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Mark Bolender 
Proper Preparation Necessary for Success by Mark Bolender The most important thing a judge should see when you run a Mountain Trail pattern is a partnership between horse and rider. Show a horse that has been properly schooled and trained. Memorizing a pattern will feel overwhelming at first, but …
Worldwide Interest is Growing by Mark Bolender Riding through rugged mountain trails is something people do every day across the world. You never know what kind of obstacles you and your horse might encounter on the trail; you may have to cross anything from fallen tree limbs to deep …
Fun for Participants and Spectators by Mark Bolender It’s exciting to see mountain trail growing around the world. What a year it has been! We now have seven nations involved and four of those countries are holding certified IMTCA (International Mountain Trail Challenge Association) challenges/shows. We had a number …
Fun for Participants and Spectators by Mark Bolender The new discipline of Mountain Trail is in exciting times. For the past six years Mountain Trail courses have been built across the globe. An association known as International Mountain Trail Challenge (IMTCA) has been established along with affiliates in Canada, Germany, …
Helping the Fearful Horse by Mark Bolender Mastering the teeter-totter is, for the most part, a simple task for the horse and will only take a few minutes. However, if it has been improperly taught it can be difficult to correct. I have had three very tough horses to …
Careful Training Leads to a Bold, Confident Horse by Mark Bolender Riding a horse through rugged mountain trails is something many people do on a daily basis, especially in the western United States. It’s anybody’s guess what sort of obstacles you and your horse might encounter on these trails, …
Keep Your Obstacles Safe with Spring Maintenance by Mark Bolender Spring is here and the mountain trail obstacles are being put to use again. Now is the time to check all the obstacles for safety and needed repairs. When obstacles are used on a daily basis one does not …
The Verona Horse Expo and Explosive Growth of the Sport in Italy by Mark Bolender In 2013 we had our first guest from Italy travel to Bolender Horse Park to evaluate and see firsthand what mountain trail was all about. They spent their time immersed in the sport, attending …
Age Shines on the Obstacle Course by Mark Bolender The discipline of mountain trail goes quite naturally with an aged horse. While an older horse may struggle at the most demanding level of the sport, it can still be quite good for them. Recently I watched a healthy, yet …
Master these Basic Skills to Improve Safety and Scores by Mark Bolender To improve their mountain trail scores it’s important to master nine basic skills. These skills can also be returned to, again and again, to master the variety of obstacles found on course. Ability to move the shoulders …