Over the past few decades, an evolution in how we go about training horses has encouraged horse owners to spend more time handling their horses on the ground in order to achieve good behavior, mutual trust, and a healthy partnership, before they ever think about getting in the saddle. In addition, horses are being discovered as ideal companions by many individuals who may have little interest in riding at all, but who do enjoy pursuing activities that are fun for both human and horse. These changes have created a generation of horsepeople eager to pursue the competitive and social benefits of Horse Agility, the first internationally recognized, competitive horse sport dedicated to those who most enjoy working their horses from the ground. In this terrific handbook, Founder of the International Horse Agility Club and horse trainer Vanessa Bee, shows you all you need to know to try it for yourself. Like the hugely popular Dog Agility classes enjoyed by countless canines and their handlers, all over the world, Horse Agility involves a colorful obstacle course and subtle directions from a handler. The horse learns to complete the course because he chooses to—not because he is constrained, forced, whipped, prodded, or bribed. Bee explains there is no reason the horse cannot enjoy your time together so much, he will choose to "play" with you—over, under, and through obstacles, without a lead rope, even when loose in a large, grassy pasture. With The Horse Agility Handbook you can try Horse Agility today. Learn how to: Understand Horse Agility goals Get the equipment you need Read your horse’s posture Direct your horse’s feet Practice beginning agility movements Increase “softness” in your horse Become your horse’s “guide” Work your horse “free” (at liberty) Negotiate agility obstacles Build agility obstacles Plan agility courses Organize competitions and “play days” Start a Horse Agility club near you With succinct, clearly explained lessons in everything from horse handling and body language to directions for obstacle and course construction, plus full color photographs throughout, this is the ideal introductory book for anyone interested in giving the sport of Horse Agility a try, or for those looking for out-of-the-box training ideas to keep horses interested in learning and happily engaged in all their interactions with you.

Offers advice and instructions for training horses to compete and engage in the non-riding sport of horse agility, in which handlers lead their horses through obstacles from the ground.

A new book especially written for the time-starved 21st-century horse owner! Do you day after day make a promise to train yourself and your horse to be better at something, but when you get to the barn there just doesn’t seem to be enough time? Don’t worry, what really matters is the quality of the training you do manage to fit in. It really is possible to carry out good quality, progressive training with a horse in only three minutes a day. Educator and horse trainer Vanessa Bee’s “light bulb moment” was when she realized that if a training session had a realistic goal, every horse achieved the goal in under three minutes. This led her to create techniques appropriate for use in brief digestible lessons that ultimately produce significant gains in short sessions. This refreshing new method offers 35 ground exercises, 24 ridden exercises, and 25 “real world” exercises that will get you out and about with a safe, sane, well-trained horse.

A compatible personality is the most desirable quality in a horse, yet it is much harder to assess than gait or conformation. Trainer Barteau describes the four basic equine personality types--social, fearful, aloof, and challenging--and the different clues to identify a horse's primary traits.

In this DVD, based on her best-selling book, Horse Agility Handbook, Vanessa Bee guides the viewer through her proven step-by-step method to excel at this exciting and growing sport. Starting with the horse on a lead rope, Vanessa shows the viewer how to safely work toward letting the horse go free over obstacles, in an open space and to compete internationally.

A book chock-full of answers to horse-behavior questions that will change your horse's life for the better. Horses want partners they trust. Meeting their need for security makes them more tuned-in, calmer, and more reliable. In her engaging book, highly illustrated with professional color photographs, certified riding instructor Lynn Acton, MS, shows you how, with practical step-by-step instructions. You’ll see that progress can be surprisingly fast with methods that are gentle, time-tested, backed by science, and that make intuitive sense to your horse. Discover how to earn trust and make training more efficient by engaging horses’ innate intelligence, maintaining clear two-way communication, and considering their point of view. This leadership approach has been used successfully for centuries by people of all backgrounds and skill levels on horses at all levels of training. Acton refers to this relationship as Protector Leadership because you are the horse’s protector. In these pages, she combines extensive horse experience and an academic background in social dynamics with in-depth research. She interprets and cites the scientific findings that explain why Protector Leadership works, and offers valuable insights into equine psychology while exposing myths that are sources of problems. Plus, Acton includes “Things to Try” at the end of each chapter—fun and easy-to-implement exercises that help you engage your horse as a thinking partner Throughout, the narrative includes stories of Acton's progress with her own horses, including mistakes and hindsight, and especially the transformation of the book’s "cover girl" Brandy from a dangerous throwaway to a happy, reliable partner. Clear, detailed photographs show the subtle body language of horses and people, and illustrate critical interactions that make a real difference in our relationships, communication, and training. These are a few of the concrete skills you will learn: · Earn trust starting the moment you meet a horse. · Recognize “misbehavior” that actually means your horse is thinking like a partner. · Turn pressure into clear communication instead of stress. · Use Positive Reinforcement for better learning, behavior, and reliability. · Turn anxiety and spooks into confidence building situations. · Discourage unwanted behavior without punishment. · Allow your horse appropriate choices and freedom. As your bond strengthens, you can enjoy watching your horse’s true personality blossom. A thoughtful, progressive book for riders of all disciplines and students of the horse of all experience levels.

In recent years, the concept of agility has captured the executive imagination, and leaders in a variety of industries and companies of all sizes are now searching for ideas on how to effectively utilize agile thinking. This book provides insights on agility from world-class experts on leadership, strategy and organization, alongside seasoned practitioners who have successfully implemented agility programs for companies such as Daimler, Ford Motor Company, J. W. Thompson, Siemens, and NASA. By combining theoretical expertise with a variety of managerial experiences, it provides a wide-ranging yet succinct guide for companies seeking to engage in the transformative journey towards becoming more agile. As such, it will be of great use and interest to executives in all industries, executive education participants and consultants, M.B.A. students and researchers interested in agile. Agility.X prepares leaders for managing under uncertainty and organizations for thriving in turbulent environments.