure in mind, Thunder and I were off like a herd of turtles.
This ex-racehorse named Thunder had obviously turned over a new leaf, and sworn off speed. Maybe they should have named him “Thud” ‘cause there didn’t seem to be any “Thunder” left.”
ACTHA Monthly | 13
As he traveled around me on the lunge line in snoozer mode, I evaluated his listening skills by asking for a slight acceleration by pointing the coiled lunge line in my hand towards his hip (something very basic)—a lengthening transition within the gait. His reply to my request was no real surprise; there was no response, and no expectations of giving one. I thought to myself, “OK, there’s a candle in the window, but nobody’s home.”
For riding purposes, teaching the horse to carry itself in a specific frame requires an engaged inside hind leg. That just means the inside hind steps more forward. To begin teaching lunging with any horse is simple. Horses do not naturally bend on the circle, they lean in because they don’t know how to bring their inside hind forward, and movement becomes a scramble. So, bending the horse around you in a circle, over time, by engagement of the inside hind leg, helps to teach them to carry equal weight on all the legs more evenly—bringing balanced movement and less scrambled movement to any obstacle, or endeavor, you
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Rein Photography