Table of contents for Practical Horseman Extra Volume 26 in Practical Horseman

When deciding how to pin hunter classes, judges ask themselves, “Which of these horses would I most like to ride?” With rounds lasting only 90 to 120 seconds, there’s not much time to demonstrate that your horse is the answer to that question. From the moment you enter the ring to the moment you leave, your performance must exude ease and confidence. Communication between you and your horse should be nearly invisible. Nothing should distract the judge’s attention from his round. In fact, the best riders seem to melt into the scenery—all you notice is the horse. Exceptional hunter riders allow the horse’s expression to come through so every obstacle he meets is simple, forward and enjoyable to watch. How do you produce a round like this? By making a…

Hunter rider, trainer and U.S. Equestrian Federation ‘R’ judge Tom Brennan began his successful career winning two individual championship titles at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Nationals and captaining his Stonehill College team to the IHSA championship title in 2002–03. He then joined Tony Workman’s training business, Winter Hill Farm, in Hillsboro, Virginia, as a groom and worked his way up to co-trainer. Along the way, clients such as Lynn Rice helped to partner him with talented horses in the show ring. He qualified for Indoors for the first time on Dividend, then rode Gramercy Park and Purple Heart to multiple major championships. In 2012, Gramercy Park was named the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program Hunter of the Year and Tom was named the WCHR National Emerging Professional Champion.…

Reducing your horse’s risk of skin problems is as easy as cleaning his brushes. Just a few minutes spent sanitizing your grooming tools can help prevent the spread of rain rot, ringworm and other bacterial or fungal skin infections. Follow these four steps at least twice a year.  1 Vacuum. Use the hand tool of your vacuum to suck as much dirt as you can from the base of the brushes. This will make the subsequent steps more effective.  2 Wash. Dunk each brush in warm water and equine shampoo. Add a teaspoon of equine shampoo to a standard 20-quart water bucket, swish the brushes around a bit and let them soak for a few minutes. As the dirt lifts from the brushes, the water will turn brown; change the…

To begin a round with confidence, make sure you have done your homework, arrived early enough to learn the course and discussed your ride with your trainer. The more times you can get in the show ring, the better your nerves will be. If you are not able to show frequently, find ways to mimic a competition scenario at home or at a friend’s farm. Set up a course in the ring and put a few warm-up jumps in another ring or adjoining paddock. Warm up in this separate area just as you would for a show, then walk into the ring and ride the course as if you were at a horse show with nobody talking you through it. Jump the course just once and tell yourself to live…