Over, Under, Through: Obstacle Training for Horses: 50 Effective, Step-by-Step Exercises for Every Rider. This item is unavailable.Over, Under, Through: Obstacle Training for Horses: 50 Effective, Step-by-Step Exercises for Every Rider

Because of the innate prey-animal fear in horses, and because their instinctual flight-or-fight reaction is dangerous to the humans around or on them, horses must be trained to accept strange or new situations and objects. While many training books have explained ways to progressively desensitize horses in the arena or round pen, this new book from horsewoman Vanessa Bee - Founder of the International Horse Agility Club and 3-Minute Horsemanship - takes the concept of teaching horses to accept what they think is terrifying out into the world around us. When examining any common obstacle that might scare a horse, you can see that it is usually made up of one, two, or three elements: It is either over something, like a bridge, or involves going under something, such as low branches, or you must go through, as in a gateway. Sometimes there can be a combination of all three elements! To deal with such challenges, Bee has provided Six Blueprint Exercises to lay the foundation of skills you need as a trainer and a horse to go over, under, and through. Then, she takes us through 50 common scenarios - such as riding over white lines or dark shadows, or riding past farm animals or marshmallow hay bales - and illustrates with small, building-block steps and photos, what is needed to change the horse' reaction and behavior, assuring a smoother, safer ride down the road. With lessons explained in Bee's trademark keep it simple style, Over, Under, Through: Obstacle Training for Horses is one book from which every horse and horse owner will benefit.

Vanessa Bee is the founder of the International Horse Agility Club (thehorseagilityclub.com). With a training facility in England and her own method known as Positive Horsemanship, she specialises in building relationships between the horse and the handler from the ground up. Vanessa has been around horses most of her life, working in racing stables, then driving competitively in her early twenties when she was given an “unrideable” racehorse as a wedding present. She soon discovered that there are many ways of teaching horsemanship. Vanessa developed a series of courses that teach people of all abilities to achieve a positive relationship with their horse. By creating the ‘Club’, she provided a social and competitive outlet for those relationships to grow. Her previous titles include 3-Minute Horsemanship (JA Allen).