Our brand new three year old

Question
Hi Shelly -- after reading some of the questions and answers you have written here, I am so impressed and certain you will provide some much needed help!

We recently bought a three year old AQHA filly with unbelieveable breeding.  She is "mostly" broke but still needs some refinement in her lope for western pleasure.  Her  jog is awesome but she still needs some help collecting for a good pleasure lope.  Any suggestions, tricks, tips?

Do you have a particular trainer (Clinton Anderson, Richard Shrake, etc.) that you recommend to help give us some ideas?  We have a pretty great trainer that will work with us fairly regularly but our pockets aren't unending so we need to do as much of the work as we can ourselves.  We want to show the AQHA circuit with her so we need to get some of the best help we can.

Also, do you have any suggestions in terms of supplementation?  Our experience has been with an old horse who lived happily on sweet feed, hay, and grass.  But now, taking on a youngster who will be working and showing hard, I definitely want to make sure she's getting everything she needs.

Thanks so much for your help!!!!!

Answer
Dear Jenn,
Thank you for your kind words. Perhaps I will address your questions in order:
1. The one thing I can definitively say about GOOD training is that it takes time, patience, and consistency. Be wary of "tricks" and anything that looks like a gimmick or a short cut. It doesn't take much bad training to ruin a good young prospect. It may sound odd, but you must have good forward engagement before you will get good collection and a nice effortless, slow lope. Even though your goal may be pleasure- you can learn a great deal from reiners about balance and relaxation. Once you have good forward engagement, straightness and balance- then use a pattern approach to asking for collection- use the circle- spiral down- spiral out. Use your quarter lines and center lines. Use leg yield, halts and rollbacks. DON'T begin to ask for collection with your hands- it begins in your seat and in short order, leg and hands follow. Try some dressage lessons in how to use the half halt. Your filly MUST learn to accept riding on contact BEFORE you can throw her away and trust her to maintain self carriage on a full drape. Remember that she is still a baby- don't let any of your training sessions go longer than 45 minutes and break up your routine. There's nothing for a young horse's mental health like a nice relaxing trail ride. Avoid equipment that is used to induce false collection- fear isn't collection- slow isn't collection- it leads to contraction and tension.
2. You don't mention how long you have had this filly but any feeding change should always be done gradually. Be wary of too much protein. I would consult a good equine vet in your area and ask if there are any mineral deficiencies in the soil (if you grow your own hay or purchase it locally). If you feed well- you shouldn't need supplements unless the feed is missing something. For example- the soil in the Pacific Northwest is lacking in selenium which horses require in trace amounts. Consequently, unless the hay is coming from elsewhere- this trace mineral must be supplemented. Personally, I like a good timothy hay over alfalfa. At the most, I don't like more than 30% alfalfa in a mix. I am not a fan of sweet feed- it is very high in sugars and carbohydrates. I prefer a pelleted extruded ration geared for a young performance horse- there are many of these on the market- Purina makes some very good ones and has decades or research behind them. I also like to feed about 1/2 cup of stabilized rice bran a day and because of where I live (where we do have mineral deficiencies in the soil) I feed a vitamin complex. I also have a good old fashioned salt lick. You want good nutrition- not rocket fuel. Watch her weight- if she's getting too heavy- cut back on the pelleted ration. Losing weight with the stresses of training- slowly add accordingly. Of course a fecal analysis every six months is also a great way to ensure that your worming program is working.My favorite book about equine nutrition is titled: "Feeding to Win."
3. Hmmm...favorite big gun AQHA trainer would have to be Lynn Palm. That woman is as content riding a dressage test as she is over fences or western pleasure. Of course her great claim to fame was Rugged Lark- but she certainly didn't stop there. Look at how engaged her horses are- you NEVER see them on the forehand or lacking in impulsion.There are several YOUTUBE videos of Lynn riding a variety of horses in a number of disciplines- all are impressive. In general terms- I also really like the way Sheila Varian finishes a western horse. Principally known for her Arabian breeding - she "wowed" the AQHA world back in October 1961 when she and her Arabian mare Ronteza won the Open Reined Cow Horse Championship at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.  She was the first amateur, the first woman and rode the first Arabian to take that title. Amazing finished bridle work- brilliant hands.
I hope some of this helps. I wish you all the best with your filly.
Sincerely,
S. Evans