Trail Horse Obstacles - Cowboy Curtain

If you have never watched Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Competition or his Old Time Cowboy Competition, then you are missing a great show. If you can't make it to a competition near you, RFD TV shows it from time to time, or go to the web site: http://www.extremecowboyassociation.com/

I mention this because I replicated one of the obstacles, known as the Cowboy Curtain, to work my horses through making them better trail horses.

This is nothing more than a frame of 4x4 posts anchored into the ground with pieces of rope hanging from the top to create a curtain and something a horse will be uncomfortable going through, giving your horse another chance to figure things out and give him some confidence.

You can make a easy Cowboy Curtain by simply hanging yellow caution tape or rope from a bow gate and let your horse work through it. I'd be careful about how you hang the rope. You don't want anything catching on your horse, saddle or you as you move through it, nor do you want the ropes long enough for the horse to step on, as it could pull down your frame depending upon how things are anchored or hung, or just simply cause a wreck. Safe Journey.

Horse Training – Warming up the Trail Horse

I think it’s important to warm up your horse before you take him out on the trail. I simple few minutes in the round pen or on a lunge line will help not only warm up the horse, but get him listening to you.

Lunging your horse in a round pen isn’t going to tire him out and get the buck outa him,….the idea is to re-establish that you are the leader and you do that by pushing him through several gaits, changing directions and focus the horse onto listening to you, and, your verbal and non-verbal clues.

It also gives you a chance to catch problems such as beginning lameness before you take him away from home of the barn.

When I warm up a horse I ask him to walk in both direction a couple circles, then jog, then I ask him for a slow lope. I’m checking his attitude, looking for him paying attention to me – if so, he won’t be distracted and he’ll keep his inside ear pointed towards me.

Some times when I’m short of time, I’ll pull several horses one at a time and give them a short workout in the round pen. This way each and every time they go the round pen won’t be followed by a long ride. I think this keeps their minds fresh and changes up their routine for the better.

I have received two recent e-mails about lunging horses and I will soon (hopefully) cut a couple short videos on lunging in the round pen. The intent of the following video is just to focus on warming up a horse for the trail and is one of several videos and posts I will be doing to emphasize preparing a horse for the trail. Watch the video below and see if you can pick out how Junior moves. Look for his inside ear focused on me and see how he slows or speeds his momentum or turns as my body position changes in relation to his.