Podcast with Greg Dial

Get to know Greg:

“Precision partnership” is the goal every time Greg Dial trains a horse or coaches a rider. With a background in reining, he knows that the foundation for a reining horse also encourages a horse in any discipline to perform at a higher level. In past years, Greg showed Quarter Horses, Paints, and Arabians successfully in reining, cowhorse, versatility, western pleasure, trail, and halter.

Thirty-five years ago, Greg started “The Gentle Rein” in Wimberley, Texas after long experience in ranch work, training in show barns, and as an independent trainer. Showing convinced Greg that there needed to be a way that was better for the horses, the riders, and the industry as a whole. He uses a teaching style that is non-confrontational, seeks to develop partnership and leadership, and emphasizes reward and mental rest, rather than harsh discipline.


In 2001, Greg and The Gentle Rein moved to Lampasas, Texas, and opened facilities at Little Bear Ranch. In 2018, he pulled up stakes and moved to Blanco, Texas. These days, he promotes all-around partners for trail, ranch, and pleasure riding. Greg conducts horsemanship, trail, and reining clinics around Texas, and considers himself a lifelong student, learning from disciplines as diverse as cutting, dressage, eventing, and barrel racing, as well as neurophysiology, kinesiology, and psychology. He is Director of Judging for the Texas Trail Challenge Club, as well as a Senior Judge and frequent competitor.