The ultimate guide to the "complete" riding horse--whether aperformance, working, or "just for fun" prospect. Professional horseman Sean Patrick's now legendary Countdown isthe most clear, thorough, "doable" system of horse training available. Quitesimply, you begin at Lesson Number 33 and count your way down through the basicexercises--the "primary education"--every horse needs. And when you get to Lesson1, you've done it; you've prepared your horse for advanced work in any numberof equestrian disciplines. You can't get lost along the way. There's no roomfor confusion. The happy result? Sean trains you to be a trainer. Whether your horse is a foal or five, green or educated, well-startedor lacking fundamentals, he will benefit from the Countdown--a true "foundation"program, serving to prepare him for the endless variety of activities and"jobs" horses perform today. From indispensable handling, "sacking-out," andtying exercises, to how you, the rider, can control the different parts of thehorse's body from the ground and the saddle; from mounting on both the left andthe right to performing flawless flying lead changes, you'll be amazed at howeffective and efficient this program is. In this book you'll find: -Explanations of the "conditioned response," the Five Control Points, and how torecognize and use a "give."-Advice for building the horse's confidence, knowing when to "push" but mostimportantly, how to be fair.-Lessons in conscientious use of the round pen for teaching movement, turning, and inviting the horse in.-Progressive steps for preparing for first rides and having them be successes.-Tips for developing the back-up, "whoa," and seat stops without stress. -Exercises for achieving a correct and soft collection. Because you are the one teaching your horse, you also havethe opportunity to build your own skill set. Sean promises that by the end ofthe Countdown, readers will have a deeper understanding of how horses learn; animproved ability to gauge the pressure necessary to communicate with the horseand pace teaching accordingly; a capacity for recognizing behaviors (both goodand bad); and an intuitive understanding of the root of a problem and the stepsto take to work on it. In essence, he helps you become self-sufficient andready to take your horse that next step, whether along the rail, down thetrail, or into the show pen.