Building Your Dream Horse: Charles Wilhelm's Ultimate Foundation Training

by Charles Wilhelm, Allison Houston (With)

Overview

True horsemanship training is about people first.
—Charles Wilhelm

Charles Wilhelm's Ultimate Foundation Training has transformed thousands of horses into more responsive, mannerly companions. In this book, Wilhelm trains you to use his tried and true principles in training your horse. Go inside the horse's mind to see how he thinks and learns, so you can communicate in a language your horse understands. Discover why and how foundation training works. Wilhelm's uniquely successful methods will help you build a relationship that's more rewarding for both you and your horse—one that lasts a lifetime.
* Discover why working with your horse should be fun—and why you should stop if it isn't
* Learn to identify your horse's emotional level and personality type
* Find out the ten secrets your horse wishes he could tell you
* Understand why consistency is essential in establishing desired behavior
* Communicate with your horse using the right combination of pressure and release, patience, persistence, and conscientious follow-through
* Recognize why it's never, ever the horse's fault

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764579158
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	02/01/2005
Series:	Howell Equestrian Library (Hardcover)
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.04(w) x 9.62(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Charles Wilhelm (Castro Valley, CA) is one of the top six general horse trainers in the country right now. After five decades, Charles Wilhelm's skill in communicating with horses and people has earned him praise. John Lyons, Richard Shrake, and Donna Snyder-Smith are but a few of the better-known clinicians who have commented on Charles' amazing abilities with horses.

• He’s a featured trainer at all major horse expositions and holds clinics and demonstrations at his own facility in Castro Valley and throughout California
• He has been featured in print and online magazines and authors monthly columns for four major equestrian magazines
• He has appeared numerous times on television
• He is known for his success in working with "problem" horses. Colt starting and eliminating performance issues comprise the majority of his work
• His own diverse horsemanship education includes working with John Lyons, classical dressage trainer Major Miguel Tavora, Olympic Dressage Medallist Steffen Peters, and western pleasure expert Richard Shrake.

Allison Houston is a communications manager and mother of two. She met Charles Wilhelm as a client, and now teams with him to share his training system with a wider audience. She has owned horses for over ten years.

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Table of Contents

Foreword: An Extraordinary Man for Horses and People.

Preface: How Charles Wilhelm Became a Horseman.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction: Why Every Horse Lover Should Read This Book.

1. Understanding the Horse.

The Emotional, Mental, and Physical Aspects of the Horse.

The Emotional Aspect.

The Mental Aspect.

The Physical Aspect.

Horse Personalities.

Conditioned Response.

Ten Secrets Every Horse Wants His Owner to Know.

2. Understanding Foundation Training.

What Is Foundation Training?

Working with Pressure.

Incremental Training.

Setting and Raising Standards.

What Is Natural Horsemanship and How Does It Apply to Foundation Training?

What Is Ultimate Foundation Training?

No Magic Gadgets: The Role of Equipment in Horse Training.

3. Ultimate Foundation Training.

The Ultimate Foundation Exercise: The Go-Forward Cue.

The Round Pen.

Line Work.

Leading Manners and Respecting Space.

Emotional Control and Despooking.

Giving to the Bit.

Moving the Hips Over.

Stopping.

Shoulder Control.

Engagement.

Transitions.

Collection.

Training Babies.

Foundation Training and the Foal.

Training a Baby for Veterinary and Farrier Work.

Starting Older Horses.

4. It’s Never, Ever the Horse’s Fault.

Buying the Right Horse.

Mental Training for Horsemanship.

Common Problems and How to Solve Them with Ultimate Foundation Training.

Pullback Problem.

Spooking.

Bolting.

Rearing.

Bucking.

Trailer Loading.

Buddy Sour.

Barn Sour.

Cinchy.

Head Tossing and Pulling at the Bit.

No Control: Stud Chains and Bigger Bits.

If All Else Fails: Finding the Right Trainer.

Building Your Dream Horse.

Appendix: The Charles Wilhelm Training Facility.

Success through Knowledge.

Index.