Rod has trained winning horses in both Barrels and Reining,
He is also an NRHA Judge
The developer of Performance Horse Development
President of the International Performance Horse Development Assoc.
"BARN 9 PROMOTIONS"
click that link for the page to download the book.
Excerpts from the Book "Training the Unnatural Horse"
This book is a not a training manual for the natural horse, it is a book about developing a different understanding about how horses work and how we can develop them to be better athletes.
In this book we will look at how the top horses work and why and how they can do what they do. Then we will look at ways to develop those missing traits into other horses by developing better balance.
I want to thank Karen Brown who helped with editing and content clarification questions, She made me think about being clear in what I said. I hope that clarity will show up in the book and help with readers understanding what I am saying if not agreeing
IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE!
From "Training the Unnatural Horse"
Developing a winning balance in horses that are not naturally balanced enough to win!
Horses are Forgiving, People are Impatient.
A soft response regardless of the amount of contact will develop a horses balance better than a light reaction. (See the ”soft versus light” explanation.) When riding, think balance, and everything gets better.
Like I said earlier, the learning progression of PHD is one that can be traveled together with a horse and rider. The hard part is keeping the rider focused and not going off looking for short cuts; the horse will always be ready to listen
From Training the Unnatural Horse!
To win, you must please a judge in many events. Each of the events mentioned in the chapter “Along Came a Cowboy” has evolved over time to what they are today because exhibitors were trying to please a judge. Most of the changes have been good ones for modern day exhibitors. There have been a few changes, however, that have become controversial, and I believe those were mainly due to exhibitors trying to please a judge.
Trends start because exhibitors watch what wins. If judges pick a few terms from the judging criteria to focus on based on their preferences and experiences, soon you have a trend. So when the slowest horse in the class wins a western pleasure class at a large show, many exhibitors only see that the slowest horse won. They don’t take into consideration the horse’s overall balance and ability to go forward with flowing, relaxed strides. So the next year, the judges have not only the naturally slow movers to judge, they also have the manufactured slow movers with the horses dumped on their front ends.
This book is a not a training manual for the natural horse, it is a book about developing a different understanding about how horses work and how we can develop them to be better athletes.
In this book we will look at how the top horses work and why and how they can do what they do. Then we will look at ways to develop those missing traits into other horses by developing better balance.
I want to thank Karen Brown who helped with editing and content clarification questions, She made me think about being clear in what I said. I hope that clarity will show up in the book and help with readers understanding what I am saying if not agreeing
IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE!
From "Training the Unnatural Horse"
Developing a winning balance in horses that are not naturally balanced enough to win!
Horses are Forgiving, People are Impatient.
A soft response regardless of the amount of contact will develop a horses balance better than a light reaction. (See the ”soft versus light” explanation.) When riding, think balance, and everything gets better.
Like I said earlier, the learning progression of PHD is one that can be traveled together with a horse and rider. The hard part is keeping the rider focused and not going off looking for short cuts; the horse will always be ready to listen
From Training the Unnatural Horse!
To win, you must please a judge in many events. Each of the events mentioned in the chapter “Along Came a Cowboy” has evolved over time to what they are today because exhibitors were trying to please a judge. Most of the changes have been good ones for modern day exhibitors. There have been a few changes, however, that have become controversial, and I believe those were mainly due to exhibitors trying to please a judge.
Trends start because exhibitors watch what wins. If judges pick a few terms from the judging criteria to focus on based on their preferences and experiences, soon you have a trend. So when the slowest horse in the class wins a western pleasure class at a large show, many exhibitors only see that the slowest horse won. They don’t take into consideration the horse’s overall balance and ability to go forward with flowing, relaxed strides. So the next year, the judges have not only the naturally slow movers to judge, they also have the manufactured slow movers with the horses dumped on their front ends.
