If you are interested in learning about "how to" be competative in the proformance horse world and reach the top of your game in Pole Bending, Barrel Racing, or other Gymkhana events Nineteen Second POLE BENDING by Wayne Sandberg is a must have book.

This is the third edition of Wayne Sandberg's pole bending book, which he wrote with riders at all the levels in mind. It is a riding manual that presents reining procedures that are recommended for all speed events. In Pole Bending the benefits of these speed reining techniques stand out as a premium. Here are offered basic training procedures that will give the horse and rider the necessary background before actual training on the poles. He offers training for beginners, as well as assistance to the advanced riders that wish to take a little time off their best run or make their runs more consistent. Repetition drills for turns and also for bending are emphasized ... and Wayne tells you how!

To purchase your copy make your check or money order out to Sandberg Saddlery for $29.95 ($24.95 = $5.00 S&H) and send it to:

Bruce Sandberg 623-492-9382
3847 W. Yorkshire Dr.
Glendale, AZ 85308

Riders who wish to compete in Pole Bending represent many different levels. Rider level of passion ranges from those who get their fun just by participating to those who consider winning to be their main goal in competing. Riders who hold winning as their goal realize that extensive training is required to prepare them for top competition. Those who choose participation as their main goal will obviously require just enough training to match their desire.

We will offer a complete blueprint for those who want to be the best they can be. Each individual will have to match the effort they are willing to apply with the level they wish to attain.

Proficiency in basic horse handling should be achieved before any work with poles is attempted. Shortcuts seldom work. The basic procedures the rider needs to know are:

Two-handed reining and all its fundamental nuances,
Half-halts, stops and backups,
Stops with the outside rein with the horse in flexion to the inside,
Two tracking procedures such as head out on the fence, lateral march, shoulder in and quarters in,
Spirals using an inside rein and inside leg to move out and an outside rein and leg to move in,
Inside roll backs,
Identify the crookedness in the horse and apply moves in flexion to neutralize that crookedness to make the horse use both sides equally.

When horse and rider are competent in these basic procedures, they are then ready to start drills of repetition. Both you and your horse will learn much faster by doing something over and over without having to deal with other elements of the pattern.

The Pole Bending pattern consists of a run down and a run to the finish, plus three turns and bending eight poles. The success of the run down and the run to the finish are by and large separate from the turns or weaving.

Note that proper footfall in bending the poles is totally dependent on good starts from consistent, accurate turns. An attempted turn that goes by or wide of the turning pole by a couple of feet or so will usually cause the footfall ot be OFF by a couple of feet or so. Any deviation of footfall usually results in a down pole or so, somewhere down the line.

This is to point out the importance of developing uniformly accurate turns, which are vital to producing clean runs. We recommend the 4 pole turning drill for developing accurate turns BEFORE starting the weaving process. When the horse and rider can perform the turning drill up to standard, it may be followed with the 4 pole bending drill. When this drill is working well, advance to the 6 pole drill. When the horse and rider can run the 6 pole drill three times back and forth clean, it is time to start competition.

Any time a problem comes up troubleshoot it with the appropriate drill. If the problem persists it can always be eliminated by going back to established basic procedures, which will be pointed out and endorsed by the problem itself.

Ken Smith, an experienced horsman who gives clinics on polebending in Washington, uses Wayne's book in his clinic and sells it to his students as well as online. He has this to say about Wayne Sandberg and his book:

I found Wayne Sandberg's book, Nineteen Second Pole Bending. I was impressed with his detailed analysis of the event and I contacted him and made arrangements to meet. Over the years I've made several trips to California and Arizona to take advantage of his coaching, and Wayne has been to Washington for extended visits with us. The knowledge I've gleaned from his writings and his careful one-on-one coaching have helped me as I've developed our young horses and introduced them to this event. I regularly use many of the drills that Wayne originated.

Wayne's books are always a big hit at our pole bending clinics. Several of the drills used at the clinics are described clearly in the book. We use these drills to develop those snappy, explosive turns and rapid bending speeds that surprise the students.

Ken Smith