Brette Manthe, 18, exhibits a stance on her horse Able that she would use if she were in a show reining competition. Manthe attended a reining training clinic to improve her skills Saturday and Sunday. [Click to enlarge]

Brette Manthe shows reining horses, something she's done since fourth grade.

To hone her skills Manthe, 18, of Merrill, participated in a Reining Working Cow Horse Clinic Saturday and Sunday sponsored by Pam and Greg Wells, owners of Windy Hill Ranch, Le Mars.

Manthe has been "horse crazy" for as long as she can remember.

"I just always really liked horses," She said. "When I was little I always asked for a horse."

Since beginning showing reining in 4-H, Manthe said she has been to other training clinics to improve her skills throughout the years.

In reining, horses are controlled by the rider's skills manipulating the neck reins to make the horse respond. Posture, seat on the horse, use of the rider's legs and leg pressure are also important.

"You get to use a lot of the seat of your horse," Manthe said. "You learn how to hold the reins and do a lot of bending."

Sitting confidently in the saddle Saturday, she used those skills as she manipulated the reins with one hand to make her horse, Able, move forward, turn and stop at her command.

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Manthe said she and instructor Drake Johnson, of Colorado, could already see a difference in her technique Saturday morning after an unofficial practice session Friday night.

"He's gone over a lot of technical things," Manthe said. "He's already seen improvements in my spins and stops."

Saturday morning, under Johnson's instruction, Manthe and her horse, Able, spun in a tight circle and came to an abrupt stop while he gave her pointers on leg position and use of the reins.

Manthe said she wanted to attend the clinic because she had been at other events where she had seen Johnson, who in addition to training also shows reining horses.

"It's a good opportunity to learn some more," Manthe said. "Each trainer targets different areas. They all have something to teach you."

Johnson said he does about four to five training clinics a year and covers everything from basic horsemanship to reining techniques.

"The more knowledge you gain the better competitor, the better rider you'll become," Johnson said. "You can always improve."

One of his methods dubbed KISS, "Keep It Simple Stupid," is one he usually teaches because no matter the technique "less is more," Johnson said.

"The less complicated you make it, the better chance you have of doing well," he said.

Manthe said lessons learned from Johnson will improve her showmanship skills something she has continued to do since the beginning.

"My first horse, we learned together," she said. "My next horse was already trained so he helped me progress."

During her early years Manthe said she performed at 4-H shows and later local shows. Now she competes in shows through the Central Plains Reining Horse Association, the Iowa Quarter Horse Association and the American Quarter Horse Association.

As far as competitions are concerned, the key is to stay calm, Manthe said.

"You can get nervous and it just won't go right," she said. "If I get nervous, he gets nervous."

Manthe, a recent graduate of Le Mars Community High School, wants to keep riding when she goes to college this fall to study animal science at Iowa State University.

"I hope to bring Able to college with me, if I can find a place to board him," Manthe said.

She has plans to become a veterinarian, but her "dream" is to get into training after college, Manthe said.

Even if that doesn't come true, "I know I'm always going to show and have horses and everything," she said.