Operation World Show: Boot Camp – Prepping for the World

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146 – August/September, 2017

By Rachel Kooiker

When you hear the term “boot camp,” your mind likely conjures images of sweaty cadets doing pushups in the mud with a drill instructor’s megaphone blasting in their ears. While that may be the military’s version of boot camp, chances are your horse trainer isn’t going to have you on a ropes course or scrambling through the mud. They are, however, going to put you through an intense, structured program of exercises and drills designed to accelerate your readiness for the toughest competition you’ll face all year: the World Show. Since many many riders spend a week or more at their trainer’s facility doing hard-core preparation before a major show begins, we wanted to uncover exactly what they do to prepare for the grueling period that is the World Show. Read on to learn the philosophies, drills, and go-to exercises behind a successful World Show boot camp.

Our Drill Sergeants

Shannon McCulloch of McCulloch Training Stables

A top clinician, trainer, and coach, Shannon McCulloch and her horses and riders have earned over 300 AQHA, Congress, APHA, ApHC, NSBA, and ABRA World and National Championship titles.

Clint Ainsworth of Clint Ainsworth Show Horses

Clint Ainsworth takes riders and horses through all levels of preparation for all-around events at the most elite levels of competition. As an associate trainer for Michael Colvin, Ainsworth was instrumental in creating countless championship teams, and he is known in particular for a strong teaching style.

Scott Jones of Showstring

Scott Jones is a top trainer who operates SHOWSTRING with Dave Miller. In this partnership, Jones has produced AQHA Congress and World Champions, APHA World Champions, High Point Champions, USEF Champions, as well as numerous World Show all-around titles and multiple futurity wins.

Click here to read the complete article
146 – August/September, 2017