Hoosier Quarter Pony Association

Cheyenne, 24-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter. Still riding trails! Cheyenne is owned by Ohio Horseman’s Council Columbiana County member Theresa Hepner. * * * * * * *

Want to submit a picture of your horse to be used in the Horsemen’s Corral magazine? Please send picture and information about the horse to michelle@ thehorsemenscorral.com (Picture to be used only if we have space and picture is of good quality.)

All Invited to the HQPA Shows

PRESIDENT, Victoria Hill VICE PRESIDENT, Jennifer Bodle SECRETARY, Maggie Bodle TREASURER, Tracy Czerwonky PHONE & EMAIL, 812-878-0216

hoosierquarterponyassociation@gmail.com

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by Victoria Hill The Hoosier Quarter Pony Association (HQPA) would like

to say happy spring! We will be having more shows this summer and would like to invite everyone to come. You can see our showbill in this years copy of The Show Bill Magazine. After planning all winter we are very excited to get out there this summer and make it a success for our group. Remember, it is not only a pointed National Quarter Pony Association show, it is an open show as well. We have something for everyone that’s for sure.

See you next month!

Ground Poles (continued)

needs to look ahead, not down at the poles.

There are several exercises you can do to help your horse develop the skills to navigate ground poles. One is to place poles at random distances in a 50-60 foot large circle (think spokes on a wheel). The horse should have several strides between poles. This teaches the horse to think about how to time their strides and place the feet to navigate these random distances. Other exercises can be found on social media, but this is one of my favorites.

Remember to check your rule books about distances between poles for the walk/trot/lope.

A few words of caution. Never ever use plastic or PVC poles. They can roll or break, even fly up and hit your horse’s legs. Training on ground poles can be frustrating. Take your time and keep your expectations low and slow. Your horse will develop these skills if they are given enough time and patience. If you are having trouble with ground poles, don’t get into a fight with your horse, it always makes things worse. This training is not a quick process. Let your horse learn one step at a time. If you get frustrated, then you are asking for too much. As I always say…horses don’t make mistakes, people do.

Terry Myers is a national clinician and champion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 50 years in the horse industry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers’ Ride-InSync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit Myers at www.tmtrainingcenter. com or on Facebook. Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.