VAN HARGIS TRAINING SEMINARS

Most Requested Programs

Basic Posture-Be a rider Rather than a Passenger

Our posture in the saddle directly impacts our horse's performance. In this presentation Van will teach you how to achieve good posture in the saddle, including where to place your hands, feet, and seat, and how posture relates to your health and your horse's performance.

Addressing Any Problem by Reducing to the Ridiculous

If you've experienced horses that are head shy, ear shy, or fearful of water crossings, you know how frustrating these things can be. Van will teach us how to overcome these issues. This presentation teaches us to simplify things from the horse's perspective. Things that may seem trivial to us may be disconcerting to our horses. Van's step-by-step approach to solving any problem helps us to overcome adversity and look at problems as opportunities to become better horsemen.

Understanding Collection, Flexion, and Suppleness

Collection seems to be one of the most frequently used buzzwords in horsemanship, but how many of us really understand it and its benefits with respect to our horse's performance? Van will not only help you grasp the definition of collection, but will explain its purpose and how to achieve it. Most important, Van will demonstrate how collection improves your horse's carriage in every aspect of riding. Whether you trail ride or compete professionally, your horse wants you to learn how to achieve collection.

How to Catch the Hard to Catch Horse

Do you hide your halter and offer feed to entice your horse to let you catch him? Do you have to trap or trick your horse to catch him? In this presentation Van will explain why some horses are difficult to catch. He'll teach us how to read the horse's signs as we approach him, and teach us how to catch our horses anywhere, anytime. In fact, Van will teach us how to train our horses to catch us.

Starting Your Horse on Cattle

When Van introduced this presentation at major equine expositions a few years ago, it quickly became a crowd favorite. In this presentation Van reinforces the importance of foundation training as he introduces the horse to cattle, and then he discusses horse position, strategy, and reading cattle. Whether you aspire to cut, team pen, rope, or perform in working cow horse events or to use your horse on the ranch, both you and your horse will benefit from this demonstration.

The Versatile Ranch Horse

Enjoy art in motion as Van demonstrates his horse's skills and reflects on the criteria that define a versatile ranch horse. Van will emphasize the importance of a ranch horse's breeding, conformation, and disposition, and he will demonstrate the remarkable skills and discipline of the ranch's most valuable asset: The Versatile Ranch Horse. Witness this visual poetry as Van, one of America's most versatile horsemen, takes a ranch horse through demonstrations of ranch riding, ranch cutting, ranch working, and ranch trail.

Ranch Roping

There might be no skill more valuable to the ranch cowboy than the ability to handle a rope. In this presentation Van will discuss and demonstrate everything from building and throwing a loop to positioning your horse. Whether you are a green-hand beginner or a top-hand experienced roper, you'll learn the little things that make big differences.

Creating A Winning Attitude in You and Your Horse

Though we can learn from our failures, it is more fun and more productive to learn from our successes. In this presentation you'll learn the importance of preparing yourself and your horse for success. Van will teach you how to simplify your thoughts, your actions, and your horse training toward fun and successful horsemanship. Volunteer crowd participation in this presentation is encouraged.

Know Your Tack and Equipment

As a horseman and a clinician Van has traveled the country from coast to coast and has discovered that among horsemen there is at least one common point of confusion: the tack room. Many of our so-called horse problems stem from not using the proper equipment on our horses and/or not knowing how particular pieces of equipment should be fitted and used. Van will discuss bits and their indications, how certain bits work, and practical fit and application of bits and other headgear. Also discussed in this presentation is proper saddle fit and matching your saddle to your horse, to you, and to your horse-related activity. This is by far one of the most important presentations you'll ever see. Bring your questions.

Happy and Healthy

Regular health maintenance on our equine buddies is every horseman's responsibility. In this presentation Van teaches how to keep this schedule as stress-free as it can be for both our horses and ourselves. Learn ways to keep your horse from getting needle and shot anxiety, and learn to safely, effectively, easily, and cleanly de-worm your horse. The things you will learn in this presentation will be appreciated by you, your horse, your vet, and your farrier.

The Look

Does you horse have "the look"? When people see your horse, are they impressed by his/her appearance? This presentation offers grooming hints and techniques to help us keep our horses looking their very best, including how to trim and clip horses without sedation, restraint, twitches, stocks, or even crossties. Whether you're a cowboy who just wants to spiff up ol' Sorrely or a competitor wanting your horse to look its best in the show ring, this presentation will send you home with plenty of useful information.