Back Country Horsemen

Back Country Basics

by John Kinsey

From Back Country Horsemen Magazine's review: "The Western Horsemen publication Backcountry Basics, Your Guide to Solving Common Problems on the Trail is a Why, How and When guide for beginning trail riders and a reminder to experienced trail riders of what we know but may have forgotten. Mike Kinsey shares with the reader training principles and practices passed on to him by his father and his personal experiences of a lifetime of training horses the “Natural Way”.

His approach to developing and training a trail horse starts before the foal is born and actually continues throughout the horse’s life.

The thesis of the book is that the rider must develop respect and control, confidence in the rider and horse’s ability to ride thru fear.

All that while realizing that everything the horse does is a learning experience and all training should be part of a plan.

The introduction contains the most important keys to your comprehension of the horses understanding, responsiveness and success. The introduction defines respect, good manners, attitude, horsemanship and motivation

The “Start em Right” Chapter explains the eight training principles that are based on what he learned from his father and the horses he has worked.

Chapter 2 “Inside Your Horses Mind” helps you learn what your horse’s body Language is telling you, so you can apply the correct training techniques.

“Making a Trail Horse Chapter” makes a case that the development of a trail horse starts at birth and continues the rest of his life.

“Round-pen Reasoning” helps the reader learn how round-pen training capitalizes on a horse’s instinctual tendencies to be a follower by supplanting the lead mare with the trainer. The result can be that the horse joins you respecting you as the head of the herd and willingly following your lead.

From chapter 4 on the author guides the trainer thru identifying common problems and working thru to a solution. Each problem discussion identifies the problem, its causes, problem solving strategy, keys to success, necessary equipment and the necessary skills the horse must have before proceeding.

The final chapters outline trail etiquette, describe trail tack and list a saddlebag checklist."