Tempers fly, anger roars, frustration mounts! There are times when we get distraught over things and we feel we get backed into a corner and want to give up or come out fighting! Neither of these are good resolutions when working with your horse.
Horses want calm, peace, and harmony. They want to see white, not RED!
So, if horses want peace, why don't they just give in to us immediately? There are many answers to this question. First, you need to take a step back and trying to figure out if you are clear in your communication to your horse. Is what your are asking, already taught to your horse? Is your horse refusing to do something due to soreness, injury or pain? Are you in a calm state of mind when asking?
The best way to approach a training task is to do so with a calm and assertive state of mind. Be clear and conscience with the directions and be willing to accept baby steps to your final goal. Keep your cool. People tend to get frustrated very quickly. Frustration mounts when knowledge ends. When you have no idea what to do or where to go, frustration creeps in and tries to take over. When people get frustrated, anger and tempers begin to flair.
This is exactly the time to take a step back before you get to this level. Reassess what you are working on and how you are approaching the task. Get some outside feed back to evaluate what is happening. Don't allow the frustration to take over you. Be calm. Think before you react.
Many horses lack confidence in themselves, their owner, their surroundings, their abilities. These horses could benefit from the confidence building exercises. They tend to be spooky, shy away from objects or moving papers, they are afraid of water or bridges or even the petting on the head. They need to learn rules, how to follow them, reward for following them, how to work on them and trust how the exercise plays out. Work with them on the ground and establish a set of rules and follow them to a "T"!
A horse (just like a kid) needs to know the rules and will follow them if they are carried out properly and fairly. Once they understand their place, they become more content. Soon, they are very willing to work on those exercises with enthusiasm. Once they understand the rules and how the rules are play out, then it is time to add new exercises that help the horse use its body correctly by following your lead. They learn to look to you for guidance and learn to keep focus at the task at hand and not so much on the outside world. You are establishing a bond - a work ethic - that can last a life time if you choose.
This topic has been under scrutiny for many years. What many people don't understand is that an Equine Dentist goes to school to become an Equine Dentist. Just like a farrier goes to farrier school. Neither is a vet. Experienced and established equine dentists know their area of expertise and bring forth a great deal of knowledge and experience to the "stable". A good equine dentist does more teeth than an average vet.
I hear the flip side to the argument stating that they should have gone to vet school to know everything about the horse because they are working on a specific part of the horse. (I do know there are many more arguments than just this one but for the sake of time and simplicity well let the others go for now).
As a horse owner, trainer, instructor, clinician, competitor, I am always seeking out the best for my horses and those of my clients. I look for the best vets, the best chiropractors, best farriers, and through them I gain knowledge and insights. I also look towards out side sources, clinics, books, training and internet to learn more about these areas. All information I have taken in, I tend to investigate and qualify before taking it into my "circle of knowledge".
I use an Equine Dentist. He is on his way here this morning. I have a mix of client horses and my personal horses that need to "sit in the dentist chair". For medicating, a competent owner can medicate their own horse or a vet can simply accompany the dentist for any necessary work.
Most dentist are very knowledgable with the current drugs out there and those who are established and experienced are very good at knowing which drug to use. I am not trying to stir up a controversial argument, but there comes a time when those who are good and know what they are doing become victims of the system and those who cheat, or are inexperienced or intend or carelessly impose harm are the ones who force the system to put on restrictions on all.
Interestingly enough, that our society needs these restrictions at all. Case in point, hot coffee you order from the "store" is HOT. That is why you ordered it that way. HOT means HOT. Hot means hot to the touch, hot to hold, can burn, or cause discomfort. DUH. Now, because of one person lacking common sense and definitely lacking horse sense, our society has to put warning labels on things that you order. Why cant we put labels on people that say, "lacks common sense", "reckless driver", "makes poor choices", "hates people", etc. Why cant everyone own up to their "lives" and either tattoo these things onto their forehead or simply handle them more appropriately?!?
I digress.
I guess it boils down to the fact that our society has gotten a bit out of hand where we take the blame away from the actual person and put it onto someone else. (I understand there is a great deal that goes into this part of the discussion, but lets move on for now.) How does this relate to equine dentistry? Equine dentist at times, need to medicate a horse (sedate). But that would constitute practicing veterinary medicine - which they are not legally able to do. Sure, the horse owner can medicate, but many are not knowledgable or afraid to do so. However, I feel there is knowledge obtained in some dental schools and follow up internships that qualify them for sedating for the purposes of dentistry. However, like any thing else there could be more teaching. If we allowed more comprehensive training into the dental training program, there would be a better understanding of how medicating/sedating works and effects each body component. There are many meds used for sedating and each one has different effects on the horse. These effects can be any thing from time under the meds, how "quiet" they will be, how they come out of the meds, etc. Some sedating drugs that vets use may not be the first or preferred choice for an equine dentist. In other words, there is a speciality (equine dentistry) that has specific needs and specific meds that work best for this type of "work".
Maybe its time to allow the dentists to practice with sedation, and/or allow the training for them to become more advanced. I understand I have my opinion and others have theirs.
Horses rearing, cinchy, refusal to get in a trailer or get out calmly, refuse to take a lead, not soft in the bridle, not bending in the ribs. This list can go on and on as to what people refer to as problem horses. Many times there are issues that the horse experience that are outwardly shown in these manners. Often the manner displayed is not the actual issue but because of the under lining issue, these mannerisms are shown to their rider/handler/owner in a different outward display. This is the horses way of telling you that there is something wrong or bothering them.
You need to dig down and try and find out what could be going on. Most often it is easier to have someone else look into it because they are not emotionally tied to the horse or rider and can get "down and dirty" and look into the situation without any emotion. Often, the horse owner is the one who really doesn't "want" to hear what is the cause. For example, a horse that does not want to move its haunches out could be having trouble with the rider putting too much weight in the wrong part of the saddle, or not releasing a leg to open a door, or holding the fronts with too strong of a hold, etc. Some issues are first created by the owner. Not something some people want to look at or deal with. An outsider can take a different perspective and evaluate the rider and horse connection and see if any issues are taking place. Once an evaluation is done, then breaking the "news" to the owner is another issue. Horses make you face things in your own life. Well talk about that more another time.
Now, on the other hand, there can be physical things going on with the horse causing pain or discomfort. Which can manifest into other unwanted behaviors.
Some horses experience a trauma and hold onto those memories by having a conditioned response to a stimuli. A whip causing the horse to be anxious or bolt, a saddle causing a horse to get jittery or cinchy can be reactions from an traumatic or painful experience.
Just because one activity is displayed, does not mean that is the final "answer" that you need to address. You need to look into it deeper and try to determine what is going on from the horses perspective and see what needs to be done to make things more comfortable for your horse physically, emotionally and spiritually.
A rider who wants to be serious about their riding should ride as often as they can, get lessons with a qualified instructor and open their mind and ears to what they hear and see and ask many questions to help guide them through the process of negotiating the path of becoming a horseperson.
I prefer my serious students to ride as many horses as possible to learn from the horse. They get the feel of different gaits, movements, temperaments, as well as softness and flexion abilities of various horses.
Once forward motion is established in all three gaits and an independent seat is established, then some truly fun work can begin. Lightness, softness, body awareness really comes into play and many light bulbs begin to flicker on in this phase of riding.
It can truly be amazing and an eye opening experience riding at this level. I hope you discover this for yourself. It is truly worth the effort!
A new rider has the opportunity to learn a vast array of information by working with a qualified instructor. Most people who are new to horses are amazed at how much there is to learn, how long it may take to master the skills, how diverse the horses personalities, temperaments, movements and abilities are, how no one ever knows it all regarding the industry/training/teaching/ etc, and how much the horse gives back to the rider in regards to confidence, respect, love, trust, insights into your own personality and how you deal with life's ups and downs. Horses are commonly referred to as "therapists". They listen, they watch, and they are always reading us and interpreting what we are doing and the meaning behind what we do. They force us to deal with things in our lives such as trusting ourselves, patience, communication, time management, physical coordination and physical skills, and the list goes on and on.
A new rider will first need to learn about the horse. They will learn about horse conformation and behavior, haltering, leading, grooming, tieing, basic medical care, and how to check for soreness, thrush, injuries. Next comes proper saddling and tacking. After that, is basic ground work and then mounting. Once mounted, they will learn flexing, yielding to the bit and yielding the hindquarters and dismounting safely. Next is walking and one rein and emergency stopping. They will progress to learning cues to walk, stop and turn. Once balance and basic coordination is established, then the work towards trotting and then cantering can be attempted. However, safety needs to be at the forefront. Progress safely. There is no need to rush.
Many years ago I had a situation that highlighted this concept on rushing forward. I had a parent who wanted their child to learn to ride. She advised that she learned to ride as a child and had been riding ever since and she simply enjoyed her riding time and wanted her daughter to have the same up bringing. The parent and I spoke in great detail about riding and my philosophy on learning proper horsemanship verses learning just how to look pretty and "show". I placed her in one private lesson and she did well. The parent related that she wanted the riding to be more fun for her daughter and wanted to be placed in a group program with other kids. I advised that she needed more guidance, but reluctantly agreed to try a group lesson. After a few lessons, the parent wanted to know why her child was not cantering. I looked at her and asked her to observe her child ride. She looked over at her daughter going around the arena at a walk and trot. She had a puzzled look on her face. I inquired if she felt her daughter looked as if she was stable in her seat and hands at the trot? The parent noted that those things were not important to her and she wanted her daughter to canter. I explained about the safety of it all and that if her daughter was not independently balanced in her seat, than the canter would be a little more difficult for her to master and a safety concern as well; and the fact that her daughter could lose her confidence that we worked so hard to build. The parent replied that she did not care, she was cantering on a horse in two days when she was a kid. I asked if she had better balance and seat and hands than her daughter did at this point. The parent replied that she did not remember and felt that those were not necessary. I explained about how this felt to the horse. The parent was totally focused on the canter and did not want to hear about the horse's comfort. Therefore, I asked her to place a bit in her mouth and that I would bounce on the reins while she walked forward. The parent did not want to try this test. Imagine that !
The parent wanted something for her daughter that was in the parent's mind and not necessarily in the daughter's mind or best interest. After further discussion, it all boiled down to money. She had her daughter in group lessons and refused to place her in a private lesson to get a good start due to the cost. Ultimately what happened was that the daughter spent most of her group lesson socializing and refused to pay attention or apply herself. I reminded her to focus and quizzed her on the techniques, but she would not pay attention. It was not as if she could not focus but simply because she wanted to hang with friends. The parent did not see any problem with this and wanted the experience to be "fun". So it took the daughter longer to move forward. No matter how much discussion we all had on this topic, the parent refused to look at the situation and focused on the number of lessons and not anything else that went into that dynamic. These can be very frustrating times. I understand the parent's desire to give back and allow her daughter a chance to ride and learn. However, it is the instructor who has to take into account for the safety of the child especially if the parent disregards it. I believe the parent felt since she did not get hurt as a child learning to ride and had a good time with it, and felt the same would be for her daughter. I took a deep breath and explained that there are so many variables to that and explained it by how as a child we may not have had helmets for riding a bike, but now that is a higher priority. Now a days, we are dealing with more traffic, rushed drivers, faster speeds on the roads and more safety information and studies. It is in our best interest to be cautious.
As time went on, the child improved slightly in her riding. Lessons ended. I am not sure if she stuck with riding or not, but hopefully she learns that not all of life is about fun and at times you have to buckle down and focus, try, be patient, and be safe. Riding does not happen overnight. But the pride and joy of the process of learning can be well worth the effort.
It can take a bit of repetition for a new rider to grasp the concepts of basic riding techniques and then more time to make them subconscious "habit". We can easily over think what we are learning and how to apply the techniques. I tell everyone to take it all in as baby steps. Work on one area at a time and slow build upon those mastered tasks. Soon you will be riding with confidence knowing you have a few tools in your tool box to work and ride with. Then progress from there.
How quickly you move forward in your riding depends on you, your time, your focus, and your horse and instructor. Just like everything in life, we have to put forward some effort to reach a higher goal. If you really want to progress then buckle down and work on it. Ride as often as you can and get some guidance along the way.
Video taping is often helpful to review your body position, timing, and cuing. Once you have videoed your riding, don't forget to review it! It maybe helpful to review it with your instructor.
Until next time, keep your butt in the saddle and the horse between you and the ground!
Once a horse is halter broke, then you move into establishing forward movement. The horse needs to easily transition into each gait without balking or fussing. Horses are balls of energy, if they don't go forward to release their energy, then you risk that energy coming out in undesirable methods.
After forward motion is established, then desensitizing begins. This helps build more trust and confidence. This then progresses into teaching respect, fluid movements and transitions. This also goes hand in hand with suppleness and straightness.
It may sound simplistic but It can be difficult for a novice or even an advanced rider. Learning how to read a colt takes time, patience and lots of experience! Work with a trainer or experienced colt starter to insure a proper foundation.
I am often asked how long it will take to train a horse. That is a difficult question to answer because there are so many variables. Let me explain. If the owner/rider is a good rider and has great timing and feel and can help progress a horse, then maybe the horse only needs a couple of month of training to just get it started. Now if the rider is new or very green, then you will want to put more training into your horse to insure that you two get along. If a horse is already broke and needs fine tuning for a particular event, then the training time will vary depending on what movements/skills/problems that need to be fixed or taught.
It is always best to teach the horse the foundation exercises first. Then continue to provide adequate time for the trainer to work with the horse to allow the skills to ingrained themselves into the horses daily lives. Just because the trainer can work with the horse and get the desired movements does not guarantee that the rider will be able to duplicate it. The rider needs to look deep inside and be honest with their abilities. For a rider to progress a horse, their skills need to be at a higher level than the horse. If it's a weaker rider, than the horse needs to be better trained and given a chance to work through possible problems that develop before the green rider climbs aboard..
Also, the rider needs to determine their time commitments. How much time do you honestly and consistently have to devote to the horse? That is a question only the rider can answer. Horses need attention, care, and training.To progress the horse, they will need consistent work. Being realistic with yourself will greatly help your horse and ultimately your enjoyment with your horse.
Money, the root of all evil,...right? I see many kids riding horses that are not properly trained or where the rider needs lessons and the parents are not knowledgable enough to see it. On the other hand, I see the same situation but the family lacks the funds for lessons. However many barns accept working students which the child or parent can exchange work for lessons or a greatly reduced lesson rate. This is often an affordable option.
You may ask, why is it important for my child to ride a trained horse. They can learn together. Lets just say, would you put your child in the cock pit of a plane with out any training and let them try to learn as they go along? Safety is a huge concern. Plus, are you thinking about the child's perspective? When a child has a bad experience it can be tough to regain the trust in themselves and the horse. There is always a risk when riding a horse, so why not get your child some assistance and minimize the risk?
Lessons and training are worth the time and money. You need to access your specific situation and determine you and your horses needs with an open and honest perspective.
It takes time to cultivate a good rider. No one really wants to hear that. In today's instant society, everyone wants things to happen at lightening speed. But people and horses are not mechanical. We think, feel, breath, and live. There are so many things going on in our lives that get in the way of clear thinking and mastery of riding skills. Riding consists of many concepts that we need to learn, grasp, reproduce and then become habit. Tasks that sound simple, can become difficult to master due to all the issues we carry around in our mind and lives. Some thing as simple as riding with out tension can become a hard task to master.
We need to realize that it takes a great deal of time and effort to become a good rider or horseman. We need to set realistic goals and have a clear path to follow to reach our goals. One person may find one task extremely easy to master and another task much more taxing. Don't worry. Riding and leaning is an upward climb with many rewards. Your just need to be aware of the road ahead and make a decision as to which path you want to take to reach your desired goal.
Things happen. I understand that. But it's always sad to see someone make poor choices in life. Some of you may say to me, "whom am I to say when something is a bad choice". Therefore, I 'll open it up to you. What do you do with a "friend" who steals not just from you but from those who had items stored with you?
Now, I'm not talking about extremely large ticket items but a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff that belonged to another and another couple hundred that belongs to me. For the sake of this discussion, well only address the items that belonged to another person and not me.
As the story goes, both these individuals had considered each other friends/acquaintances. There was no issues or bad blood between them. So, what suddenly makes one person steal from another?
I have no answer, just questions. When this person was asked about the items, she turned over the conversation to her current boyfriend who threatened bodily harm to the victim. That makes it tough to just ask if she accidently picked up the items - doesn't it?
Obviously, there was no true friendship there. Her intentions were probably clear to her way before anyone suspected anything.
I think people who are victimized this way feel shame and embarrassment They thought they were friends. They hung out together and even helped each other out. The victim falls into a disbelief that they were lead astray or that they allowed themselves to be fooled. I believe people are wanting to look for the good in all.
At times, feathers get ruffled, anger kicks in and claws come out.
Our society is very sue happy. Everyone jumping on the bandwagon to sue another. But then reality sets in, as to the cost in time and money to sue. That is something, I feel, the offender counts on. They stalk their prey like a cat, they play with the target to get to know it, then lash out striking what ever is in its way. It's consequence is the satisfaction in getting its prey.
I do feel people pay for what they do. It may not be immediately seen, but in time the true colors come out. What comes around, goes around. Patience to wait, is the virtue. Someday, it all evens out. Which price are you willing to pay?
