The Basic Principles of Western Riding - Why and How! This is a DVD for anyone who wishes to learn how to ride Western through education and not domination!

Bob Mayhew is an internationally known trainer as well as a successfull competitor. The programme “The Basic Principles of Western Riding – Why and How” incorporates Bob's training methods and has been distributed all over the world. It has undoubtedly helped numerous riders to gain a more relaxed and responsive horse.

The main goal of the programme is to give the beginner a clear and detailed picture of the basic principles of riding Western but the video is just as valuable to experienced Western riders and English style riders as well. Many enthusiasts have limited access to the services of an experienced trainer. For them the video provides valuable pointers that they can then try out on their own. Another idea behind the video is to help riders, regardless of whether they have a horse or not, to get the most out of a clinic.

Many years of learning, practising and training enable Bob Mayhew to clearly show you how to achieve softness, willingness and suppleness from your horse, from the youngster on upwards.

None of the horses in this programme are finished horses. All of them are at various stages of training, making them easily identifiable with your own horse and experience.

Table of contents: 
Working from the ground, saddling and the first step up 
Bit school 
Pressure release and body position 
Lunge line 
Speed control at the walk 
3 snake trail 
Circle work with push off 
Jog 
Two-track 
Travère with canter departure 
Stop and backup 
Rollback 
Foundation to the slidestop 
Speed control in the canter 
Lead change 
Turnaround/spin 
Side pass 
Trail 
The English horse 
Building to the finished product

This programme is produced in the 4:3 aspect ratio for TV (not for 16:9). For optimal viewing of Bob Mayhew’s training methods, we recommend you only use this aspect ratio setting on yout TV.

The DVD is produced on the PAL system (check your country TV-standard here)

However it is possible to play the DVD on any PC or Laptop computer with a DVD-player with a dvd-software. (Google on "dvd player software free")

The programme is provided in two versions (2 DVDs).

Disc 1. An easy-to-use DVD with interactive functions where you can navigate through the programme with the help of a menu that allows you select the training sessions. Note that not all menus have submenus. You can identify the submenus because they are marked with an asterisk. Navigate from the menus on the programme by moving the marker (green arrow) with the help of your remote control. Using your remote control’s other commands to navigate the DVD can be problematic since each remote control has different command keys. For your own convenience, navigate using the programme.

Disc 2. This DVD plays the full version from the beginning to the end. After the last scene, the programme will automatically return to the start.