| Different
reining and working cow horse programs
have different emphasis. Some trainers
get a charge out of taking a green prospect
and prepping him for a major win at a
futurity. The futurity horses are then
pointed to the breeding shed, broodmare
band, or are turned over to an aspiring
youth or amateur rider. The training program
moves on to the next band of promising
youngsters.
Other
trainers take a different approach. They
want a horse that will perform consistently
over time. Those horses may not make a
World Show-winning run every outing, but
they can place in classes through the
year. In a pinch, they are capable of
producing an outstanding score, but the
real goal is producing a horse with a
career.
Today,
not as much importance is placed on winning
high-point titles as it was prior to the
creation of the World Show. But a horse
that can still go out and do his job effectively,
weekend-in and weekend-out, deserves a
lot of respect.
According
to Charlie Hutton of Hilldale Farm in
Fayetteville, Tennessee, if you want to
develop a horse that will be competitive
long into his teenage years, you have
to start with the right horse.
"A
lot depends on the horse you start with,"
Hutton says. "If you are going to
select a horse with the idea that he will
have a long, useful life, that horse needs
correct conformation, breeding, and, especially,
a trainable attitude."
Not
only will the horse need the physical
and mental toughness to sustained repeated
trips to the show pen, he will also need
to be able to withstand the rigors of
hauling.
During
more than 20 years of training and showing
high-point winners, Hutton has put together
a program for making a horse last.
THE
RECTANGLE
Whether
you want to win the futurity next year,
or you want your horse to win a world
championship like Hall of Famer Royal
Santana at age 20, the horse has to have
the proper foundation.
"It
can't be overstated that a horse that's
going to last has to be educated to let
you use all of the tools available,"
Hutton says. "You don't just ride
with your hands, but you have to have
a horse that works off of your seat, legs
and voice."
The
horse needs to accept being driven forward
into the bit by the rider's seat and legs.
Forward motion and collection are enhanced
with this method without pulling the horse
into the bit.
According
to Hutton, show horses often lose their
guide function after a few shows. After
hauling a horse to the first few shows
of the year, putting them through the
stress of new situations, you find out
how broke they are. In addition, most
people act differently at the show than
they do at home or in the warm-up pen.
Your long, slow "Whoooaaaaa,"
under duress suddenly becomes "Whoa!!!!!!!!"
Your voice becomes pitched and excited,
and you seem different to the horse.
Longer
- shorter - Stride control is an important
part of Hutton's program. While riding
the rectangle, he allows the horse to
extend on the long sides, and collect
on the short sides. Stride control can
be crucial in less-than-perfect arena
conditions, enabling you to keep your
horse in the ground. The horse should
be able to extend and collect at both
the trot and the lope. In order to maintain
longevity in a horse, it's important to
keep his attention centered on you, not
on the pattern. Try to have variety as
you go around the rectangle. Don't forget
to reverse direction.
Regardless
of the reason, you must develop ways into
your training program to fix problems
as they emerge.
One
of the most valuable methods Hutton has
found is "riding the rectangle",
which gives you the opportunity to work
on the things your reiner or cow horse
needs in his toolbox. As in most training
programs, the core of the rectangle centers
around rest and teaching the horse to
give to pressure.
The
horse learns to appreciate rest and being
freed from pressure when he is in the
right frame. For example, if the horse
is traveling correctly in a straight line
between the reins and the legs of the
rider, the horse is left alone.
The
rectangle forms a basis for teaching the
parts of a pattern either in the reining
or the reined work in the working cow
horse class. All maneuvers can be broken
into parts, which can be worked on separately
to make the whole better. The maneuvers
we see in a pattern can be broken down
into parts, making it easier to identify
and fix problems, especially in older
horses. Spins, rollbacks and stops and
stop are based on giving to direct and
indirect rein, collection and control,
all of which are a part of Hutton's rectangle.
CHARLIE-ISMS
 According
to Hutton, keeping a horse sane and healthy
enough to be a high-point winner involves
your entire program. The horses need to
have the nutritional background, health
program and training foundation to be
able to go up and down the road week after
week. In addition, the competitor needs
to know when to go for the big score and
when the horse requires a schooling pattern.
But
when you school a horse in the show ring,
Hutton emphasizes that it's not a time
to get even with a horse. You also don't
want to upset the judge by taking too
much time. Correct enough to remind the
horse that you are in control and keep
him honest in the pattern.
There
might be times when you have to find an
open arena and play games with your horse.
Trot in, and trot right on out. Set someone
in the judge's chair, and perform various
maneuvers in front of, and away from the
judge.
 Hutton
works all of his horses on cattle, even
if they only show in reining. Cattle give
the horse a reason to perform a maneuver,
and the challenge keeps even an older
horse mentally active.
The
bottom line is to get and maintain a horse
that's broke enough to perform, strong
enough to last and has a training foundation
that allows you to fix inevitable problems.
 Charlie
checking on the broodmares and babies.
 Whoooaaaaa,
Nellie - On an older horse, stops can
be included on the long sides of the rectangle.
Vary stops at different gaits and don't
get in the habit of stopping every time.
It's important to condition the horse
to respond to your cues. Avoid patterns
if at all possible. Overemphasize your
vocal cue by making it as long, deep and
slow as you can. Try to use the same tone
the next time you're in the show ring.
Back
up - After you stop, back your horse a
step or two, making sure the release is
obvious. Allow the horse to rest, and
even stop and pet him to reinforce the
proper response.
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