The Importance of Consistency in Reining Horse Training

A resident of Texas, Stephanie Zoanni serves as a senior account executive with Houston's Kudelski Security. Beyond her work-related responsibilities, Stephanie Zoanni has a passion for horse reining and belongs to the National Reining Horses Association (NRHA). This sport requires that horses follow the commands of riders precisely to execute one of several predetermined performance patterns.

In reining, consistency is key. Reining professionals need to understand how to achieve consistency among horses, which often relates to patience. Riders need to demonstrate their own consistency in commands if they expect to the horse to become consistent. Often, this means that riders need to avoid frustration by pacing training sessions. Trying to cram too much into a single session can erode the confidence of the horse and ultimately result in inconsistency.

Riders need to reward horses when they perform well with pats, words of encouragement, and rest. Too often, trainers push their horses too hard and do not give them adequate time to recover from sessions. When trainers overwork their horse, the horse will burn out and will not be able to perform effectively.