BOB AVILA'S ADVICE Expertise With Reins Need a way to correct a horse that wants to lean toward the inside of his circles? Do this, says Team Horse&Rider's Bob Avila: Lift the rein on that side straight up, as shown here, making contact with the horse's mouth, and producing the degree of flexion shown. This action displaces, or lifts, the horse's weight from the inside shoulder--the one he's been leaning on--to the outside shoulder, and redistributes his balance, for better circles.

Bob covers more ways to use your reins effectively in "4 Rein Ads Explained," in May's print edition of H&R. Does your show horse want to drift to the inside of the arena, anticipating the lineup? Get Bob's advice here. For Bob's advice on how a horse's topline contributes to or detracts from his performance ability, click here.

"No matter what your training goal, inside or outside the show ring, body control isn't a big thing. It's everything. When you can isolate and control all the individual parts of your horse's body, you have a horse that's really, really broke." --Bob Avila

Rescue Wet Tack
Scenario: You set out for a spring ride, only to get caught in a downpour that leaves you with wet leather tack. What to do?

Act fast. Instead of letting your tack dry before you treat it, grab a damp rag right away, and use it to remove dirt, sweat, and mud from rained-on surfaces. While your tack's still damp from this step, apply a light coat of penetrating, neutral-pH leather conditioner. Capillary action of the leather's fibers will draw the conditioner down past the surface. For more details on the hows and whys of rescuing wet leather tack, click here.

Ever wish you had a calmer horse? When your horse gets nervous or tense, keep his mind busy by giving him a specific task to do that gets his feet moving with energy--circles, serpentines, and lots of turning, even from the ground, will do the trick. Thanks to Team H&R's Clinton Anderson for this tip. For more, see "You Can Have a Calmer Horse," in May's H&R. For Clinton's advice on how to stop your horse from snatching at grass when you're riding, click here.

Nothing ruins a trail ride faster than a problematic circumstance that could have been prevented. Click here for a list of nine better-safe-than-sorry questions to ask yourself before you set out.

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See Bob in Person! Next week the trainer of scores of world champions will compete and give clinics at the Western States Horse Expo in California. Schedule details.

Next month: Improve your riding with little fixes, from Team H&R member Al Dunning.

A mare's anatomy can leave her with a badly urine damaged tail. Find tips for rehabbing a mare's tail here.

Spice up that yellow! To make your palomino's coat a richer shade of gold, try adding a teaspoon of paprika, a spice, to his a.m. and p.m. feed. Just be sure to keep it in a cool, dark place, as exposure to heat releases its spicy taste.