Trainer Wes Licht introduces Ranger to COWS! Summer, 2008.

Here are videos that show some of my training with Ranger, a Morab Gelding whose  recognized daddy is Windmere Royal Topaz.  In this photo he’s being ridden by my recognized daddy, trainer Wes Licht.   Three years ago I trained Ranger to ride and drive. I am so blessed to work with him again for a few months as  a “tune-up” in preparation for him to find a good sale home or as a lease to the right person.
In addition to …

Hi, this is a note to tell you about the upcoming clinic I’ll be giving at the end of August.   Please write in the comments box or call me with questions at (608)215-5200 – Sara Licht

What: A Clinic where you can bring your specific training questions or behavioral issues and get practical solutions.  I will be working with a few horses at the clinic and explaining it as I work.  There will a period of demonstration about some basics that you can learn to improve your relationship and safety with …

This tip is thanks to my friend Benjamin, who has beautiful posture. Here I explain how I use it to remind myself during driving and riding.
In addition, remember to LOOK UP while riding, and feel what you horse is doing. Because of the survival instinct, many trainers (myself included) spend too much time looking down at the horse’s neck because we want to keep on eye on what the horse is doing. When I ride at Saddleridge Stables where we all share the arena, it provides great practice for looking …

When I met Stacey Westfall last year at the Midwest Horse Fair, she told me that her most valuable exercise was the clover-leaf cones pattern, and she explained it to me.
  I began using it and have found it valuable on many levels.  I use the repetition of the same directional turns to teach green horses to move away from the leg.  They learn quickly with this exercise, and it’s fun for me too.
After my horse worked at the trot and in nice balanced turns with this drill,  I noticed …

his video is a short explanation of one way I teach a horse to stand still for mounting and mounting preparation.  I will climb up on the roundpen fence and can support myself there while waving one leg over the horse’s back, and even giving him some weight on his back, without risking my well-being.  If he gets upset, I’m still supporting myself with the fence.  Then just go back to a place where he was getting some success and reward that place, until his confidence grows (treats speed this …

These 5 videos below will show some of the timing and methods I used to help this horse learn some beginning groundwork:
This young Quarter Horse was tamed in a few days by my friend and dressage trainer Meghan Kavanah, who brought him from having no interest in people whatsoever, to haltering, beginning leading, and developing a good curiosity for human interaction.   I only had one session with him as I was on my way back to Wisconsin, and I didn’t want to break his trust and confuse him, so you’ll …

I returned from a busy winter of  training Trakehners in Florida a few days ago, and am getting things lined up for this coming season of horse training and art in Wisconsin.  Updates coming, and more educational clips to help with specific training questions as well.
If you have questions about my methods for training a horse to drive, safe methods to train a horse to ride, trick training,  ground manners, or specific issues you are having with your horse…send an email and I’ll be posting Q’s and responses at …

I brought Rainy to Pat’s barn, and she helped me to feel what “pushing the horse up into your hands” feels like, and then she worked with Rainy while I watched. Rainy and I have both been building our abdominal muscles since this lesson! See the video clips below of Pat teaching me about this.
Previously I had been struggling with asking Rainy to carry her head in a prettier position using my hands (that’s a common mistake but a no-no nonetheless) and in this lesson something finally clicked and I …

I am so honored to be working with this horse for a couple of weeks. We will do some
riding and driving, and I’ll spend time with him on the trails to build his confidence and improve his fitness. Mentor Pat Fitzgerald will give me some lessons on him, and among other things, I will learn to ride with my shoulders BACK. Wouldn’t that make it a prettier picture?
This is the first time I’ve ridden Don. In the first video (above), after about a minute …

Diesel is an adorable pony mule that I have in for training to ride and drive. Here he is about 3 1/2 weeks in, and he’s looking more fit and less furry.
This video is from day 9 of our training together. Here he’s dragging a noisy septic tube, and wearing a bridle. I have the longe line attached to the halter, not the bit. I like them to get used to lots of different things “following” them, so when the cart follows them it will …