Don Boyd Reiner Consultant

13/06/2026

Horse shows create nervousness in horse and rider.
Someone has to calm down first and it won’t be your horse

12/06/2026

No matter what’s happening, good or bad, pattern placement is important

11/06/2026

Alexandra Ballestrum is the first person to show with the Boyd Reining Bit Collection 2.0
She scored her lifetime best with her new bit and this is what she has to say;
In reining, we’re all searching for that effortless look and true willingly guided feel. Thanks to Don’s bit, Frankie is so focused, patiently waiting for my hand and responding with incredible softness and flow.
Now the challenge is to be quiet enough with my hand to match his willingness 😉

07/06/2026

Tip of the day
Think fast
React slow
Be consistent

06/06/2026

Four levels of training
Show, Teach, Ask, Demand (maybe).

Skipping steps is a good way to stumble

30/05/2026

The first thing you teach a horse is the longest memory it has.
If you did a mistake you’ll feel
The consequence forever

18/05/2026

14/05/2026

Progressive Pressure
If you’ve read my book or attended one of my clinics, you are familiar with, “as little as possible but as much as necessary!”
Putting this idea into practice means
example 1. legs- first signal is closing leg a little no touching just a little rhythm. second signal touch with calf firmly. Third, a little bump with the calf, fourth a medium bump finally a big kick.
Then after one big kick go back to the first signal again.
The first 100 times you do this you may not get a lot of response. But by repeating the Progression of Pressure
with a slow ever increasing pressure followed by on big bump soon your horse will search for the comfortable pressure and move as desired with less and less pressure everyday.
Same theory is true with hands.
Close the fingers wait, then pull with a very slow draw increasing pressure slowly the. releasing the moment the horse gives.
With Progressive Pressure you’re giving your horse time to understand what’s coming. Then they can choose the correct response.
It takes self discipline not to react too fast when correction is needed. It’s not important that they “get it”fast. It’s important that when you apply pressure the moment they release you, you release them!

12/05/2026

I consider myself an observationist!
I’m not impressed by what i hear. I’m impressed by what i see. So when i judge a horse show i look for the subtle signals and how the horse responds.
One thing that stands out to me is how rider’s signal their spin.
example 1 rider walks to the middle stops. Hesitates nicely. Then the hand moves so fast to start the horse has to stumble around. Then rider spurs. Probable result is a minus mess!
example 2. Most riders. walk to the middle and start the spin with the outside spur. probable result is the horse will look outside and back likes he’s going to touch your spur with its nose. Now the inside ribcage is locked. You can’t really spur or pull because it will probably go back or leap. release and try again is the only hope.
example 3. rider walks in stops and stand beautiful. moves hand soft. Nothing happens so they raise their leg and spur hard.
Probable result. nothing or leaping into spin.
Then there’s so many variations of these basic mistakes i can’t mention all
Today’s reining horses are incredible how so many are really quick footed.
If the rider is sloppy about starting they may spin really fast. But if it’s not correct it is maximum a zero scoring maneuver.

THEN A rider walks in on a loose contact. Horse is relaxed, looks happy:

example 4. walk in is ok standing quiet moves hand slowly in direction of spin and before there is contact on the bit the horse drops his neck, sits down and turns straight with his back up and the rider maintaining that same soft signal all the way through with a reasonably quick cadence and nails a perfect stop is beautiful and normally a plus 1/2.

When riders give bad signals, too quick or too hard the horse gets blamed for being show smart or bad.
In reality what they are is they feel
intimidated to do something. Then depending on the personality of every horse what kind of mistakes they make.
After when the horse is shown again the mistakes can get worse because the memory of spinning in the arena was a little painful, surprising and the flight instinct kicks in.
When riders give good signals, horses can breathe and focus their energy.
Before learning how to punish a horse as in jerking and constantly picking with spurs, learn to control yourself to “ask” correctly.
True speed that’s safe and high scoring comes from true balanced body position.

Body Position that will receive highest credit has three pieces:
1. equal weight on both front feet
2. “slight” bend direction of travel IN THE RIBCAGE. Not the neck.
3. relaxed top line !

17/02/2026

Quiet. Peace. Freedom EquineArt