The Modern Horseman's Countdown to Broke-New Edition - by Sean Patrick (Paperback)

About the Book

"Inside you'll find: Explanations of the 'conditioned response,' the Five Control Points, and how to recognize and use a 'give.' Advice for building the horse's confidence, knowing when to 'push,' and most importantly, 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." -- From back cove

Book Synopsis

The ultimate guide to the "complete" riding horse--whether a
performance, working, or "just for fun" prospect.

Professional horseman Sean Patrick's now legendary Countdown is
the most clear, thorough, "doable" system of horse training available. Quite
simply, you begin at Lesson Number 33 and count your way down through the basic
exercises--the "primary education"--every horse needs. And when you get to Lesson
1, you've done it; you've prepared your horse for advanced work in any number
of equestrian disciplines. You can't get lost along the way. There's no room
for confusion. The happy result? Sean trains you to be a trainer.

Whether your horse is a foal or five, green or educated, well-started
or 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," and
tying exercises, to how you, the rider, can control the different parts of the
horse's body from the ground and the saddle; from mounting on both the left and
the right to performing flawless flying lead changes, you'll be amazed at how
effective and efficient this program is. In this book you'll find:

-
Explanations of the "conditioned response," the Five Control Points, and how to
recognize and use a "give."

-
Advice for building the horse's confidence, knowing when to "push" but most
importantly, 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 have
the opportunity to build your own skill set. Sean promises that by the end of
the Countdown, readers will have a deeper understanding of how horses learn; an
improved ability to gauge the pressure necessary to communicate with the horse
and pace teaching accordingly; a capacity for recognizing behaviors (both good
and bad); and an intuitive understanding of the root of a problem and the steps
to take to work on it. In essence, he helps you become self-sufficient and
ready to take your horse that next step, whether along the rail, down the
trail, or into the show pen.

Review Quotes

"I have never seen a book this meticulous in providing step-by-step instruction.... you are going to end up with a sane, well-trained horse." --Dr. Robert Miller, founder, imprint training

"Patrick cuts through the fat and serves a dose of no-nonsense training guidance. The book is superbly organized and includes 288 color photos and illustrate exactly what you should be doing in the training process." --Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar

"One thing is certain, if you want to start and finish your youngster correctly be sure to add The Modern Horseman's Countdown to Broke to your collection." --Riding Magazine

"This book ranks as one of the best books for starting horses that is currently on the market. This training program progresses consecutively from getting the horse into a round pen, to first saddling, to first lope, to the final 'countdown to broke.'" --Aiken Horse

About the Author

Sean Patrick has been working on his
horsemanship as a career since 1992, spending over a decade as a high-country
guide and packer at the McLean Family's Tsylos Park Lodge in the West Chilcotin
Region of British Columbia, Canada. There, Sean guided international clientele
into the rugged mountains of the Pacific Coastal Range for weeklong pack
excursions. ​Sean also led various other horseback trips, guided fly
anglers on the Chilko River and Lake, and escorted big-game enthusiasts into
the alpine on horseback.

​

Sean earned his BA at Trent University in Peterborough, Canada, as
well as receiving a horseshoeing certificate from Oklahoma's Horseshoeing
School in Purcell. In 2004, Sean joined the John Lyons Certification Program in
Horse Training at the Lyons' facility in Parachute, Colorado.

​

Sean is a two-time competitor at the prestigious Road to the Horse
and loves to share his horsemanship at home and around the country and clinics
and expos. He now focuses on performance-horse training,
reining, colt-starting, horsemanship instruction, and writing. He has
published over 180 equine-related articles in various magazines as well as his
bestselling book The Modern Horseman's Countdown to Broke, which is also
available in streaming video form. Sean trains and operates his
horsemanship school from Pioneer Trail Reserve(R) in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
(seanpatricktraining.com).