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Be a Good Beginner

Horse and Rider

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Winter 2022

Make learning a new event more fun than frustration by practicing these five skills.

- JAKE TELFORD, GILEAD FRIEDMAN & ALEXIS BENNETT

Be a Good Beginner

Congratulations, you've decided to take on a new challenge! Learning a new hobby or a new skill within an existing hobby is a great way to stretch and discover things about yourself. It's also a great way to re-ignite your passion for something you already enjoy. While the adventure is exciting, it can also come with some frustration as you manage expectations, practice, and gain mastery. To make the process enjoyable, which is usually part of why you're choosing to try something new in the first place, it pays to be a good beginner.

At the core, a good beginner is coachable. They're open and receptive to information and they're engaged. You can break it down even further into specific practices or skills that a good beginner embodies. Learn and commit to these five good-beginner attributes to make your transition from newbie to mastery as fun-and hopefully, as productive as possible.

ATTRIBUTE NO. 1:

Be a Learner

FLERE HISTORIER FRA Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

WESTERN VERSUS WESTERN

There's no denying that all-around and ranch classes are evolving. While it might seem like one is pushing out the other, the truth is, they need each other.

time to read

7 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Horse Life

A veritable all-around cowgirl event, the 2025 Top Hand Cowgirl Challenge takes place at Randolph, Minnesota's Simons Arena Oct. 15-19, beginning with two multi-event clinics—one for the “Everyday Cowgirl,” the other a “Masterclass” with NRHA Million Dollar Rider Craig Johnson and all-around AQHA judge and competitor Amy Marx.

time to read

2 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Confidence Over Obstacles

Instilling confidence in a young horse isn't easy, but repetition and clear instruction can set you up for success.

time to read

2 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Improving Body Control

Body control is an essential skill for every rider.

time to read

3 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Sorting Geldings

Evaluate and place these ranch sorting geldings. Then see how your choices compare to our expert judge's.

time to read

3 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Saddling for the Long Haul

Your saddling habits can lead your horse to love or resent his job. Your actions choose the path forward.

time to read

2 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Independence at the Barn

How will you know when your child is ready for more responsibility and freedom at the barn?

time to read

2 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

Young Horse Health Check

Buying a weanling or yearling? Here's what to expect when it comes to health and development milestones from birth to age 2—so your young horse grows up strong, sound, and ready for the ride ahead.

time to read

2 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

The Role of Horse Rescues

Rescues play an essential part of the horse industry, across all disciplines.

time to read

4 mins

Fall 2025

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider

It's Not Just in Their DNA: How Care Shapes a Horse's Future

When it comes to developing a great horse, how much credit goes to DNA and how much to the humans who raise them?

time to read

7 mins

Fall 2025

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