The Natural Horseman @ 20/20 Horsemanship

Summer Camp 2014

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:40:00 +0000

Summer camp registration forms are now available online!

www.2020horsemanship.com

Loretta and Sarah

My dream: becoming a veterinarian

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 01:54:00 +0000

A student of mine is writing a blog through her school. I am not able to comment there directly, so I've copied her post here, so I can comment .

Blog:

MY DREAM: BECOMING A VETERINARIAN

Posted: January 9, 2014

One dream that I have had all my life is to become a veterinarian. I have a feeling that I would be one of the people in this world who loves their job, and would not mind doing extra work if one of the vets is sick and needs someone to come in for them.

There are a couple reasons why being a vet is something that I really want to do: my love for animals, my interest in medicine, and my love for helping a living being. Even if I can make only a small difference, that would still matter. For example, if my friend’s cat was lost, I would try to help her find it, and hopefully we would.

I believe that veterinarians help not only animals but also humans. They keep our pets healthy and safe for us and by vaccinate them against all kinds of diseases that we could catch.

I had a guinea pig that lived for eight years (a very, very long time for a guinea pig) before she died from tumors in her belly. She had been too old to have surgery, so we could not do anything to help her. When I am a vet, there still may not be a cure for those kinds of tumors, but I am sure that there will be a way for guinea pigs like mine to have a chance to live longer.

My dream is to become a veterinarian. I know that I will work hard to fulfill that dream, and hope that everybody who has a dream will work hard to fulfill it, too.

From Loretta:
This student has been with me for several years. She is one of the most caring and sensitive girls I have ever known. She is also determined and WILL become a vet one day.

Being a vet is a very rewarding career. Helping animals and their humans is an amazing thing. From pre purchase exams, dental cleanings, routine shots to lameness exams. It is all so very important, especially for out large equine friends.

One way my vet has made a huge difference for me has been her compassion and empathy. I will NEVER forget the painful moments when a beloved horse has to be laid to rest. When the vet has to deliver such dreadful news it is hard, for everyone. My vet would look at me with tears in her eyes, and I would just know. Somehow the pain was lessened just a bit knowing it was that hard for her too. Several of my students hope to be vets after college. I will do everything I can to help them obtain their goals.

Loretta

Loretta
the natural horseman
clear communication/visible results

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:38:00 +0000

The Naturally Safe Horsemanship Program & Pony Pals!

Announcing the roll out of the Naturally Safe Horsemanship Program and Pony Pals for ALL students!

Highlights of the programs inlcude:

a book series for every 12 week session
a packet for our notes and general info
goal setting worksheets and instructions
trail rides
membership in the online Jr. Horseman and the corresponding book with loads of fun games and activities
a helmet cover to represent your level. earn a new one every 12 weeks!
curriculum based program

Quick Links

ALL Students should watch our you tube videos. We are working on a segment to enhance riding education.

Naked Liberty

by Carolyn Resnick by Amigo Publications, Inc.

Paperback

List Price: $29.95

Our Price: $19.38

Buy Now

Openings

Wednesdays at 3:30pm

Thursdays at 1pm & 3pm

Fridays at 1:30pm & 3:30pm

If your child gets out of school at 3pm, picking him or her up at the end of the day, say 2:50pm, could get them here in time for a 3:30pm lesson. I have several students who do this. The last 10 minutes of school is usually spent packing, getting assignments in order, etc....So, if you feel that is appropriate for your child, let me know please.

P/T Instructor

I am hiring a part time instructor! She will be helping with weekend lessons and eventually filling new openings from my waiting list. I am very excited about this new opportunity to serve more clients.

Naked Liberty by Carolyn Resnick

November book

I ask all students to read Naked Liberty written by my trainer, Carolyn Resnick. It is a glorious story of her youth and the wonderful opportunities she had to learn from a wild herd of horses. She has taught me a great deal in the last 6 months via phone, videos and the internet. I will forever be her student.

The book may be ordered using the link in the sidebar on the left.

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Movies

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Book

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:08:00 +0000

The Big Three

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Posted by Rick Gore
Category: General

Wow, talk about big topics. I call this "The Big Three”. These are sometime mystical terms that are used often and most people never really understand them, never know their importance or never experience them. These things come from "Time". Time handling horses, time working horses, time riding horses, time watching horses, time making mistakes, time seeing others do it right, time seeing others do it wrong, time listening to the horse and time reflecting on all of this. "If you take the time it takes - it takes less time.

A lot of my videos on Youtube explain this in more detail: www.youtube.com/user/horseawareness:

Sounds like double talk. Sounds like old horse whisperer stuff. Are these things really real or is it something that old timer’s just talk about to intrigue others. Let’s talk about each one of these since I think they are all connected and all affect each other. So I will try and discuss them individually.

-- Release: Anyone can pull or yank a horse, but it takes someone who understands how to release, and how to release with timing and feel to really get results. Release is that exact moment where learning takes place in the horse. The second a horse gets release, he connects that release to the right answer. So if a horse is pressured by a person and it rears and as soon as it rears, it scares the person putting on the pressure, so the person backs away in fear of their safety, the horse sees this as release. So the person gives release, but with bad timing. The horse does not know this, it only knows, it got release when it reared, so rearing gets him release, therefore, rearing must be the right answer. This is an example of bad release but since release teaches, the horse always sees release as good.

Good release teaches the right thing. So if a person tries to get a horse to back up and puts pressure to back up and as soon as the horse takes one step back, the person releases, and then the horse learns that backing up is the right answer. If the person stops pressure when the horse turns away, rears, or tries to bite them, then the horse thinks and learns that is the right answer. So knowing release only works if the person knows how and when to release pressure. Almost everything a horse learns is by pressure and release. An example of a horse learning something without pressure and release is more "classical conditioning". You break a carrot in half, the horse hears this, knows what this is and comes over to get the carrot and you give the carrot to the horse. However, this could be seen by the horse as pressure and release if you are not careful. If done wrong, the horse can see him coming over to you as putting pressure on you and then you giving the carrot is release from his pressure on you. Everything with a horse is how they see it. This is a Key Point.... it does not matter what you intended to do, what you do or what you think you did, it only matters how the horse sees it. Too often I see people teaching things they do not know they are teaching and then wonder why the horse does it. I have a couple of videos that explain Classical condioning on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch

So understanding release is very important so you can know what you are teaching, when you are teaching it and when you did it wrong. And remember, once you understand release, if you do it with bad feel and timing, it means nothing and you will be teaching something you did not intend to teach. Confused yet? We are just getting started.

-- Timing: Sounds like a clock thing; if you can tell time you can have timing? If you can hit a baseball, drive a car or play any sport you should have some sort of timing. So having timing with a horse should not be that difficult. Well, timing could be a horse book in itself. Timing comes from doing wrong, experience (good and bad) and many other lessons from many horses. Pull on a horse at the wrong time and you get a fight, pull too early and you create the horse to pull, pull too late and you get behind the leverage point and you get dragged or get the rope pulled out of your hands. Of course pulling requires release, so if you time it right and don't release right, you blow it.

On the other hand if you have timing, you can get a horse to do things twice as fast, twice as easy and twice as good. Wow, this sounds pretty important, why are so many people so confused about it? It takes time and practice to learn it, develop it, perfect it and refine it. Every horse requires it to be done differently, maybe just a little but each one responds to timing with different feel. So having good timing with bad feel does not work, having good timing with bad release, does not work. All three are required, all three have to be constantly adjusted and all three need to be refined depending on what the horse does and how the horse responds.

-- Feel: This is putting timing and release together with constant adjustments. So, lets look at this like kissing a girl (girls apply this to guys), a kiss is a kiss right? Kiss your wife good morning is different than kissing her goodbye. Kissing her after not seeing her for a month is different than kissing her after a hard day of work. Kissing her after giving birth to your child is different than kissing her for getting you socks for your birthday. Kissing her after she is in a car wreck is different than kissing her after you broke her favorite silly glass thingy collection special piece. Kissing her after you say "I do" is different than after she says "No you can't". And lastly kissing her after or during that special private time is also very different. So if someone said how many ways can you kiss, your first response may be a kiss is a kiss, but if you think about it and break it down, very little changes in timing and situation changes the feel and way you kiss. And of course, I kiss my horse differently than I kiss my girl. :)

So just applying feel to a kiss you can see it has many variables. Now lets apply feel to how you handle a rope, how you put on a head stall, how you catch a horse, how you saddle a horse, how you pick a horse's feet, how you handle a horse in general, how you ride a horse, how you handle the reins, how you move towards a horse (pressure), how you move away from a horse (release), how you look at a horse, how your body is used to influence a horse and understanding a horse can feel and shake a fly off his hip. If you are thinking how can anyone know all this, welcome to the world of horsemanship. No matter how long you do it, you are always learning from each and every horse. You never know it all and the journey is never-ending.

Then how can anyone claim to teach this? I have not seen too many that try and teach feel. Tough subject and not easy to learn. This would explain why so many people have so called "problem horses". You may hear things like, soft hands make soft horses. You can't pull a horse to softness, but if you don't know timing and release, feel will not matter.

I mentioned handling the reins earlier. Feel is so important here. Too rough, too loud, too soft, too easy or too inconsistent will all result in confusion to the horse. When a horse is confused for too long it will stop trying to learn and stop searching for the right answer. Then they look at other cues as picking or harassment and then they can become upset or they feel (different kind of feel) that there is no right answer and they can't find release so they go into fight mode if they cannot flee. So feel on the reins can very helpful or can teach bad lessons. Being soft at the right time, firm at the right time and consistent will teach a horse how to be soft. But all this needs to be with timing and release.
Let’s see if I can tie these together now. A good example of using all three of these would be catching a horse. How many times do I hear the same old story, "my horse won't let me catch him", "my horse is hard to catch", "my horse just runs away when I try and catch him", and my first answer to this is "STOP trying to catch him".

In order to catch a horse you need release, timing and feel. You need to know how to release pressure when the horse looks at you or faces you. You need to release this pressure with timing so the horse connects the release with the looking or facing you. You need feel to read the horse on how to put just enough pressure to create movement and just enough release to draw or stop movement. So when catching a hard to catch horse, a person with understanding of release, timing and feel can catch most any horse. And since a very common complaint is how do I catch my horse, this tells me that most do not have a clue about the big three. Can I teach you this? Can anyone teach you this? My answer is the best teacher of the big three is the Horse. Listen, watch, and learn from the horse and stop trying to teach, train and improve the horse. Always remembering, "The best teacher of the horse - is the horse."

You can read more about this on my web site: www.thinklikeahorse.org/

Happy Trails,

Rick

Training Methods

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:38:00 +0000

I am a NH trainer. I use a combination of methods, an array of things that work for the individual horse I am working on. The comment I want to make is directed at the backing discussions. When training a horse to do something, anything, he has to fgure out what you are asking. He will choose the wrong or incorrect response sometimes often, before finding the correct answer. When the correct response happens, the trainer rewards by releasing pressure. In this case the jiggling of the rope stops. Some learn it faster than others. I teach this to EVREY horse I ride or train. It is an invaluable tool. Sometimes you are just not close enough to pull the rope toward his chest to ask for a back up. Using this technique I can ask from anywhere. My horses are so light with it it just takes a little wiggle of the rope and back they go. So the only real crazy waving involved is usually the first time teaching them.

Do I think the big name trainers have gotten out of hand? Yes. I also they they brought to light a lot about horsemnanship that main stream folks were not aware of. Things they should have been aweare of, but weren't.

My 17.3h sensitive draft cross and I have a great relationship. We preactically read each others minds. One day going to a trail he spooked. I could feel the m oment that he thought, OMG I'm going to die and Loretta is asking me to move forward. Someone has to save my life and if it's not going to be her it's going to be me. Really, I felt him close me out. Know what I did? I got down. And we walked back and forth in front of the scary yellow do not enter tape for the next hour. He was side passing at a trot to try and not get close but keep his eye on it, right next to the road. But if he had freaked and pulled away, I'd be alive even if he got hit by a car. I've had many folks tell me I did the wrong thing. I will never be convicned of that. For that horse under tose circumstances, I did the right thing.

So I applaud those who realize not every way works with every horse. Just like our children. Each have unique qualities that I beleive should be taken into consideration while training.

Harmanyequine.com

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:01:00 +0000

Harmanyequine.com

Lorettathe natural horsemanclear communication/visible results

Top 10 Purchasing Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Loretta’s top 10 Questions to ask and things to do, notice and look for when reviewing a horse for purchase.

1. Are his eyes clear? His coat shiny?
2. Are there rings on his feet? Cracks? (not good)
3. Does he seem interested and friendly?
4. Is he jumpy?
5. Watch how the owner handles him. i.e. is there a chain over his nose?
6. Does he willingly comply?
7. Touch him all over. Don’t start at his head, some horses just do not like that. The shoulder or neck is a good place to start. Run your hands on his whole body. Back, legs, hind end. Watch for his reactions. Does he twitch or move around?
8. Ask about ground work and manners. Watch how he reacts and moves when being led, etc…
9. Does he stop when she stops walking or does she have to make him stop moving? Where does she hold the lead while handling him?
10. Try to lift his tail right at the top of the dock. Watch his reaction. It is a sign of trust if they willingly allow you to pick up the tail.

Your position-his response

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:40:00 +0000

A horse’s response can never be better than the rider’s aids, and the rider’s aids can only be as good as her seat. The correct position of the rider is what makes the aids clear.

Mary Ann Grant

Why do riders fall?

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 31 May 2010 14:14:00 +0000

WHY DO RIDERS FALL?
by Jan Dawson

What causes a rider to make an unscheduled departure from the back of a horse?. The focus is on those times when rider loses her or his seat with little or no help from the horse, not situations involving bee stung horses or times when equipment has failed or when the horse has fallen also.

What has to happen for the rider to be able to fall off? What can the rider do to insure that he/she does not fall off?

The short answer is, "Just keep one leg one each side, little lady, and you'll do all right." Hey, if it was good enough for western movies it should be good enough for us. Right. In this case that cowboy was right and it is not a joke! Beginners and novices fall off more than other people. And what do you see in the typical beginner position? What is the first thing that you notice? Most likely it is the out-of-position leg. "Oh, that's okay; we are working on that and it will come with time.", says the instructor.

It may come with time but to leave the issue up to experience is to admit that the beginner or novice is going to be left to his own devices to figure out, not just balance, but how to stay on the horse. There may be a better way.

A different perception may be to view the out-of-position leg as the beginning of a fall. That fall may not happen that day or that week or that month, but as long as the leg is out of position the rider is at risk because the anchor for the upper body is not in place. All you have to add is a higher center or gravity (weight on the stirrup rather that the seat or the heel) and an unexpected movement. Sometimes you don't have to add anything. Consider the beginner or novice in early trot or canter work, or even jumping or trail riding. Whether by choice or otherwise the horse goes forward at the trot or canter and the rider is in the fetal position, legs too far back and leaning forward over hands held at the waist. Not only can this rider fall, it can be a one point landing on the head.

Before the unfortunate rider falls something else usually has happened: The rider's center of gravity has become too high. The rider's center of gravity should be at all times as close as possible to that of the horse. If the weight is solidly in the seat or solidly down in the heels it is not so easy to dislodge the rider. Being able to maintain the center of gravity as low as possible goes a long way in maintaining the position of the leg. The reverse is also true: A correct position of the leg aids the rider in maintaining a low center of gravity.

Stiffness in the body may also contribute to a fall. Consider the classic example of the broomstick on the diving board verses the piece of boiled spaghetti or a pile of Jell-O. If the rider is reasonably in balance with the horse stiffness in the body is required for a rider to be unloaded under normal as opposed to rodeo or rodeo-like circumstances.

In practice this means that instructors need to concentrate on helping the rider achieve a secure and correct leg position almost before they do anything else. If the leg moves or becomes unstable when the skill level increases they should go back to where the leg was stable and try again. It helps to have a pocket full of exercises designed to position the leg then teach the upper body to move around over a stationary leg, rather than the other way around which is exactly the way most beginners and many others ride.

Once the upper body has learned to move around over the correct leg, the instructor must show the student how to relax or unlock the lower back to avoid the stiffness that can contribute to a higher center of gravity. Most children will not need help to do this. They will do it instinctively. Many adults will not, some, even after years of experience. To tell if the lower back is unlocked and supple just watch the riders hips. If the hips sway front to back, the rider's lower back is locked. If the hips move laterally with the left and right sides dropping alternately the lower back is unlocked. This should also help the horse to move better as the horse never uses both hind legs at the same times, consequently his back never moves both sides at once.

Riders should also be cautioned against pinching with their knees as this also causes the center of gravity to rise. When this is pointed out most riders will feel it as squeezing themselves out of the saddle.

It is not possible to put too much emphasis of teaching and maintaining a correct leg position. Western or English, it doesn't matter. The leg must be still and securely placed directly below the mass of the riders weight if the rider expects to remain aboard ;the horse indefinitely, through good times and bed. If the leg leaves it's "home" position it is the beginning of a fall; maybe not today, this week or this month, but it will come. "That's right, little lady," just keep one leg on each side of this critter and you'll do just fine.

For suggestions on how to teach this secure leg position please see the AAHS Riding Instructors Handbook available now through the United States Pony Club or at your booksellers next summer.

The Nature of the horse

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 31 May 2010 01:59:00 +0000

The Nature of the Horse

by
Jan Dawson
President
American Association for Horsemanship Safety

All too often at riding schools and trail ride establishments, the first lesson or pre-ride instruction is under-utilized or completely wasted from a safety perspective.

The first lesson, or pre-ride instruction, even with advanced students or riders, is the best opportunity to frame all the instruction that follows in terms of safety in a way even the most novice rider will remember and in a way even the advanced rider may not have considered. We all may say "I knew that" but we must know it so well that our unconscious survival instinct will push it to the surface when needed.

Unfortunately, a set of quickly listed rules, oral or written, is soon forgotten if the rules have no logical framework. Riders will remember them when they have heard them over and over but is that enough? How about these words following an accident, "I knew better. I have heard that all my life but just didn't think." The information had never turned into habitual practice.

The following initial ground lesson is excerpted from the AAHS Instructor's Handbook of Horsemanship Safety.

1. The very things about the horse that cause us so much trouble are the very characteristics that have kept the horse in existence for thousands of years. His instincts protected his ancestors and kept them from being eaten, so they could live long enough to reproduce offspring, including the horse your student is about to mount.

2. No matter how good the trainer or rider is, we cannot teach the horse not to be a horse. The instincts are imbedded genetically and are always there.

3. When the horse is under mental or physical pressure, his instincts take over and the training goes out the window.

4. What are those instincts? They are characteristics that have kept the horse from being eaten by predators. The short answer is to fight or flee, but that is too simplistic.

5. Man - the supreme predator - must separate himself somehow from the lions, tigers and bears when dealing with horses.

6. Predators must bring a horse down quickly if they are to have dinner. They can go to the neck and slice the jugular vein and carotid artery; they can cut the hamstring above the hock; they can cut the band on top of the neck that holds the neck up; and, if it's a group of predators, one can grab the nose and the rest can bring the horse down.

7. So, we don't approach a horse from behind, or the neck or the nose (head). The wolf that tried to bring a horse down by biting his shoulder would be squashed. We approach the shoulder, which tells the horse we mean no harm.

8. Predators must sneak up on a horse to be successful, so we must announce our arrival. We speak to the horse and wait until he acknowledges us by looking at us or turning his ears to us. Then we walk normally to his shoulder and stroke him.

9. The horse's keen sense of hearing has protected him for thousands of years. His eyes on the side of his head allow him to see almost all the way around himself. He cannot see directly behind or immediately in front of himself, which is why horses are such poor typists. So we want to stay where he can see us. We whistle when coming through a door or around a corner in the barn area to announce to all horses that we are approaching.

10. All animals with skulls protecting their brains are protective of their heads. We don't like to have someone come up and put their hands on our faces without permission, and neither does a horse. How often do we see someone reach out and touch a horse first on the face? Not a good idea.

11. Horses have stayed alive for many generations by reacting quickly to surprises - run or get away first to a safe distance, then turn and look. Don't look first or you might not have time to run. Suppose old Dobbin falls asleep during grooming, you step away to visit, and then go back to grooming. That touch to a dozing horse may trigger the instinct. Keep the horse awake. If you step away, talk to him and announce your presence before touching him again.

12. The horse has his own space. It is a circle about 12 to 15 feet around him. This is the area he can either defend or still have time to get away if here is an opening. Consider the wise old ranch horse in the pasture: you get to within 15 feet of him with your halter, he takes a step, and you take a step. He knows you aren't going to catch him if he can maintain his distance from you. He will not allow a predator within that space. So, don't act like a predator.

13. Not acting like a predator is easy. Just make sure the horse knows who you are, where you are and what you are going to do. To the horse, this means you approach him talking to him, you stay where he can see you, and you make it clear that you aren't going to hurt or eat him by making no sudden moves. Example: we run a hand down the leg of the hoof we wish to clean, we don't just grab the foot.

14. Caution must be exercised in the barn or saddling area. In most barns, the aisle is not wide enough to allow students to pass the horses without entering their space - so we approach each horse individually at the shoulder after they have acknowledged us with a look or an ear; then we keep a hand on them as we go by.

15. It is important to know where not to be when the instincts kick in. If we go under the lead rope, the horse can smash a face while stomping a fly. Or worse, if he spooks forward, we will be stomped. If he is tied to a solid wall, we may be squashed. When leading, whether you turn the horse toward you or away, the main thing (and this is really important with small children) is to stay out from in front of the horse's front feet.

16. When you are behind the horse, closer is better. When going behind a horse, if you are up close and he hicks, you won't get the full force - farther back you may get kicked with the power that can move the horse forward at 30 miles per hour. So keep your hand on the horse, let your arm pass to the other side before your body does. We like to have our shoulder touching the tail as we go by. If he is going to kick, he will probably do it when only your arm is touching his rump; he won't wait for your body. The fact that you have touched him all the way from his shoulder to his rump is good insurance that he probably won't kick. He knows who you are, certainly where you are, and you don't seem to have plans to eat him.

17. If students understand that it is quite a miracle that a horse lets the supreme predator ride on his back, they will have more respect for the horse. Horses can identify predators - they know wolves are dangerous and cows are not even if they have not had experience with either. Our vegetarian friends say this is due to meat odor on the body. Meat eaters smell different. The equine ancestors who reacted quickly to the smell of a meat eater lived longer and it is their descendants we ride today.

Teach Your Horse to Respect Your Personal Space

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 17 May 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Teach Your Horse to Respect Your Personal Space

Loretta

the natural horseman

clear communication/visible results

Backing

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Backing helps

When things get squirrelly on my computer, I automatically reboot. It may not fix every problem, but it fixes most of them, and that saves me time and frustration. Backing my horse is similar to rebooting my computer. It gets us unstuck and reloaded for a fresh start.

Backing is the closest thing to a “silver bullet” that exists in horse training. It helps from the ground and it helps from the saddle. It helps in dealing with problems and in preventing them in the first place.

Why, you may ask? Best as I can figure, backing puts a horse in a unique frame of mind. It’s not as natural for him as going forward so he must think about placement of his feet. It’s a submissive act that reminds him of his standing. Most important, it puts him out of position to take flight. That makes him feel vulnerable. Whatever was on his mind before you asked him to back up is suddenly not so important.

When you get a horse to back on your command, you are demonstrating that you know what matters in his world and that you just might be qualified to be leader for the day.

Teaching a horse to back is surprisingly easy if you don’t get greedy. When you first request it, you must be satisfied with him just shifting his weight back and instantly reward him with relief of pressure, a reassuring stroke, and a kind word. Then, give him a moment to think about it and ask again. This time you will expect him to do more, but only a little more, perhaps shifting his weight and lifting one foot. Again, relief, reward and rest. In this fashion, where clear, consistent cueing is coupled with instant positive consequences, a horse learns incrementally to back from the ground or the saddle.

Helpful hint: Always back any horse a few steps before you mount him and, at the first sign of trouble, stop him and put him in reverse. Request, relief, reward, rest. Then it’s on to the business of the day.

Rick

Backing

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Backing helps

Rick

May 2010 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:31:00 +0000

20/20 Horsemanship's
Newsletter

05/2010

In This Issue

Current Openings

Stryker'sStatus

What's Going on?

Stryker Status

Good news! The vet phoned to say that Stryker can be hand walked for up to 20 minutes daily! I was so excited (as was he) to hear this!

Quick Links

20/20 Horsemanship website

The Natural Horseman Blog

Read the VA Equine Statute here

Horsemanship Lessons

Current Openings

Sundays @9am
Saturdays @ 4pm
Mondays @ 4:30pm
Tuesdays @3:30pm

Remember to visit the calendar on my website to see current availability. I post openings when I have a cancellation for a one time session.

Greetings!

I hope everyone is enjoying a happy, yet hot, spring.
Please read to the end, there is a lot to cover. I did not send out an April issue and here it is the first week of May!

I'd like to welcome all new students:

Jenn & Ashley (Our first mother/daughter pair)
Numair
Lori
Alex
KC
Alyssa
Erica (back from a winter break)
Sheila

Sincerely,
Loretta Arey
20/20 Horsemanship

Stryker's Status

Good news! The vet phoned to say that Stryker can be hand walked for up to 20 minutes daily! I was so excited (as was he) to hear this! After providing me with some ACE (sedative) I was able to have him venture out. He was wonderful and very interested in eating the grass that he has been watching grow.

The second time I took him out, I did not wait long enough for the ACE to kick in. How did I know that you ask? Because he bucked, with a hind foot brushing my thigh. Back in the stall for another 15 minutes he went. The second attempt was much calmer, however he still bucked, out of my range, twice.

Some interesting things we have noticed. When Stryker's water bucket is empty he makes a big ruckus! Banging it around and making all kinds of noise. When you approach to fill the bucket, he will point his head repeatedly to the big water trough as if to say, "There, that's what I need."

Stryker also points his entire head to the field. He says, "Come on, over there is what I want. Why can't you understand?"

All in all this is great news. He is feeling good and now able to get out for a bit. I did not expect to be hand walking him until July-so May is ahead of schedule!

What's Going On?

Everything!

This is the official announcement of our new online logo apparel and gear! WOOHOO! Get your own 20/20 Horsemanship tank top, t-shirt, mug or water bottle. I even have a couple of items with Piero and Gem on them, and even Lollipop!

Visit the store from my blog, or go directly to:

20/20 Horsemanship Logo Gear

In addition to the logo items, I have revamped the Amazon store. It is looking good and is much easier to navigate. If you haven't visited in a while, please do!

This is the home page:

20/20 Horsemanship's Amazon Store

There are some really fun things in there! Toys, Breyer and other models, kids furnishings and decor, even shower curtain hooks and door knobs!

Fun stuff for kids

Are you looking for new boots, breeches or half chaps?

Kids Breeches
Boots and chaps

The Charles Owen helmet I recommend is also there:

Charles Owen Helmets

I hope you find what you are looking for, or simply have fun browsing. Please remember to bookmark the page!

What are you doing this summer?

Going to 20/20 Horsemanship's camp!

That's right, we are having our first ever summer camp! Mark the dates:

July 19-23 and July 26-30.

Small groups of 5-7 year olds, 8-10 and 11 +
9am-1pm daily
Join us for the entire week, or come one day!
Hands on ground work
Riding
Horsey games mounted & grounded
Washing dirty ponies
Braiding manes & tails
Swimming
Trail riding

Those are just some of the things I am planning. I will keep you posted as to when I have an actual plan for each day.

I am only taking up to 5 per day. My daughter, along with 2 adult students, will be helping.

Pricing

If you are here for:

One day/$100.
Two days/$200.
Three days/$275.
Four days/$350.
Five days/$400.

When you're here all five days it's like getting the 5th day FREE!

Let me know as soon as possible. I am asking for a 50% deposit to hold your space. Please send that to me and let me know the dates BEFORE June 5, 2010.

About Us

Well, you've finally come to the end of this newsletter. I hope you've enjoyed reading about our happenings. If you haven't come out yet, or in a while, please stop on by.

Our Mission Statement:
To provide a safe, fun & effective environment for our students. To teach true horsemanship using feel, intuition, timing & leadership. To never use force, but to know when to use the right amount of pressure and release.

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

May 2010 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:31:00 +0000

20/20 Horsemanship's
Newsletter

05/2010

In This Issue

Current Openings

Stryker'sStatus

What's Going on?

Stryker Status

Good news! The vet phoned to say that Stryker can be hand walked for up to 20 minutes daily! I was so excited (as was he) to hear this!

Quick Links

20/20 Horsemanship website

The Natural Horseman Blog

Read the VA Equine Statute here

Horsemanship Lessons

Current Openings

Sincerely,
Loretta Arey
20/20 Horsemanship

Stryker's Status

What's Going On?

Everything!

What are you doing this summer?

Going to 20/20 Horsemanship's camp!

That's right, we are having our first ever summer camp! Mark the dates:

July 19-23 and July 26-30.

Small groups of 5-7 year olds, 8-10 and 11 +
9am-1pm daily
Join us for the entire week, or come one day!
Hands on ground work
Riding
Horsey games mounted & grounded
Washing dirty ponies
Braiding manes & tails
Swimming
Trail riding

One day/$100.
Two days/$200.
Three days/$275.
Four days/$350.
Five days/$400.

About Us

Well, you've finally come to the end of this newsletter. I hope you've enjoyed reading about our happenings. If you haven't come out yet, or in a while, please stop on by.

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

New items in Store

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:33:00 +0000

Please visit our updated Amazon store. I have added many new items and have reorganized everything in an easier to understand fashion.

Need something to spark up your pony crazy child's room? We've got it!

http://astore.amazon.com/moodanrei-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=356

Need a birthday gift? We've got Breyers, plush, all the Breyer jumps and accessories and much more!

http://astore.amazon.com/moodanrei-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=366

Need a new pair of (inexpensive) breeches? We have them too!

http://astore.amazon.com/moodanrei-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=434

Maybe your daughter would like a pink backpack full of pink grooming tools?

http://astore.amazon.com/moodanrei-20/images/B0031E9R7O

Show shirts, boots, half chaps, helmet covers, crops, you need (or want) it, and we've got it!

Visit now:
http://thenaturalhorseman.blogspot.com/p/2020-online-store_27.html

New items in Store

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:33:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 03 May 2010 01:27:00 +0000

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Mon, 03 May 2010 01:27:00 +0000

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

Logo gear for sale

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:47:00 +0000

Wow a lot is going on!

Please visit the new items we have on sale featuring the 20/20 Horsemanship Logo and the horses!
www.cafepress.com/naturalhorse

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

Logo gear for sale

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:47:00 +0000

Training Astro

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:25:00 +0000

This time last year I had a broken ankle. Prior to that I had been working on training Astro under saddle with the help of my trainer, Yvonne Lucas. I didn't ride for several months after the break, and when I did Astro repeatedly tried to shake me off. This went on for some time and when the vet took a look she found significant back pain. Astro needed at least 3 months rest. 3 months turned into 5. It was fall, I was busy, bought Stryker, Stryker got hurt and then the SNOW came. Astro's original 3 months off turned into almost a year of not being ridden.

I have a sweet little student who rides Astro on the lead line. He is perfect in every way. However, when he is ridden off lead and away from his paddock he has been a little nutso. I really want some other experienced young riders to ride him, so I've been working on him during this last week.

I have been doing ground work with him in the front field. Here's how he has progressed:

Day 1 He responded well to what I asked, until I asked him to trot. Every time a car went by he did his little boy spook. He kicked the pole he was trotting over every time, and it was on the ground!
Day 2 He no longer spooked while trotting, yeah! I had him keep trotting until a car went by and he did not react. Then I let him stop and munch grass. He figured out the plan very quickly!
Day 3 He no longer kicked the pole he was trotting over. I used the same approach. Trotting over the pole, without stopping, until he no longer kicked it. Then, time to munch the grass. I raised the pole and he did kick it a bit, but we worked on that the next day.
Day 4 He no longer kicked the raised pole. Now it looked like a small jump. He trotted over it, back and forth, without stopping, or kicking it. What a smart pony! I had him trot over other small jumps and he was a dream.
Day 5 I raised the pole to 15 inches and he trotted over it, and a few times actually jumped it. A very quiet, calm and relaxed jump. I asked him to canter on the lead and he did. We went around to all the jumps and he jumped them lovely.

I am so pleased and proud of him. I will continue showing him new things and changing things up for him. It seems the unexpected is what gets him the most, so training near the road is good for him. I will ride him again in a few days and expect his behavior under saddle to be improved as well. Ground work and saddle work go hand in hand.

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results

Training Astro

noreply@blogger.com (The Natural Horseman) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Day 1 He responded well to what I asked, until I asked him to trot. Every time a car went by he did his little boy spook. He kicked the pole he was trotting over every time, and it was on the ground!
Day 2 He no longer spooked while trotting, yeah! I had him keep trotting until a car went by and he did not react. Then I let him stop and munch grass. He figured out the plan very quickly!
Day 3 He no longer kicked the pole he was trotting over. I used the same approach. Trotting over the pole, without stopping, until he no longer kicked it. Then, time to munch the grass. I raised the pole and he did kick it a bit, but we worked on that the next day.
Day 4 He no longer kicked the raised pole. Now it looked like a small jump. He trotted over it, back and forth, without stopping, or kicking it. What a smart pony! I had him trot over other small jumps and he was a dream.
Day 5 I raised the pole to 15 inches and he trotted over it, and a few times actually jumped it. A very quiet, calm and relaxed jump. I asked him to canter on the lead and he did. We went around to all the jumps and he jumped them lovely.

Loretta the natural horseman clear communication/visible results