The Horse Training Problem Solver: Your Questions Answered about Gaits, Ground Work, and Attitude in the Arena and on the Trail »

Jessica Jahiel an internationally renowned as a lecturer, clinician, and award-winning author who answers equine-related questions in her online newsletter, Horse-Sense. She also responds to questions about horse behavior, riding matters, and anything else readers want to discuss in such magazines as Horse & Rider, Equus, and Dressage Today, as well as in her best-selling books The Horse Behavior Problem Solver and The Rider's Problem Solver. Jessica lives in Sidney, Illinois.

Training a horse brings an array of vexing challenges. What should a rider do with a horse who just won't listen? What about the horse who quickly tires, or becomes cranky during training? And there are horses who behave well in the presence of an instructor, but — maddeningly — never while alone with the rider. Situations like these can leave even the most enthusiastic equestrian feeling discouraged, frustrated, and even downright helpless.

Jessica Jahiel comes to the rescue with The Horse Training Problem Solver, the third title in her popular Problem Solver series. In her informal yet informative style, Jahiel offers sensible answers to riders' most common training challenges. In a handy, accessible Q&A format, Jahiel uses real-life case studies to bring troublesome situations to life and then solves the problems with tested, proven solutions.

The book's combination of basic training theory, effective solutions, and handy tips and strategies will help riders get the most out of every training session. Best of all, Jahiel breaks down training goals — from simple commands like "whoa" and "go" to complex transitions and ring figures — into simple building blocks, logical to both horse and human. Riders will begin to gain their animal's trust, develop realistic expectations, stay focused, and engage in effective two-way communication, ultimately resulting in a happier, better-trained, more enjoyable horse.

For the millions of Americans who show, train, or own horses — including the steady, growing market of first-time horse owners — The Horse Training Problem Solver is an indispensable reference. It willdemystify horse training, improve the horse-rider relationship, and ensure a more satisfying experience for both horse and rider.

Foreword   Cherry Hill     viii
Preface     ix
Basic Training
Thoughts on Training     2
Timetables, Watches, and Egos
Could I Train My Own Horse?
Learn Your Horse, Then Train Your Horse
Confused by Training Scale
Quick Comparison: Discipline and Punishment
When Is Punishment Appropriate?
Disagree on Discipline
Dealing with Resistances
"Natural" Trainer and Untrainable Horse?
Training from the Ground     26
How Do I Teach Ground Manners?
Leading an Excited Young Filly
Teaching to Tie
Teaching Horse to Lower Head on Cue
Picking Up My Mustang's Feet
Young Horses and Longe Training
Longeing and Voice Commands
Why Would Circles Be Stressful?
Round-Pen Size for Training
Trailer-Training
Clicker and Target Training
Training from the Saddle: Whoa and Go     56
Mounting for the First Time - Too Soon?
Mounting with a Helper
Worried about Our First Solo Ride
Rein-back Frustration: "Pressure and Release" Isn't Working!
Slack Rein, Gentle Contact?
Training at the Walk     72
What Ruins the Walk?
Can a Short Walk Stride Be Improved?
Mare's Walk Isn't Four-Beat!
Event Prospect Has Hurried Walk
Great Trot, Comfy Canter, Bad Walk
Training at the Trot     86
Young Horse with Jackhammer Trot
How Long to Improve a Rough Trot?
Tossing Head on Circle
Repairing a "Draw Reins Trot"
Will Rhythm Beads Help My Horse's Trot?
Training at the Canter     97
First Canter
HowCan I Teach My Horse to Canter?
Canter Leads
Horse Won't Take Left Canter Lead
Horse Anxious about Cantering
Older Horse with Flat, Fast Canter
Flying Changes: Timing the Aids
Training over Fences     116
Jumping Training and Rider Position
Teaching a Horse to Jump
Jumping Terrifying Ditches
Is Eventing Useful Training for Show Hunters?
What's a Five-Stride Line Exercise?
Need Help with Grids
Inside and Outside the Arena
Working on Transitions     134
Horrible Trot-Walk Transitions
Horse Falls from Canter into Trot
Difficult Transition: Trot to Canter
Mare Puts Her Head Up
Picking Up the Canter from the Walk
Want a Smooth Canter Depart
Transitions within the Gaits
Lateral Work: Suppling and Softening     150
Softening a Stiff Horse
Horse Doesn't Yield to Leg Pressure
Too Much Turn on the Forehand?
When to Teach Leg-Yield
Whys and Hows of Shoulder-In
Introducing Lateral Work to Young School Horse
Turn on the Haunches
I Can't Get My Horse to Do Haunches-In
Lateral Work: What's the Training Order?
The Great Outdoors     174
Training for Trails
Spooky Horse Has Short Attention Span
Training a Horse to Neck-Rein
Can Trail Riding Improve Gaits?
Working on a Slope
Help for Young Horse Bucking
Horse Wants to Graze under Saddle
Horse Misbehaves on Trails
Bringing a Horse's Back Up
Connection, Roundness, and Collection     196
Making a Horse Round
Helping My Mare Use Her Hindquarters Better
Heavy on the Forehand
Lightening Eventer's Forehand
Frustration: Horse Won't Collect
"Holding a Horse Collected"
How Can I Collect and Extend My Horse's Stride?
Training Tools
The Rider's Brain     218
"Instant Training" at Clinics - Can It Work?
"Name" Training Programs
Does My Horse Know When I'm Training Him?
Telepathic Training?
"Hi, I'm Star and I'm Going to Be Your Horse Today"
Patience, Persistence, and Praise
Will My Horse Forget Her Training?
Training Equipment: Metal and Leather     235
Confused by Different Types of Side Reins
Cantering in Side Reins
Okay to Longe a Three Year Old in Side Reins?
Using a Neck Stretcher Chains for Handling and Training?
Crank Cavesson
Draw Reins
Adjusting Bit Position
What Is the Purpose of a Flash Noseband?
Will a Noseband Help My Horse Collect?
Persistent Leg Pressure or Whip?
Baroque Horse Resists Bit and Bend
Longeing, Warm-ups, and Your Horse's Training     266
Longeing and Warming Up
What's What?
Warming Up
What to Do
Double Warm-up?
Warming Up - Effect on Training
Using the Arena
Learning to Longe My Horse
Horse Turns to Face Me on the Longe Line
Young Horses and Longe Training
Longeing and Voice Commands
Persuading Horse to Stretch on the Longe
Training and Retraining at All Ages
Age-Appropriate Training     288
Starting and Backing - What's the Difference?
My New Foal: A Starting-to-Backing Program
Haltering and Leading a Foal
What's the Problem with My Yearling?
What to Do with My Two Year Olds?
What Is "Light Riding" for a Three Year Old?
Bits, Signals, and a Three-Year-Old Horse
Stopping from the Bit
Four-Year-Old Horses: Different Breeds, Different
Expectations
Big Green Horse Insensitive?
Does Time Off Hurt a Horse's Training?
Retraining the Abused or Confused Horse     317
Training Is Slow, Damage Is Fast
Fixing Young Horse after a Traumatic Week
"Advanced" Horse Needs to Start Over
Restarting a Mature Horse
Retraining an Abused Mare
Retraining a Saddlebred for Dressage
"Dead-Mouthed" Horse
Retraining after Spur Abuse
Is It Too Late to Retrain My Horse?
Retraining the Ex-Racehorse     346
Tips for Dealing with Ex-Racehorses
Off-the-Track Mare with Bad Attitude
Am I Spoiling My Ex-Racehorse?
Reschooling Ex-Racehorse for Dressage
Jumping My Ex-Racehorse
Helping Ex-Racehorse to Bend and Stretch
Standardbred Stiff after Workout
Specific Situations     366
Symptoms, Causes, and Asking the Right Questions
My Horse Hates the Ring - What Can I Do?
Sheath Noises = Tense Horse?
Can I Train My Horse to Urinate?
Stiff Horse: Is It an Attitude?
Talking during Dressage Test
Carrying the Flag
Philosophy of Problem Solving
Glossary     388
Recommended Reading     393
Appendix     394
Index     395