Youth Connections

To all the youth riders out there – if you didn’t make it to last year’s youth camp, consider registering for our 2007 youth camp July 10–12.Davalee and Marcia develop the camp activities around concepts of partnering and leadership, not only with horses but also when campers interact with each other. Camp starts with the Pledge of Allegiance and orientation under the picnic tent. Campers are assigned partners from day one to help facilitate cooperation and a spirit of camaraderie. Campers also are engaged into conversations about expectations, safety and what constitutes good horsemanship. Marcia demonstrates the basics of proper equitation, and Davalee speaks on building character and other interpersonal skills.

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Patterns: A Great Training Tool

Pattern work is an integral part of horsemanship. Patterns teach both horse and rider a myriad of skills and can easily be modified according to ability. I like to incorporate pattern practice with all my clients; not only for those who show and will be inevitably asked to perform pattern work, but also for those who are working toward establishing a deeper level of connection and control with their horses. Below are three skill levels and a rationale for using pattern work at each level.

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The Art of Lunging

​Last summer, MM Training instructors focused a good portion of ground training lessons on teaching our students correct lunging techniques. Through the years, we have found that lunging can be such a great training tool for horse and handler. Handlers can learn some skills that will improve their overall horsemanship, and the horse can learn a number of maneuvers to add to its future training success under saddle. Lunging is not an easy exercise to perform, nor is it easy to teach. But, as instruc-tors, we felt that we needed to address lunging in more depth because we saw so many people lunging their horses incorrectly. If you don’t lunge correctly, you will never reap the rewards that proper lunging can bring to you and your horse.

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Horses: A Cure For What Ails You

Have you ever had a headache that lasted all day, no matter what you did, yet it miraculously disappeared almost as soon as you stepped foot into the barn? Or have you ever struggled with your emotions and been so depressed you can’t see a way through it until after you’ve gone riding?If these scenarios sound familiar, you are probably aware of the special healing properties of the horse. Horses can connect with people in ways that often seem super natural. They seem to innately know where a person’s weak spot is and provide a source of intangible support to help that person overcome it.

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Solving People Problems With Horse Training Logic

At MM Training and Consulting, our expertise is foundational training for horse and rider. In addition to our comprehensive riding/training program, I also believe that we offer our clients a unique gift. This gift is using the concept of horse training logic to solve people problems. Many may think this type of problem solving is just too simple for complicated people problems, but I’m convinced that many people problems are perceived to be much more difficult than they really are.

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