Bolender’s Guide to Mastering Mountain and Extreme Trail Riding

Good horsemanship is not about domination, but leadership and having the horse volunteer for a partnership with the handler. That summarizes the focus of trainer and author Mark Bolender. In Bolender's Guide to Mastering Mountain and Extreme Trail Riding, he spells out his philosophy and training regimen that works to build mutual trust between a horse and rider. Bolender's training method, developed to incorporate the horse's natural instincts, is appropriate for riders of any skill level, from those who want to ride for pleasure to those who seek more advanced techniques for mountain and extreme trail competition. In this guide, he provides an array of information: selecting an ideal trail horse, acquiring the proper equipment, earning and building trust, and handling obstacles such as poles and logs, rocks, trenches, water, gates, bridges, campsites, other animals, and people. The guide breaks provides a fascinating journey into the horse's mind and how its instincts can be used to develop good horsemanship.

Mark Bolender is an expert in Extreme Trail, Mountain Trail, and Competitive Trail riding and has won three National Grand Championships. Bolender has designed Mountain Trail and Extreme Trail courses across the United States, Canada, and Europe. He lives in Washington State where he owns and operates Bolender Horse Park.