by 
Joey Corona started riding horses when he was eight years old. He started training horses on his own when he was 16 using the knowledge of working with horses that he learned from his grandfather and uncles.
On Sat. Sept. 15 he will be part of the fourth annual Southern Arizona Horse Expo at the Southern Arizona Equestrian Center/77 Arena in Oracle.
Corona will give a demonstration on how to gain a horse’s respect. He will be working with a two-year-old quarter horse named Drifter.
It is the first time Corona will be giving a public demonstration of his training techniques. “It is a good opportunity for me,” he said.
Respect is an important part of Corona’s training of horses. “You have to get them to trust you and gain their respect,” he said. “If they don’t trust you, you will never get a saddle on them.”
In the old west days, they used to break the horse’s spirit sometimes tying up the horse or whipping them Corona uses hard work. “When they calm down, I relax their training,” he said. “When they shy away or get excited, I make them work more.”
Corona says his method is one of the gentlest ways to train a horse. “I don’t beat them, I don’t hurt them,” he explained.
His philosophy on training is to build a relationship with the animal. “Build trust and communication,” he emphasized. “You have to learn what the animal is communicating to you, try to understand more about what the horse is saying. Gain that respect.”
Starting horses and problem solving are Corona’s training specialties; he works with all breeds of horses. “They are all the same to me,” he said with a laugh.
He explained consistency is important when working with horses. “Every horse is different, they can be fine one minute and the next day they are a different animal,” he said. “One small movement can be dangerous for you; they can blow up in a second.”
Corona owns three horses of his own. His hobby is competing in team roping. Sometimes his partner is his son who he is teaching about horses.
The fourth annual Southern Arizona Horse Expo begins on Sat. Sept.15. Corona will have a booth on Sat. but will be giving a demonstration on Sun. Sept. 16 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Clay Harper, world renowned horse trainer and founder of the Southern Arizona Horse Expo said on his website, “Corona is a true horseman. He truly gets it. He is very down to earth and horses know he speaks their language.”
Come out to the Expo and support a local cowboy and the event that always brings attention to Oracle. It promises to be quite a show.
Tickets for the event are available for $10 per day in advance or $15 per day at the gate. Tickets can be purchased at Boot Barn stores inTucson,ArizonaFeeds,Mt.Vista School, or online at SouthernArizonaHorseExpo.com.
To comment on this article and others visit the Copper Area News Facebook or send us an email at CBNSun@MinerSunBasin.com
by by