Horse Training Success

It's A Guide Dog That's A Horse

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:40:43 PDT

If you ever doubt that horses can be trained to deal with unusual situations, then remind yourself of the Guide Horse who is trained to face escalators and subways as part of everyday life.

Yes you read that right.

A Guide Dog that's a horse. A pygmy horse in fact (they have to stand between 20 and 25 inches at the shoulder — smaller and they are too rare and expensive; larger and they won’t fit under restaurant tables!).

As we horse owners all know, horses are highly aware of safety, constantly on the lookout for danger. This trait is ideal for guiding work. And it turns out that horses have a natural tendency to guide their handler along the safest and most efficient route, and that they demonstrate excellent judgment in obstacle avoidance training. Perfect.

So what can a Guide Horse offer that a Guide Dog cannot? The main winner is longevity. Horses live a lot longer than dogs. 30-40 years compared to 10-16. Many blind people cannot bear the idea of becoming attached to an animal and then having to replace it.

And for those who swoon at cute - Guide Horses can be outfitted with tiny sneakers to give traction on slippery floors and protect their hooves too small for regular iron horse shoes.

For more info, check out the Guide Horse Foundation

Woop Woop - We Won A Blog Award!

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:18:50 PDT

Thanks to Ethical Horsemanship for bestowing the 'Honest Scrap' blog award on Horse Training Success. It's a bit of a thrill actually. I've had a look through their blog and I must say, I highly recommend it. Do yourself a favour and check it out. It does exactly what it says on the tin: http://www.ethicalhorsemanship.com

So the Honest Scrap Award nominates bloggers who make an honest, soulful contribution and, by exposing 10 true things about themselves, enables readers to learn more about the blog’s author. Here goes:

1. I grew up in Melbourne, Australia.
2. My first horse was a confirmed bolter that no one else would ride. I learnt quickly! I had to.
3. I'm told I'm not a 'pretty' rider, but that I'm definitely an effective one.
4. My first horses were kept in the city and ridden around suburban streets - not recommended!
5. I'm told I have an excellent deep riding seat.
6. My favourite dog is the Australian Kelpie.
7. I'm also told I have a way with animals. That's true, but SO much of that is listening and observing.
8. When it comes to the height of a horse, I don't subscribe to 'bigger is better'.
9. The first horse that captured my imagination was Phar Lap - the stuffed racehorse in the museum.
10. I actually read very few blogs! Feel free to introduce me to your favourites.

And the next part of the award is to pass it on to 10 worthy bloggers. So who to choose? Well, as I really haven't been following many blogs, my list is a top 3 instead. It will be filled out when I'm introduced to some more gems. But for now:

1. Fugly Horse of the Day
A must-read. Pure (snarky) common sense. Delivered bluntly.
2. Bridlepath
Fun, inspiring, useful.
3. Superstars of Horse Training
Great no-nonsense content.

If you receive and accept the Honest Scrap award, the rules that recipients are asked to follow are:
• List 10 honest things about yourself.
• Present this award to 10 admirable bloggers who have moved you, and link to their blogs.
• Recognize your award presenter and link back to their blog in your post.
• Notify recipients they have been awarded, so they can retrieve it.

Equine Art

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:21:38 PDT

Ever spent hours upon fruitless hours trying to draw horses? Well, when you know your equine art is never going to make the grade, why not see if your horse's art will make your fortune? Huh?

Yes, an artistic horse:

Horses Too Clever With Doors

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:52:38 PDT

In a follow on from the previous post, here are just two examples of horses too intelligent for their own good. Imagine trying to keep these guys safe and sound? Need I mention that this is not a great trick to teach your horse?!

Horse opens stall door

Horse opens gate

Horses and Ropes - What You Don't Expect!

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:07:33 PDT

Give a horse a rope.... A couple of amusing videos showcasing what horses can surprise us with:

How Much Is A Horse Worth?

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:51:17 PDT

There is an excellent four part series of blog posts happening over at Citizen Horse at the moment. It's so good I thought I'd bring it to your attention, especially as it's related to the post here a week or so back on buying a horse. This series is on a different aspect of horse buying - price.

"Horse prices are entirely dependent on spenders." By this she means, "A horse is worth as much as a buyer is willing to spend. Yes, it’s true. That $500 plug of a horse could sell for $25,000 if a buyer with the money and the lack of experience is found and is looking for something close to what that $500 plug has to offer."

How does this happen?
"At least with buying a used car, the Kelly Blue Book gives a general idea of what cars should be worth. Of course, there is much background behind each car completely foreign to potential buyers, but a title search allows prospectors to determine vehicle accidents, number of owners, and hopefully, accurate mileage. Horses have no such guidebook or history lookup and there are so many variables to buying a horse."

Now I know not everyone has that sort of cash spare to throw at a horse, but some people do, and plenty of people are sucked into the 'you get what you pay for' mentality. With horses, it's not so cut and dried. Some horses are worth their weight in gold. Some simply are not. As Citizen Horse explains, big barns can have a vested interest in inflating horse prices. When it comes to private buyers:

"The private seller has a difficult time putting a value on their horse. Most people over-value their own animals because it is personal. It’s fair; you put your time, sweat, money, and emotions into this animal. You want to see your horse get a good home, you also think the time and money put into the horse is going to pay off. There is nothing wrong with this - unless you actually want to sell your horse."

A lot of private sellers believe that they should be able to recoup what they paid plus training fees spent on the horse (or something similar). This is simply not realistic. What is realistic is the horse's level of training, history, injuries, potential, useful years left, and for the rider;

"Before even thinking about wants, a buyer must assess their goals and riding situation. Realistically, what does a buyer want to do with their future horse? How long do they anticipate riding, realistically? And are they looking for re-sale value or a horse for life?"

Answering these questions will help a rider determine what a reasonable price would be to cover their needs.

"A first time horse buyer purchasing a six figure horse is completely ridiculous. There is no reason, outside of having money to lose, that a newcomer to the sport should by buying a horse worth as much as a house."

"A made 14-17 year old horse (depending on the level the horse can continue to train/compete) should not be selling for six figures. Sure, if the horse could pack ANYONE around a 4'6? course AND stay sound AND do it for a few years…maybe…MAYBE…I could see the value in that. But if it is a horse to take lessons on, to be “social” with out at the barn, to continue learning, and to show in long stirrup or AA hunters/jumpers, forget it.

A schoolmaster dressage horse shouldn’t sell for six figures. Most likely any horse that made has been pounded into the ground leaving very few jumps or tests left in them physically. In this instance of horse valuation, the level of training and accomplishments by said horse should be discounted by the amount of possible remaining use."

"Can a horse REALLY be worth $125,000?
Very few. A handful of extremely talented sport horses can be worth six figures. These six figure sport horses all have the talent, the brain, and the physical soundness to compete at the very upper levels of their sport. Most likely, these are professional’s horses. Horses with incredible talent aren’t usually easy to ride. That doesn’t mean they are crazy, psycho horses; just that talented mounts often need very good, very accurate piloting in order to reach their potential and often STAY at their potential."

And so on to some of the soundest advice on buying a horse that is out there:

"If you call a big barn and say “I’m looking for a hunter to show long stirrup” and the trainer asks you what your price range is…DO NOT TELL THEM HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE TO SPEND ON A HORSE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Let them tell you about the horses they have for sale and the price for those sale horses. You can determine from there if there is anything you want to look at.

Do NOT buy a horse for $100,000 unless you are riding at a very high level and the horse is proven to perform at a very high level. If you are looking for a first horse, a safe horse, a pretty horse, a horse you can show—even at the upper levels, I can promise you there is a horse out there perfectly priced between $4000-$10,000."

And all I would add is that there are plenty of great starter horses out there for way, way less than $4000.

Photo by ireallylovecake

The Tyranny of Breed

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:12:25 PDT

Lets have a little conversation on horse breeds. I receive a lot of emails asking for breed-specific advice and it's one of my pet peeves.

We'll start with people looking for a horse. In this situation, people are often swayed by breed characteristics. I'm not talking about looks. I'm talking here about temperament and trainability. If you want a Haflinger because you've fallen in love with the look of Haflingers, great. That's fine. That's not what I want to discuss. That I understand. Some people love draughts with all their feathers, some love the dishy nose of the Arab, some the big bum on the Quarterhorse. If you know you like one breed above all others because of the way the breed looks, by all means choose the right horse for you within that breed.

No, what I want to talk about is the person who's not so looks oriented, but who is choosing a breed for temperament. The believer of all Arabs are flighty. She'll be bad tempered because she's an Appaloosa. He'll be quiet because he's Standardbred.

Grrr. In my opinion - wrong wrong wrong. Breed temperaments are TENDENCIES, not in any way are they absolute guaranteed characteristics. When choosing a horse, the buyer needs to be looking at the INDIVIDUAL horse. Not it's breed.

Perhaps framing the scenario like this will help: I would like a horse with lots of 'go' and I don't mind what breed. I've heard that Arabs and Thoroughbreds TEND to fit this description, so I'll look at these breeds for an individual that's firey (because I know not all Arabs and all Thoroughbreds are firey), and I'll look at other horses that as individuals fit my criteria.

Or another one: I'm looking for a calm child proof horse. Someone said that Cleveland Bays are really quiet. There's a green four year old Cleveland Bay for sale. Should I buy him for my beginner child? Uh, NO, you should be looking for an older horse (8yo+) who has seen everything and is totally bombproof. That could be anything from a Thoroughbred to a Shetland. TEMPERAMENT of the individual (and in this case training). Not breed.

The other part of the breed peeve goes like this:

Q. My horse is an x (insert breed here). She has terrible ground manners/I'm scared of her/she's wild where do I start?/etc. What do I need to do to train a (insert breed again here - mini horse and pony owners please take particular note!) properly?

A. You own a HORSE. An equine. At this level of training, which is basic horse-human interaction where you are teaching your horse to respect and trust your leadership, all horses are the same.

The differences and challenges will come from:

Their experiences of people so far ie the things they have been allowed to get away with and the things people have done to them in the past.
The temperament (personality) of both you and your horse.
Your experience with horses.

None of this is breed specific. The belief that breed is hugely important in temperament and basic training is - in my opinion - wildly inaccurate. Please remember to look at each horse as an individual with his own past experiences, intelligence and temperament. I find it a far more helpful way to assess and work with a horse.

Picture by genewolf

Putting The Barrow Before The Horse

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:58:53 PDT

While some horses keep themselves amused with balls (see this post), one horse prefers a wheelbarrow!

(Image lasts just under 1 minute, although audio goes a lot longer)

Could You Stay On?

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:44:03 PDT

The worst horse-human combination possible is a green or young or unbroken horse and a beginner/novice rider.

The idea that the untrained horse and the new rider will 'grow together' is one of the most believed, but most dangerously wrong ideas that floats around in the horse world.

Let me break it down for you.

Green horses (horses with little training) have the least experience of humans, being ridden, and what they are expected to do. In contrast, an older, much handled, well trained horse has 'seen and done it all'. Which one is more likely to spook unexpectedly and which is likely to be the more predictable? Which one is ideal for learning to ride?

If you are still figuring out how to ride a trot and get your horse to slow down, the last thing you need thrown into the mix is a giant leap sideways and a buck or two. In short, a beginner rider is unlikely to be able to ride through something like this:

(YouTube Video of a horse freaking out and the rider doing a remarkable job of staying on. No further comment on the silly plastic bag nonsense that kicked it all off)

And to be quite frank, if you're not able to stay on like the person in that video, in my opinion you shouldn't be on a green horse. Until you're able to ride at walk, trot and canter WITHOUT stirrups, you probably don't have 'an independent seat'. In plain English that means that your balance on horseback isn't good enough (yet) to be able to not get hurt by a horse that freaks out.

While there are always exceptions to the rule, what I am trying to say is that the safest way to learn to ride is on a safe horse. Then when you can ride, move onto the greenies. I mean, why put yourself in harms way?

Science Says Horses Can Count

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:55:39 PDT

A fascinating tidbit for your Monday morning;

"Horses have the same ability to count as human infants, a study has shown. In tests the animals watched plastic apples being placed out of sight in buckets and then chose the one containing the larger number.
Using fake apples ensured they were not relying on their sense of smell to make the selection. Scientists said the horses showed they could keep a tally of how many apples were going into the containers, and hold the thought in their heads before deciding which bucket to investigate.

Their behaviour mirrored that seen in similar experiments involving human babies and wild rhesus macaque monkeys. In the baby study, infants watched cookies being placed in jars and crawled to the one with the most. The monkeys, in a colony on an island off Puerto Rico, went through the same routine with apples.

Horses were initially written off the list of animals with an apparent gift for maths after a horse called Clever Hans hoodwinked the scientific establishment in the late 1800s.

In the new study, Dr Claudia Uller and Jennifer Lewis from the University of Essex, conducted counting tests on 57 untrained horses belonging to local private owners and a riding school. Before the tests, the horses were allowed to nibble a small piece of real apple in order to get them interested. Then the real apples were replaced with fake ones all looking the same. In the first of a series of tests, two plastic apples were placed in one bucket and three in another. The containers were then held up at head levels so the horses could make a choice. Eleven out of 13 horses given this test selected the bucket containing three apples.

A second experiment followed the same pattern, but this time one bucket contained a single large apple and the other two smaller ones. Ten of the 12 horses tested chose the bucket holding the two apples. Dr Uller, who presented the findings at the British Psychological Society’s annual meeting in Dublin, and who rides horses, said: “The result absolutely proves that horses are more intelligent than people think.”"

Many horse people would no doubt agree with the idea that horses are more intelligent than what (most) people think. And while these results tell horse people what they probably already know, let's remember not to take it too far. A horse is still a horse and not a human. Anthropomorphising equine behavior will quickly get you into training difficulties with your horse. The intelligence level for counting described here is equivalent to a human INFANT (ie, 1 year or below). While it's fascinating to know that horses can count like (infant) humans, it's important to remember that just because we share this way of thinking in common, it does not mean that we share other ways of processing information or situations in common too.

Full article here: http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/mhojgbaucwid/

Photo by sel

Turn The Tables On Your Horse's Irritating Habit Of Refusing The Bit

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:30:58 PDT

"I have a 4 1/2 year old appaloosa mare, very heavy cob type, and she is docile and calm in every way except she really protests when I try and put her bit in her mouth, she is not head shy, but refuses to accept the bit, once it's in she's absolutely fine. I have tried using polos, carrot, even washing the bit in minty fresh mouthwash... I do not force the bit into her mouth, just gently persist, which can sometimes take 10-15 mins. Any suggestions?"

It sounds like your approach so far is a good one. Suggestions? Have you tried bits of different materials and different styles of bit? She may actually hate this particular bit, despite all the polo mint carrot charms, and this is her docile natured way of telling you.

If you've eliminated the above possibility, and had her teeth checked etc, you can make it less annoying to accept the bit than to stand and protest. This may two people, depending on how co-ordinated you are.

Have the bridle and bit ready to go in her mouth. Have a whip ready. Note this is NOT to be used harshly at all. To actually whip the horse would be to miss the point of this exercise and undo any progress you achieve with it. So holding the bridle and bit in position, start tapping the whip - lightly, quickly and rhythmically - on a fleshy part of your horse. Say the shoulder or neck. Anytime your horse opens her mouth STOP TAPPING INSTANTLY and praise.

The aim is to be so annoying to your mare (not cause any pain, just be like a fly that won't go the heck away) that opening her mouth and accepting the bit is a welcome relief. You'll have to do this every time you bridle her for a while. At some point she'll give in and let herself be bridled without all the tapping nonsense.

Photo by raftercpaints

A Happy Ending To Buying The Unseen Horse

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:34:55 PDT

This arrived in my inbox over the weekend in reference to the previous post. It is really heartening to hear the problem got solved. I must admit, it sounded as though the buyer had been swindled, so it is awesome to hear that the seller was honest after all. That's one lucky, lucky buyer! And as I was trying to say, the first port of call when a horse has a sudden change of behavior is to look at EVERY aspect of his environment with a fine tooth comb. What may be a trivial change for us could have a huge impact for the horse, and it may be difficult for us to see. This has turned out to be a fine example of just that:

"We found out the problem! He has always been ridden in a Balance saddle and obviously the saddle I put on him, although seeming to fit, must have been pinching him and that is why he was trying to get away from the pain.

For the past few days, we have had him in the school doing join up and he is unbelievable; he practically did a dressage test in walk beside me and only in a headcollar. He respected my space, never attempted to barge forward like he did before. Rather than blame this horse, I spoke to the previous owner and we went over everything about him. The saddle was obviously the main problem.

We have now booked an appointment with Balance to measure him for his own saddle and continue working him from the ground to establish trust and respect; despite the wrist injury, I cannot blame him for what happened. We humans expect so much from horses and the only way they can say 'ouch' that hurts, is to do something out of character. He is a lovely, well mannered horse in all other respects and deserves the chance to show what he can really do under saddle rather than put up with me, an owner who thought that my old saddle would do for him!!"

Congratulations to this owner, not just for solving the problem, but for stepping back, not blaming the horse immediately, and in pausing and looking, finding the solution. You deserve a huge pat on the back.

Photo by jimmedia

How Not To Buy A New Horse

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:52:14 PDT

"I have recently purchased a Connemara x TB 6 yr old grey gelding. I bought him two weeks ago from a lady who I have been in contact with over this horse since February. She sent pictures of him at a dressage comp and we have spent a number of hours phoning and emailing to ensure that I knew everything about him before buying him. Bad weather and snow prevented me from going to try him out so, foolishly, I bought him without trying."

OMG, foolish really is the word. Please tell me you got him on a trial basis? Even if you have to pay for hauling both ways and full insurance, it's got to be better than potentially ending up with the wrong horse for you? And are you 100% sure the photos of the horse at the dressage comp are of the horse you now have? Unfortunately the horse world has a 'buyer beware' reputation for a reason.

"I got him home to my yard (we are used to thoroughbreds) and let him settle in for about a week. He is lovely in the box, well mannered but sometimes snorted if I introduced a new rug or boots. I thought I would lunge him and get him going from the ground to get used to me; that is when the problems started.

He did not have a clue about lunging, and kept turning in or running away from me in the school. As I was leading him back into the middle of the school, he bolted into me fracturing my left wrist. The following day, my staff got him on the lunge with a girl on board and he bolted on the lunge. She managed to get him back and walk him quietly around the school. When she asked for trot, he shot forward."

Obviously we don't know, because it's not mentioned, but I sure hope this new horse has been out of his box in that week. He sounds like he wants to have a good gallop around. And I sure hope he's getting the same sort of food as he did previously. Again, it's not mentioned, but I hope he's not been switched to a diet high in oats. This often causes problems like those mentioned.

"Yesterday whilst I was away from the yard, the girls attempted to work him. He bolted three times, getting my girl off and the final time, reared and bucked her off; she is now off work with whiplash, I can't work with my wrist and I just don't know what to do. The horse was supposed to be novice and needed time but the previous owner assured me he was worked and hacked out alone. I cannot see that in the space of 2 weeks, we have reduced this horse to a blind panicking bolter?"

And I would tend to agree. Which seriously makes me wonder if you've got the same horse. Or if you've been fed a lot of tall tales.

On a more practical note, I'd be getting back on the phone and going over every detail of the horse's life with a fine tooth comb, with the aim of recreating (or at least being aware of) the setup he had when supposedly behaving himself. ie routine, food, pasture buddies, place in the herd hierarchy, exact tack, known quirks of behavior and all training accomplished so far. And then the usual checking for pain (caused by the move or new tack). Is there any chance of getting the previous owner out to take a look at him and give you advice? Sometimes the stupidest small thing such as the switch to a scratchy woollen saddleblanket can turn a sweet horse into a nightmare.

His bad behavior is extremely serious. Bucking, rearing and bolting INTO people are all nasty on their own, let alone all together. Given that he has seriously injured two people in as many days, if I were in your (injured) place I'd be going over all the above suggestions and then be inclined to send him off to a trainer who deals in problem horses. If he hadn't injured two people I'd be getting straight into getting him to respect your space on the ground, let him have as much free exercise as possible, ensure he has a no-hothead diet, and start working him however his previous owner managed him, dealing with issues as they arrive.

Picture by Thowra_uk

How Many HorsePeople Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb?

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:16:14 PDT

WESTERN PLEASURE RIDER:
Oh, my God, someone fix that bulb. I have to have light so that my silver and spangles all glow to their best and so that all the highlighter on Old Peanut Head makes his nose look so smooth and sparkly, and oh my diamonds studs have to flash in the light, you know, so oh, someone has to fix it. Oh, maybe you without all the silver on your saddle, obviously can't ride, you can do it.

ENDURANCE RIDER:
Light bulb? Do you mind, I'm trying to get my horse's pulse/respiration/hydration levels down to respectable levels. Once that is done, I have another 50 miles to go before I can even think about changing a light bulb.

DRESSAGE QUEEN:

Change a light bulb? Are you joking? I couldn't possible be expected to subject myself to such a menial task. Change it yourself. Oh, and wash you hands when you are finished. The very thought!

CLASSICAL DRESSAGE QUEEN:

These things cannot be rushed, but must be approached slowly, with great patience, and adherence to the principles laid down by the classical masters, otherwise the light bulb will not attain its true potential, but will forever just be a shadow of its true self. Never, ever, use any type of gadget when changing the light bulb. That is an offense to the principles of classical light bulb changing.

EVENTERS:

Wuss! As soon as my arm is out of this sling broken after falling off at that large stone wall while riding Hell Bent for Leather cross-country, I'll change it. Until then, deal with the dark. It'll put hair on your chest. Only dressage riders require lights, anyway!

SHOW JUMPERS:

Why on Earth would I need to change a light bulb when the whole world knows that the sun shines out of my butt. Why, when I release over a jump, the spectators are practically blinded.

NATURAL HORSEMAN:

You must instill respect in the light bulb, so that it sees you as the Alpha light bulb, using "light bulb dynamics' (video set available at $179.00 on my website). Once you have done this, you will find that there is really no need to change the light bulb at all, but that the light bulb will, with very little coaxing from you (using patented "light bulb coaxer") designed by me--$99.00 each, (for extra $49.99 you get an introductory video thrown in) will behave as all good light bulbs should.

HUNTER RIDER:

Well, I'm waiting for my trainer to tell me exactly how but he's changing light bulbs somewhere else right now.

BACKYARD HORSEMAN:

Do I have to do everything??!! Oh, yeah, I do, don't I? I'll get to it as soon as I'm done mucking stalls, cleaning and filling the tub, cleaning and filling the water buckets, stacking my hay, setting up for night feeding, cleaning my tack, picking out manure from the paddock, brushing and exercising horses, and whatever else needs to be done.

Author Unknown
http://horseprotection.org/id55.html
Photo by sukisuki

Horse Leans On Farrier Problem

noreply@blogger.com (HTS) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:17:37 PDT

"The habit she has is leaning very heavily on the farrier/vet/me when she needs her feet seeing to. She's quite happy to pick them up but then feels she has to lean her whole weight on the one foot being held."

This horse problem is surprisingly easy to fix. In a nutshell it goes like this. Don't give the horse anything to lean on. No butt, no elbow, no shoulder, no thigh, no part of your body. Don't be standing so close that you're in constant contact. By the same token, don't stand so far away that it's an unnatural stretch for your horse either. This should take care of most attempts to lean.

And if the horse still tries anyway? Let her lean a bit and a bit more and hold her weight like you're going to be there as her fourth leg convenience (don't put your back out doing this). And then bam! Drop her hoof. A few goes of this and she'll get the idea that if she wants to stay standing (and she does), she better hold herself up on 3 legs.

Photo by Duanekeys

Soccar Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:08:37 PDT

Horses amusing themselves for your amusement:

The Dynamics Of Riding 'Alone'

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:03:52 PDT

Hi there, I have recently purchased a new horse she is 10 yrs old done pony club, campdraft and trail. The mare has been with the previous owners since a 2 yr old so hasn't been passed around. You cannot fault her in the paddock. She comes to you when called, is amazing to handle and saddle up. Great in every respect. Really she is a dream.

I have had her for only 6 days now yesterday. I got on her in the paddock for the first time, not a worry. But as soon as I took her out down the dirt road, she was not happy. So I just led her down the very quiet country road a few hundred meters and led her back to the paddock. I was fairly surprised at the change in her. I do have another older horse in the next paddock to her so she is obviously clinging to him.

I rang the original owner she said it was out of character for her but did say that she had not ridden her out on her own but in company. That is no good to me as I have to ride alone most of the time. Maybe the mare needs a little more time to settle in to her new environment.

Your theory of her needing to settle into her new environment sounds like it's on the right track. Remember that YOU are part of her new environment. You and your other older horse are her new herd. If she's frightened at going out on her own, then keep doing the leading away and back, and work on her confidence in you. Whenever you go out riding 'alone' you are actually a herd of two. And the horse needs to look up to you.

Behind The Scene - Freestyle Dressage

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:54:47 PDT

If you've never seen freestyle dressage, it's worth your time to check it out. It could be considered the ballet of horse training. If you imagine an extremely highly trained dressage horse dancing to music, that's it. It's quite incredible to watch when done well. This video is a bit of a 'behind the scene' look at how the 'dancing' is choreographed and the music score produced and how the two come together. Enjoy.

Start Your Horse Young To Make Sure It's Damaged

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:39:01 PST

I'm reproducing, in part, a great article by Robert Miller that is available in full here: http://www.robertmmiller.com/andthcaushol.html
as it's something more people should read.
..................................................
The Nation was shocked when Barbaro broke down shortly after leaving the gate at the Preakness. I saw the repaired fractures in TIME magazine. What I think happened is that the sesamoid bone fractured, a common injury. As a result, the fetlock collapses causing the pastern bone to explode into multiple fragments, probably with the next stride or two.

The news media focuses on great champions like these, but what most people don't realize is that such injuries are relatively common occurrences in horse racing.

Part of the cause is that we have bred athletic power into our racing breeds far exceeding what nature requires for the horse to survive in its natural environment. All wild horses need to do is outrun a big cat. We have selectively bred for speeds that the anatomy of the horse cannot always cope with.

In addition, we train and race them long before they are mature. The immature are often capable of spectacular athletic performance. Every time I watch an Olympics and I see gymnasts as young as 13, 14 or 15 years of age, I wince at the thought of the damage I know is occurring to some of their bodies. I started a year of gymnastics at 17 years of age, and I wasn't very good, but I still managed to do damage that manifested itself many years later. Fortunately, I was drafted into the Army at 18, which ended my gymnastic career.

Half a century ago, when I was cowboying, "colts" were started at four years of age or older. Once in a while, one might be started as a three-year-old. Despite some very hard work, barring accidents, those ranch horses were still sound and working into their 20's.

I'm not opposed to racing. It's a great sport and has motivated mankind to produce truly great horse breeds. But I am opposed to any practices which contribute to premature crippling of otherwise healthy horses.

Some years ago, the annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (A.A.E.P.) was held in Dallas. The same week, the national cutting horse futurities were being held in nearby Fort Worth. Three colleagues from Sweden told me that they wanted to see the cutting horses. So, one evening, after the day of scientific lectures had ended, I accompanied the three Swedish vets to Fort Worth.

After watching several horses perform, the senior Swede, a professor from the vet school in Upsula, Sweden, said, "This is incredible! It must take many years to obtain such performance from a horse."
"But," I answered, "this is a futurity."
"I do not understand this word," he said.
"These are colts," I explained. "These are just three-year-olds."

He looked shocked, turned to his companions and explained to them in Swedish and then said to me in English, "I have only two comments: One, it must take great skill to be able to train a horse to do this in so brief a time. And, two, what is happening to their poor legs?"

Horse Wins Cycle Race

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:24:31 PST

For those who haven't already seen this, here's a laugh for your Monday:

Tour De Horse

Missed Out On A Valentine?

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:15:17 PST

For all of you out there who missed out on Valentines Day, fear not! Did you know that there are online dating sites dedicated to horsey people? Nope, neither did I. Though I guess it's obvious that they'd exist. I mean, it makes sense to go to a place filled with like-minded people to find your perfect match. Rather than trawl through thousands of random personals at a 'general' site.

We are are unique group, us horsey people. We all strangely have no issue with horse slobber, break our backs mucking out stalls and cleaning paddocks, cheerfully fund our vet's holiday and retirement funds at the expense of our own, and are happiest spending hours around our horse, despite the extremes of mud, snow, dust or flies. And we wonder why not everyone understands?

So if you'd like to share your enthusiasm for horses with a human partner who does understand (as well as lavishing care and attention on your equine(s)), may I suggest you check out http://www.SingleWithHorse.com

It could be just what you're after.

PS - to those of you happily coupled up, perhaps you could do a good turn and pass this along to a single friend. And rest assured, there are more training tips coming along soon.

A Head Shy Horse Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:03:16 PST

A question posed on the Facebook fan page :
"My horse will not let me put a bridle on him- he accepts the bit. It is getting the bridle over his head. Any suggestions?"

Sure.
One sound way to get a horse to overcome a fear of having his ears touched is to only allow him to eat if he allows his ears to be touched.

Hold a bucket of feed in one hand and rub his face or neck with the other. ALWAYS begin rubbing a spot he already allows you to touch. Then do a quick and light and FAST sweep over the ears and back down to an allowed spot. The speed means by the time the horse has realised you have touched his ears, you are back rubbing a place he thinks is ok, and nothing bad happened. Through much repetition, he'll get the idea that having his ears rubbed is ok too.

You can gradually slow down your movements as the horse accepts that your touching his ears doesn’t hurt. Remember to rub his ears backwards and forwards, just like a bridle would going on and off.

And if he's really not letting you near his ears, turn your back and walk away with the food. Come back in 10-30 minutes and try again. At some point (the first time will take the longest) the desire for food will win out.

And I'd like to point out that there are two ways of bridling your horse. See the pictures above and note the position of the right arm. If you're having trouble using one method, try the other.

Great Advice From A Novice

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:36:46 PST

This tip came in as part of the competition a little while back. Such a wise view, my bolding for emphasis...

Here in Europe, the "horsemanship" that is almost like breathing to most of Americans has only just started. After many years with horses I spent 2 years "studying" what our Czech horsemanship teachers could offer, trying it on a very kind old gelding. And then it started. My chosen breed for my own horse is a Welsh Cob, but to get a trained one is impossible in our country, so I had to get a real mustang, 1.5 years old. Me, such an amateur. Now, after three months, it is quite all right, the horse is quite happy, only I have "my head like a bucket", as we say here, but never mind that. We go on, very slowly, but we are on the way.

I want to share the very first experience: it was impossible to touch him. After 5 days, I could stand 10cm next to him all right. Touching him - no way. He would jump over anything. After 10 days, it was the same situation. No change. I was getting really frustrated. Finally, he asked himself to be touched, would you believe it? But NOT on his shoulder as is common and suggested as the best, but from the front, his forehead and his cheek and neck. I came one day to his stall and he stood there, waiting for that. Incredible.

Since then, I am getting less worried - if something doesn't go, I wait for him to tell me: ok, I am ready, do it!. Listen to your horse, everybody :) and give them time - esp. if you are a total amateur like myself. I believe that what more professional people can handle in half an hour, even an amateur can - in a couple of days or weeks, by just giving the horse more time and trying to communicate in more stupid ways than the professionals.

One Person's Horsey Trash Might Actually Be A Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:12:57 PST

Happy Monday to you all. Here's a feelgood story for you from the rather recent Melbourne Cup.

I'm not sure how many of you are aware of the large 'surplus' that occurs in the racing industry. It is a horrible fact that most Thoroughbreds are not quick enough to make a career on the racetrack and that most end up slaughtered. And that while some of these are broken down, unsound or bad tempered, most are perfectly good horses.

Obviously that wasn't the feelgood part of the story! This next bit is. Some people have realised that these excellent and useful horses, who have only suffered bad luck, can be saved at a bargain price. And this one person with a good eye, a kind heart and a helping of intuition, has had her kindness repaid in spades.

"Early last year, Decency, a half-sister to Viewed, was waiting to be slaughtered at an abattoir near Brisbane. She was saved by a horse lover who paid $600 for her.

Decency is now in foal, with breeding experts saying that, as a close relative of a Melbourne Cup winner, she would be worth $100,000 and her foal about the same. The powerful mare was discovered in the abattoir by Rebecca Bates, who was searching for a riding horse for a friend."

How's THAT for a great ending? Full story here:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/horse-racing/phil-wilkins/2008/11/13/1226318840546.html

Horse Problems Or People Problems?

noreply@blogger.com (Fi) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:57:13 PST

This is a post long overdue. It really is about the heart of the philosophy of horse training. You may have heard something very similar before ;)

When you find a horse with a problem, do you have a horse problem or a person problem?

The fortunate (or unfortunate if you don't like looking hard in the mirror) fact is that the vast majority of behavior and training problems in horses are caused by people. There are definitely the occasional 'evil' horses, just as there are the occasional nasty-to-the-bone humans. But these true psychopaths, which is what they really are, are actually few and far between.

Most bad tempered, ill mannered, poorly behaved horses have the actions of humans as the root cause. The good news is that retraining is usually possible. The bad (realistic) news is that it may be beyond your current horse abilities. But that's another post.

Where is this piece going? People can do themselves and all equinehood a favor by matching themselves with a horse suitable for their CURRENT abilities. The worst possible combination is a green/young horse and a green/young rider. They are unlikely to 'grow together'. No no no. Advanced rider and green/young horse. Young/green rider and quiet older horse. Those are the right way around. It's easy to remember!