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Glossery
of Horse Terms |Importance of feel | Dandy
Darling | The
Horse Trade
A Good Name |Trail
Etiquette | Preparing your horse |Getting
it?! |
Our Dogs
| Said/Meant
You may be a cowboy/cowgirl if | Dream
Horse or Problem Horse
| Murphys Horse Laws
Horse Slaughter Prevention |
Give Your Horse his head |
A Horse once Loved
Hi robin i wrote this and i hope you like it this is how i see you
and how i feel about you! Emily
Emily,
you are the angel
and
I'm so lucky and thankful for my little neighbor girl!!!!! Robin
My
job makes me be tuff and strong it causes blood, sweat and tears.
I have to see sad, good, and bad in humans and horse alike.
My job causes me to be broke and not have nails but I love it.
My job is on going and can be tiresome at times.
In cold, hot, snow, rain or hail I am there, no matter how I feel,
I am there to save lives.
My job is what I love to do. I have been bucked off and kicked but
I love it.
My home is always open to the cold, hungry, and unbroken.
I feed the hungry ones. I hand out the blankets and break the unbroken.
My home is a haven for the horses in need. It is my nest, where I
instill love, compassion, knowledge and the hunger to do their best
into young girls hearts. Yet I know I will not be here forever to
do my job, but I know I will have followers who will do the same as
I.
That is why I am here, my name is Robin Bracy and I am a horse’s
angel.
poem by Emily
Horses
Prayer
Give
me food and drink; and care for me. And when the day's work is done,
shelter me. Give me a clean bed and leave me not too small a place
in the stable. Talk to me, for your voice often takes the place of
reins; be good to me and I shall serve you more gladly and love you.
Don't tear at the reins. Don't reach for your crop when we come to
a hill; don't beat me or hit me if I misunderstand. Don't think me
disobedient if I fail your will; perhaps there is something wrong
with my harness or my hooves. A bad tooth-you know how that hurts.
Don't tether me too tight and don't crop my tail, my only weapon against
mosquitoes and flies. Let me ask this of you in the name of Him who
was born in the stable. And when the time comes, Dear Master, when
I am no longer of use to you, don't let me starve, or freeze, nor
sell me. Don't give me to a stranger who works me slowly to death
and feeds me not; but be kind and prepare me for a quick and merciful
end. God will reward you for it, now, and through eternity. And I
shall come to you, always...... running.
Top of page
Glossary
of Horse Terms
Hock:
Financial condition of all horse owners.
Stall: What your rig does at rush hour
in an unfamiliar city on the way to a big horse show.
A
Bit: What you have left in your pocket after you've been to your
favorite tack shop.
Fence:
Decorative structure built to provide your horse with something to
chew on.
Horse
Auction: What you think of having after your horse bucks you off.
Pinto:
Green coat pattern found on freshly washed light colored horses left
unattended for 2 minutes.
Well
Mannered: Hasn't stepped on, bitten, or kicked anyone for a week.
Rasp:
Abrasive metal tool used to remove excess skin from ones knuckles.
Longeing:
Popular training method in which a horse exercises their owner by
spinning them in circles until dizzy.
Gallop:
Customary gait a horse chooses when returning back to the barn.
Nicely
Started: Longes, but not enough health insurance to even think
about riding him.
Colic:
Gastro-intestinal result of eating at horse fair food stands.
Colt:
What your mare gives you when you want a filly.
Easy
to Load: Only takes 3 hours, 4 men, a 50lb bag of oats, and a
tractor with loader.
Easy
to Catch: In a 10x10 stall.
Easy Rider: Rides good in a trailer; not to be confused with
"ride-able".
Endurance
Ride: End result when your horse spooks and runs away with you.
Hives:
What you get when receive the vet bill for your 6 horses, 3 dogs,
4 cats, and 1 donkey.
Hobbles:
Walking gait of a horse owner after their foot has been stepped on
by their horse.
Feed: Expensive substance used to manufacture manure.
Dog House: What you are in when you spend too much money on
grooming supplies and pretty halters.
Light Cribber: We can't afford to build anymore fencing or
box stalls for this buzz saw on four legs.
Three Gaited Horse: A horse that. 1) trips, 2) stumbles, 3)
falls
Top
of page
*In
Our Home*
These
are our dogs, this is their home
from which we hope they'll never roam
They're faithful friends, we love them best
This is their home you are a guest
If dogs to you are just a peeve
Then by all means feel free to leave!
 "She
is your friend, your partner, your defender,your dog. You are her
life, her love, her leader.She will be yours, faithful and true, to
the last beat of her heart. You owe it to her to be worthy of such
devotion"
--Author Unknown
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of page
How Important Feel Is To The Horse
Excerpts
from True Horsemanship Through Feel
by
Bill Dorrance and Leslie Desmond
There's nothing a horse will respond to much better than a good feel
from the person handling him, which works because it's natural to
him right on the start.
Horses are intelligent and they can make decisions. This is the reason
that they can sense what a person wants them to do and will try to
understand a person's intent. Through his natural instinct of self-preservation,
a horse will respond to two kinds of feel that a person can present.
He will respond to a person's indirect feel, which means that he will
either react to or ignore a person's presence -- and how a horse responds
depends entirely on the person. This indirect feel is what you have
out in the pasture or corral, when you don't have any physical contact
with the horse, like a halter or snaffle bit. A horse will also respond
to direct feel, which is when you have a physical connection with
the horse through some part of your body, the halter or the snaffle,
or a rope any place on his body, even if it's connected to the saddle
horn.
When it's effectively applied, either direct or indirect feel from
a person can influence the horse's mind and body to match up with
the person's plan of how they want that horse to be doing things for
them. Using feel, a person can shape the horse's desire to stay with
them, and they can determine the horse's direction and speed and frame
of mind when they want him to move. Through feel, a person can get
the horse to think about and do many little things that are very important
to the horse and to the safety of the person. These little things
can be felt by the person and the horse too, of course, but they aren't
visible to everyone's eyes. That's because these observations take
a lot of time and not many people want to spend their time this way.
Regardless of what we're doing with our horses, we're working with
feel, and that's true in just about any part of what you're doing
with any animal. Whether it's a good feel or a bad feel that's presented
to the horse -- that feel is what causes him to do what he does because
he learns through feel. One thing's for sure, that horse is uncomfortable
when it's a bad feel.
No, if people have the desire to learn this and have a lot of time
to practice, there isn't any question that they'll get that better
feel sorted out and get it to work for them. Once they've got a start
on it, they can get to where they're able to feel of their horse,
and get their horse feeling of them pretty good, too. When it's at
that point, we can say that we've helped the horse, but our real goal
here is to help the people learn what they need to know.
There are two kinds of feel and its important to understand the difference
in them. Direct feel is when you have a physical connection between
you and the horse and indirect feel is when nothing (no physical contact)
is between you and the horse. With direct feel, he learns to feel
of you from that physical connection between you. With indirect feel,
he learns to feel of you and understand what he's supposed to do from
the way you maneuver around him. This ties right in with how you present
what you intend for him to do. Most people miss out on this, because
they really haven't got any idea that the way they're feeling and
moving around that horse even matters to him. But that's exactly the
thing that matters the most to him.
A person who understands (how to interpret) the horse's expressions
and movements (or lack of movement) knows that feel goes two ways,
not just from the person to the horse, but from that horse to the
person too. Whether or not they can recognize it -- or have the ability
to make a fitting adjustment -- it's there for the person to respond
to. It's there because that's one of the main ways that a horse gets
his message across. The other way he does it is through direct feel,
and this sometimes doesn't work out the best where a person is concerned.
There's an understanding on the horse's part about being with a person,
and the feeling of being together with that person is something he
depends on. This is so important to the horse, and most people don't
realize how lost he gets without this connection. He needs to know
what he can expect from you through feel, because that's what feels
right to the horse. Even if it isn't much, the horse needs to be sure
about it. This can carry him quite a ways, because what a person and
a horse have between them is right, if it feels right. When it's this
right-feeling-kind-of-way, that is enough to move ahead with, even
if that progress seems too small to mention.
One thing's for sure, that horse is aware of the very small things
that take place because his survival is tied right to him knowing
about even the littlest particles of activity around him. He's going
to notice all sorts of feel (direct or indirect) that a person would
be liable to miss. The beneficial part to this is that even if it's
just some real small thing that's working right, it's enough to continue
building on, through feel -- so long as the other things you need
to complete the job show up.
When a person switches over to working through feel, the focus of
their presentation is going to be more about the process, and how
their intentions are understood by that horse. Where before, maybe,
they might have been thinking about what they should actually do with
that equipment to do something to that horse. Well, there's nothing
the same in that.
This approach to the horse's mind is the most important part. You're
working to develop his actual understanding -- not his automatic response
to force with the understanding left out. It's up to each person to
get their message across in a way the horse can understand. It could
require a fella's full strength someday, or just the littlest motion
that an observing eye might miss. And that's a motion that's really
just produced by a thought.
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What they
say...and what they mean!
Big
Trot: Can't canter within a two mile straightaway
Nicely Started: Lunges, but we don't have enough insurance
to ride him yet
Top Show Horse: Won a reserve champion 5 years ago at a show
with unusually low entries due to tornado warnings
Home Bred: Knows nothing despite being raised on the back porch
Big Boned: Good thing he has a mane and tail, or he would be
mistaken for a cow
No Vices: Especially when wearing his muzzle
Bold: Runaway
Good Mover: Runaway
Athletic: Runaway
Needs Intermediate Rider: Runaway
Should Mature 14 hands: Currently 12 hands, dam is 12.2, sire
is 12.3 hands, every horse in pedigree back 18 generations is under
12 hands, but THIS horse will defy his DNA and grow
Well Mannered: Hasn't stepped on, run over, bit or kicked anyone
for a week
Professionally Trained: Hasn't stepped on, run over, bit or
kicked anyone for a month.
Recently Vetted: Someone else found something really wrong
with this horse
To Good Home Only: Not really for sale unless you can: 1) pay
twice what he's worth and 2) are willing to sign a 10 page legal document
allowing current owner to tuck in beddie-bye every night
Excellent Disposition: Never been out of the stall
Clips, Hauls, Loads: Clippity clippity is the sound his hooves
make as he hauls butt across the parking lot when you try to load
him
For Sale Due To Lack of Time: Rider cannot afford to spend
any more time in hospital.
Quiet: Dead (almost)
Spirited: Psychotic
Well-Bred: Sire and Dam are also brother and sister
Black: Brown and/or dirty
Any Vet Check Welcome: Please pay for us to find out what the
!@$# is wrong with him!
Suit Eventing: No brakes
Suit Dressage: No accelerator
Suit Anyone: Except us - we hate him
And
here's some more...
Event Prospect: Big, fast horse
Dressage Prospect: Big, slow horse
Pleasure Prospect: Pretty color
Sporting Prospect: Short, fast horse
Barrel
Prospect: Fast horse that can turn
Endurance
Prospect: Fast horse that will turn sometimes
Flashy:
One white sock
Attractive:
Bay
15.2hh:
Actually 14.3hh
16.2hh:
Actually 15.3hh
To Loving Home Only: Expensive
To
Show Home Only: Very expensive
Needs
Experienced Rider: Potentially lethal
Elegant:
Thin
In
Good Condition: Foundered
Free
Moving: Bolts
Dead Quiet: Lame in all four legs
Good
in Traffic (Bombproof): Lame all around, deaf and blind
Loves
Children: Especially for breakfast
Pony
Type: Small and hairy
Arab
Type: Looks startled
TB
Type: Looks terrified
Quarter
Horse Type: Fat
Warmblood
Type: Big and hairy
Draught
Type: Big and exceedingly hairy
Easy
to Catch: Very old
Must Sell: Wife has left home and taken the kids All Offers
Considered: I'm in traction for 6 months
Top
of page
Dandy
Darling
My
wife, she has a Quarter Horse, with flaxen mane and tail.
She thinks he is the finest thing that ever jogged the rail.
She calls him Dandy Darling, and if the truth I tell,
That fancy, pampered Quarter Horse has made my life pure hell.
My
wife, she used to cook for me and serve it with champagne,
Now she'd rather feed that horse and fix his special grain.
She rides him every morning, and grooms him half the night,
The last time that she kissed me, it was just to be polite.
He dresses better than I do, with matching wraps and ties,
My wardrobe's so neglected now that I attract the flies.
One
day my wife was shopping, down at the nearby mall,
And fancy pampered Dandy was just standing in his stall.
He looked so smug and sassy, that I couldn't help but grin,
I'd saddle that fat sucker, and take him for a spin.
I've wondered since if cues I gave, he might've misconstrued,
For when I climbed aboard that horse, he rightly came unglued.
He bucked and spun, and snorted fire,
And threw me through a fence,
I saw big stars, and there are teeth that I ain't heard from since.
My
wife came home and saw me, just lying in the dirt,
She rushed up to her horse and asked him, "Sweetheart are
you hurt?"
He'd scratched his nose a little bit -- the memory galls me yet,
She left me lying in the mud, and ran to call the vet!
--Author
unknown
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The
Horse Trade
I traded for a horse one time,
he wouldn't take no beauty prize;
A great big long-eared, blue roan gelding,
not too bad for weight or size.
I had to make some tough old circles
and this trader guaranteed
This horse would show me lots of country
and not need too much rest or feed.
He said "Now this here ain't no kids' horse
but he'll pack you up the crick,
He will bump up on some occasions
and he has been known to kick.
I wouldn't trade him to just anyone
without having some remorse
But if you're a sure enough cow puncher,
mister, he's your kind of horse.
I stepped on that horse next mornin';
he began to buck and bawl.
That trader maybe hadn't lied none,
but he hadn't told it all.
Because we sure tore up the country
where he throwed that equine fit
And I almost ran out of hand holds
by the time he finally quit.
I guess that musta' set the pattern;
things just never seemed to change,
Although I showed him lots of country,
every corner of the range.
But every time I'd ride that booger,
why, he'd keep me sittin' tight.
I knew I'd make at least three bronc rides
'fore he'd pack me home that night.
Which woulda been OK
with lots of horses that I knowed.
But that old pony had my number;
I'd just barely got him rode.
And the thing that really spooked me
and put a damper on my pride
Was he was learning how to buck
faster than I was learnin' how to ride.
I pulled into camp one evening;
it was gettin' pretty late.
I see this grey horse in the corral
and there's a saddle by the gate.
I looked that grey horse over
and I sure liked what I seen,
Then this kid showed up around the barn;
he musta been about sixteen.
He said he'd lamed that grey that morning
coming down off the granite grade,
And he wondered if I had a horse
I'd maybe like to trade.
He said he didn't have the time to stop
and rest and let him heal,
And since that beggars can't be choosers,
he'd make most any kind of deal.
When a feller's tradin' horses,
why, most anything is fair,
So I traded him that blue roan
for his grey horse then and there.
But them my conscience started hurtin'
When I thought of what I did,
To trade a "fly blown" dink like that
off to some little wet-nosed kid.
So next mornin' after breakfast,
why, I tells him, "Listen lad,
If you want to know the truth,
that trade you made last night was bad.
That old blue horse is a tough one,
bad as any one you'll see.
He'll kick you, strike you, stampede.
He's a sorry SOB.
"It's all I can do to ride him
and I'll tell it to you straight,
I think you'll be awfully lucky
just to ride him past the gate.
There's two or three old horses
out there in the saddle bunch.
They ain't got too much going for 'em
but I kinda got a hunch
"They'll probably get you where you're going
if you just don't crowd 'em none,
But damn, I hate to see you ride
that blue roan booger, son!"
He said, "I told you there last night
I'd make most any kind of trade,
And I appreciation your tellin'
what a bad mistake I made.
"But my old daddy told me when you're tradin'
that no matter how you feel,
Even if you take a whippin'
that a deal is still a deal.
That horse, you say has lots of travel,
and he's not too bad for speed.
Well, sir, I'm kinda' in a tight
and that's exactly what I need.
"I traded for him fair and square
and damn his blue roan hide,
When I pull outta' here this morning,
that's the horse I'm gonna ride."
I watched him cinching up his saddle
and he pulled his hat way down,
Stepped right up into the riggin'
like he's headed straight for town.
Stuck both spurs up in his shoulders,
got the blue roan hair a-flyin'
Tipped his head straight back and screamed
just like a hungry mountain lion.
You know, I've heard a lot of stories
'bout the bucking horse ballet.
I've heard of poetry in motion,
but the ride I saw that day
Just plumb complete defied description
though I can see it plain,
Like it had happened in slow motion
and was branded on my brain.
I don't suppose I could explain it
to you even if I tried.
The only thing that I can say is,
by the saints, that kid could ride.
He sat there plumb relaxed
like he was laying home in bed,
And every jump that pony made,
that kid's a-half a jump ahead.
When it was over I decided
I could learn a few things still,
And I said, "Son, I'm awfully sorry
I misjudged your ridin' skill."
He just said, "Shucks, that's OK, mister,"
as he started on his way,
"But if you think this horse can buck,
don't put your saddle on that grey."
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Give
Your Horse His Head
He would saddle up his pony
and bundle up real good
then load his gear, check the cinch
just like every cowboy should.
Then he'd climb up in the saddle
...feeling happy, as a rule,
then down the trail you'd see him lope
a-headed off for school.
His mom would gladly drive him there
but he did not want that;
he liked to ride his pony
wearin' boots and cowboy hat.
He loved the birds and animals
he'd watch for on the way;
besides it did his pony good
to ride him every day.
Then one day, during recess time
the sky got dark and gray;
a call came that a real bad storm
was headed out that way.
The teacher let the children out,
Little Cowboy headed home;
but soon the snow was blinding him;
he was out there all alone.
He had soon lost his direction
and thought he'd got off course,
and knew the only chance he had
was to trust his little horse.
His mom and dad were worried sick
all they could do was pray.
Where could their little cowboy be
as the blizzard raged that day?
They
hoped he'd found a neighbor's home
where he'd be safe and sound;
perhaps he'd stopped at Father Doyle's
but phone lines were all down.
It seemed like an eternity
when suddenly they heard
what sounded like a horse outside
they could neither say a word.
They opened up the back porch door
and shed some tears of joy;
when they saw that dear old pony
and their precious little boy.
Now many years have come and gone;
the little cowboy's growing old,
remembering still that frightful day
...the wind...the snow...the cold.
And as we go through life it seems
there's things that blind our way;
and why we take a dead-end road
is sometimes hard to say.
But we are all aware that life
is full of things we dread;
instead of pulling on the reins,
just give your horse his head.
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A
Good Name
There's
a place over west in a valley where the buildings are weathered and
old;
it was once somebody's homestead full of dreams of a future, I'm told.
I wonder each time I go by there just how long they have been all
alone;
how long that it's been since that house there was once some family's
home.
The barn is still standing quite stately, though the roof has begun
caving in;
and I'm sure that it won't be too long now 'fore it's downed by a
strong prairie wind.
It's so sad to see just the remnants of what once was somebody's pride.
Did they leave because of some hard times or was it because someone
died?
You can see where they planted some lilacs, there's a piece of an
old iron fence;
a rusty old pump still sits on a well, though I doubt it's been used
ever since.
I guess it is like many other old places that's left to decay,
reminding us time waits for no one and that too soon there will come
a day
when our lives will be like that homestead; and treasures that we
might possess
will weather and long be forgotten no matter how great your success.
The only thing folks will remember is things that you do and you say
the kindness you showed to a neighbor or a stranger you passed on
the way.
It don't matter how many possessions you've gathered in life to lay
claim,
the one thing that won't be forgotten is the fact that you had a good
name.
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Trail
Etiquette
The
basis of good trail etiquette is courtesy, safety, and common sense.
As you ride, if your actions reflect these qualities, everyone's experience
will be a pleasant one and our trail rides will be fun events for
all participants. The following suggestions are not intended to be
an all inclusive list, but some highlights, to guide our actions and
remind us how to be courteous and safe in a group situation.
-
Follow the ride leaders instructions.
- Don't
venture off on your own without the ride leaders consent.
- Give
the horse in front of you at least a horse length of room.
- Don't
ride up on another horse in a faster gait than it is going.
- If
you want to move your horse out at a faster gait, with the ride leaders
permission, move out to the side of the group.
- When
negotiating a difficult obstacle, wait for the horse in front of you
to be safely through before entering the obstacle.
- After
negotiating a difficult obstacle wait for the entire group to get
through safely before proceeding.
- Horses
that have a tendency to kick should be identified with a red ribbon
tied in their tail in a manner that is plainly visible.
- Stallions
should be identified with a yellow ribbon in their mane and in their
tail.
- When
the group stops, keep plenty of room all around you. Horses are claustrophobic
animals and stopping in a group situation calls for the rider to be
aware of the group and the trail leader. ( Don't ride your horse like
you drive a car, bunching up at stop signs; ride like your stopping
your horse trailer. Giving braking distance between you and the one
in front.)
Trail
definitions
Easy:
Trail is relatively flat, with slight up and down grades. Trail may
be an old jeep trail, or road with little traffic. Easy trail obstacles.
Moderate:
Trail is old jeep road to narrow path, with up and down grades of
varying height or depth. Easy entry water crossings, timber crossings,
bridges.
Difficult:
Trail is a cow trail, deer trail, or bushwhacking. Up and down grades,
rocks, trees to maneuver around. Steep water crossings, timber crossing,
stair steps, bridges.
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Preparing
Your Horse For Trail Riding
By Joe Andrews
There
is something indescribably special about trail riding. More than the
beauty of the scenery it is the beauty of interacting with nature
through your horse. Imagine riding your horse on a mountain trail
through the trees. You come to a stream, step over a log, duck under
a branch, go down the steep bank, bending around a large rock half
way down, and step into the water. You watch the water run over the
rocks as you let your horse drink. The stream flows down a corridor
between trees that almost meet overhead. The green canopy filters
the sunlight into small patches dancing on the water. Or instead of
stepping into the stream your horse rears up, spins around, and bolts
back up the bank. You bang your knee on the rock. Scrape your face
on the branch. Lose your balance when your horse jumps the log. It
takes all your concentration and effort to stay on; your horse is
running out of control. As you contemplate whether it is best to bail
off or if your horse will stop when he gets to the trailer, consider
the difference between these two scenarios is preparation.
If you use your horse for ranch work or some other activity where
you normally ride out in the open, if you have good communication
with your horse, you are probably prepared for trail riding. Common
sense and understanding your horse will get you through almost anything.
If your riding experience is from the inside of an arena fence and
your horse has never had to deal with the unknowns of the great outdoors,
do some preparing before hitting the trail.
As you introduce your horse to new things, be aware of your horse's
mental state. It is natural for your horse to be fearful of something
new. He has not experienced whether this new object is safe or harmful.
In your horse's mind his life depends on staying out of reach of this
strange thing until he is sure it is safe. How you proceed with the
introduction will play a large roll in the horse's experience. By
ignoring your horse's feelings, and forcing something on him according
to your timetable instead of his, you can generate a genuine need
for your horse to run away to save his life. At this point your horse
will do whatever it takes to protect himself. By being sensitive to
your horse's feelings and adjusting your approach to fit the horse's
needs, you build your horse's confidence and his trust in you. Watch
your horse's reaction as you approach an obstacle. Look for things
like his forward movement becoming hesitant, his attention shifting
from you to being riveted on the obstacle, his body looking stiff
because all his muscles are tense. Watch for snorting, or shifting
his weight in preparation to launch himself away from the danger.
These are signals your horse uses to tell you where the boundary of
his comfort zone is. To build your horse's confidence you need to
recognize where the boundary is and work to stretch the boundary little
by little. Reward him by returning to a safe place after each progression.
Failing to recognize the boundary and trying to force your horse headlong
into danger will trigger a survival response (flight or fight).
Preparation for trail riding starts with groundwork. First you must
have control of your horse on the halter rope. Can you drive your
horse past you? Can you change directions by breaking the hind quarters
over and bringing the front across? Can you stand close enough to
a fence to reach out and touch it, drive your horse past you, and
have him stop between you and the fence? Can you back your horse by
sending life up the lead rope? These are all basics you must have
solid before proceeding. As you add the difficulty of obstacles to
your groundwork, the control you have will be based on these maneuvers.
With a little imagination you can make your own obstacles without
spending much money. The obstacles I use are: cones (milk jugs), poles
(old landscaping timbers), two portable fence post with garbage bags
attached to them, a bridge (made from wood salvaged from an old horse
trailer floor and landscaping timbers), a plastic tarp, and an irrigation
ditch. The important thing is how the obstacles are used not what
they are.
It is more important for your horse to approach and enter an obstacle
straight than it is to go through the obstacle. If your horse turns
sideways to avoid going through an obstacle, stop and straighten him.
Get him to stand straight facing the obstacle before continuing. Drive
your horse past you and let him go through the obstacle on his own.
If he stops in front of the obstacle your encouragement should be
in the form of driving not leading or pulling. Stop your encouragement
as soon as your horse starts to do what you want. Let your horse complete
the task on his own. Begin with simple, easy obstacles and progress
to more challenging things only after your horse is completely comfortable.
If your horse is hesitant, or hurrying, he is not ready to advance.
Cones are a good place to start. Cones are nothing more than markers.
Having a pre-placed marker adds precision to your groundwork. Drive
your horse to a cone so a predetermined foot stops next to the cone.
To get the foot you want next to the cone use the halter rope to move
your horse forward, back, to the right, or to the left. Remember to
drive, not pull. Next place four or five cones in a line about two
horse lengths apart. Walk parallel to the cones with enough space
for your horse to go between you and the cones. Drive your horse in
a serpentine through the cones. As you move in a straight line your
horse will be moving away from you to go around the far side of a
cone, then closer to you to go between you and a cone. Do this from
both sides of your horse. You should also back your horse through
the cones. Back your horse with the halter by grasping it under the
chin with your thumb down and leading him backwards. Follow the serpentine
path of your horse remembering to release with each step. When you
can do this well from both sides of your horse try backing him through
the cones by sending life up the halter rope. Use your hands and body
position for direction. The control you develop through these exercises
will allow you to straighten your horse at more difficult obstacles.
Poles work well to get a horse to step over things and to get him
used to uneven footing. Start with three or four poles on the ground
evenly spaced about three feet apart. Drive your horse to the poles
and allow him to walk through them. If your horse resists by getting
crooked, straighten him before encouraging him to go forward. When
the horse is comfortable stepping over the poles, and will stop in
the middle waiting for your direction to continue, you can increase
the difficulty by making the spacing uneven. After your horse is completely
comfortable with poles on the ground, raise a pole off the ground
by setting it up on blocks. Place a pole on the ground in front of
and behind it so it makes a big step for your horse. Some horses will
jump this at first instead of stepping over it (good incentive to
be driving your horse not leading it). As your horse gets more comfortable,
the energy used to jump will decrease until he will step over the
pole. If you have made the step to big your horse may never get to
the point of stepping over the pole. Lower the pole and shorten the
step until your horse will step over it. Some horses will not jump.
If the step is too big he will refuse to go over it. Do not get into
a battle with your horse. Quit and start over with a smaller step.
Once your horse is stepping over the smaller step, increase the size
of the step in small increments until he is taking a very big step
to get over the pole.
To simulate tight spots in brush or trees where branches will be touching
the horse's sides, use two portable fence posts with garbage bags
attached. Start by putting the posts about six feet apart. Tie a garbage
bag to the top of each post so the bags hang down between them. Make
the bags billowy. Drive your horse toward the posts, watching for
signs of apprehension. Stop when your horse shows any hesitation.
From this distance, drive your horse past you so he goes between you
and one of the posts. Move closer to the post when your horse becomes
accustom to the bags at this distance. When your horse is comfortable
within three feet of the post change your position so you can drive
him between the posts. It is time to move the posts closer together
when your horse will stop between the posts. Do this until your horse
is not troubled by the bags brushing against his sides as he goes
between the posts.
Now go to the bridge. The bridge should be narrow enough so a horse
can go across it the short direction without having all four feet
on it at once. It should be long enough so the horse has to have all
four feet on it at the same time to cross it lengthwise. The step
should be six to eight inches high. As you progress to more difficulty
you can make the step higher or go to a longer teeter-totter bridge.
Start by approaching the bridge the short direction. Watch for your
horse to react to the bridge, showing you the edge of his comfort
zone. Work up to the bridge from the edge of the comfort zone in steps
by praising your horse for his progress then taking him away from
the bridge. Continue approaching and retreating until he is ready
to step on it. The hollow sound the bridge makes when your horse steps
on it may surprise him. Expect him to back away at first. Have your
horse put one foot on the bridge. Praise him lavishly and back him
off. Repeat this until he will keep his foot on the bridge. Now ask
for both front feet on the bridge. At this point your horse may cross
the bridge. That is OK. If he stops with both feet on the bridge that's
fine too; praise him for that and back him off. When your horse will
stand with both front feet on the bridge encourage him to move forward.
As his hind feet step onto the bridge his front feet will step off
the other side. Allow your horse to walk across the bridge. You do
not want to rush your horse so he lunges over the bridge. Now go to
the bridge lengthwise. Walk your horse over the bridge until he is
willing to stop on it with all four feet. Have him move his feet backward,
forward, and to each side without stepping off the bridge. Next try
backing your horse across the bridge. It will be difficult for him
to step up on to the bridge while backing. Don't rush this; allow
your horse plenty of time to figure it out.
After the bridge your horse is ready for a plastic tarp. Spread the
tarp out on the ground. Put rocks or pieces of wood on the corners
to keep it in place. Notice where your horse reacts to the tarp as
you approach it. From this distance drive your horse past the tarp
and change directions a few times. When your horse no longer reacts
to the tarp, move a little closer and repeat the groundwork. As your
horse becomes comfortable going past the tarp right next to it, drive
him to the tarp and stop facing it. Pause briefly, pet him, then move
your horse away from the tarp. It is important that you move your
horse away before he moves away on his own. Approach the tarp several
times and pause a little longer each time before moving away. As your
horse becomes more comfortable standing at the tarp, stomp on the
tarp with your feet so he will hear the sound it makes. When your
horse will stand calmly at the tarp without moving away on his own,
encourage him to put a foot on it. Be prepared for the noise of the
plastic to startle your horse, just pet him and move him away. When
your horse will put a foot on the tarp without drawing back encourage
him to walk across it. Have him continue to walk across either by
circling or changing directions. Make sure he will walk across the
tarp both directions with you on either side of him. When your horse
will walk across the tarp calmly, ask him to stop on it. Do not insist
that he stop at first; just drive him to the tarp with less energy
and stop driving as he starts to step onto the tarp. If your horse
does not stop on the tarp after two or three attempts, ask for the
stop with a slight momentary pressure on the halter rope. When your
horse does stop on the tarp, pet him and let him stand for a moment
then drive him off. When you can stop your horse on the tarp consistently
let him know he can move around on it by having him move his feet
backward, forward and to each side without stepping off the tarp.
Finish by having your horse back over the tarp. This should not be
a problem, but if your horse resists, use the same approach and retreat
technique you used when going forward.
The last obstacle I work with on the ground is an irrigation ditch.
The one behind my house is just a bit too wide for me to step across
without a little jump. Start at the distance that your horse shrinks
away from the ditch. Drive your horse past you so he goes between
you and the ditch. Work at this distance until your horse does not
speed up as he passes the ditch. If your horse refuses to go between
you and the ditch, you need to back away from the ditch until your
horse has room. Progressively move closer to the ditch, working at
each new distance until your horse is straight, standing calmly, and
facing the spot where you want him to cross. When your horse is comfortable
at the edge of the ditch, he is ready to cross it. Step up to the
edge of the ditch. Drive your horse up facing it. Be prepared to block
your horse if he tries to go the way he has before, which now would
be over the top of you. Encourage your horse to go forward across
the ditch but be patient and allow your horse enough time to figure
it out. If your horse makes any effort to move forward, like shifting
his weight or moving one foot, release all pressure and pet him. If
it takes your horse so long to get it that you grow impatient and
are tempted to increase the pressure to make him do it, take your
horse away from the ditch and pet him. After a breather, and some
ground work that your horse does well, go back to the ditch and start
again. It is important that you stay calm and relaxed while training
your horse; patience is everything. The first time your horse crosses
the ditch he will probably jump. That is OK but be careful not to
jerk on him. Keep working on crossing the ditch until your horse will
walk across it calmly. Now get your horse to step down into the ditch.
You can do this by asking your horse to turn as he prepares to step
across it. Your horse should soon be comfortable stepping down into
the ditch and walking either direction.
In the saddle start again with the cones. Think of them as trees you
must bend around to keep from hitting your knees. Place the cones
in a line at least two horse lengths apart. Ride through the cones
in a serpentine. Your horse should arc his body to match the turn
you are making. Both ends should be stepping equally. When you get
a good bend and fluid changes from one bend to the other, try having
the back end walk a bigger circle than the front. When that starts
working get the front end to walk a bigger circle than the back. When
you can do that, move between the cones on a leg yield with your horse
bent slightly opposite the direction of travel. Lastly, back your
horse through the serpentine. The skills you develop riding through
the cones will give you the control you need to ride through other
obstacles.
Ride your horse straight between your hands and legs as you approach
each obstacle. This means to use your hands and legs to straighten
your horse when he starts to get crooked, releasing all pressure when
he is straight in front of the obstacle. As your horse runs into pressure
when he moves to either side or tries to back away, he will eventually
go forward. Pet your horse and praise him for any effort to do this.
If you feel your horse bunch up, preparing to jump, discourage forward
progress until he relaxes and will step through the obstacle. If your
horse is genuinely afraid of the obstacle, don't push him so far he
has to protect himself by getting rid of you. Reward your horse for
standing straight and facing the obstacle, at whatever distance he
is comfortable, by petting and praising him; then move away. After
doing something your horse does well return to the obstacle, stopping
at a distance where he becomes uncomfortable but not so close he has
to leave. Praise your horse for standing straight facing the obstacle
from this distance and leave before your horse does. With patience
and consistency, the distance will decrease and eventually your horse
will go through the obstacle. Repeat crossing the obstacle until your
horse is smooth and willing, with no reaction like hesitating or rushing.
Remember, whether on the ground or in the saddle, be watching for
your horse to signal the boundary of his comfort zone. Do your training
at this boundary. Stretch it little by little with lots of praise
after each progression and repeat the reward of returning to a safe
place each time until the obstacle is within your horses comfort zone.
Getting your horse to go through an obstacle is not nearly as important
as getting your horse mentally comfortable with it. Be willing to
spend the time your horse needs to let down and relax at each obstacle.
Adjust your schedule to fit your horse. Don't demand that your horse
fits your schedule. If you understand this process of training with
obstacles, trailer loading is easy. Treat the trailer like any other
obstacle.
When the time comes to go to a trail it is important to keep in mind
the experience level of both horse and rider. A more experienced rider
can take a less experienced horse on a more difficult trail. The important
thing is to not over-face the horse. For your first few rides go on
a trail you know is not too difficult. Jeep roads are about right.
They are relatively wide and usually not to steep. Their water crossings
tend to have very easy entrances and exits. Work your way up to more
difficult trails just as you worked your way up to more difficult
obstacles. Be aware of your horsemanship on the trail. Your horse
is learning from you even though you are not in an arena. Put the
training of your horse ahead of a destination. Take time to properly
train your horse over obstacles so your horse has a good learning
experience, not a hair raising ordeal. There is no shame in getting
off your horse and negotiating a difficult situation from the ground.
In many cases this will be much safer for you and your horse. If you
come to an impassable obstacle don't get in a fight over it. Go some
place else and have a good experience. Come back to that one when
your horse is more seasoned.
Trail riding can be a wonderful experience. Proper preparation and
common sense will keep it safe and fun. Lay your groundwork, progress
gradually from jeep roads to more difficult terrain, and grab a hand
full of mane to help keep your balance as you leave the stream and
climb the steep bank on the other side. Then continue into the beautiful
mountain meadow and enjoy the rest of your ride.
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WHY
ISN'T THIS DUMB HORSE GETTING IT?!
By
Kim Andrews
The horse is an incredible creation. We can make any number of mistakes
while riding. The horse, with his desire to please, will put all his
might into making it happen, despite our mistakes. Because of the
horse's willingness we can remain ignorant of these mistakes until
someone opens our eyes to them. I'm talking about balance, how humans
sit on a horse, or should I say, get in his way. We lean over the
shoulder we want to move, putting undue weight where it should not
be. Still the horse performs, even with the jab of a spur or a yank
on the rein. We lean too far forward to do a turn on the haunches,
the weight on the forehand inhibiting the horse's movement. Amazingly
he tries to perform. Putting our weight too far forward or back, we
ask our horse to back. Still the horse performs.
Balance is extremely important in creating unity with our horse. Inside
our bodies we have two seat bones that are the driving force of balance.
Sit on your hands and feel those bones. You can definitely feel them
in a hard saddle. Notice when you slouch back, as if you were sitting
in an easy chair, your seat bones point forward. When you hunch forward,
your seat bones point back. When you rock side to side you can feel
how much more weight each seat bone bears as the other one becomes
unweighted. If you have any doubts about your horse feeling this,
think of how much your hands are starting to hurt. Your horse can
feel a fly land on his back; surely he can feel your seat bones and
the position of your entire body. Think of your seat bones and weight
distribution as you ride. Are you heavier on one seat bone or the
other? Do you collapse a shoulder or one side of your rib cage? Is
your neck, back, or any other part of your body stiff? It all relates
to your center of gravity, how you are carrying your weight. You can
feel it in your seat bones.
Your eyes are another important part of your body that affect balance.
Looking where you want to go, using your peripheral vision, and staring
intently at something are three ways you can use your eyes. If you
are looking at the horse's shoulder when you want to move it, you
have automatically moved your seat bones to weight that shoulder.
You are in the horse's way! Look ahead, level with your body, not
at the horse or the ground. Feel the horse move that shoulder; FEEL
THE HORSE! When riding forward, look out where you want to be. This
gives a definiteness and purpose to where you are going that transfers
to your horse as confidence. You become a trustworthy leader. If you
use your eyes in a soft, relaxed manner, your whole being is relaxed
and ready to help the horse. You can adjust to a situation and your
horse will be relaxed and willing. If you use your eyes with staring
intensity, your whole being will be tense, unable to feel and react
properly, you become a predator on your horses back. Your horse becomes
tense and fearful. I'm not saying there is never a place for focused
concentration. You may need that level of intensity, initially, to
get a spoiled horse to go where you want. Eventually, however, you
should do more and more with soft eyes. I have a saying I use with
my students, "The eyes control the body which controls the horse."
One more thing, don't forget to breathe! Proper deep breathing rejuvenates
the mind and releases tension from your whole body. Breathing in harmony
with your horse's rhythm, combined with proper balance and soft eyes,
blends you and your horse into one unit. This allows you to help,
not hinder, him.
Things may fall apart a lot at first. As you become more aware of
your body, what you are doing and how you can make that minor adjustment,
it will hold together longer. When you are having trouble with a maneuver,
and communication with your horse seems to be blocked, don't think
it's your dumb horse that isn't getting it. Ask yourself, "Where
are my eyes focusing?" "Are they hard or soft?" "Where
are my seat bones pointing?" "What seat bone has the most
weight?" "Am I holding my breath?" "What am I
doing that is keeping my horse from performing to the best of his
ability?" As you gain control of your weight, eyes, and breathing,
you will find yourself telling your horse, "Yes! You made it!
We did it together!"
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Dream
Horse or Problem Horse
Larry
Trocha
Howdy,
You won't have any luck trying to train a horse that doesn't respect
you. Because this concept is so important, I've addressed it below.
My goal is to try to give you a better understanding of "respect"
issues and what to do about it.
Does
your horse have any of these problems?
Rearing
Kicking
Biting
Barn sour or refuses to leave other horses
Runs over the top of you
Pushes you around and won't behave
Won't respond to cues
Bad manners and general lack of respect
Takes off with you for no reason
Balks and refuses to go forward
Spooks all the time
Out of control or no control at all
Stiff, heavy and hard in the mouth
Ignores leg pressure
Won't stop, turn or go where you want
Won't lope slow on a loose rein
If
your horse has any of the problems listed above or is just difficult
to train in general, then the following information may be just what
you're looking for. You see, what every single one of these behavior
problems have in common is that their ROOT CAUSE is the horse's lack
of respect for the people who ride and handle them. As
a horse owner, this type of behavior can be hard to figure out. That's
because its kind of like a "catch 22" situation... The
horse misbehaves because he doesn't respect you. And he doesn't respect
you because you can't control him. And you can't control him because
he weighs 1000 pounds and is misbehaving. It's
a vicious circle and a tough combination to deal with if you don't
know how to handle it.
In
the beginning stages, many horse owners aren't even aware that their
horse is being disrespectful toward them. They have a hard time recognizing
it. That's because this behavior starts out very subtly and gradually
gets worse over time. This
"respect" thing is a natural part of a horse's instinct
and is related to dominate or submissive behavior when relating to
other animals. In
a herd of horses, every member has his place in the pecking order.
The top horse is dominate over all the other horses. And, the horse
at the bottom is submissive to all the other horses in the herd. The
dominate horses have the respect of the submissive horses and always
get their own way. The submissive horses get no respect from the dominate
horses and are always being pushed around. The
horses in the middle will be dominate to certain members and submissive
to others. It's the natural way of the horse. In all relationships,
in all encounters with others, a horse will be either dominate or
submissive.
How
does a horse become dominate? He becomes the dominate horse if he
can CONTROL the other horse and make him move out of his way. If he
can control the other horse, he in affect, becomes the submissive
horse's leader. A
dominate horse will be the one who kicks or bites any horse who crowds
him or invades his space. He will also exhibit his dominance by crowding,
pushing or invading the space of other horses. He's exerting his control.
Now,
it's not always the biggest or physically strongest horse who is dominate.
Sometimes its a small horse. But it is always a horse that is willing
to "impose his will" that wins dominance over the other
horses. When
I was a kid, I had a little 14 hand tall palomino stallion. He ran
with all the other horses out in the pasture. Even though he was the
smallest horse of the bunch, he ruled over every single horse in the
herd. Why?
How? Because he really wanted to and was willing to fight for it.
You
see, he had the willingness to fight for dominance. He certainly wasn't
the strongest horse in the herd. But he was the one who, "in
the blink of an eye", would turn and kick the heck out of any
other horse that tried to push him around. Now,
the vast majority of horses prefer not to fight. They are timid by
nature. They may put on a good bluff but when their bluff is called,
they back right down. So, any horse that exhibits even a little bit
of aggressiveness is usually the winner.
Okay,
so how does all of this relate to you and your horse's behavior problems?
Well,
like it or not, the horse sees his relationship with you the same
way he sees it with another horse. One of you is going to be dominate
and the other is going to be submissive. Naturally, the horse would
like to be the one who is dominate. Now,
if the horse insists on getting his own way and you don't correct
him, you are in for trouble. He'll get bolder and bolder and that's
when the behavior problems start. Be aware, bad behavior doesn't happen
over night. It comes on little by little. To
have a good relationship with your horse, you have to be the dominate
partner in the relationship. You have to make sure the horse sees
you as his leader. This is what wins his respect, trust, and willingness
to please you.
How
do you go about this? Well, there are several different methods to
get this done but in reality there is a definite "right way"
and a definite "wrong way" to go about it. One
way is to just do what another horse would do out in the pasture --
turn around and "whomp the bejeezus" out of the horse every
time he does something wrong. This
will gain his respect... and it will get him to mind you. However,
with this type of treatment, he will not trust you. He'll be afraid
of you. (Of course, with really bad or dangerous horses, this is a
lot better than doing nothing at all).
On
the other side of that coin, trying to "pet" the horse into
respecting you definitely won't work. Feeding him cookie treats won't
do it either. Gaining your horse's respect and trust requires the
proper balance of training, discipline and rewarding the horse's willingness
to try for you.
* Read the above line again.
Knowing
how to do this is the key to transforming your problem horse into
a dream horse. The kind of horse you have always wanted. It's also
the key to maintaining a good relationship with your horse. Keeping
a good horse good. I
just can't emphasize this "respect and trust" enough. Without
it, you just don't have a good horse. You'll have hell training him.
And you'll have hell handling him. The
techniques used to gain a horse's respect and trust are not complicated
or difficult to learn. Just about anybody can do it if they know what
to do. To
achieve good results, a horseman needs to know what training methods
to use, how to apply those methods and why those methods are appropriate.
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*** You may be a cowboy/cowgirl if ***
Your
horse trailer cost more than your house trailer.
Your bathtub is a stock tank.
Your horse brush is also your hairbrush.
You smell more like a horse than your horse does.
Your idea of fun is being tied to a two-thousand pound raging bronco.
You do all your gift shopping at the feed and tack store.
Your favorite fragrance is leather.
You refer to your spurs as the family silver.
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Murphys
Horse Laws
There
is no such thing as a sterile barn cat.
No one ever notices how you ride until you fall off.
The least useful horse in your barn will eat the most, require shoes
every four weeks and need the vet at least once a month.
A horse's misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of
people who are watching.
Your favorite tack always gets chewed on, and your new blanket gets
torn.
Tack you hate will never wear out and blankets you hate cannot be
destroyed.
Horses you hate cannot be sold and will outlive you.
Clipper blades will become dull when your horse is half clipped.
If you approach within 50 feet of your barn in clean clothes, you
will get dirty.
The number of horses you own will increase to the number of stalls
in your barn.
Your barn will fall down without baling twine.
Hoof picks always run a way from home.
If you fall off, you will land on the site of your most recent injury.
If you are winning, then quit, because there is only one way to go.
Down!
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The
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act
To
Whom It May Concern:
As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge you to support and co-sponsor
the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503). H.R. 503 would
prohibit the transport, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing,
purchasing, selling, or donation of any horse for the purpose of being
slaughtered for human consumption.
Americans
do not eat horsemeat. However, thousands of horses are cruelly slaughtered
every year in this country to satisfy an over seas market for horsemeat
in countries like France, Belgium and Japan. Horses have been our
trusted companions and are a historically significant part of American
culture. They deserve a more dignified end to their lives than being
slaughtered and eaten.
Additionally,
the transport of horses to the slaughterhouses is often extremely
inhumane. Many horses are injured even before reaching the slaughter
plant due to overcrowded conditions during transport. Some are shipped
for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water, or rest. In
addiction, the methods used to slaughter these horses once they arrive
at the plant can be exceptionally inhumane. A four inch nail is driven
through their head, then alive and often conscious, they are hung
upside down and their throats are slit and bodies dismembered. This
doesn't just happen to old horses it happens to foals (babies), children's
ponies, or any other horse the killer buyers can purchase. These are
not lies they are the cold truth.
H.R. 503 would put an end to this cruel and inhumane practice by effectively
prohibiting horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States.
Therefore, I respectfully urge you to support and co-sponsor the American
Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Shelby Neuhaus
5517 Gabriel dr.
Loveland, co 80538
USA
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A
Horse Once Loved
I
used to be a happy horse
A family nice and true
My owner came and said to me
"You know, I really love you"
I
was always hayed and fed
and before each night was done
she came a long and kissed my nose
and tucked me in for bed
The
days and weeks went by
and less of her I saw
"I wonder where she went" I thought
"Why's she not here by my side?"
I
was hungry, cold and weak
I hadn't been feed in days
all I could do was shiver and stare
and think and hope and pray
The
weeks turned into months
my ribs showed through my skin
I was getting weaker by the second
Very thin
I
am taking my last breath now
being looked out for by a dove
I now am a lifeless horse
A horse who once was loved.
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