Sometimes horses appear to spook at nothing. I think that many times spooking is a conditioned response. The horse has learned to spook as a response and when we don’t do anything about it–when, in fact we accept that behavior– the horse just seems to think that this is what we want.

The first thing I do, before I address this as a training issue, is to check the horse’s diet. If the horse is on any kind of alfalfa feed, I would change the diet to something less hot. If the horse is on a high protein grain with a lot of molasses or any sugar in it, I would stop feeding that. A bland diet like oat hay, wheat hay or grass hay can affect behavior. It only takes about eight to 12 hours for food to go through a horse’s system. About 75 percent of the horses that I have seen who pay attention to everything and are concerned about everything, change their behavior when I put them on a bland diet. Once a diet change is made, I begin the following ground work exercises.

I start by teaching my horse to go forward and go forward consistently (see my book, “Starting Baby Jaz”). The next thing I do is teach my horse to stop at a light command. In other words, I just barely take the slack out of the lead line. This may take several days or even weeks, depending on how sensitive or dull the horse is.

Once the horse has learned to go forward and stop, I do the “change of direction” exercise. This is a very good foundation exercise in that it keeps the horse’s attention on you and not the scary object. It also teaches the horse that it is a lot better not to be concerned about the object because being concerned creates too much work. This exercise is usually not too difficult because I have already taught the horse to go forward and around me and to stop his feet. If the horse steps into me, I step back away from the horse to keep myself safe and to give myself room to continue teaching him to change direction.

To do the “change of direction” exercise, I first stop the horse at the furthest point from the scary object. In other words, if twelve o’clock is the scary bush with the teeth, I stop the horse at six o’clock. This location has the least amount of pressure for the horse. At first, I stop as far away from the scary object as it takes to get the horse to relax. I am starting to show my intention, which is to show the a visual of where I want the horse to go and for him to be able to stand and be comfortable next to the object. Then I have him change direction at this location. We keep moving closer and closer to the scary object, each time having him change direction back and forth, until he will stand next to the object without reacting to it.

I keep repeating this exercise until, finally, the horse just does not care anymore. I may have to repeat this exercise several times for a week or even two weeks. It will finally get to a point where it is way too much work for the horse to react to the fear situation, rather than just to ignore it and walk on past.

You need to be consistent and do the exercise every time your horse reacts to the scary object. This exercise works because it keeps the horse’s feet busy. It takes a negative response–flight, and turns it into positive energy. It is positive because it is getting the horse’s attention on us and not focused on what is causing the fear. Anytime we can control the horse’s feet, we establish leadership, which in turn establishes confidence.

Thank you and God Bless

From Charles Wilhelm to Horse 2 Heart

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

Obtaining equestrian sponsorship is a dream for many riders. Knowing how to create a marketing relationship in return for the support is critical to maintaining a long term relationship with your sponsor. Developing a cause marketing partnership is a way to make the dream of equestrian sponsorship a reality for years to come. 

Contact Gerry Grant 714.865.0222 for more information about equestrian sponsorship opportunities. World Equestrian Games: 600,000 will attend, 600 horses will compete and the television audience will be five times larger than the Super Bowl. The world will be watching.

Conference topics include:

• Partnerships: Cultivating mutually-beneficial corporate relationships
• Social Media: Leveraging social media and online marketing best practices
• Public Speaking: Selecting topics and audiences that maximize influence
• Return on Investment: Maximizing your marketing with measurement
• Marketing Leadership: Casting the vision and managing expectations

Two cause marketing conferences are now available:

12th Annual AMA Annual Cause Marketing Conference – San Diego March 10, 2010 www.sdama.org/conference.htm

8th Cause Marketing Forum – Chicago June 2 & 3, 2010 www.causemarketingforum.com/conference.asp

Cause marketing creates a give | get relationship that relies on the non-profit generating sales for the company that supports it.

Wikipedia: Cause marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a type of marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a “for profit” business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. The term is sometimes used more broadly and generally to refer to any type of marketing effort for social and other charitable causes, including in-house marketing efforts by non-profit organizations. Cause marketing differs from corporate giving (philanthropy) as the latter generally involves a specific donation that is tax deductible, while cause marketing is a marketing relationship generally not based on a donation.

A well planned and implemented cause marketing campaign will ultimately generate increased revenue for the company that shows up on the bottom line. Because of this cause marketing relationships last longer and generate larger contributions to the non-profit.

Contact Gerry Grant 714.865.0222 for more information about equestrian sponsorhsip opportunities.

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

By Charles Wilhelm

When teaching a horse to go over any obstacle, including a creek, there are certain things that the horse must already understand and we must have control of the horse.  When we begin to teach a horse to go over any type of obstacle, we begin on the ground.  The horse must first know how to lunge and give to pressure.  On the ground and in the saddle, we must be able to control the hind quarters, the shoulders and the nose.  We begin with a simple object on the ground, like a pole. 

Once you have your horse comfortable passing between you and the pole, ask him to take a step over the pole.  When you ask, you have to step toward the object pushing the shoulder away from you with just enough pressure that your horse will move into the object.  The horse can choose to go over the object or in between you and the object but he can’t be allowed to go around it.  You have to block the horse from going around the pole.  The other criterion is that your horse must not be allowed to stop and change direction away from the pole.

In this exercise, we are working to change the horse’s reaction.  Most horses that do not want to go over an object will try to stop and back or bolt away.  In this exercise, the horse is allowed to go between you and the object and he is allowed to go over the object but he is not allowed to stop and reverse on his own.  If he does, you must stop him immediately with whatever amount of pressure is necessary and send him back forward again.  If you have to step back away from the pole at the same time and open up a door for the horse to go between you and the pole, that’s fine.  What you do not want to do is lose the forward cue.  Once you have done this exercise several times, you should find that your horse is much more willing to go over the pole.  He may rush or jump the pole in the beginning but once he is comfortable going over the pole at a walk, then you can build the exercise.

Put down two poles and then roll out a tarp the long way, to about 8′ long and folded to 1′ wide.  Lay the poles on the tarp so that it does not move.  Now ask the horse to go over this obstacle and keep working in the same way as with one pole.  Eventually you will be able to open up the tarp to 2′ wide by 8′ long and complete the exercise.  The length of the tarp is also important because you don’t want to make it easy for the horse to go around the end of it.  You also may want to do this exercise where there is an arena wall or fence to keep the horse from going around the outside of the object.  You do not want the horse to pull through the shoulder and drag you.  Once the horse will go willingly over the tarp, keep opening the tarp wider.  Once you have mastered this exercise on the ground, move into the saddle.  Do the same exercise going forward with good control of the hips.  If the horse jumps at the object and trots off, you need to be able to pick up the inside rein, block with the outside rein and move the hips over.  If the horse is moving at a canter or a lope, depending on your disciple, you need to circle him down slowing to a trot and then move his hips over.  This breaks the speed and is a way of discouraging him from bolting.  Then you take him back across the tarp again.  You continue to do this and start building the horse’s confidence and soon the tarp is 8′ long and 12′ wide. 

When you are doing this exercise in the saddle, you need to be aware that a horse can go in six different directions, right, left, up, down, forward and back.  A problem may occur when you ask the horse to go forward.  If the horse is very apprehensive about going forward, he will likely try to back up.  You can use spurs or a stick and drive him forward but you must wait until the horse has stopped backing.  You must also keep his nose directed straight.  The horse is not allowed to turn around and the moment the horse stops, ask him to go forward.  If you have done your pre-work well before you got to the tarp, you have taught the horse to go forward on the ground and in the saddle, you should be successful.  If you have a problem with your horse going over objects and his shoulder is bleeding out, in other words you are asking the horse to go straight and he is going right, his nose may be going straight but his shoulder is going right, you need to work on shoulder control.  It comes down to this, if you have good control of the shoulders and a good forward cue, you can teach the horse to go over any object, including a creek.

Once you get out on the trail and up to the creek, remember the horse can go six different directions and you need to block him from going right or left.  If he backs up, wait until he stops and then drive him forward.  Any time you drive him forward, once he takes a step forward, take your leg off him.  Here is another thing that can happen; your horse may want to jump the creek.  The rule is the smaller the creek the bigger the jump.  If your horse jumps and wants to trot on past the creek once he is over, don’t try to pull him up short.  Let the horse travel10 or 15 feet, then pick up one rein, turn him around and move a hip over.  Pause and send him back over the creek again.  If he jumps again, let him jump.  Keep doing this just like you did with the ground work exercise until he walks through it.  Once he walks through it, then you can pick up one rein, move his hip over or move his shoulder over and get him to stand in the creek.  If he exhibits any anxiety, don’t force him to stay there.  Let him get out of the creek and then take him back through again.  Go back and forth until finally he doesn’t care anymore.  Any time a horse has issues with an object and we force him to accept it without building his confidence, we are putting more fuel to fire.

To summarize, these are the principles to keep in mind.  You need a good, solid forward cue and you need to practice this before you get in the saddle.  Another thing to remember is to control the shoulders.  If you have control of the shoulders, you’re going to have success.   If your horse wants to go around the object because it is small, and you don’t have control of the shoulder, you are going to create an opening and you will not be successful.  You have to close those doors. 

Charles Wilhelm

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

dbro731@juno.com

This story is an actual adoption at Turtlerock Rescue in Fitzwilliam, NH. Turtlerock Rescue is an equine sanctuary and the first in the area to offer a ‘Lifetime Care Program’ for equines with special needs. Turtlerock operates on donations from private individuals, grants and through support from volunteers.

Hello, my name is Pet and this is my story.

I am a purebred Appalosa with registration papers from the Nez Perez Indian tribe (we’re called Appys for short). I was owned and ridden by a young boy who loved me very much. We spent many years together. We would go to shows and I would win blue ribbons all the time. I loved him and I knew he loved to win the shows. I would even win the Champion ribbon at the shows. It meant I was the best horse there.

One day I woke up and began to see the world was a little darker than it should be. Everything was a little blurry. I thought maybe I was getting a cold. But day after day I could see less and less. I began to bump into things and I would get scared if I didn’t see you and you touched me.

My family called in the veterinarian to see what was wrong. They gave me all different kinds of medicine but it didn’t work. I tried to not let them notice I was getting worse. I wanted my boy to know I would still carry him safely on my back so I learned to walk with confidence so no one would know I was now a blind horse.

One day, we went to a show, and I won. So we continued to go to shows and I continued to win. I knew that my boy would never let me be hurt so I let him be my eyes. One day we stood in the middle of the show ring and I was announced the winner of the championship. I could not see anyone and I could not see my pretty ribbon we had won but I heard the people cheering for us. My boy leaned over and he patted me as he told me how beautiful the ribbon was.

I was retired that day. My boy was getting better and better at riding and with my eyesight gone, I could not take him to the professional shows, blind horses were not allowed in those shows. My family decided they would find me a good home where I could retire. They tried to be very careful where I would go. A man bought me and said I would be going to a little child to ride with. My family was happy they had found me a safe home even though I heard them crying that they had to let me leave. I was sad I was leaving but I was sure that I would be happy.

One day a trailer came and it picked me up. My family was crying, they were upset and I became upset too. Something was wrong but I didn’t know what it was. I tried to make them proud and I did my best not to stumble as I walked on the trailer.

The trailer smelled bad and the floor was dirty and my feet slipped. I became afraid. My family had been tricked, I was not going to a new home like my family and I had been promised. The man lied and had sold me to a place that killed horses for food. I was afraid, I could not see, I could not get out of the trailer. What would I do? Why would he do something like this to me?

What I did not know was that my family went onto their computer and sent out a message to everyone they could think of to ask for help saving me. Finally there was someone that sent them a message back. “We will help rescue her”. These two people would buy me back from the horse killers and would make sure I would be safe forever. But they had to beat the truck to the slaughterhouse first.

A man I never met before was now racing his truck and trailer through 3 states to get to me before I was hurt. I did not know he was coming until I heard the truck stop. I heard two men talking and then I heard the door open. I was sure this was the end, I was so afraid. But this man was kind; he was gentle with me and let me take my time getting off the trailer. Then he led me onto a new trailer. This one was filled with hay, and it was clean. I knew that this person had come to take me somewhere that was safe. The truck started and I began my trip to my new home and my new life.

My new home was noisy. There were lots of horses at this place. I also met the lady that helped save me. The man and woman introduced me to a horse they called Jessie. Jessie would be my eyes for me, she would teach me the shape of the paddock and would lead me to my food when it was time to eat. Jessie told me the people were named Mary and Ken and they had saved Jessie from terrible people too.

Jessie told me what had happened while I was on the trailer. That is was my family that tried to save me and Mary and Ken had come to my rescue. That I was safe now and no one would ever try to hurt me again.

Jessie told me that not all the horses that came to Mary and Ken were rescued from being hurt. Some horses were surrendered to Mary and Ken because people could not afford to keep their horses anymore and did not want anything bad to happen to them so they came to live here. They called this place Turtlerock Rescue.

I learned a lot about the horses that lived at the rescue with us. There were old horses that were retired because they could not be ridden anymore. There were wild horses, called mustangs that Mary and Ken had rescued; Jessie was a rescued mustangs. There were horses from racetracks and something called donkeys. I’ve never seen one but they yell a lot and they’re very loud. We even had a baby horse with us for a little while until he was adopted.

One day Jessie got adopted to a very nice lady. I was sad to lose Jessie but she was happy to go to her very own home. I became very good at going around the paddock alone. Jessie was a very good teacher. A short time after Jessie left for her new home, we got a new blind horse at the rescue. His name is Sonny and it was my job to teach him how to be a horse without your eyes to guide you. Then a few months later there was another blind horse that came named Pepper. All of us are Appys. Appys are prone to eye infections and a disease called Moon Blindness more than other breeds. We all lost our sight to Moon Blindness.

Now came the move to our new land. Mary and Ken bought us lots and lots of land for all the horses to be able to live on. Not only did we get our very own paddock, we got a new friend named George.

George was really frightened when he lost his eyesight and I did my best to help him learn what he needed to know. George and I became best friends. We were always together.

Then we met Wendy. She volunteers at Turtlerock and really liked George. We got used to visiting with Wendy. She would brush us and make sure we looked pretty for anyone that might want to adopt us. Then Wendy brought her friend to meet me. Her name is Michelle. Michelle would come over every weekend and brush me and give me attention.

Then, one day Wendy and Michelle fit a bridle very carefully on my head so it was nice and comfortable like my boy used to do when we would go riding. Then Michelle got up on my back! I was being ridden again and the best part was that I was teaching Michelle how to ride. I was the first horse she had ever ridden. I was so proud that day; it was like winning a blue ribbon.

As time went on Wendy would take George out and we’d all go for trail rides together.

Wendy and Michelle decided to talk to Mary and Ken one day. They said it was time for George and I to be available for adoption. We had proven ourselves as safe horses and we could be ridden. Everyone knew that I loved children and I would be happiest being ridden by a child.

Our pictures went up on the Turtlerock website. I had people come and meet me and they were all nice but no one was just right for me. But every weekend my friends Michelle and Wendy came to brush us and ride us and talk to people that came to Turtlerock to find out about the horses that lived there.

One day, Mary took me out of the paddock and brought me up to the big barn. She asked me to stand still in the aisle while she spoke with people.

I was in the aisle when I heard little voices all around me. Then I felt someone hug my leg. I was surprised, but I realized it was a little child. Then I felt someone brushing me, no, two people brushing me, no, three! I couldn’t count how many children there were. They were wonderful. They brushed me and hugged and kissed me. Then I got to take them all out for rides. They laughed and played with me and I had such a wonderful time with them.

Then I went back to my paddock, happy with the wonderful day I had. I hoped they would come back and visit me again; we had all had such fun together.

Later that week, Ken came and took me out of my paddock. I thought we were going for a walk but Mary and Ken talked to me and brushed me and then took me out to the trailer. Mary patted me and said ‘good bye’. I did as Ken asked and walked onto the trailer. It smelled of fresh shavings and hay. I waited to hear who was coming for the ride with me but the truck started and I was traveling alone. It was a long ride like the first trip I had with but I didn’t mind.

Then the truck and trailer turned and we stopped. I heard the door and ramp open for me to come out. I listened to Ken and walked out of the trailer. Then I heard voices, I knew who it was calling my name! I heard footsteps coming toward me and then they all hugged me and patted me. I was with the children who came to visit me last week. They wanted me to live with them. I have my own home again!

Ken and I said good-bye to each other. He patted me and said good-bye. I did my best to thank him for all the wonderful things he and Mary did for me. They saved my life, they gave me love, they kept me safe and happy and they found me a home.

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

It’s a natural to also take some time to think about how your business can prosper in the last four months of the year.  Your attitude may have more to do with your success than anything else.  Business owners’ attitudes range from unstoppable enthusiasm to abysmal negativity.  You’ve probably experienced this spectrum of emotion at some point in your own business life, too.  I know I have.

Escape cold, hard reality for  a moment to recall the children’s story, Peter Pan. This classic reminds of the importance of attitude.  As you recall, early on in the story, Peter convinces the Darling children they’ll be able to fly to Neverland with him if they just change their attitudes and beliefs about the things and events that can NEVER happen.

Unlike Peter Pan’s Neverland, where anything can happen, some folks in the horse business live in a different  Neverland where they are certain of things that will never happen.  Have you ever shared this group’s thoughts about Never?  Thoughts like these:

And the people living in their own Neverlands are right. What they believe will never happen, won’t.
Do you imagine any of the Olympic athletes in Beijing this month included never as a possibility?

Is it possible that the owners of the most successful horse businesses in your area built their businesses with an “I can never do it” attitude?

Did the smiling little girl on the pony leaving the show ring with first place think she could never win as she rode through the entry gate a few minutes earlier?

You’ll never know what you can accomplish until you eliminate Never from your vocabulary and your thoughts.

Contributor Doug Emerson writes “The ProfitableHorseman” the only weekly newsletter exclusively devoted to how to make more money in your horse business!

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

How many times have you ever heard these reasons for buying the wrong horse for the rider?

There are probably over a hundred other reasons for buying less of a horse than an owner should. It doesn’t matter what the reason is, what matters is buyer ignorance.
Naïve buyers don’t understand the fact that the horse is the cheap part of owning horses.
As experienced professional horsemen know, a lifetime of costs follow the purchase of a horse.

The common costs:

Numbers 1., 2. and 3. are maintenance costs of ownership. Number 4 is preventable maintenance.
While no horse carries a warranty for being problem-free, bargain horses usually have a reason for bargain prices.

Buying at the lowest possible price is good practice for securing commodities like No. 2 – corn, fuel oil and pork bellies. But, lowest price can be a disaster practice for buying pacemaker batteries, parachutes and horses.
How do you make a convincing sales presentation to a prospect to invest in a proven horse?

Tell a story about a wise man who was born about two hundred years ago. His name was John Ruskin and he probably never sold a horse in his life. He did a lot of thinking and writing and the following excerpt is a favorite of mine.

“It is unwise to pay too much but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, that’s all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot – it cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”

– John Ruskin, 1890

People were ignoring quality in pursuit of lower price back in the 1800’s. I’d wager that even in the day of B.C. comic strip character Crock, a square wheel or two was sold as a discounted substitute for a round wheel.

Within the buyers’ circle of affordability, sell the horse that is the best match and explain: The horse is the inexpensive part of the transaction. (compared to maintenance costs)

A good match between horse and rider is priceless. With a busy life, the importance of quality recreational time with a horse is paramount. Safety trumps price, especially when the unsafe bargain horse leads to an unplanned vacation in the hospital to mend an injured and broken body.

Use your experience and wisdom from years of being around horses to help the buyer avoid buying a horse incapable of doing what it was bought to do.

Contributor Doug Emerson writes “The ProfitableHorseman” the only weekly newsletter exclusively devoted to how to make more money in your horse business!

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

If establishing prices in your horse business is a struggle, you’re not alone. Often, professional horsemen are selling to customers not fully educated on current value.

Horse trainers, from colt starters to show-ring ready finishers, have no blue book reference guide for easy pricing.

Breeders who are selling weanlings, yearlings and two-year olds can only rely on historical sale prices to support their personal assessment of the present value of a young horse.

Riding Instructors, with decades of experience resulting in hundreds of accomplished students, struggle with establishing their value over less experienced instructors.

No doubt that you’ve found naming your price is a challenge at times. (maybe all the time)  It may be because of the following reasons:

Don’t feel like you are only person challenged with naming your price. Everyone has tripped over naming the price at one time or another. And everyone includes me.

So here are some tips for getting through the money talk with your customers:

Contributor Doug Emerson writes “The ProfitableHorseman” the only weekly newsletter exclusively devoted to how to make more money in your horse business!

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories

Becoming fond of your horses is a terrific benefit of being in the horse business. It is also a financial tie down that can ruin your business. The profitable horseman understands the horses in his or her barn are assets; they aren’t pets.

A horse is either appreciating in value or depreciating in value.

As an asset, a horse is generating income as:

If not, the horse becomes a financial dependent on your business’s welfare roll.

Not only is it an operating expense, it is also an opportunity cost. Think about it, if a horse occupies a stall and generates no income or has little or no potential for future income, it is a thief horse.

Unlike a horse thief, a thief horse steals your potential to earn profit from the space and resources it occupies. That stall could be used for:

Boarding
Horse for training
Lesson Horse
Brood Mare
A speculation horse “bought right”
An empty stall for attracting the next opportunity

In economic terms, there is an opportunity cost for every decision you make in your equine business. An opportunity cost is defined as the cost of something in terms of an opportunity foregone.

Every fork in the road you come upon requires a choice. The road you choose is the path you follow.

The road not taken is your opportunity cost since you cannot travel two paths at the same time. Choosing the more profitable path that fits your business vision is the choice to make every time.

This week’s tip is to consider whether or not you have any “thief horses” in your barn and if you do, how to find a new home for them.

The horse business is just like any other business in that assets have to directly or indirectly contribute to  producing revenue. If your assets are non- producing, then it’s up to you to make changes.

Contributor Doug Emerson writes “The ProfitableHorseman” the only weekly newsletter exclusively devoted to how to make more money in your horse business!

Post from: Horse 2 Heart | Horse Stories