Finding—and Training—Your Best Trail Horse by Mark Bolender Selecting a horse for trail riding is not an easy process because several factors must be carefully considered. Ultimately, it’s a decision about which horse is right for a particular rider and that’s just the beginning in creating the “perfect” trail …
The Joy of Demonstrating at the AQHA Show by Mark Bolender I love the AQHA shows. In July of 2011 I had the privilege of attending the Region 5 event in Langley, British Columbia. I was a demonstrator, clinician, and judge for the sport of Mountain Trail and Trail …
The keys To Building Trust in Your Trail Horse by Mark Bolender I frequently hear riders say, “I want my horse to trust me more,” yet the horse is pushy when being handled on the ground and will not navigate the difficult obstacles in a show or on a …
Mastering Extreme Rock and Log Step Obstacles by Mark Bolender As with most technical challenges, proper training makes the impossible possible. My latest book, Extreme Mountain Trail Course by Mark Bolender is built on the Rush Spring Ranch in Missouri. It is visually beautiful and challenges the best of …
How To Keep Riding Challenging and Still Have Fun by Mark Bolender “Am I doing this right?” is a phrase I hear often from students. It’s very natural (and important) to learn proper riding technique, but many people get bogged down by details and they forget the reason they …
Communication Is A Key To Unlock Success by Mark Bolender Learning to listen is anything but easy. It is a science and a gift from God. With effort, we can all learn to be good listeners. If one learns to listen to his horse, the response given by the …
Unity and Leadership Are The Keys by Mark Bolender Watching a great trail horse pick its way through difficult obstacles is wondrous and beautiful. It looks so natural and graceful that it seems anyone can do it. This, anyway, is the image a great rider and horse try to …