You may be starting a young horse from the ground up and/or working toward a new goal with an older horse. Clay's clear and personable teaching style will enable you and your horse(s) to progress at an easy pace that ensures results.

For a handler new to long reins, this DVD-set takes you through the steps necessary to become adept at handling the reins.

From pointers on arena size to equipment recommendations, and emphasizing safety and common sense, Clay introduces his layering technique. Each step builds on the previous, new terms and equipment are introduced and demonstrated with simple exercises to follow.

Clay's partner for much of this DVD is Falcon, a three-year-old Friesian gelding just beginning his work on the long reins. Handlers with young horses will see some typical responses and ways to handle them. He also works with Aaron, a seasoned long line horse. Watching Clay work with Aaron, handlers will understand what they are training toward.

Horses who are beyond the green stage, but who haven't yet been introduced to long reins benefit from the lessons in lateral movement. The long reins allow development of a top line and enforce the discipline of Clay's "daily chores" — learning to stand quietly, moving forward and back with subtle rein cues and lateral flexibility.

Known in the horse world for The Friesian Spectacular, Clay Maier trains his performance horses and teaches clinics on long reining and carriage driving. Call it long reining, long lining or ground driving — it's a universal training technique used since Roman times. And if you've ever seen Clay Maier's breathtaking The Friesian Spectacular, you'll understand why he's been called "the leading authority on long-reining today." What's more, Clay acquired his formidable skill by training horses for everyday situations.

99 mins.