Building Your Dream Horse

Preface: How Charles Wilhelm Became a Horseman.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction: Why Every Horse Lover Should Read This Book.

1. Understanding the Horse.

The Emotional, Mental, and Physical Aspects of the Horse.

The Emotional Aspect.

The Mental Aspect.

The Physical Aspect.

Horse Personalities.

Conditioned Response.

Ten Secrets Every Horse Wants His Owner to Know.

2. Understanding Foundation Training.

What Is Foundation Training?

Working with Pressure.

Incremental Training.

Setting and Raising Standards.

What Is Natural Horsemanship and How Does It Apply to Foundation Training?

What Is Ultimate Foundation Training?

No Magic Gadgets: The Role of Equipment in Horse Training.

3. Ultimate Foundation Training.

The Ultimate Foundation Exercise: The Go-Forward Cue.

The Round Pen.

Line Work.

Leading Manners and Respecting Space.

Emotional Control and Despooking.

Giving to the Bit.

Moving the Hips Over.

Stopping.

Shoulder Control.

Engagement.

Transitions.

Collection.

Training Babies.

Foundation Training and the Foal.

Training a Baby for Veterinary and Farrier Work.

Starting Older Horses.

4. It's Never, Ever the Horse's Fault.

Buying the Right Horse.

Mental Training for Horsemanship.

Common Problems and How to Solve Them with Ultimate Foundation Training.

Pullback Problem.

Spooking.

Bolting.

Rearing.

Bucking.

Trailer Loading.

Buddy Sour.

Barn Sour.

Cinchy.

Head Tossing and Pulling at the Bit.

No Control: Stud Chains and Bigger Bits.

If All Else Fails: Finding the Right Trainer.

Building Your Dream Horse.

Appendix: The Charles Wilhelm Training Facility.

Success through Knowledge.

Index.