National Shooting Horse Association

2026 Shooting Horse School Information

Gun-Breaking + Horse-First Foundation Training

Next Clinic May 30–31 | Just North of Columbia, Missouri
One Day or Two Day Options Available

If you’re ready to start the shooting horse discipline the right way, this school is designed for you.

NaSHA’s 1-Gun Shooting Horse Schools are built around a simple goal: create confident, safe, willing shooting horses by focusing on correct horsemanship first. This is not a rushed “let’s just shoot patterns” weekend. It’s a structured foundation focused on gun-breaking, control, cadence, and confidence—the things that keep horses and riders safe and progressing long-term.

Every horse and rider comes in at a different place. We meet you where you are and work through the next right steps, with an emphasis on calm progression and practical take-home direction you can continue using after you leave. These are not ground-work heavy, the focus is on communication in the saddle, so in our schools we RIDE, so please come prepared. 

See and register for our next learning opportunity below, and keep scrolling for more info!
Registration Schools Info
NaSHA's

1 Gun Shooting Horse School Deets

Wondering what we'll do at this school level? Our gunbreaking school focuses on the essential building blocks of a strong shooting horse foundation:

Gun-Breaking & Firearm Integration

  • Safe firearm handling and best practices on horseback

  • Building calm, correct exposure without flooding or forcing

  • Preventing common early issues like tension, anticipation, or shut-down behavior

  • How to know when to advance—or when to step back

Riding & Horse Training Fundamentals

  • Cadence and rhythm inside the work

  • Correct forward movement without rushing

  • Start/stop confidence and controlled transitions

  • Soft turning, line control, and staying connected

  • Troubleshooting common problems before they become dangerous

Intro Pattern Work (Horse-First)

  • Pattern basics and how to build understanding without creating chargey horses

  • Teaching the horse to follow your lead through turns and lines

  • Why we often don’t shoot the rundown early, and how to train patterns safely

  • How to break down weak spots (lead changes, responsiveness, barrel work, etc.)

Who This School Is For

  • Riders new to the shooting horse discipline

  • Horses early in gun-breaking and pattern exposure

  • Riders rebuilding fundamentals and confidence

  • Riders without an instructor who need a clear path forward

  • Anyone who wants to start correctly before adding speed

This school supports the skills found in NaSHA’s first two Lesson Levels (White + Blue) — not as an evaluation, but as a shared roadmap for what to build next.

Schedule Options

Attend One Day or Both 

  • Day 1: Foundation gun-breaking and riding fundamentals

  • Day 2: Progression work + intro pattern application and troubleshooting

(Each day includes mounted work, coaching, and take-home direction, with the second day building on the first and continuing progress. If you’re unsure which option fits you best, reach out and we’ll help you decide.)

What to Bring

  • Your horse (sound and rideable for the level you’re entering)

  • Your standard riding tack

  • Eye/ear protection recommended

  • A good attitude and patience for the process

If you’re new and unsure what equipment you need, reach out — we’ll help you get set up safely.

What You’ll Leave With

  • a calmer, clearer starting point for gun-breaking

  • improved cadence and control

  • practical troubleshooting tools

  • and a specific plan for what to practice next

Whether you have a trainer at home or you’re doing this on your own, you will leave with direction you can use immediately.

Here for the Horse.
National Shooting Horse Association (NaSHA)