End of Trail Equine Training Programs

END OF TRAIL EQUINE TRAINING
	Box 621, Lister, British Columbia, Canada V0B 1Y0 Phone: (250) 428-5643

In addition to weekend clinics, custom horse training and private lessons, Steve offers intensive 2-week training courses in general horsemanship and starting colts. The courses usually take place at Steve and Carol's 40-acre training facility near Creston, British Columbia, Canada, which is just a few miles north of the Idaho border. Steve has combined his John Lyons training with the methods of other "natural horsemen" into his own unique method. (For information about upcoming weekend clinics, or to request a clinic in your area, click on "Upcoming Events" ).

The intensive 2-week sessions involve training through trust and reward, and include a Level One and a Level Two course. Students in both English and Western disciplines will learn how to apply Steve's successful conditioned- response training methods to develop a more willing, "want-to" attitude and softer responses both from the ground and in the saddle. This years' summer courses will take place on the following dates:

April 3 - 14, 2006
May 1 - 12, 2006
May 29 - June 9, 2006
July 10 - 21, 2006
August 7 - 18, 2006
September 4 - 15, 2006

These 2-week summer courses will be limited to only five participants, to maximize the amount of individual attention that each student receives. Students are required to bring two horses to work with--one unbroke horse that has never had a saddle on, and one broke horse able to walk, trot, canter. If necessary, horses can be provided at extra cost. Participants are encouraged to bring a camper or tent and stay right at the training center. Training sessions will run from 9 am to 4 pm every day except Sunday (with an hour for lunch). Students will spend up to 60 hours or more in direct training with their own horses. Steve is an understanding and caring teacher, who is committed to individualizing the program so that each participant can develop their skills to the fullest extent possible.

THE COST...
(All costs below are in American (USD) dollars. To convert to your country's currency, click on this link: http://www.xe.net/ucc).

The regular Basic Tuition Cost is $1700 USD * for the entire two weeks (or only $850 USD * per week), and includes the following:

• Tuition for the 2-week course
• Stalls and high-quality hay for two horses

EARLYBIRD SPECIAL!!
Pay your tuition for any of the 2006 sessions in full BEFORE MAY1^st of 2006 and pay only $1500 US * for the entire two weeks (that’s only $750 US per week!!). After May 1^st, you will pay the regular $1700 US * (or $850 US per week), and this is due one month prior to the applicable session.

BRING-A-FRIEND SPECIAL!!
If you sign up for the same 2-week session with a friend, and pay in full BEFORE MAY1^st of 2006, the tuition for each of you is only $1350 US * for the two weeks (that’s only $675 US per week!). After May 1^st, you and your friend will still only pay the reduced rate of $1500 * US (or $750 US per week).

The 2-week summer courses will be limited to only five participants, to maximize the amount of individual attention that each student receives. Students are required to bring two horses to work with--one unbroke horse that has never had a saddle on, and one broke horse able to walk, trot, canter. If necessary, horses can be provided at extra cost. Participants are encouraged to bring a camper or tent and stay right at the training center. Training sessions will run from 9 am to 4 pm every day except Sunday (with an hour for lunch). Students can spend up to 60 hours or more in direct training with their own horses.

Each apprentice may bring along a helper (spouse or friend, for example) for an additional cost of $100 USD * per week. The friend may not participate directly in the program, but may observe, ask questions, etc. Participants must be at least 18 years old, unless accompanied by a parent.

(* NOTE: All prices are subject to 7% federal Canadian tax, but US citizens may claim back the full amount of this tax upon reentering the US. Your tuition will be refunded in the event that your application is not accepted or if the course is cancelled. Otherwise, there are no refunds for prepaid sessions, but the tuition may be applied to a different End of Trail 2-week course at a different time).

Here is an itinerary for the two-week course:

LEVEL ONE

In the Level One session, students will learn the following general horsetraining principles and be able to apply them to many different horse-training situations:

• theories of herd and horse psychology (pecking order, claustrophobic and panic reactions) and how these relate to horse behaviour and the development of trust and respect between horse and human
• the concept of pressure and release
• Lyons' basic concept of request/response/reward
• the three T’s of training: Torque, Timing and Tenacity
• the “Graduated Cuing System” and how it relates to training the horse to respond to the lightest cue possible.
• the learning curve of the horse and how to achieve consistency of performance
• John Lyons’ theory of training initially with one rein

WEEK 1
Each day, students will review the concepts they have learned previously and practice the new concepts that are introduced each day, first with the broke horse and then with the unbroke horse. During Week 1, students will work individually with the instructor on Round Penning Techniques with their unbroke horse in the round pen.

Broke Horse:
Even though students may have been riding their broke horse for many years, there may have been “holes” in
certain areas of that horse's training, and students will also learn how to refine these skills with their broke horse, such that the horse will become a more willing, and more responsive partner. When not working on Round Penning with their unbroke horse, students will practise round penning techniques on the lead rope with their broke horse, as well as the following skills:

• training the horse to know and respect our space on the ground
• ground handling from both sides of the horse: gaining control of all parts of the horse from the ground, getting the horse to move off of pressure in all 6 directions, with the goal of getting the horse to respond to the very lightest cue possible
• the “Go Forward” cue and the “Yield to Pressure” cue
• getting the horse to move off of finger pressure (touch) applied to all parts of the body
• how to recognize and overcome passive/aggressive behaviour
• the Direction Lesson (John’s WESN Lesson)--round penning without a round pen
• advanced (“College Level”) leading, with the horse responding willingly to your body cues in all directions and at varying speeds with soft stops and peppy starts, either in the round pen or on a loose halter shank
• trailer loading, and advanced “college level” trailer loading (no contact)
• touch and handle the horse all over with the hands, including all sensitive areas such as inside ears, inside mouth, genitalia, under tail, etc. and how to overcome headshyness
• the “Heads Down Cue”--getting the horse to put his nose down on the ground using the halter, bit, or hands only
• teaching the horse to accept the bridle (open mouth on cue)
• the concept of “giving to the bit” from the ground
• training the horse to pick up all four feet and place them gently into your hand with only a “kiss” cue
• training the horse to stand quietly while tied, stand quietly for saddling, mounting, farrier work, etc.,
• "ground tying" and tying by the foot

Unbroke Horse:
• the “Round Pen Basics”
• the “Come to You” lesson
• teaching the horse to be caught
Following this, students will begin to practise some of the lessons outlined above for the broke horse with their unbroke horses.

WEEK 2
Broke Horse:
During Week 2, students will continue working on refining the skills they learned in Week 1, as well as the following:

• “giving to the bit” from the horse’s back
• spook control and “spook-in-place”
• tarp work, rope work and sacking out
• dragging objects, obstacle training, crossing water and bridges
• getting a good “go forward cue”, the stop, the back-up, and smooth transitions at a walk, trot, canter using one rein only
• develop a better seat and confidence by being round penned by the instructor while on your horse’s back
• following the nose,
• begin riding out of the arena more, to increase the level of the distractions

Unbroke Horse:
By the end of the second week, all students should have sacked out, saddled and had at least the “first ride” on their unbroke horse. They will then bring the unbroke horse along as quickly or as slowly as they feel able to, teaching this horse the skills they have been practising on their broke horse. Some horses will advance faster than others, but each student will have to rely on their own judgment and that of the instructor as to whether or not the horse is ready to advance to the next lesson. The young, unbroke horse must have a solid foundation and should never be rushed into a situation before it is ready. In addition, every horse and every trainer is at a different level, and will come with different learning styles, rates and personalities.

During the second week, students will ride out with the instuctor on longer trail rides using their broke horse, and their newly broke horse. They will practise the skills they have learned, including creek crossing.

LEVEL TWO

Once students have completed Level One, they will be required to practise at home with their horses and consolidate the skills they have learned for a minimum of 3 weeks before they are able to return for Level Two. In Level Two, students will continue refining the skills they learned in Level One with both their horses, and will learn the following more advanced skills:

• advanced "giving to the bit", "following the nose", "reverse arc circles", "moving off the shoulder", the "Clockwork", and the Number 10 Spot
• adding in the second rein, and what it is used for
• refining gait transitions, rating your speed at all gaits, getting the correct lead and flying lead changes
• the "calm down" cue
• teaching the horse to lie down on command
• teaching the “bow”, the “End of Trail” and other “tricks”
• how to deal with common behaviour problems, such as bucking, shying, rearing, kicking, refusing to go forward, the barn or “buddy sour” horse, bolting, jigging on the trail, biting, barking dogs on the trail, etc.
• techniques for handling the aggressive or frightened horse
• how to overcome headshyness

The Creston Valley is a broad, fertile farming are nestled in between mountain ranges at the lower end of beautiful Kootenay Lake. Breathtaking views are evident everywhere from miles of scenic riding trails that wind through wooded hills. Mountain streams cascade down the hillsides into the wide Kootenay River, which meanders through the valley and flows into Kootenay Lake. We invite you to British Columbia's picturesque Kootenay Lake region for a challenging and exciting equine learning experience that you'll never forget. Whether you strive to be a professional horse trainer, or if you are only the backyard trainer of your own horse, this apprenticeship program will change the way you relate to your horses forever!

Click HERE to see a map showing the location of
End of Trail Equine Training.

If you have any questions about our training programs, or if you would be interested in receiving more information and a brochure, please fill out the form below...

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