Radio Brings It Alive: Al Dunning's May H&R Article

"Now that's an article. In fact, it's one of the best ones I've read in H&R in a long time. I've already re-read it three times and have started incorporting the tips into my training."

That's what one reader had to say about Al Dunning's "From Rails to Trails" article in the May 2009 issue of Horse&Rider.

And it turns out he's not alone in his enthusiasm, because the article also caught the attention of a radio show that'll feature Al as its guest this weekend. (More on that in a bit.)

In this feature, Al--who's best known as a show trainer and competitor--makes a case for why every horse, even a show horse, needs to be trail-ridden as a form of cross-training. Al (shown here, taking a colt out for a desert ride near his Arizona ranch) also provides smart tips and guidelines for incorporating non-arena work into a horse's training program.

I spoke yesterday with Ernie Rodina, the host for Better Horses Radio. He found Al's article so interesting that he invited Al on the show to interview him about it.

The result will air this Saturday and Sunday on stations included in the Better Horses Radio network (listed at the Web site). But if you aren't in those areas, you still can listen to the interview starting next week, when it'll be archived at the site and available through Web-based radio.

Meanwhile, you can listen to Ernie's previous interviews via that same archive function.