For the past several months, I have been using the services of an equine massage therapist for one of my training horses. This mare is doing very well, and her physical issues are very subtle, but the owner and I agree that in order to get the best possible performance out of her, and to preserve her soundness, massage therapy is a fantastic tool. Basically, the mare is slightly crooked, and while I have done lots of stretching and bending, the crookedness persists, so we decided to call in a professional. Massage therapy of this type is more than just rubbing the muscles; it is a form of physical therapy in which the muscles, tendons and ligaments are re-trained into a new frame, taught to lengthen and body symmetry is encouraged. It has made a huge difference for this mare! She is now taking both leads with more ease, is able to lengthen her neck and round her back, and moves in a much more soft and even manner. The owner is thrilled with the process.
The massage sessions generally take an hour and a half to complete, and were scheduled every 2 weeks at first, and are now monthly. While the therapist is doing her work, I am there to hold and assist, as well as observe, and of course, as anyone would when they meet a fellow horse person with whom they have a lot in common, we share stories and observations about the horse industry. This person has worked in the reining world for many years, and knows many of the same people that I know. We recently had a discussion that brought to light that we also share a pet peeve: the widespread and inappropriate use of 'tying around.' Tying around is when a rider will tie a horse's head to either its saddle or its tail with a short rein in order to force the horse to bend in a small circle. Perhaps the horse is resistant on one side or the other, or perhaps the horse is giving attitude; they believe that tying around will solve that problem by giving the horse no choice but to conform. They mistakenly believe that the horse will 'learn' to give because the only way they can get relief on their mouths is to give to the pressure.
The problem with this is that there is no release. Even if the horse gives, they are not able to straighten their body, their neck must stay bent, and eventually the muscles get tired and they are forced to lean on the rein, causing pain in their mouths (and everywhere else). It is commonplace in the performance horse industry for horses to be left in this position FOR HOURS. Can you imagine the pain and the anxiety of a horse being trapped in this position while the rider leaves the premises to go have lunch? And if the reason for the horse's initial resistance in bending was pain in their neck, poll, or shoulders, can you imagine how this would cause unbearable agony for an animal unable to free itself?
My first exposure to this practice was in the Arabian industry when I was a young teenager, when my family began using a 'big name' trainer who used this method to get more flexibility in our horses. This trainer was very judicious with the practice though; we never used a rein to tie around, instead, we made a rubber 'bending rein' out of surgical tubing that had snaps on either end to go from the saddle to the bit. Surgical tubing is not very strong, and the idea was that it would break if too much pressure was put on it. This trainer was also adamant that we time the horses as they were bending, only doing it 10 or 15 minutes on each side. And we were not allowed to leave the area; it was important to be nearby in case the horse got in trouble. As I grew up (and we changed trainers), I realized that while this method was indeed safer than what many put their horses through, it was still intrinsically a shortcut. And most real horsemen know - in good horse training, there are no shortcuts.
It wasn't until I started riding Quarter Horses at a reining barn in Arizona that I observed someone tying around with a leather rein to the horse's tail, and walking away to leave the horse for long stretches of time. I saw the agony in the horse's eyes, and eventually, the defeat in its demeanor, and I knew that I would never allow that trainer to put my horses through that. Amazingly, that reining trainer is still there, working for a big, fancy barn in Scottsdale, and over and over, throughout my years in the reining world, I have seen this same 'method' employed by many well-known reining trainers. It is accepted, by many, as part of training a reiner, despite the fact that, in the best case scenario, they are making their animals more sore and resistant than before they were tied around and in the worst case scenario, are risking their horses lives, as so many animals will just snap when put in this position, resulting in them falling down or flipping over, breaking their necks in the process. Many good horses have been ruined or killed in this manner - though you aren't going to see it written about in a major industry publication. That would just be attracting unwanted attention to a dirty little secret, wouldn't it?
What is especially sad is that it is not at all necessary to tie horses around. If the trainer is doing their job correctly, they would be bending the horse from the saddle, where it is possible to FEEL the horse's mouth and body orientation, and respond with counter pressure, applying release when the horse responds correctly. If the trainer is doing their job, then they would respond to resistance as an opportunity to discover that animal's areas of pain, from injury or abnormal physiology, and would then have that horse seen by a vet or massage therapist. If the trainer is doing their job, they would understand that force will never beget a willing partner, and that shortcuts create more problems than taking the long (and correct) route to partnership. If the trainer is doing their job, they would be safeguarding the horse's well-being and sanity over their own inconvenience.
The massage therapist that has now become my friend shared with me the story of her gelding, who is out of some outstanding reining bloodlines but is now a reining 'reject.' Why? Because a well-known trainer had him, tied him around for 'having attitude' and the horse ended up freaking out, and nearly cut his tongue completely off. He is healed now and she uses him for dressage, where they have been quite successful. Success in this case is relative to the fact that this horse was not only physically damaged, but also mentally fragile, and so finding him a job that he can do happily and comfortably is a triumph in itself.
What is terribly sad for me, and extremely disappointing, is that the trainer who did this to this gelding is someone I know quite well, someone who has had horses I've bred and someone who I thought I might want to send my own horses to in the future. But now I cannot un-know what I know. I have considered that if I put a horse in training in the reining industry, would it be possible to have a trainer sign a 'no tie around' contract, to attempt to save my horses from this fate? I have a feeling that such a request would be met with arrogance and defensiveness, so my only hope is to find a trainer who is against such methods already. I encourage everyone to do the same. Ask your trainer if they tie around. If they do, expect to hear a lot of justifications and excuses. Just remember that they are consciously using a short cut, and this represents a hole in their methodology and a very real threat to your horse's well-being. Then take your horse and head the other direction.
Showing posts with label riding safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label riding safety. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
How Far Would You Go to Look Cool?
I admit it. I don't always 'get' people. Sometimes I really don't understand some people's need to fight, argue and disparage others, even in the face of clear evidence that they are wrong. Bring up any topic on social media and people will line up on either side and sling mud at each other, even at those who lay a subject out clearly and without anger. It doesn't matter if a solution is right there in front of them, with statistics and truth easily accessible, they fight on, usually resorting to name-calling, vicious insults, and cry "freedom" when all else fails, because, well, we are surely free to remain stuck in our ways, heels dug in the dirt out of defiance and spite. I stay away from debates on social media as a general rule; it is ridiculous to argue with someone who has nothing better to do, and wants to scream obscenities ALL IN CAPS with poor logic and punctuation. No thanks.
But I witnessed an ongoing thread on FB that bothered me deeply, so I decided to bring the subject here, and examine it.
The subject was a photo of a tiny girl, age 6, riding a huge horse in a barrel pattern. This is an itty bitty girl, much smaller than my own 6 yr old son, and the horse, who is really getting at it as it rounds a barrel, is a large stock type horse. The worrisome part is that this child is riding without a helmet. Many people brought up this fact in the comments, and each person who did was immediately attacked with such viciousness that it was as if they had suggested something vile upon this little girl. Some of the replies to those who suggested that she should be wearing a helmet: "Real cowgirls don't wear helmets," "we stay away from people who wear helmets because their horses are always spoiled rotten and they can't ride" and "this little girl is a better rider than any of you who wear helmets" and my favorite, "All you granola crunching, mini van type idiots stay out of this!!!" Over 28,000 comments, which were split down the middle, going back and forth between rationality and ugliness.
I have written about my opinion of helmets before, but I'd like to re-visit it in response to the sheer voracity of some who are not only resistant to putting them on their own or their children's heads, but also who treat those who choose to protect themselves by wearing one so incredibly bad.
For those who say "we didn't grow up wearing helmets, and we survived," you need to wake up - it's 2013. There are a LOT of things that we didn't do 'back in the old days,' such as use car seats, wear floatation devices, or disinfect medical instruments, that help our species survive better. Hopefully, we are evolving to take better care of the bodies we are born into and have a better understanding of how and when injury is likely to occur. If you grew up riding horses and never knew anyone who received a concussion from falling off their horse, either you didn't know that many people who rode, or you were just plain ol' lucky. I have known many, many people who were excellent riders who had accidents resulting in concussions, some horrific and life-changing, and I know a similar number of people whose attending ER physician told them that the only reason they were still alive is because they were wearing a helmet. The 'good ol' days' argument is worn out and tired. Medical science's understanding of the brain and its fragility tells us that even one good thunk in the head can cause irreversible damage, resulting in memory loss, personality changes, depression, uncontrollable anger, higher rates of suicide over the long term, and death in the short term if the hit has caused even a small brain bleed.
For those who say, "a kid can get hurt just walking down the street, and are less likely to get hurt while riding a big ol' babysitter of a horse," I say, where in the heck do you live? Benghazi? Islamabad? According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, there were 14,446 reported head injuries from horseback riding accidents in 2009, accounting for 60% of all horse-back riding deaths. A fall of just 2 feet can cause death from brain injury, and most rider's heads are eight feet above the ground. In addition, children between the ages of 10 -14 are most likely to be involved in a horse-related accident. Please read more about what the AANS says regarding head injury here, and scroll down to the section regarding horseback riding. As my favorite instructor told me as a kid, "it isn't IF you are going to fall off, it is WHEN." Hopefully it is when you are wearing a helmet.
For those who say "real cowgirls don't wear helmets," I suppose you'd jump off a cliff if all the other 'cowgirls' were doing it too? This is peer pressure at its absolute worst; bullying for the sake of trying to look cool. Some trends are not worth following, and I can assure you, you won't look cool after your traumatic brain injury leaves you in a wheel chair, drooling, not able to put together a thought. What are you so afraid of? That someone will see your helmet and assume that you are a beginner who can't ride? Why not prove them wrong with your performance? And perpetuating a tradition that puts people, especially children, at risk is far from 'cool.'
For those who say, "my horse is so good, he will take care of me," I say you are a fool if you think that a certain horse can make the experience 100% safe for you. If you really are horse-knowledgeable, then you'd know that anything, literally ANYTHING, can happen while you are riding. Some things may be the result of a horse misbehaving, but a vast number of accidents are due to miscues and mistakes by the rider or from simple, physical problems, like a horse tripping, slipping, equipment breaking, or something unexpected occurring in the environment. I have been riding and training horses my entire life, and have done well at it....you have no idea how many times I have had horses fall while I was riding them. [I'm sure there are some that will somehow blame this on my ineptitude, without having seen me ride or know any of the circumstances. The truth is, many of them were young, inexperienced horses, and in other instances, I was asking the horse for a certain level of performance or speed, which is necessary when you are training horses.]
For those of you who say, "my kid is a great rider and therefore won't get hurt;" I say, really?? The little girl I mentioned above was 6. How long could she possibly have been doing any meaningful riding? A year? If you knew an adult who came to you and said 'I have been riding a year,' would you consider them an expert? I wouldn't. There is no way that any child, no matter how good of a seat they have, can have enough expertise to avoid an accident. Even adults who have ridden their whole lives can't! Consider the case of Courtney King-Dye, an accomplished Dressage rider who suffered a TBI when her horse tripped and fell and she wasn't wearing a helmet - yeah, I know, all you 'real cowgirls' probably say she isn't a 'real' rider because she rides English. She went to the Olympics for goodness sakes. Let's see you do some one-tempi changes or a perfect cantering pirouette.
People, riding horses is an extreme sport, similar to skiing/snowboarding, riding dirt bikes, or skateboarding. Helmets (and other protective gear) is commonplace in all these sports, except horseback riding, for the sole reason that it doesn't 'look cool.' Parents pass down the tradition of being afraid of not looking cool to their kids, and stuff their ears with their fingers when confronted with the truth of the real risks they are taking with their children's fragile brains, and scream "YOU GO BABY! COWGIRL UP!!" as they launch them full blast on a 1,000 lb animal. This doesn't look cool - it looks reckless. It is one thing if you are an adult and choose to not wear a helmet, assuming that you understand the risks and don't care. But a child must rely on the good judgement of his/her parents to protect them, as they have no way of understanding all the consequences of an action, nor are able to see way down the road and anticipate their future with diminished mental capacity due to a TBI.
As an instructor, I want that little girl to ride with all of her heart, learning lessons of perseverance, patience, fortitude and strength along the way, but NOT while risking a brain injury. She needs her brain, for school, for work, for her relationships, for happiness. If we can prevent an injury, why wouldn't we? It is an easy thing to put a helmet on. They are comfortable, come in pretty colors, and it would be extremely easy to make wearing one into a trend - IF we make taking care of oneself more cool than wearing a straw hat.
I do believe the tides are turning.....I know of a particular little girl, age 11, who shows reiners, and is an excellent hand. She has been riding all her life, having come from a family with a long history in horses. Both her father and her grandfather are well-known and esteemed in the industry, and have furnished her with a wonderful facility along with top-caliber horses, and many opportunities to compete. There is no doubt that one day, this little girl will be either a top non-pro or a top professional, if she choose to go that route. It would be easy for her to go along with the crowd and not wear a helmet - but she does! Even when she shows! I am very proud of her, and have relayed my support to her parents and grandpa, who love her to death and want the best for her - - which is the full use of her brain.
But I witnessed an ongoing thread on FB that bothered me deeply, so I decided to bring the subject here, and examine it.
The subject was a photo of a tiny girl, age 6, riding a huge horse in a barrel pattern. This is an itty bitty girl, much smaller than my own 6 yr old son, and the horse, who is really getting at it as it rounds a barrel, is a large stock type horse. The worrisome part is that this child is riding without a helmet. Many people brought up this fact in the comments, and each person who did was immediately attacked with such viciousness that it was as if they had suggested something vile upon this little girl. Some of the replies to those who suggested that she should be wearing a helmet: "Real cowgirls don't wear helmets," "we stay away from people who wear helmets because their horses are always spoiled rotten and they can't ride" and "this little girl is a better rider than any of you who wear helmets" and my favorite, "All you granola crunching, mini van type idiots stay out of this!!!" Over 28,000 comments, which were split down the middle, going back and forth between rationality and ugliness.
I have written about my opinion of helmets before, but I'd like to re-visit it in response to the sheer voracity of some who are not only resistant to putting them on their own or their children's heads, but also who treat those who choose to protect themselves by wearing one so incredibly bad.
For those who say "we didn't grow up wearing helmets, and we survived," you need to wake up - it's 2013. There are a LOT of things that we didn't do 'back in the old days,' such as use car seats, wear floatation devices, or disinfect medical instruments, that help our species survive better. Hopefully, we are evolving to take better care of the bodies we are born into and have a better understanding of how and when injury is likely to occur. If you grew up riding horses and never knew anyone who received a concussion from falling off their horse, either you didn't know that many people who rode, or you were just plain ol' lucky. I have known many, many people who were excellent riders who had accidents resulting in concussions, some horrific and life-changing, and I know a similar number of people whose attending ER physician told them that the only reason they were still alive is because they were wearing a helmet. The 'good ol' days' argument is worn out and tired. Medical science's understanding of the brain and its fragility tells us that even one good thunk in the head can cause irreversible damage, resulting in memory loss, personality changes, depression, uncontrollable anger, higher rates of suicide over the long term, and death in the short term if the hit has caused even a small brain bleed.
For those who say, "a kid can get hurt just walking down the street, and are less likely to get hurt while riding a big ol' babysitter of a horse," I say, where in the heck do you live? Benghazi? Islamabad? According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, there were 14,446 reported head injuries from horseback riding accidents in 2009, accounting for 60% of all horse-back riding deaths. A fall of just 2 feet can cause death from brain injury, and most rider's heads are eight feet above the ground. In addition, children between the ages of 10 -14 are most likely to be involved in a horse-related accident. Please read more about what the AANS says regarding head injury here, and scroll down to the section regarding horseback riding. As my favorite instructor told me as a kid, "it isn't IF you are going to fall off, it is WHEN." Hopefully it is when you are wearing a helmet.
For those who say "real cowgirls don't wear helmets," I suppose you'd jump off a cliff if all the other 'cowgirls' were doing it too? This is peer pressure at its absolute worst; bullying for the sake of trying to look cool. Some trends are not worth following, and I can assure you, you won't look cool after your traumatic brain injury leaves you in a wheel chair, drooling, not able to put together a thought. What are you so afraid of? That someone will see your helmet and assume that you are a beginner who can't ride? Why not prove them wrong with your performance? And perpetuating a tradition that puts people, especially children, at risk is far from 'cool.'
For those who say, "my horse is so good, he will take care of me," I say you are a fool if you think that a certain horse can make the experience 100% safe for you. If you really are horse-knowledgeable, then you'd know that anything, literally ANYTHING, can happen while you are riding. Some things may be the result of a horse misbehaving, but a vast number of accidents are due to miscues and mistakes by the rider or from simple, physical problems, like a horse tripping, slipping, equipment breaking, or something unexpected occurring in the environment. I have been riding and training horses my entire life, and have done well at it....you have no idea how many times I have had horses fall while I was riding them. [I'm sure there are some that will somehow blame this on my ineptitude, without having seen me ride or know any of the circumstances. The truth is, many of them were young, inexperienced horses, and in other instances, I was asking the horse for a certain level of performance or speed, which is necessary when you are training horses.]
For those of you who say, "my kid is a great rider and therefore won't get hurt;" I say, really?? The little girl I mentioned above was 6. How long could she possibly have been doing any meaningful riding? A year? If you knew an adult who came to you and said 'I have been riding a year,' would you consider them an expert? I wouldn't. There is no way that any child, no matter how good of a seat they have, can have enough expertise to avoid an accident. Even adults who have ridden their whole lives can't! Consider the case of Courtney King-Dye, an accomplished Dressage rider who suffered a TBI when her horse tripped and fell and she wasn't wearing a helmet - yeah, I know, all you 'real cowgirls' probably say she isn't a 'real' rider because she rides English. She went to the Olympics for goodness sakes. Let's see you do some one-tempi changes or a perfect cantering pirouette.
People, riding horses is an extreme sport, similar to skiing/snowboarding, riding dirt bikes, or skateboarding. Helmets (and other protective gear) is commonplace in all these sports, except horseback riding, for the sole reason that it doesn't 'look cool.' Parents pass down the tradition of being afraid of not looking cool to their kids, and stuff their ears with their fingers when confronted with the truth of the real risks they are taking with their children's fragile brains, and scream "YOU GO BABY! COWGIRL UP!!" as they launch them full blast on a 1,000 lb animal. This doesn't look cool - it looks reckless. It is one thing if you are an adult and choose to not wear a helmet, assuming that you understand the risks and don't care. But a child must rely on the good judgement of his/her parents to protect them, as they have no way of understanding all the consequences of an action, nor are able to see way down the road and anticipate their future with diminished mental capacity due to a TBI.
As an instructor, I want that little girl to ride with all of her heart, learning lessons of perseverance, patience, fortitude and strength along the way, but NOT while risking a brain injury. She needs her brain, for school, for work, for her relationships, for happiness. If we can prevent an injury, why wouldn't we? It is an easy thing to put a helmet on. They are comfortable, come in pretty colors, and it would be extremely easy to make wearing one into a trend - IF we make taking care of oneself more cool than wearing a straw hat.
I do believe the tides are turning.....I know of a particular little girl, age 11, who shows reiners, and is an excellent hand. She has been riding all her life, having come from a family with a long history in horses. Both her father and her grandfather are well-known and esteemed in the industry, and have furnished her with a wonderful facility along with top-caliber horses, and many opportunities to compete. There is no doubt that one day, this little girl will be either a top non-pro or a top professional, if she choose to go that route. It would be easy for her to go along with the crowd and not wear a helmet - but she does! Even when she shows! I am very proud of her, and have relayed my support to her parents and grandpa, who love her to death and want the best for her - - which is the full use of her brain.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Spring Forward
Happy Spring! After the mildest winter I can remember for a long time, it seems we are getting an early spring. And how sweet it is! I have been away from my computer a lot lately, but you can be assured that I haven't been resting. My days have been filled with all sorts of projects; starting a garden with my two boys in tow, giving lessons in this gorgeous weather, cleaning and organizing and making home repairs, getting out to spend time with friends, and, of course, working horses.
The horse that I have been working with the most is a registered Half Andalusian, Half National Show Horse (his mom is 3/4 Arabian, 1/4 Saddlebred) gelding named Gaucho, that we bred and has been with us his whole life. He is technically my husband's horse, and therefore, gets put on the back burner quite a bit. He is happy and healthy, but just doesn't benefit from our full attention. So, I have decided to start schooling him, get him in to shape, and see where the path takes us. He is a very interesting horse; while he doesn't have perfect conformation, he is very strong, very athletic and very smart. I admit that he is a challenge to ride because of these three traits! You have never met a horse that was so keen, so quick and so sensitive. He does airs above ground on his own out in the pasture, and sometimes when he is ridden, though inadvertently! But when he is good - oh my goodness is he fun! Like riding the quintessential Spanish charger!
Another thing that makes Gaucho a challenge is his size. He is wide, has a short, dipped back and a VERY deep heartgirth. All of my western saddles are terribly unforgiving on his back, and created unnecessary distraction, so I have purchased a dressage saddle to ride him in. I have always ridden English, but most of my adult life I have used western saddles when I train, out of comfort and security. I call it riding 'Spanglish.' I think that the last horse I used a dressage saddle on was Gaucho's sire, a PRE Andalusian stallion that I had in training for several years. So it has been a while....Don't think that I have given up western, I just have to find a solution for Gaucho that makes him comfortable. My philosophy is change to the horse, don't expect the horse to change to you. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that my new saddle fits him!
I hope you are enjoying spring and embracing new challenges. Take care!
The horse that I have been working with the most is a registered Half Andalusian, Half National Show Horse (his mom is 3/4 Arabian, 1/4 Saddlebred) gelding named Gaucho, that we bred and has been with us his whole life. He is technically my husband's horse, and therefore, gets put on the back burner quite a bit. He is happy and healthy, but just doesn't benefit from our full attention. So, I have decided to start schooling him, get him in to shape, and see where the path takes us. He is a very interesting horse; while he doesn't have perfect conformation, he is very strong, very athletic and very smart. I admit that he is a challenge to ride because of these three traits! You have never met a horse that was so keen, so quick and so sensitive. He does airs above ground on his own out in the pasture, and sometimes when he is ridden, though inadvertently! But when he is good - oh my goodness is he fun! Like riding the quintessential Spanish charger!
 |
| Taken on a cloudy day - sorry for the dark shadows! :) |
Another thing that makes Gaucho a challenge is his size. He is wide, has a short, dipped back and a VERY deep heartgirth. All of my western saddles are terribly unforgiving on his back, and created unnecessary distraction, so I have purchased a dressage saddle to ride him in. I have always ridden English, but most of my adult life I have used western saddles when I train, out of comfort and security. I call it riding 'Spanglish.' I think that the last horse I used a dressage saddle on was Gaucho's sire, a PRE Andalusian stallion that I had in training for several years. So it has been a while....Don't think that I have given up western, I just have to find a solution for Gaucho that makes him comfortable. My philosophy is change to the horse, don't expect the horse to change to you. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that my new saddle fits him!
I hope you are enjoying spring and embracing new challenges. Take care!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Standing Up For Laying Down
Have you ever had someone misconstrue your training methods?
Many years ago, I worked as an assistant for a very well-known trainer in a barn that specialized in top-notch Arabian and Half Arabian English horses. Most of the horses that came through the barn were very fancy, athletic show horses destined to win accolades in the show ring. But like in every training barn, there are times that you need to keep the barn full, and you take horses in to training that are more likely to end up as personal riding horses who tote their owners around the ring or the trails on the weekends. That is how we ended up with "Merrylegs." His owners had bred him and had kept him at home. They just wanted to ride him for pleasure, and he needed some tuning up. Much like the pony in the book "Black Beauty," he was short, dappled gray, round and fat like a pony. He was very cute, and even though he had a longer registered name that the owner called him, we began to refer to him as Merrylegs. At first, he was as sweet as the pony in the book too. This horse ended up on my list of charges, so I started by riding him for short periods every day to start getting him in shape - did I mention that he was fat?
Anyway, after a week or two of decent rides he began to display a very dangerous pattern. He didn't want to be caught, he wouldn't move off after you mounted, and he would stop dead while going forward at a trot or canter and refuse to move. (It should be said here that this horse had nothing physically wrong with him, and the tack I was using fit him fine. I was using a very non-punitive plain snaffle.) At first, I would redirect him, asking him to turn off one direction or the other, but he figured that tactic out and would again try to stonewall me. My fellow assistant and the trainer we worked for would make suggestions, but he continued. I tried groundwork with him and had no problems, I tried different bits, and I tried 'getting after him' with my legs (no spurs, I felt this would make it worse) and the small crop I carried. Nothing helped. In fact, the horse began rearing - and rearing BIG. We spoke with the owner, and, oh yeah, he had been giving her similar problems. This was one of my first experiences with the problem of owners spoiling their horses to the point of making them dangerous, but that is a discussion for another blog.
So everyday I would attempt to ride this horse who had zero interest in working, had been spoiled beyond belief and had learned that you could get humans to get off of you by rearing. He could actually walk on his hind legs with me on his back! I hated riding him, and yet, it was my job to at least try to salvage him. It was obvious that eventually the horse was going to fall on me, and it didn't seem like we were getting anywhere by me just trying to stay on all the time. It was finally brought up by the trainer I worked for that it was time to "lay him down*." This was before The Horse Whisperer, before I had seen similar things done by "natural" horsemen, and I was VERY worried. It upset me that this horse reared, but I am a pretty loving person who can't stand the sight of a living being in pain. I did not want this horse to be hurt at my hands. However, it wasn't really up to me, so my trainer put a running W on the horse, and after lunging him in it for a few minutes, she held up one of the horse's front legs, causing him to hop on three legs for a few minutes, and eventually, to lay down in the soft dirt of the arena. At that point, the trainer, myself, and the other asst. took time to sit on him, keeping him on the ground for several minutes, showing him that we controlled him. When we finally let him up, he was unhurt, but not unchanged. His attitude on subsequent rides was much improved; I can't say he was perfect after that, but he definitely had a new-found respect for us. His rearing became less and less of a problem.
Eventually, his owner's training money ran out and Merrylegs went home, and I don't know how he behaved when he got there, but this was a real learning moment for me. Prior to this incident, I believed that everyone who layed horses down did so behind their barn, where they might cover the horse with a tarp and beat them into submission. I believed it to be cruel in every instance, yet here was an example where the horse wasn't injured at all, and probably came out of it for the better. Sure, there might have been other ways to train him out of it; riders on one end of the extreme might have done ground work for months to make up for all that his owner didn't teach him about respect, and riders on the other end of the spectrum might have just beat the crap out of him until he figured out that when humans say go, you better go. Neither of these strategies were a good fit for this horse, or myself, so I believe that what we did was somewhere in the middle and the best that we could do in this situation.
Why am I telling you this story? I recently stumbled upon a discussion about habituation and flooding in horse training that became a highly contentious conversation. The people participating in the discussion were very polarized in their views and it reminded me of Merrylegs and how we used a moment of flooding to change his ways. For the sake of this discussion, let's give a quick overview of these terms. Habituation is the desensitization that occurs when the horse experiences an object, sound or behavior over and over again until it no longer reacts to it. Habituation can be achieved through approach and retreat, where a trainer repeatedly shows the horse something and then takes it away, or stops. The action is repeated over and over, increasing the length of time that the 'pressure.' is applied. Habituation can also be achieved through flooding, which is when the stimulus is applied and isn't removed until the horse relents and no longer reacts to it.
Let's take these tactics and apply them to a horse training scenario, such as saddling a horse for the first time. You are trying to achieve habituation, which would be that the horse no longer notices the saddle on its back. If you used approach and retreat, you would show the horse the saddle, let him sniff it, put it away. The next day, you would set it on his back, and put it away, the day after that, you might saddle him and walk him around a minute, and then put it away, until you had progressed to saddling, lunging and riding. If you used flooding, you would saddle the horse and let him 'buck it out' until he gave up, realizing he can't get it off his back. This process might take one session or many. Both approach and retreat as well as flooding can be applied to many different behaviors that we are trying to illicit from our horses, from accepting tack to teaching the horse to set its head.
As you can imagine, some people are very much against flooding, saying that it traps the horse, breaks them down, or scars them psychologically. Others offer that it is sometimes necessary, and when applied properly, can break through to difficult horses. In the discussion that I am referring to, a trainer who specializes in starting racehorses - including problem ones - was villified for laying horses down routinely in his training program. This trainer has posted videos of his methods on youtube, and what I saw him do was not what I would consider cruel or inhumane. There was no beating, kicking, jerking, poking or any behavior that I considered to be punitive. He was not reacting with frustration toward the horse - which is when most cruelty happens, when the human is frustrated because he/she cannot think of anything else to try on the horse to get them to do what he/she wants. In other words, laying a horse down doesn't mean you are seeking to hurt the horse because it won't relent. It can be simply presenting the horse with a choice - you either submit to me, or life will get difficult for you. It reminds me of how a wolf packs behaves; older, dominant wolves will put a pup on the ground, on its back and hold them there, showing the younger who is boss. In the horse-human diad, someone has to be boss, and it should be the human.
Most experienced horse owners and trainers realize that we give our horses this same choice every day from the moment they are born. My foals are not spoiled, rubbed on, kissed and given treats. They are treated like little horses that will eventually become big horses and have the physical power to kill someone. They learn the rules early, and know from Day One that they need to respect their human counterparts and submit to their wishes. But after years and years of meeting horses like Merrylegs, and the owners who made them that way, it is clear that many people out there don't understand how to do this. Nor are all horses bred like mine are; trainability and temperament are of absolute importance in my breeding stock. Does this matter to everyone breeding horses? Not by a long shot, especially within the racing industry. When you are breeding a horse for speed, temperament doesn't figure in as much.
The thought of trying to break a 17 hand fire-breathing Thoroughbred with the intention of teaching him to run as fast as possible makes my blood run cold! And these are not horses that are allowed months and months of gentling and groundwork. If a racehorse is unwilling to get along with his trainer, he has the highest chance of any equine on the planet of being sent to slaughter. Their lives literally depend on someone getting through to them, quickly and without injury. I have to respect someone who has the ability and the willingness to attempt to give these horses the choice. While flooding may not be an appropriate training method for every training problem, such as getting a horse to stay in frame or if a horse is terrified on an object, laying a horse down can be useful in establishing who is the leader for horses with no respect for humans.
Laying a horse down is not part of my training program, in fact, the incident with Merrylegs has been the one and only time in my lifetime of horses that I participated in doing it. I personally am not up for it; I am realistic about my physical abilities and understand that it takes someone with quick and precise reflexes, and physical agility that I don't possess (I have a messed up knee). Attempting it when you aren't quick and sure on your feet is very dangerous for you and the horse. It also takes instant and flexible common sense, lots and lots of experience, and above all, a cool demeanor that resists frustration and punitive reactions. If all of these conditions are met, the horse in question might actually have a chance to have a life, even beyond the race track, or whatever discipline they are being prepared for. In teaching them to submit, you are giving them an opportunity to be useful.
The end message here is that life is many shades of gray, and until we are personally faced with something similar we might not see the intention behind a training method. Most people can recognize abuse when it happens because there is a shift in intention; an abuser is aggressive in a way that affords the horse no way out, and the punishment comes without rhyme or reason. But sometimes strictness has a way of shaping desired behavior that shows the animal clearly what their choices are. Much in the way that juvenile detention bootcamps can shake up a teenage rebel, flooding, specifically laying a horse down, can take a horse that is basically useless and dangerous and allow them a chance at life.
Have you ever laid a horse down?
*Please do not confuse this with teaching a horse to lay down as a trick. When using 'laying down' as a training method, I am referring to a horse that does not want to lay down, or go along with anything that you are trying to teach them. It is the act of forcing them to the ground.
Many years ago, I worked as an assistant for a very well-known trainer in a barn that specialized in top-notch Arabian and Half Arabian English horses. Most of the horses that came through the barn were very fancy, athletic show horses destined to win accolades in the show ring. But like in every training barn, there are times that you need to keep the barn full, and you take horses in to training that are more likely to end up as personal riding horses who tote their owners around the ring or the trails on the weekends. That is how we ended up with "Merrylegs." His owners had bred him and had kept him at home. They just wanted to ride him for pleasure, and he needed some tuning up. Much like the pony in the book "Black Beauty," he was short, dappled gray, round and fat like a pony. He was very cute, and even though he had a longer registered name that the owner called him, we began to refer to him as Merrylegs. At first, he was as sweet as the pony in the book too. This horse ended up on my list of charges, so I started by riding him for short periods every day to start getting him in shape - did I mention that he was fat?
Anyway, after a week or two of decent rides he began to display a very dangerous pattern. He didn't want to be caught, he wouldn't move off after you mounted, and he would stop dead while going forward at a trot or canter and refuse to move. (It should be said here that this horse had nothing physically wrong with him, and the tack I was using fit him fine. I was using a very non-punitive plain snaffle.) At first, I would redirect him, asking him to turn off one direction or the other, but he figured that tactic out and would again try to stonewall me. My fellow assistant and the trainer we worked for would make suggestions, but he continued. I tried groundwork with him and had no problems, I tried different bits, and I tried 'getting after him' with my legs (no spurs, I felt this would make it worse) and the small crop I carried. Nothing helped. In fact, the horse began rearing - and rearing BIG. We spoke with the owner, and, oh yeah, he had been giving her similar problems. This was one of my first experiences with the problem of owners spoiling their horses to the point of making them dangerous, but that is a discussion for another blog.
So everyday I would attempt to ride this horse who had zero interest in working, had been spoiled beyond belief and had learned that you could get humans to get off of you by rearing. He could actually walk on his hind legs with me on his back! I hated riding him, and yet, it was my job to at least try to salvage him. It was obvious that eventually the horse was going to fall on me, and it didn't seem like we were getting anywhere by me just trying to stay on all the time. It was finally brought up by the trainer I worked for that it was time to "lay him down*." This was before The Horse Whisperer, before I had seen similar things done by "natural" horsemen, and I was VERY worried. It upset me that this horse reared, but I am a pretty loving person who can't stand the sight of a living being in pain. I did not want this horse to be hurt at my hands. However, it wasn't really up to me, so my trainer put a running W on the horse, and after lunging him in it for a few minutes, she held up one of the horse's front legs, causing him to hop on three legs for a few minutes, and eventually, to lay down in the soft dirt of the arena. At that point, the trainer, myself, and the other asst. took time to sit on him, keeping him on the ground for several minutes, showing him that we controlled him. When we finally let him up, he was unhurt, but not unchanged. His attitude on subsequent rides was much improved; I can't say he was perfect after that, but he definitely had a new-found respect for us. His rearing became less and less of a problem.
Eventually, his owner's training money ran out and Merrylegs went home, and I don't know how he behaved when he got there, but this was a real learning moment for me. Prior to this incident, I believed that everyone who layed horses down did so behind their barn, where they might cover the horse with a tarp and beat them into submission. I believed it to be cruel in every instance, yet here was an example where the horse wasn't injured at all, and probably came out of it for the better. Sure, there might have been other ways to train him out of it; riders on one end of the extreme might have done ground work for months to make up for all that his owner didn't teach him about respect, and riders on the other end of the spectrum might have just beat the crap out of him until he figured out that when humans say go, you better go. Neither of these strategies were a good fit for this horse, or myself, so I believe that what we did was somewhere in the middle and the best that we could do in this situation.
Why am I telling you this story? I recently stumbled upon a discussion about habituation and flooding in horse training that became a highly contentious conversation. The people participating in the discussion were very polarized in their views and it reminded me of Merrylegs and how we used a moment of flooding to change his ways. For the sake of this discussion, let's give a quick overview of these terms. Habituation is the desensitization that occurs when the horse experiences an object, sound or behavior over and over again until it no longer reacts to it. Habituation can be achieved through approach and retreat, where a trainer repeatedly shows the horse something and then takes it away, or stops. The action is repeated over and over, increasing the length of time that the 'pressure.' is applied. Habituation can also be achieved through flooding, which is when the stimulus is applied and isn't removed until the horse relents and no longer reacts to it.
Let's take these tactics and apply them to a horse training scenario, such as saddling a horse for the first time. You are trying to achieve habituation, which would be that the horse no longer notices the saddle on its back. If you used approach and retreat, you would show the horse the saddle, let him sniff it, put it away. The next day, you would set it on his back, and put it away, the day after that, you might saddle him and walk him around a minute, and then put it away, until you had progressed to saddling, lunging and riding. If you used flooding, you would saddle the horse and let him 'buck it out' until he gave up, realizing he can't get it off his back. This process might take one session or many. Both approach and retreat as well as flooding can be applied to many different behaviors that we are trying to illicit from our horses, from accepting tack to teaching the horse to set its head.
As you can imagine, some people are very much against flooding, saying that it traps the horse, breaks them down, or scars them psychologically. Others offer that it is sometimes necessary, and when applied properly, can break through to difficult horses. In the discussion that I am referring to, a trainer who specializes in starting racehorses - including problem ones - was villified for laying horses down routinely in his training program. This trainer has posted videos of his methods on youtube, and what I saw him do was not what I would consider cruel or inhumane. There was no beating, kicking, jerking, poking or any behavior that I considered to be punitive. He was not reacting with frustration toward the horse - which is when most cruelty happens, when the human is frustrated because he/she cannot think of anything else to try on the horse to get them to do what he/she wants. In other words, laying a horse down doesn't mean you are seeking to hurt the horse because it won't relent. It can be simply presenting the horse with a choice - you either submit to me, or life will get difficult for you. It reminds me of how a wolf packs behaves; older, dominant wolves will put a pup on the ground, on its back and hold them there, showing the younger who is boss. In the horse-human diad, someone has to be boss, and it should be the human.
Most experienced horse owners and trainers realize that we give our horses this same choice every day from the moment they are born. My foals are not spoiled, rubbed on, kissed and given treats. They are treated like little horses that will eventually become big horses and have the physical power to kill someone. They learn the rules early, and know from Day One that they need to respect their human counterparts and submit to their wishes. But after years and years of meeting horses like Merrylegs, and the owners who made them that way, it is clear that many people out there don't understand how to do this. Nor are all horses bred like mine are; trainability and temperament are of absolute importance in my breeding stock. Does this matter to everyone breeding horses? Not by a long shot, especially within the racing industry. When you are breeding a horse for speed, temperament doesn't figure in as much.
The thought of trying to break a 17 hand fire-breathing Thoroughbred with the intention of teaching him to run as fast as possible makes my blood run cold! And these are not horses that are allowed months and months of gentling and groundwork. If a racehorse is unwilling to get along with his trainer, he has the highest chance of any equine on the planet of being sent to slaughter. Their lives literally depend on someone getting through to them, quickly and without injury. I have to respect someone who has the ability and the willingness to attempt to give these horses the choice. While flooding may not be an appropriate training method for every training problem, such as getting a horse to stay in frame or if a horse is terrified on an object, laying a horse down can be useful in establishing who is the leader for horses with no respect for humans.
Laying a horse down is not part of my training program, in fact, the incident with Merrylegs has been the one and only time in my lifetime of horses that I participated in doing it. I personally am not up for it; I am realistic about my physical abilities and understand that it takes someone with quick and precise reflexes, and physical agility that I don't possess (I have a messed up knee). Attempting it when you aren't quick and sure on your feet is very dangerous for you and the horse. It also takes instant and flexible common sense, lots and lots of experience, and above all, a cool demeanor that resists frustration and punitive reactions. If all of these conditions are met, the horse in question might actually have a chance to have a life, even beyond the race track, or whatever discipline they are being prepared for. In teaching them to submit, you are giving them an opportunity to be useful.
The end message here is that life is many shades of gray, and until we are personally faced with something similar we might not see the intention behind a training method. Most people can recognize abuse when it happens because there is a shift in intention; an abuser is aggressive in a way that affords the horse no way out, and the punishment comes without rhyme or reason. But sometimes strictness has a way of shaping desired behavior that shows the animal clearly what their choices are. Much in the way that juvenile detention bootcamps can shake up a teenage rebel, flooding, specifically laying a horse down, can take a horse that is basically useless and dangerous and allow them a chance at life.
Have you ever laid a horse down?
*Please do not confuse this with teaching a horse to lay down as a trick. When using 'laying down' as a training method, I am referring to a horse that does not want to lay down, or go along with anything that you are trying to teach them. It is the act of forcing them to the ground.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Defensive Riding?
I am a country girl. I was born to run barefoot, play in lakes and ride my horses. Other than the years surrounding my time at college, I have lived most of my life outside the city limits, and enjoyed the freedoms that go with that. One such freedom has always been having access to places to 'ride out' on my horses. As I have gotten older, I have seen that being able to safely ride off your property is a luxury that we are slowly losing, and may someday disappear all together.
I have kept horses in a variety of situations, and some were where we had access to trails through surrounding woods, or we had permission to ride around farm fields or orchards owned by neighboring farmers. This is how it was when I was growing up; it was great fun to take the horses out with friends and just walk and talk. I have also kept horses at stables that were smack dab in the middle of a busy urban area, where there was very little riding out unless you could haul out. It is incredibly dangerous to cross a crosswalk on horseback at a busy intersection with six lanes of traffic, bicycles and drivers who know absolutely nothing about a horse - and think that the best thing to do is honk at them! I haven't done this myself, thank you, but I have seen people try it, and it always worries me. As soon as I was finished with school, I moved my horses out of the city, seeking that relaxed - and relatively safer - environment where I could ride out if I wanted.
And we found that place, or so we thought. I have come to the realization that it is becoming more and more difficult to find safe places to ride, no matter where you go. First, there is less land available for it, because of urban sprawl and because there is less public land available. More roads are paved, which increases vehicle speeds. And fewer people have horses than when I was growing up, so fewer people understand horses, and therefore, don't necessarily how to handle vehicles, ATV's, bicycles or dogs around them. And maybe, just maybe, people these days are a little more self-involved, rushed or too distracted by techno gadgets to pay attention while they are driving.
Nowadays, if you are riding your horse next to a road or on public land, you really need to prepare as if your life could be in danger. Always wear bright colored, reflective clothing, even if it isn't dark when you go out. Know your route, and take roads that have wide shoulders or ditches where you can take your horse well off the road when traffic passes. Do not assume that the driver (or rider) coming at you understands a horse's body language - or is paying attention to it. Wave your arms or hold up your flat palm to ask them to slow down if possible. Be ready to jump down and just hold your horse if he seems antsy, and he risks putting you in front of traffic. And please be prudent when taking young or untrained horses out. It is kind of unfair, because the only way a horse really gets an education is to be exposed to things, but you really must choose carefully when and where that experience comes.
I live in an area where the roads have many shallow hills, just a big enough dip to hide a vehicle who is speeding your way. Not very far away from my house, a farmer was nearly killed when he was hit from behind by an SUV while driving his tractor down a rural (dirt) road. The SUV was flying had come up over a hill into a dip, where there was no way to see the tractor or slow down. I have had similar things happen to me while riding, as you maybe have too. We have had so many close calls that we no longer drive our pony down our road. The shoulders are so steep that it would cause the cart to tip if we had to get over there, and there would be little contest between our little old cart and a truck doing 65. And again, I live way out in the country, where, you'd think, you'd be able to drive or ride your horse. But reality is that those days may be ending.
So drivers - let's raise some awareness. In my neighborhood, the people that speed past when we ride down our road, without giving us an inch, are not my neighbors that I know have horses. So I have to assume, dear reader, that you are also a horse person and thus, slow down when you encounter someone riding next to the road in your area, maybe even give them a conciliatory wave and a smile. I also hope that if you think they are having trouble with their horse, you would stop completely or pull off. Twice in my life I have witnessed people being dumped next to the road (not because of me or my driving btw), and I got out and caught the horse for them. Let's mentor that kind of behavior in other people. Let's show our passengers the correct way to handle a vehicle when horses are near the roadway; by slowing down, being aware and courteous. When we are passengers of people who aren't horse-savvy, a polite heads-up to the driver might, in fact, save someone's life, or their horse's. Maybe by doing our part, someone will do the same for us when we are the ones on the horses.
Happy Thanksgiving and take care out there!
I have kept horses in a variety of situations, and some were where we had access to trails through surrounding woods, or we had permission to ride around farm fields or orchards owned by neighboring farmers. This is how it was when I was growing up; it was great fun to take the horses out with friends and just walk and talk. I have also kept horses at stables that were smack dab in the middle of a busy urban area, where there was very little riding out unless you could haul out. It is incredibly dangerous to cross a crosswalk on horseback at a busy intersection with six lanes of traffic, bicycles and drivers who know absolutely nothing about a horse - and think that the best thing to do is honk at them! I haven't done this myself, thank you, but I have seen people try it, and it always worries me. As soon as I was finished with school, I moved my horses out of the city, seeking that relaxed - and relatively safer - environment where I could ride out if I wanted.
And we found that place, or so we thought. I have come to the realization that it is becoming more and more difficult to find safe places to ride, no matter where you go. First, there is less land available for it, because of urban sprawl and because there is less public land available. More roads are paved, which increases vehicle speeds. And fewer people have horses than when I was growing up, so fewer people understand horses, and therefore, don't necessarily how to handle vehicles, ATV's, bicycles or dogs around them. And maybe, just maybe, people these days are a little more self-involved, rushed or too distracted by techno gadgets to pay attention while they are driving.
Nowadays, if you are riding your horse next to a road or on public land, you really need to prepare as if your life could be in danger. Always wear bright colored, reflective clothing, even if it isn't dark when you go out. Know your route, and take roads that have wide shoulders or ditches where you can take your horse well off the road when traffic passes. Do not assume that the driver (or rider) coming at you understands a horse's body language - or is paying attention to it. Wave your arms or hold up your flat palm to ask them to slow down if possible. Be ready to jump down and just hold your horse if he seems antsy, and he risks putting you in front of traffic. And please be prudent when taking young or untrained horses out. It is kind of unfair, because the only way a horse really gets an education is to be exposed to things, but you really must choose carefully when and where that experience comes.
I live in an area where the roads have many shallow hills, just a big enough dip to hide a vehicle who is speeding your way. Not very far away from my house, a farmer was nearly killed when he was hit from behind by an SUV while driving his tractor down a rural (dirt) road. The SUV was flying had come up over a hill into a dip, where there was no way to see the tractor or slow down. I have had similar things happen to me while riding, as you maybe have too. We have had so many close calls that we no longer drive our pony down our road. The shoulders are so steep that it would cause the cart to tip if we had to get over there, and there would be little contest between our little old cart and a truck doing 65. And again, I live way out in the country, where, you'd think, you'd be able to drive or ride your horse. But reality is that those days may be ending.
So drivers - let's raise some awareness. In my neighborhood, the people that speed past when we ride down our road, without giving us an inch, are not my neighbors that I know have horses. So I have to assume, dear reader, that you are also a horse person and thus, slow down when you encounter someone riding next to the road in your area, maybe even give them a conciliatory wave and a smile. I also hope that if you think they are having trouble with their horse, you would stop completely or pull off. Twice in my life I have witnessed people being dumped next to the road (not because of me or my driving btw), and I got out and caught the horse for them. Let's mentor that kind of behavior in other people. Let's show our passengers the correct way to handle a vehicle when horses are near the roadway; by slowing down, being aware and courteous. When we are passengers of people who aren't horse-savvy, a polite heads-up to the driver might, in fact, save someone's life, or their horse's. Maybe by doing our part, someone will do the same for us when we are the ones on the horses.
Happy Thanksgiving and take care out there!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Good Horse Makes For Short Miles
Good morning and Happy Tuesday!
The past few weeks I have been spending quite a bit of time in the barn and riding. The weather has been great, and my training horses have been doing very well, so I feel very fortunate to be able to spend that time in the saddle. It won't be long, and the cold will deter me, so I am taking advantage of it now.
On the 11th of November, we will reach the 90 day mark in Candy's training. [I have covered Candy before - read here] This is a great time to evaluate how a young one is doing, as it is enough time usually for them to trust you so you can get something done with them. Candy, whom I like to call 'Little Sister' in honor of her two wonderful older brothers, Atley and Broque, is doing wonderfully. When she came to me, she had spent most of her life outside, in a herd, being handled only to do basic vet procedures and occasionally being tied up to be fed. She has been a sweet girl from Day One though, never seeming to be adverse to the training process; rather, she has always been eager to please, even if she wasn't sure what exactly to do.
I am now riding her in a snaffle rather than a sidepull, and have moved from riding her in a round pen to working her in my large, open, riding area. I am happy to say that she appears to handle much like her brothers - she is light on your legs (without spurs), sensitive to the rider's movements but not jerky or hot, follows her nose beautifully and is proving to have a nice, soft mouth. She backs, circles well, and is just starting to rate her speed. She is thoroughly un-spooky, and up until this point, she and I have not had any major blow ups, nor do I expect to. I just LOVE riding her! So often, a trainer must spend a big chunk of time fixing what the previous trainer did to a horse. It is a wonderful thing to get one that is untouched and have the opportunity to create a horse free of bad behaviors and/or fear. Her owner is very happy with how she is doing, and I am pretty sure Candy is happy too; when I walk into the barn to get her out, she nickers to me - - and no, she doesn't get treats! :)
One thing that I have had to adjust to, though, is a different saddle. I have been complaining lately about all the wear and tear that my work tack is taking, and Candy's owner suggested that I try one of her 'extra' saddles - a treeless Sports Saddle. I was wary*, but gave it a try, and have been pleasantly surprised. First off, I love how lightweight it is. And it is REALLY comfortable. This saddle isn't meant for collection work, or for schooling fast turns at speed, but for putting miles on a three yr old? Perfect! And I don't have to feel guilty this winter about getting on my leather saddles with muddy boots!
Have you ever tried a Sports Saddle? How hard is it for you to ride in tack that is different than what you are used to?
*I had tried to ride in one last year, on a different horse, and it felt very awkward to me at the time. The one I had used previously had a fleece seat cover on it, making me feel like I was sitting WAAAAAY up on the horse, and it was 'roll-y' to boot. This time, no seat cover, and I am much happier. This saddle is tricky though - when you sit down in it, everything compresses, meaning your girth is immediately loose, which, of course, lends itself to rolling. I have gotten very good at tightening the girth while mounted, which helps tremendously!
The past few weeks I have been spending quite a bit of time in the barn and riding. The weather has been great, and my training horses have been doing very well, so I feel very fortunate to be able to spend that time in the saddle. It won't be long, and the cold will deter me, so I am taking advantage of it now.
On the 11th of November, we will reach the 90 day mark in Candy's training. [I have covered Candy before - read here] This is a great time to evaluate how a young one is doing, as it is enough time usually for them to trust you so you can get something done with them. Candy, whom I like to call 'Little Sister' in honor of her two wonderful older brothers, Atley and Broque, is doing wonderfully. When she came to me, she had spent most of her life outside, in a herd, being handled only to do basic vet procedures and occasionally being tied up to be fed. She has been a sweet girl from Day One though, never seeming to be adverse to the training process; rather, she has always been eager to please, even if she wasn't sure what exactly to do.
I am now riding her in a snaffle rather than a sidepull, and have moved from riding her in a round pen to working her in my large, open, riding area. I am happy to say that she appears to handle much like her brothers - she is light on your legs (without spurs), sensitive to the rider's movements but not jerky or hot, follows her nose beautifully and is proving to have a nice, soft mouth. She backs, circles well, and is just starting to rate her speed. She is thoroughly un-spooky, and up until this point, she and I have not had any major blow ups, nor do I expect to. I just LOVE riding her! So often, a trainer must spend a big chunk of time fixing what the previous trainer did to a horse. It is a wonderful thing to get one that is untouched and have the opportunity to create a horse free of bad behaviors and/or fear. Her owner is very happy with how she is doing, and I am pretty sure Candy is happy too; when I walk into the barn to get her out, she nickers to me - - and no, she doesn't get treats! :)
One thing that I have had to adjust to, though, is a different saddle. I have been complaining lately about all the wear and tear that my work tack is taking, and Candy's owner suggested that I try one of her 'extra' saddles - a treeless Sports Saddle. I was wary*, but gave it a try, and have been pleasantly surprised. First off, I love how lightweight it is. And it is REALLY comfortable. This saddle isn't meant for collection work, or for schooling fast turns at speed, but for putting miles on a three yr old? Perfect! And I don't have to feel guilty this winter about getting on my leather saddles with muddy boots!
Have you ever tried a Sports Saddle? How hard is it for you to ride in tack that is different than what you are used to?
*I had tried to ride in one last year, on a different horse, and it felt very awkward to me at the time. The one I had used previously had a fleece seat cover on it, making me feel like I was sitting WAAAAAY up on the horse, and it was 'roll-y' to boot. This time, no seat cover, and I am much happier. This saddle is tricky though - when you sit down in it, everything compresses, meaning your girth is immediately loose, which, of course, lends itself to rolling. I have gotten very good at tightening the girth while mounted, which helps tremendously!
Monday, October 31, 2011
My Scariest Ride
Happy Halloween! In the spirit of this spooky day, I was thinking about fear, and times that I have been scared while riding. I haven't had too many bad wrecks, but like anything else, it is the anticipation of something scary that is the worst, especially since it can cause things to spin out of control when you are on a horse. I'd like to share such an experience with you....
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of college, I went to work for an Arabian/National Show Horse trainer as her assistant. This meant that I was tasked with many different things; feeding, grooming, working horses, of course, but also starting young horses under saddle. The trainer, myself, and the other assistant each had a list of horses that we worked, and of course, some of them were nicer to have on your list than others.
Through either fate or bad luck, somehow I got Ladyhawke on my list. She was a tiny NSH mare, and deceptively cute. She had had very little handling before coming to me, so I did the normal things with her; groundwork and lunging, eventually climbing on her while being led. I would have described her as 'a bit squirrely'. She was extremely sensitive to my legs, easily surprised when presented with new things, and not exactly "joined up" with us, but at the time, I was in my early 20s and had ridden some pretty feisty horses, so I was typically cavalier about it. After working with her for about 2 weeks, I started taking her around the arena on my own, and had even started trotting her (no doubt BEFORE I was sure that she knew the word 'whoa'). As they say, hindsight is 20/20....
One day, I was riding Ladyhawke in the arena while the shoer was there working on horses. The arena was connected to the barn by a dirt ramp that goes up to the barn, where, to the immediate right, there are crossties, and where the shoer had his truck parked, in the barn aisle, so as to have access to his forge. The barn was very noisy that day, with everyone moving horses, people cleaning stalls, hollering over the forge and the shoer's hammer. As I rode past that end of the arena, something spooked Ladyhawke, which caused my legs to bang against her, and she was OFF.
There are times when flight animals are so terrified for their lives that they are no longer thinking; their only conscious desire is to get away. That is where Ladyhawke was, and I quickly realized this as I did everything I could do to get the horse to stop. But because the mare was so green and hadn't put any trust in me yet, every movement I made only scared her more, and she flew around that arena like she was on fire. I had her head on her chest, see-sawing, trying to circle her, saying whoa over and over. None of it was did any good - and as the mare came back around to the ramp end of the arena, she saw it as her way out, and made a quick 90 degree turn up the ramp and another immediate 90 degree turn into the barn aisle, all while running blind in terror. I managed to stay with her and she somehow made it past the shoer's truck; there was only enough space to lead a horse through there, and am surprised that I didn't take out his rear view mirror with my knee.
At this point, I was scared. When I had been flying around the arena on her, I was upset, of course, but had tried to focus on solving the problem and getting her stopped. The second she decided to exit stage right, I realized that this could end very badly. As she ran down the barn aisle toward the two barn doors, which were partially closed that day due to a cold wind, I experienced for the first time my life flashing before my eyes. She made it through the doors - I swear, if she had been any bigger, she would have broken both of my legs - and out she went. I remember thinking, as long as I am on her back, she is going to keep running. Get off. Now. The anticipation of what that meant made me hesitate a moment. You know it is going to hurt to hit the ground, but I knew running through a fence would hurt more. And I saw a patch of grass and literally dove for it.
As I got up off the ground, slowly, and everyone came running out of the barn to see what happened, I was SO grateful. While I was very sore for about a week, there were no broken bones, no serious injuries except to my pride. It was terrifying to be so completely out of control of a horse I was on, but I learned some valuable lessons that day, like how to take my time with the young ones, and not to move on to the next step until you are really sure the horse is ready. I also spend a lot more time in a confined space teaching them the basics, and I always wear a helmet when starting young horses now. But most importantly, I think I have learned that the anticipation of an event can be worse than it actually is. Sometimes we don't have good choices in life; we have to go through certain things to learn our lessons, but we can't let fear be a distraction. We have to swallow the fear, take the leap, and have faith that we can handle whatever happens next.
* As for Ladyhawke, she ran to the other end of the farm, but was caught and brought back without any incident or injury. A few days later, the head trainer had a local guy who did rodeo and rode broncs come out to work with her. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to go along easy and dumped him the first time after he had only ridden her about 25 feet. He got back on, and this time he lasted about a minute. He wasn't inclined to get back on after that, and neither was anyone else. The trainer, who happened to own her, then decided to turn Ladyhawke back out to 'grow up a little.' I don't know what happened to her, but I hope that her good looks inspired someone to put in the time with her. No doubt she would have been quite a project for someone, but ultimately worth it. She was definitely athletic! haha!
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of college, I went to work for an Arabian/National Show Horse trainer as her assistant. This meant that I was tasked with many different things; feeding, grooming, working horses, of course, but also starting young horses under saddle. The trainer, myself, and the other assistant each had a list of horses that we worked, and of course, some of them were nicer to have on your list than others.
Through either fate or bad luck, somehow I got Ladyhawke on my list. She was a tiny NSH mare, and deceptively cute. She had had very little handling before coming to me, so I did the normal things with her; groundwork and lunging, eventually climbing on her while being led. I would have described her as 'a bit squirrely'. She was extremely sensitive to my legs, easily surprised when presented with new things, and not exactly "joined up" with us, but at the time, I was in my early 20s and had ridden some pretty feisty horses, so I was typically cavalier about it. After working with her for about 2 weeks, I started taking her around the arena on my own, and had even started trotting her (no doubt BEFORE I was sure that she knew the word 'whoa'). As they say, hindsight is 20/20....
One day, I was riding Ladyhawke in the arena while the shoer was there working on horses. The arena was connected to the barn by a dirt ramp that goes up to the barn, where, to the immediate right, there are crossties, and where the shoer had his truck parked, in the barn aisle, so as to have access to his forge. The barn was very noisy that day, with everyone moving horses, people cleaning stalls, hollering over the forge and the shoer's hammer. As I rode past that end of the arena, something spooked Ladyhawke, which caused my legs to bang against her, and she was OFF.
There are times when flight animals are so terrified for their lives that they are no longer thinking; their only conscious desire is to get away. That is where Ladyhawke was, and I quickly realized this as I did everything I could do to get the horse to stop. But because the mare was so green and hadn't put any trust in me yet, every movement I made only scared her more, and she flew around that arena like she was on fire. I had her head on her chest, see-sawing, trying to circle her, saying whoa over and over. None of it was did any good - and as the mare came back around to the ramp end of the arena, she saw it as her way out, and made a quick 90 degree turn up the ramp and another immediate 90 degree turn into the barn aisle, all while running blind in terror. I managed to stay with her and she somehow made it past the shoer's truck; there was only enough space to lead a horse through there, and am surprised that I didn't take out his rear view mirror with my knee.
At this point, I was scared. When I had been flying around the arena on her, I was upset, of course, but had tried to focus on solving the problem and getting her stopped. The second she decided to exit stage right, I realized that this could end very badly. As she ran down the barn aisle toward the two barn doors, which were partially closed that day due to a cold wind, I experienced for the first time my life flashing before my eyes. She made it through the doors - I swear, if she had been any bigger, she would have broken both of my legs - and out she went. I remember thinking, as long as I am on her back, she is going to keep running. Get off. Now. The anticipation of what that meant made me hesitate a moment. You know it is going to hurt to hit the ground, but I knew running through a fence would hurt more. And I saw a patch of grass and literally dove for it.
As I got up off the ground, slowly, and everyone came running out of the barn to see what happened, I was SO grateful. While I was very sore for about a week, there were no broken bones, no serious injuries except to my pride. It was terrifying to be so completely out of control of a horse I was on, but I learned some valuable lessons that day, like how to take my time with the young ones, and not to move on to the next step until you are really sure the horse is ready. I also spend a lot more time in a confined space teaching them the basics, and I always wear a helmet when starting young horses now. But most importantly, I think I have learned that the anticipation of an event can be worse than it actually is. Sometimes we don't have good choices in life; we have to go through certain things to learn our lessons, but we can't let fear be a distraction. We have to swallow the fear, take the leap, and have faith that we can handle whatever happens next.
* As for Ladyhawke, she ran to the other end of the farm, but was caught and brought back without any incident or injury. A few days later, the head trainer had a local guy who did rodeo and rode broncs come out to work with her. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to go along easy and dumped him the first time after he had only ridden her about 25 feet. He got back on, and this time he lasted about a minute. He wasn't inclined to get back on after that, and neither was anyone else. The trainer, who happened to own her, then decided to turn Ladyhawke back out to 'grow up a little.' I don't know what happened to her, but I hope that her good looks inspired someone to put in the time with her. No doubt she would have been quite a project for someone, but ultimately worth it. She was definitely athletic! haha!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Do-It-Yourself Meets the 21st Century
The world is getting smaller everyday, and the distances between us becoming shorter, thanks to the amazing technologies of mobile communications, satellites, and the world wide web. We are living in the future, folks, where we can remain in touch with anyone or anything we choose, with the touch of a finger or the click of a mouse. Information can be traded so easily that there is nothing in the world that you cannot access and learn through the Web, including horses. While the horse world has long used the internet to advertise and disseminate information, the opportunities to learn specific skills relating to horse training has been limited to more traditional, face to face instruction. Youtube overflows with videos demonstrating techniques, but in simply observing a video, the viewer is not able to ask questions, or have someone watch them perform the task on their own horse and give them feedback. Information only flows one way, limiting the learning opportunity.
A new online training system means to address this limitation – the Western Rider Development Programme. What if you could treat your desire to ride better the same as an online college course, but still get quality one-on-one instruction that was completely individualized to your needs? This is what the WDRP aims to do. They have organized a training syllabus into levels of ability that riders can ascend through at their own pace. Each individual lesson within the levels is fully explained in language that anyone can take out and use in their day to day riding. The rider may ask questions of a panel of experts, who are always available for support, and there are also articles that focus on the psychological aspects of riding. When the rider feels they are ready, they can submit a video of themselves performing the maneuvers required at that level, and can pass to the next level.
I am extremely pleased and proud to have been invited to contribute to the WDRP. I will serve on the panel of experts, taking questions and assisting in assessing individuals as they ascend the levels. I have already contributed an article, “Flexibility and Straightness,” to the website, so I invite you to check it out.
This innovative new way to learn about riding western will benefit many people; including those who live too far away from a qualified instructor to make lessons feasible, those who have a constantly changing schedule, or those who would like to learn new things and become a better rider on their own time. With internet/wireless technology, you can have the WDRP support and information with you anywhere! And for those riders who don't want to compete, they can earn recognition for the skills they master.
Judith Hubbard, one of the founders of the WDRP, says, “Here in the UK, and maybe in other countries around the world, it's not so easy to get access to regular western tuition. So we decided to find a 21st century solution - an internet-based training programme built around the www.westerntrainingonline.co.uk website. The website, and the online tuition provided, enables western riders to become more educated and develop their skills, no matter where they live. It's a simple concept, but it works! Over the coming months we'll add more to the website - there'll be more training articles as well as input from our growing panel of experts. And we're sure we'll be reporting lots of good news as our riders progress through the Programme!”
It is very exciting to share something in the horse world that is truly new and different and positive. I hope you take a look at it and give it a try.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Ready, Willing and Able
Well, hello Autumn! Yes, my favorite season has arrived, and I have been spending as much time as possible outside, soaking up the great weather that we've been having here in Kansas. I have some wonderful training horses to work with right now, so the sunny skies have been matching up nicely with my sunny disposition in the saddle. One of them, a mare named Candy, was featured in an earlier blog posting, "New Week, New Horse," and I'd like to give you all an update on how she is doing.
Is it possible that some horses are just born to be ridden? This fantastic little mare sure seems to be. Candy has been nothing but good for the past two months that she has been with me. When she got here, pretty much the only thing she knew how to do was tie; she had lived her young life in a pastured herd, with some recent experience being tied up to be fed. When a trainer hears an owner tell them, "she knows nothing," we are usually more than a little concerned about what we are getting ourselves into. But the owner is a close friend whom I trust in her instincts on horses, and I also trained this mare's two older full brothers, so I took her on. I am glad I did.
My number one priority with Candy, as with any horse, has been to try to eliminate, as much as possible, any negative impressions or incidences the mare might have about being ridden and worked. From Day One, everything my husband and I have done with her has been handled with great care so as to always foster Candy's confidence in herself and us. Obviously, we had to start with the basics, and we made sure that the mare always understood before moving on to the next step. The philosophy is that on any given day that you are working with a young horse, you can work on all the things you worked on the day before, plus one extra thing. That's it. When horses are young, they can't process several new things at once, and your chances of being successful begin to go down when you pile on a bunch of new challenges at once. (And when I say successful, I mean, not just getting them to do whatever it is, but doing it with the least amount of negative emotional residue. If the horse walks away from a workout feeling frightened, stressed or confused, you have not been successful.) Sometimes, the things you worked on the day before are enough, and you can't add a new thing, and that is OK. When it comes to young horses, my belief is that it is better to err on the side of caution, take your time and build slowly. I know there are people out there that pride themselves on how quickly they can "get a horse broke," but I prefer to ride the one that had careful, patient schooling in which the lessons were allowed to really sink and and be understood.
So Candy went from being led and free-lunged to lunged on a line in a round pen, to being lunged in an open area, then lunged saddled, then mounted and standing, then mounted and led, and finally to being mounted and ridden independently. When I first sat on her, she wasn't in much of a rush to go anywhere; she wanted to just sit and adjust to the weight of me on her back. When I eventually got her moving forward, she was hesitant and a bit stodgy, so I worried that we would have a lazy one on our hands. On the contrary, after allowing her time to build up the muscles in her back at the walk, she and I have been trotting around without any problems. She has been calm and quiet and, dare I say, satisfied with herself every step of the way. She is already showing sensitivity to my leg, and thankfully, a decided indifference to things going on around her. I am extremely pleased! I am riding her in a bitless side-pull bridle, so we will be introducing her to a snaffle bit sometime soon, as well as riding her outside the ring, and with other horses.
As for comparing her to her two older brothers, Atley and Broque (pronounced 'Brock'), she clearly favors Atley in her personality; she loves to be loved on, and is very affectionate. I told her owner, "If you had to walk past a fire-breathing dragon with Candy, all you would have to do is put your hand on her neck and coo to her, and she will go anywhere you tell her." I think she is very much like Broque too though, because both of them are very sensitive. They respond to a slight, soft touch, or little shift, or a murmur. What is incredible about all of them is that they are so willing; none of them have given any major resistance along the way. I know that this is due to three important facts:
Enjoy your day!
Is it possible that some horses are just born to be ridden? This fantastic little mare sure seems to be. Candy has been nothing but good for the past two months that she has been with me. When she got here, pretty much the only thing she knew how to do was tie; she had lived her young life in a pastured herd, with some recent experience being tied up to be fed. When a trainer hears an owner tell them, "she knows nothing," we are usually more than a little concerned about what we are getting ourselves into. But the owner is a close friend whom I trust in her instincts on horses, and I also trained this mare's two older full brothers, so I took her on. I am glad I did.
My number one priority with Candy, as with any horse, has been to try to eliminate, as much as possible, any negative impressions or incidences the mare might have about being ridden and worked. From Day One, everything my husband and I have done with her has been handled with great care so as to always foster Candy's confidence in herself and us. Obviously, we had to start with the basics, and we made sure that the mare always understood before moving on to the next step. The philosophy is that on any given day that you are working with a young horse, you can work on all the things you worked on the day before, plus one extra thing. That's it. When horses are young, they can't process several new things at once, and your chances of being successful begin to go down when you pile on a bunch of new challenges at once. (And when I say successful, I mean, not just getting them to do whatever it is, but doing it with the least amount of negative emotional residue. If the horse walks away from a workout feeling frightened, stressed or confused, you have not been successful.) Sometimes, the things you worked on the day before are enough, and you can't add a new thing, and that is OK. When it comes to young horses, my belief is that it is better to err on the side of caution, take your time and build slowly. I know there are people out there that pride themselves on how quickly they can "get a horse broke," but I prefer to ride the one that had careful, patient schooling in which the lessons were allowed to really sink and and be understood.
So Candy went from being led and free-lunged to lunged on a line in a round pen, to being lunged in an open area, then lunged saddled, then mounted and standing, then mounted and led, and finally to being mounted and ridden independently. When I first sat on her, she wasn't in much of a rush to go anywhere; she wanted to just sit and adjust to the weight of me on her back. When I eventually got her moving forward, she was hesitant and a bit stodgy, so I worried that we would have a lazy one on our hands. On the contrary, after allowing her time to build up the muscles in her back at the walk, she and I have been trotting around without any problems. She has been calm and quiet and, dare I say, satisfied with herself every step of the way. She is already showing sensitivity to my leg, and thankfully, a decided indifference to things going on around her. I am extremely pleased! I am riding her in a bitless side-pull bridle, so we will be introducing her to a snaffle bit sometime soon, as well as riding her outside the ring, and with other horses.
As for comparing her to her two older brothers, Atley and Broque (pronounced 'Brock'), she clearly favors Atley in her personality; she loves to be loved on, and is very affectionate. I told her owner, "If you had to walk past a fire-breathing dragon with Candy, all you would have to do is put your hand on her neck and coo to her, and she will go anywhere you tell her." I think she is very much like Broque too though, because both of them are very sensitive. They respond to a slight, soft touch, or little shift, or a murmur. What is incredible about all of them is that they are so willing; none of them have given any major resistance along the way. I know that this is due to three important facts:
- It is readily apparent from examining these three sibling's conformation that they are the product of two fantastic horses. And when you spend time around them, you can see that their sire and dam also imparted fantastic MINDS in these horses. They are quick, but calm thinkers.
- Allowing them to be horses in a herd with minimal human interaction can work well, as long as the interactions they do have are handled with care. There is something to be said for a horse that grows up relying on itself and its herd, rather than seeing man as a treat machine and/or someone to rub that itchy spot. These three are not spoiled in any way.
- Taking the time to do things right actually makes the whole process go faster. In allowing the horse to fully understand a skill before moving on, I don't have to go back and correct as much.
Enjoy your day!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Every Little Bit Counts
Bits and bitting are endlessly fascinating for me. I have been collecting bits since I was a kid; I actually have every bit I have ever owned, and most of them are still useful, even if they were manufactured 20 years ago. Many things make them so alluring to me. First, it is the myriad of configurations that bits come in. The mouthpiece shapes, the side rings, the shanks, the differences in size and heft, and all the different functions that each individual bit is intended to accomplish point out man's long and complicated relationship with the horse. Each bit tells a story of a horse and what his job was. There is also the decorative allure of bits, from the sleek and simple English snaffles that I own to the fancy engraved western show bits, they are the perfect blend of functionality and beautiful design. Yes, I have been known to decorate with bits. LOL!
The most fascinating part of bitting for me, though, is the challenge that comes in finding just the right one for a particular horse that I am working with. Each horses' mouth is unique, their age and training needs are different, and of course, there is their intended job that they need to fulfill for their owner. I have never gotten rid of a bit because I almost always use them again. Sometime, down the road, I will inevitably have a horse that needs a certain size or configuration, so I keep them on hand to try them when I need to. I encourage everyone to keep and collect bits - you never know when you might need them!
I recently graduated one of my training horses, Broque, to a loose ring copper slow-twist snaffle. He had been doing pretty well in the plain D-ring snaffle that I was using previously, but he was ready to get a little lighter, and needed to collect more at the lope. And what a difference it made. He was VERY happy in the new bit, light and responsive, and his lope was fantastic! My philosophy toward changing bits is that it should be a reward for doing well in the previous, more 'elementary' bit - truly, a graduation up the ladder of education. Usually, I find that horses like to learn the next step, if the bit fits them well and is a logical progression from where they just were.
There are many riders who use the same bit all the time, and if it works well - all the time - that's fine. Some people only use one bit because they understand that particular bit and trying something different is daunting. I say, even a small change can make a big difference in your horse's performance! Adding a dog bone (a small bone-shaped bar) to the center of your plain snaffle, or advancing to a light curb can do wonders for your horse's maneuverability, self-carriage, and rating of speed. Always measure your horse's mouth and the bits you use to make sure the horse is going to be comfortable. And remember the most important rule in bitting - the bit is only as harsh as the hands that hold the reins. Make sure you are riding with an independent seat so that no matter what bit you use, your hands will be soft, still and responsive.
If you are interested in learning more about the art of bitting, check out "A Whole Bit Better," which is a fantastic aid in understanding how your horse's mouth works. Another inexpensive addition to everyone's tack room is this tool that helps you measure your horse's mouth - makes it wonderfully easy!
Enjoy your day and enjoy your ride!!
The most fascinating part of bitting for me, though, is the challenge that comes in finding just the right one for a particular horse that I am working with. Each horses' mouth is unique, their age and training needs are different, and of course, there is their intended job that they need to fulfill for their owner. I have never gotten rid of a bit because I almost always use them again. Sometime, down the road, I will inevitably have a horse that needs a certain size or configuration, so I keep them on hand to try them when I need to. I encourage everyone to keep and collect bits - you never know when you might need them!
I recently graduated one of my training horses, Broque, to a loose ring copper slow-twist snaffle. He had been doing pretty well in the plain D-ring snaffle that I was using previously, but he was ready to get a little lighter, and needed to collect more at the lope. And what a difference it made. He was VERY happy in the new bit, light and responsive, and his lope was fantastic! My philosophy toward changing bits is that it should be a reward for doing well in the previous, more 'elementary' bit - truly, a graduation up the ladder of education. Usually, I find that horses like to learn the next step, if the bit fits them well and is a logical progression from where they just were.
There are many riders who use the same bit all the time, and if it works well - all the time - that's fine. Some people only use one bit because they understand that particular bit and trying something different is daunting. I say, even a small change can make a big difference in your horse's performance! Adding a dog bone (a small bone-shaped bar) to the center of your plain snaffle, or advancing to a light curb can do wonders for your horse's maneuverability, self-carriage, and rating of speed. Always measure your horse's mouth and the bits you use to make sure the horse is going to be comfortable. And remember the most important rule in bitting - the bit is only as harsh as the hands that hold the reins. Make sure you are riding with an independent seat so that no matter what bit you use, your hands will be soft, still and responsive.
If you are interested in learning more about the art of bitting, check out "A Whole Bit Better," which is a fantastic aid in understanding how your horse's mouth works. Another inexpensive addition to everyone's tack room is this tool that helps you measure your horse's mouth - makes it wonderfully easy!
Enjoy your day and enjoy your ride!!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Risk and Reward
Following up on Monday's blog post, "How Young is Too Young?," I thought I would address another issue that plagues many parents who want their kids to ride - how should falls be handled?
Every sport has its risks, and while we would love, as parents, to eliminate those risks, we also want our kids to grow up unafraid, and as well-rounded, tough individuals. After all, the world is a scary place, and the only way to learn to deal with fear is to face it, and find ways to conquer it that are age appropriate. Sometimes, it seems that there is a parental Murphy's Law in place: try to protect your kid in one area, and they find a way to hurt themselves somewhere else. So, to stay sane and live a full life, we must simply accept a certain amount of risk with nearly everything we do. The trick is to manage that risk, and find a way to learn from accidents when they happen.
Kids who ride horses frequently, with the intention of improving as riders, will eventually fall off. [I am not talking about riding on a dude ranch once a year, on pony strings where the horses are chosen for their ability to walk quietly and ignore pretty much everything. Those experiences are expressly designed to keep riders from falling off, and protect the ranch owner's liability.] Riders who challenge themselves to get better will have to do things on horseback that throw them off balance, make them push their limits and ask their horses to do things they haven't yet done. But if you choose a good instructor, and have chosen your horse carefully, the risks will be stepped up incrementally, so that the rider can face their fear, challenge their abilities and achieve their objectives - earning the right to ascend to the next level. It is like allowing your child to take surfing lessons. You know when you sign up that they will be wiping out and swallowing some ocean, but that doesn't mean you allow them to go out when the waves are 20 ft high. You trust your instructor, and your instincts, to have good enough judgement to gradually increase the difficulty, so that the child isn't discouraged and doesn't get seriously injured.
So, there you are, watching your child take a riding lesson; they lose their balance, and hit the dirt. What happens next is critical to how your child will deal with every unexpected setback that they have with horses. Try very hard to control your emotions. Most likely, your child will be more shocked, scared or angry than hurt. They may cry, but they will get up. As much as possible, let the instructor handle it. They have dealt with it before, and as long as they aren't upset with the child, don't intervene. When I have had kids fall, I calmly get them to their feet, check them over to make sure that nothing is broken, and then give them a pep talk, getting them back on as soon as they have calmed down. I have had parents really freak out; and it is usually those kids that lose confidence afterward. When a parent behaves as if the child narrowly avoided being eaten by a shark, the child is left to wonder how dangerous this activity really is, and doubt their own ability to handle it. And this isn't good for their self esteem in any area of their life. There is nothing worse to a kid than knowing that their parents believe that they can't handle something, especially something that they really want to try.
In all my years teaching, only once have I had a child break something so that they could not get back on. This young girl was an excellent rider - one of my best ever. Her mom also rode, and the girl's horse was a small Paint mare that they had bred themselves. They had been having some difficulty with the mare though; she was lazy and a bit spoiled, and was always looking for a way out of work. As a mount for the daughter, she was very much 'on probation' but hadn't done anything at that point to make us think she was dangerous.
The day she fell off, they had come to my house for a lesson, which had gone very well. We worked the mare for about an hour, and finished on a good note. I told the girl 'good job' and told her to walk the mare out on a loose rein. I was standing near the gate, talking to the mom, and the girl was on the opposite end of the arena, walking calmly, when the mare took off bucking, for no apparent reason. Being relaxed and not expecting something like that, the girl was thrown. I went to the girl, and the mom caught the horse (there were other riders in the arena, so the loose horse was a danger to them) and then she walked over to us. We were both calm and matter of fact. The girl was only temporarily upset - I think we were all shocked that the mare had chosen to do what she did - but it was apparent that she would need an x-ray for her arm. I had to hand it to her mom - 100% in control, she did not blame the girl or the horse, she spoke to her daughter calmly and very matter-of-factly. We gathered her up, got her to the car, and I took the horse. It ended up that she had fractured her wrist, an injury that is pretty common from horseback riding falls.
After much soul searching, it was decided that the little mare wasn't going to be suitable for the girl, and despite their attachment to her, they decided to sell her. After finding her a good home, they purchased a POA that, while not always perfectly behaved, was much more willing to work than the Paint mare. When I asked the girl later how she felt about what happened, she told me that she wasn't afraid of riding, but rather, that she realized that falling off wasn't the worst thing in the world. Yeah, it hurt at the time, but she healed up and was riding again before her cast was off. Fear of falling wasn't going to stop her from riding. And she still hasn't stopped. Since then, I have moved and her family has moved, but we have kept in touch. It has been fantastic to watch this beautiful young woman continue to ride and challenge herself. She now competes in dressage and eventing, but also excels in life, in no small part because she isn't afraid to take risks, and because her parents lovingly allow her to take them.
Not matter what you do, life will throw you curve balls. It is how you handle them that makes all the difference. You will find that your child will flourish when you model for them how to handle adversity: by staying calm and cool, and by shrugging off the fear that cripples us. Only when we face great risk do we reap great rewards.
Every sport has its risks, and while we would love, as parents, to eliminate those risks, we also want our kids to grow up unafraid, and as well-rounded, tough individuals. After all, the world is a scary place, and the only way to learn to deal with fear is to face it, and find ways to conquer it that are age appropriate. Sometimes, it seems that there is a parental Murphy's Law in place: try to protect your kid in one area, and they find a way to hurt themselves somewhere else. So, to stay sane and live a full life, we must simply accept a certain amount of risk with nearly everything we do. The trick is to manage that risk, and find a way to learn from accidents when they happen.
Kids who ride horses frequently, with the intention of improving as riders, will eventually fall off. [I am not talking about riding on a dude ranch once a year, on pony strings where the horses are chosen for their ability to walk quietly and ignore pretty much everything. Those experiences are expressly designed to keep riders from falling off, and protect the ranch owner's liability.] Riders who challenge themselves to get better will have to do things on horseback that throw them off balance, make them push their limits and ask their horses to do things they haven't yet done. But if you choose a good instructor, and have chosen your horse carefully, the risks will be stepped up incrementally, so that the rider can face their fear, challenge their abilities and achieve their objectives - earning the right to ascend to the next level. It is like allowing your child to take surfing lessons. You know when you sign up that they will be wiping out and swallowing some ocean, but that doesn't mean you allow them to go out when the waves are 20 ft high. You trust your instructor, and your instincts, to have good enough judgement to gradually increase the difficulty, so that the child isn't discouraged and doesn't get seriously injured.
So, there you are, watching your child take a riding lesson; they lose their balance, and hit the dirt. What happens next is critical to how your child will deal with every unexpected setback that they have with horses. Try very hard to control your emotions. Most likely, your child will be more shocked, scared or angry than hurt. They may cry, but they will get up. As much as possible, let the instructor handle it. They have dealt with it before, and as long as they aren't upset with the child, don't intervene. When I have had kids fall, I calmly get them to their feet, check them over to make sure that nothing is broken, and then give them a pep talk, getting them back on as soon as they have calmed down. I have had parents really freak out; and it is usually those kids that lose confidence afterward. When a parent behaves as if the child narrowly avoided being eaten by a shark, the child is left to wonder how dangerous this activity really is, and doubt their own ability to handle it. And this isn't good for their self esteem in any area of their life. There is nothing worse to a kid than knowing that their parents believe that they can't handle something, especially something that they really want to try.
In all my years teaching, only once have I had a child break something so that they could not get back on. This young girl was an excellent rider - one of my best ever. Her mom also rode, and the girl's horse was a small Paint mare that they had bred themselves. They had been having some difficulty with the mare though; she was lazy and a bit spoiled, and was always looking for a way out of work. As a mount for the daughter, she was very much 'on probation' but hadn't done anything at that point to make us think she was dangerous.
The day she fell off, they had come to my house for a lesson, which had gone very well. We worked the mare for about an hour, and finished on a good note. I told the girl 'good job' and told her to walk the mare out on a loose rein. I was standing near the gate, talking to the mom, and the girl was on the opposite end of the arena, walking calmly, when the mare took off bucking, for no apparent reason. Being relaxed and not expecting something like that, the girl was thrown. I went to the girl, and the mom caught the horse (there were other riders in the arena, so the loose horse was a danger to them) and then she walked over to us. We were both calm and matter of fact. The girl was only temporarily upset - I think we were all shocked that the mare had chosen to do what she did - but it was apparent that she would need an x-ray for her arm. I had to hand it to her mom - 100% in control, she did not blame the girl or the horse, she spoke to her daughter calmly and very matter-of-factly. We gathered her up, got her to the car, and I took the horse. It ended up that she had fractured her wrist, an injury that is pretty common from horseback riding falls.
After much soul searching, it was decided that the little mare wasn't going to be suitable for the girl, and despite their attachment to her, they decided to sell her. After finding her a good home, they purchased a POA that, while not always perfectly behaved, was much more willing to work than the Paint mare. When I asked the girl later how she felt about what happened, she told me that she wasn't afraid of riding, but rather, that she realized that falling off wasn't the worst thing in the world. Yeah, it hurt at the time, but she healed up and was riding again before her cast was off. Fear of falling wasn't going to stop her from riding. And she still hasn't stopped. Since then, I have moved and her family has moved, but we have kept in touch. It has been fantastic to watch this beautiful young woman continue to ride and challenge herself. She now competes in dressage and eventing, but also excels in life, in no small part because she isn't afraid to take risks, and because her parents lovingly allow her to take them.
Not matter what you do, life will throw you curve balls. It is how you handle them that makes all the difference. You will find that your child will flourish when you model for them how to handle adversity: by staying calm and cool, and by shrugging off the fear that cripples us. Only when we face great risk do we reap great rewards.
Monday, August 22, 2011
How Young Is Too Young?
What is the proper age to start riding? I have gotten this question over and over, and as an instructor and a mom, I recognize that the answer to this question is not black and white. It is clear that no matter what sport you intend for your child to participate in, the earlier you introduce them to it, the easier it is (usually) for them to figure out proper technique, understand the basic rules and gain the confidence necessary to excel. But there is a line that mustn't be crossed in pushing them too young. If there is too much pressure to perform, the child will get weary of the activity quickly, and begin to rebel against the parent's constant direction and over-encouragement. And there is, of course, social pressures too; for girls, all their friends may be into 'girlie' stuff, princess themes, clothes, and taking dance classes. For boys, there is an underlying pressure to be a jock type, or a gamer. Not all kids fit these stereotypes, nor does every parent want to cater to them. Still, the pressure to start these activities starts young.
I am, by no means, knocking traditional sports or dancing - as long as the child really does love doing it, on their own accord, and they are doing well enough at it that it boosts their confidence, then good for them. However, I am biased toward horseback riding, and other, more 'outside the box' activities for kids. Being different from their peers gives them a chance to shine all on their own! And horseback riding teaches things that learning to tackle or being a pretty dancer cannot. Being a good rider teaches confidence, balance, bravery, persistence, subtlety, a sense of humor, gentleness, body awareness and control, and consistency, along with the double edge concept of respect for a large animal that could hurt you, but also empathy and kindness for an animal that is at your mercy. Horseback riding allows kids to get dirty, work hard, and see immediate results for their work, but also long-term accomplishment of goals. And all the while, they are building a love for nature and animals, and an understanding of the natural cycle of life. Invaluable experiences in my book.
Many parents begin feeling the pressure of choosing a sport by the time their child is four. And this is usually the age that they call me asking if they are too young to begin riding lessons. My response is to start asking questions: Can the child follow directions well? Are they able to control their movements, with the strength to sit up straight and use their legs? Can they handle the occasional frustration? If the answer is yes to these questions, I usually invite them to come out for a lesson with the intention of just getting the child's interest going. There is no pressure to perform any difficult tasks, rather, we just introduce them to the routine: first, we get our trusty lesson horse out and tied up, do some grooming, saddle up, lead them around, teaching them to hold the reins and say the word "whoa." Afterward, they help unsaddle, and return the horse to their pen, where they are allowed to feed the horse a carrot.
Then, I tell the parent to wait and see. Some kids will just think that the whole thing was a fun diversion, others will hang on to the experience and start begging to come back. That will tell the parent how much they want to pursue horses. It must be child-driven. It is not a good idea to push your child into any sport, but especially horses, since they are expensive, time consuming, and are a living, breathing being in need of care. And I always advise them to have their child take lessons as long as possible before buying a horse. If they aren't begging to do it, you could find yourself owning a horse that isn't getting enough attention.
You might think that because I am a life-long horse person, and an instructor, that my kids were loping around while still in diapers. Nope. With my own children, I have taken it slow. Yes, we have ten horses here, and they have been out in the barn since they were infants, 'helping' with chores, and riding with me or being led on our old-timers. But I have not given them a whole lot of lessons yet. My boys are four and five, and my five year old has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. Until this year, he has had much difficulty following directions, and has been known to have meltdowns when faced with something frustrating. Rather than push him to do it, and risk ruining the experience for him, I have chosen to wait and let him ask me to do it, keeping his experiences on horseback as short and as sweet as possible; such as when we had his birthday party last November and invited his entire preschool class out for a party and to go for rides around the yard on Jazz, one of our old horses. Not only did his classmates have fun, Miles got to show off what he knew about horses, and he was very proud to do that.
Recently, we acquired a miniature horse named Sugar, who is broke to ride and drive, and has had lots of experience toting kids around. Both of the boys LOVE him, and the effects of having him here were immediate. Both boys talk about the horses more, whether it is what color horses are, naming the equipment used, what they need to do to care for them, or even just role playing with their horse toys. They are gaining confidence in working around Sugar, leading him, grooming him, riding him, and taking the lines when we are driving him. I am hoping to take them to a local show this spring, even if it is just for the leadline class. No pressure, no matter how much their mom might want them to join her in the horse world. My intention is that their love for horses will come from within themselves, even while my husband and I stoke the fire.
I am, by no means, knocking traditional sports or dancing - as long as the child really does love doing it, on their own accord, and they are doing well enough at it that it boosts their confidence, then good for them. However, I am biased toward horseback riding, and other, more 'outside the box' activities for kids. Being different from their peers gives them a chance to shine all on their own! And horseback riding teaches things that learning to tackle or being a pretty dancer cannot. Being a good rider teaches confidence, balance, bravery, persistence, subtlety, a sense of humor, gentleness, body awareness and control, and consistency, along with the double edge concept of respect for a large animal that could hurt you, but also empathy and kindness for an animal that is at your mercy. Horseback riding allows kids to get dirty, work hard, and see immediate results for their work, but also long-term accomplishment of goals. And all the while, they are building a love for nature and animals, and an understanding of the natural cycle of life. Invaluable experiences in my book.
Many parents begin feeling the pressure of choosing a sport by the time their child is four. And this is usually the age that they call me asking if they are too young to begin riding lessons. My response is to start asking questions: Can the child follow directions well? Are they able to control their movements, with the strength to sit up straight and use their legs? Can they handle the occasional frustration? If the answer is yes to these questions, I usually invite them to come out for a lesson with the intention of just getting the child's interest going. There is no pressure to perform any difficult tasks, rather, we just introduce them to the routine: first, we get our trusty lesson horse out and tied up, do some grooming, saddle up, lead them around, teaching them to hold the reins and say the word "whoa." Afterward, they help unsaddle, and return the horse to their pen, where they are allowed to feed the horse a carrot.
Then, I tell the parent to wait and see. Some kids will just think that the whole thing was a fun diversion, others will hang on to the experience and start begging to come back. That will tell the parent how much they want to pursue horses. It must be child-driven. It is not a good idea to push your child into any sport, but especially horses, since they are expensive, time consuming, and are a living, breathing being in need of care. And I always advise them to have their child take lessons as long as possible before buying a horse. If they aren't begging to do it, you could find yourself owning a horse that isn't getting enough attention.
You might think that because I am a life-long horse person, and an instructor, that my kids were loping around while still in diapers. Nope. With my own children, I have taken it slow. Yes, we have ten horses here, and they have been out in the barn since they were infants, 'helping' with chores, and riding with me or being led on our old-timers. But I have not given them a whole lot of lessons yet. My boys are four and five, and my five year old has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. Until this year, he has had much difficulty following directions, and has been known to have meltdowns when faced with something frustrating. Rather than push him to do it, and risk ruining the experience for him, I have chosen to wait and let him ask me to do it, keeping his experiences on horseback as short and as sweet as possible; such as when we had his birthday party last November and invited his entire preschool class out for a party and to go for rides around the yard on Jazz, one of our old horses. Not only did his classmates have fun, Miles got to show off what he knew about horses, and he was very proud to do that.
Recently, we acquired a miniature horse named Sugar, who is broke to ride and drive, and has had lots of experience toting kids around. Both of the boys LOVE him, and the effects of having him here were immediate. Both boys talk about the horses more, whether it is what color horses are, naming the equipment used, what they need to do to care for them, or even just role playing with their horse toys. They are gaining confidence in working around Sugar, leading him, grooming him, riding him, and taking the lines when we are driving him. I am hoping to take them to a local show this spring, even if it is just for the leadline class. No pressure, no matter how much their mom might want them to join her in the horse world. My intention is that their love for horses will come from within themselves, even while my husband and I stoke the fire.
 |
| My four yr old son, Owen, leading his beloved Sugar. |
Friday, August 19, 2011
Buck and My Bucket List
Last night I saw the movie “Buck” at a local art theater, and was completely blown away. “Buck” is a documentary detailing the life and continuing work of Buck Brannaman, a highly esteemed clinician and horseman. Though I have never attended one of his clinics, I was somewhat familiar with his methods, so I had a few ideas about what to expect from the movie; however, I was happily surprised to discover so much more about him than how he uses a rope halter or how he conducts his clinics. I came away inspired, motivated, and with something new to add to my personal bucket list.
Buck and his brother lived the early parts of his childhood being abused by his father, which became nearly unbearable after their mother died. Their father was an alcoholic and a mean, punitive man, to the point that both boys lived in terror every day, until a gym teacher discovered whip marks on Buck's back, and intervened to have both boys placed in foster care. The family that took them in had rescued many boys through fostering them, and it was there that Buck finally found love and began to heal. They lived on a ranch, and Buck learned to ride a horse, and in turn, set on the path that would be his life's calling. Eventually, he discovered the renowned horseman Ray Hunt, and found a way to work with horses that wasn't forceful or coercive. Buck thrived in this knowledge, and saw himself in the horses, who needed understanding and a chance to do the right thing, rather than being treated as something that needed to be controlled at all costs. It has been his life's mission to help other people reach their horses through good solid horsemanship based on “feel,” and give them the tools to make their horses', and their own, lives better.
I have been giving lessons and training horses since I was a teenager, and I have said, often lamenting, that 90% of what I do is to be a psychologist for the the rider. In order to fix a horse's problem, you first have to fix, or at least face, your own. Horses operate on honesty; they can instantly assess where you are coming from, and what your personal modus operandi is. They know who you are in your heart, and behave accordingly. Watching “Buck” last night, I was struck yet again by how true this is. At one point, a woman brings a horse to a clinic that is truly vicious – I have lived my whole life only seeing one or two horses that were actually so dangerous as to warrant that they be put down, and this horse was definitely that exactly. While the story is tragic and unsettling, what is so great is that Buck is able to tell this woman how it is, and just nails the description of where she has gone wrong. I know that he was doing her a favor in telling her the truth, and most likely saved her life, or someone else's – and certainly, putting this horse down did the horse a favor too. It was impossible to work on the horse's feet, give him vet care, and had anyone tried to make this horse obey, no doubt the horse would have eventually been the loser in the fight.
After the movie, I was left with a renewed sense of purpose in my own life. I have also faced my share of painful adversity in my life, and clung to horses as a way to make sense in this chaotic world. I also have a natural ability to communicate to riders what the horse needs from them, and I also want horses to be treated with more respect and kindness from their human counterparts. While there is no doubt that Buck Brannaman is exceptional at what he does, I think that he would agree that we all can be exceptional in our own way, and through horses, we can heal ourselves and others. So, I have added a new entry to my bucket list: someday I want to ride in one of Buck's clinics, and hopefully, gain more insight into what makes him great. Until then, I will continue work toward elevating my game every time I step into the barn.
Happy trails, and take care!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
An Ode to the Humble Lesson Horse
The other day I wrote about what different aspects of mental and physical preparation have on becoming proficient in the saddle when beginning to ride. Today I'd like to explore the other half to the riding equation - the horse. In order to create a great partnership while riding, you must have a willing and engaged equine partner. When starting out as a riding student, you probably won't know all the differences in horse behavior, other than extreme cases, and therefore must rely on the honesty and trustworthiness of others to give you a fair assessment of your potential mount. I hope to arm you with some things to look for so that you can make decisions for your own safety.
Having lived my entire life in the horse industry, and giving lessons for close to twenty years, I have found that nothing will stop a potential rider from continuing their riding education faster than a really traumatic wreck on horse. Keep in mind, there is a big difference between falling off and getting thrown, and for some, falling off itself is too scary for them, and therefore, horseback riding may not be their sport. Falling off a horse is as much a part of riding as falling is to learning to surf or snow ski, and those sports aren't for everyone either. What I am referring to is a true wreck - where the horse runs off uncontrollably, the rider gets stomped on, or dumped into a tree, fence, or another equally unforgiving object. A wreck usually results in a hospital visit and a memory for the rider that causes a fear and distrust of horses that can remain for a lifetime.
My goal as an instructor has always been to prevent that sort of thing from happening and keep those people riding, and thus, in our industry. Whenever someone comes to me with a scary story of how they once got hurt while riding, and they never got on a horse again, I ask them as many questions as I can. Whose horse was it? Were there any adults/competent riders around helping you? Had you ridden or taken lessons prior to your accident? Overwhelmingly, the wreck was a result of people riding horses that they shouldn't be riding, without any instruction or oversight, and riding them in a manner that just begs for them to get hurt. For example, I have a very close friend who has told me over and over how she just loves horses, but is terrified of them. Come to find out, when she was a teenager, she and two friends decided to ride one of the friends horses bareback - all three of them - all around a farm, all day long, by themselves. Eventually, the poor horse got sick of carrying the three of them around and dumped them, and my friend was stepped on in the process. Can you blame it? Clearly, an adult should have stepped up and told the girls to give the horse a break. There are thousands of similar stories out there, and they represent a huge loss to the horse industry in potential horse owners. All of those people wanted to be a rider, but their initial interactions scared them off.
So, one preventative is to take lessons from a professional instructor. Do not assume that your neighbor, who can ride really well, in your eyes, is capable of teaching you or your children to ride. Nor should you assume that the horse or pony that someone else's kid can ride all over and run barrels on is a safe mount for you or your children. There are many, many gradations of training for horses, and just because it is impressive to see a little kid jumping fences or loping around, doesn't mean that that horse is quiet and responsive enough to gently and conscientiously carry a beginner. Taking lessons, rather than jumping in and buying a horse right away, also gives you the advantage of trying different lesson horses and figuring out what you want in your own horse, and could save you a lot of money, time and heartache.
Lesson horses are a breed apart. They are tolerant of beginner mistakes, obedient in the face of temptation, and do not spontaneously follow an urge to flit off on their own accord. It takes many years of experience for a horse to be seasoned in this way. While younger horses may provide a fun challenge for intermediate and advanced riders, the best horses for beginners are generally over the age of ten, and have a long record of taking care of their riders. I personally think that fifteen is a golden number for beginner horses; they are calmer, still have plenty of life left and by then, have proven themselves in what their personality is like.
When you are investigating possible riding instructors, you should be asking lots of questions about the lesson horses you will be using. How many are available to use? The more, the better, as not every horse is going to fit you personally, and the more you have to choose from, the better the odds of finding one that makes your riding experience safer and more fun. Also, how often are the lesson horses ridden, by students and by the instructor themselves? Lesson horses that are ridden more than an hour daily by students tend to get sour; it is challenging to carry someone around who has no balance and is accidentally jerking your mouth or whacking you indiscriminately with their legs! Also, after being ridden day after day by beginners, they may fall into bad habits and really benefit from an occasional ride by the instructor, or equally qualified advanced rider, as a tune up. The frequency of these tune ups will vary by horse, but my opinion is that they should get a tune up once or twice a month minimum.
When doing your investigations, take a good look at how the lesson horses are kept. Do they get frequent turn out? Turn out in a large paddock or pasture is like a little mental vacation for a horse, and the more they get, the quieter they are. Are they in good flesh and are their feet taken care of? You should not be able to see every rib and hipbone; the horses should look muscled and fit. And their feet should have a cleanly trimmed appearance, without ragged edges or cracks. Does the instructor insist on using fly spray, for the comfort of the horses, and for your safety? Horses being bothered by flies stomp, toss their heads, and frequently kick and buck to get rid of the bugs, and can endanger anyone close by. Fly spray isn't just a comfort, it is a safety device. Horses cannot do their jobs well if they are not physically well-kept, nor should anyone be supplying income to instructors that don't do right by their horses. If they can't do these simple things for their horses, what other shortcuts will they take, with their equipment, facility and with you or your child?
Please do not judge your lesson horse by what color they are, or how pretty (or not pretty) they are. Pretty is as pretty does. I have seen the plainest, most non-descript grade horses that were fabulous to ride, because they were compliant, handy, and, most importantly, gentle to their riders. Keep an open mind as to what a good horse LOOKS like, but scrutinize closely what a good horse ACTS like - it will serve you much better!
Take care and have fun!
PS - You have heard me say it before and you will hear me say it again - wear a helmet! If you fall off (which you inevitably will) you can recover from a bruise or a broken arm, but a head injury can be catastrophic. A good instructor cares about the safety of their riders and requires helmets of every minor, and may require, or at least strongly suggest, them for adults. For more on my stance on helmets, read this.
Having lived my entire life in the horse industry, and giving lessons for close to twenty years, I have found that nothing will stop a potential rider from continuing their riding education faster than a really traumatic wreck on horse. Keep in mind, there is a big difference between falling off and getting thrown, and for some, falling off itself is too scary for them, and therefore, horseback riding may not be their sport. Falling off a horse is as much a part of riding as falling is to learning to surf or snow ski, and those sports aren't for everyone either. What I am referring to is a true wreck - where the horse runs off uncontrollably, the rider gets stomped on, or dumped into a tree, fence, or another equally unforgiving object. A wreck usually results in a hospital visit and a memory for the rider that causes a fear and distrust of horses that can remain for a lifetime.
My goal as an instructor has always been to prevent that sort of thing from happening and keep those people riding, and thus, in our industry. Whenever someone comes to me with a scary story of how they once got hurt while riding, and they never got on a horse again, I ask them as many questions as I can. Whose horse was it? Were there any adults/competent riders around helping you? Had you ridden or taken lessons prior to your accident? Overwhelmingly, the wreck was a result of people riding horses that they shouldn't be riding, without any instruction or oversight, and riding them in a manner that just begs for them to get hurt. For example, I have a very close friend who has told me over and over how she just loves horses, but is terrified of them. Come to find out, when she was a teenager, she and two friends decided to ride one of the friends horses bareback - all three of them - all around a farm, all day long, by themselves. Eventually, the poor horse got sick of carrying the three of them around and dumped them, and my friend was stepped on in the process. Can you blame it? Clearly, an adult should have stepped up and told the girls to give the horse a break. There are thousands of similar stories out there, and they represent a huge loss to the horse industry in potential horse owners. All of those people wanted to be a rider, but their initial interactions scared them off.
So, one preventative is to take lessons from a professional instructor. Do not assume that your neighbor, who can ride really well, in your eyes, is capable of teaching you or your children to ride. Nor should you assume that the horse or pony that someone else's kid can ride all over and run barrels on is a safe mount for you or your children. There are many, many gradations of training for horses, and just because it is impressive to see a little kid jumping fences or loping around, doesn't mean that that horse is quiet and responsive enough to gently and conscientiously carry a beginner. Taking lessons, rather than jumping in and buying a horse right away, also gives you the advantage of trying different lesson horses and figuring out what you want in your own horse, and could save you a lot of money, time and heartache.
Lesson horses are a breed apart. They are tolerant of beginner mistakes, obedient in the face of temptation, and do not spontaneously follow an urge to flit off on their own accord. It takes many years of experience for a horse to be seasoned in this way. While younger horses may provide a fun challenge for intermediate and advanced riders, the best horses for beginners are generally over the age of ten, and have a long record of taking care of their riders. I personally think that fifteen is a golden number for beginner horses; they are calmer, still have plenty of life left and by then, have proven themselves in what their personality is like.
When you are investigating possible riding instructors, you should be asking lots of questions about the lesson horses you will be using. How many are available to use? The more, the better, as not every horse is going to fit you personally, and the more you have to choose from, the better the odds of finding one that makes your riding experience safer and more fun. Also, how often are the lesson horses ridden, by students and by the instructor themselves? Lesson horses that are ridden more than an hour daily by students tend to get sour; it is challenging to carry someone around who has no balance and is accidentally jerking your mouth or whacking you indiscriminately with their legs! Also, after being ridden day after day by beginners, they may fall into bad habits and really benefit from an occasional ride by the instructor, or equally qualified advanced rider, as a tune up. The frequency of these tune ups will vary by horse, but my opinion is that they should get a tune up once or twice a month minimum.
When doing your investigations, take a good look at how the lesson horses are kept. Do they get frequent turn out? Turn out in a large paddock or pasture is like a little mental vacation for a horse, and the more they get, the quieter they are. Are they in good flesh and are their feet taken care of? You should not be able to see every rib and hipbone; the horses should look muscled and fit. And their feet should have a cleanly trimmed appearance, without ragged edges or cracks. Does the instructor insist on using fly spray, for the comfort of the horses, and for your safety? Horses being bothered by flies stomp, toss their heads, and frequently kick and buck to get rid of the bugs, and can endanger anyone close by. Fly spray isn't just a comfort, it is a safety device. Horses cannot do their jobs well if they are not physically well-kept, nor should anyone be supplying income to instructors that don't do right by their horses. If they can't do these simple things for their horses, what other shortcuts will they take, with their equipment, facility and with you or your child?
Please do not judge your lesson horse by what color they are, or how pretty (or not pretty) they are. Pretty is as pretty does. I have seen the plainest, most non-descript grade horses that were fabulous to ride, because they were compliant, handy, and, most importantly, gentle to their riders. Keep an open mind as to what a good horse LOOKS like, but scrutinize closely what a good horse ACTS like - it will serve you much better!
Take care and have fun!
PS - You have heard me say it before and you will hear me say it again - wear a helmet! If you fall off (which you inevitably will) you can recover from a bruise or a broken arm, but a head injury can be catastrophic. A good instructor cares about the safety of their riders and requires helmets of every minor, and may require, or at least strongly suggest, them for adults. For more on my stance on helmets, read this.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Are We There Yet?
I got a great question from a new rider today: How long will it take me to learn to ride? I have been asked this many times, by both parents of young riders, and by adults just getting into our sport. The question is a sign of the student's impatience to get in there and ride, and is really like the kids in the backseat on a road trip, asking, "Are we there yet??" The answer to this question is best framed by more questions; How fit are you? How much time do you have per week to practice? How often do you intend on taking lessons? How well does your instructor motivate you to learn new things, and also review what you already know? What is your attitude towards learning challenging things?
Those with experience with horses can easily see why being fit helps a rider progress; if you are reasonably fit, you have an easier time getting on, have more flexibility and balance, faster reflexes and don't get winded as easily. New riders don't realize how important this facet is, and often give up quickly because they get so tired and sore after their first few rides. Being prepared beforehand, and doing a lot of stretching afterward, are keys to sticking with it.
As with any new endeavor, the time you spend on it is one of the most important determining factors in achieving success. You can't learn to play an instrument well if you only pick it up once a week. Daily practice is best, but if you don't have that much extra time, or don't own your own horse yet, get in as much riding time as you can. Try to take a formal lesson once or twice a week, and then, negotiate with your instructor to borrow a horse for non-lesson practice time where you can just ride on your own (don't be offended if they don't feel you are far enough along that you shouldn't be riding alone yet; consider it their way of keeping you safe). Keep at it, and keep your expectations reasonable - it will take months of riding several times a week before you could really be considered proficient.
Having a good instructor in your corner is absolutely invaluable. A good trainer has beginner safety as their first priority, and therefore, may end up telling you, "No, you can't do that yet," more than you want to hear in the beginning. A good instructor will start with basic concepts and build on them with every lesson, always pushing you to do something a bit better or a bit more daring, but will keep reviewing the basic concepts to drive home their importance. A good instructor teaches you how to be a good horse owner and advocate, so expect to spend some time on the ground learning about horse care, equine body language, groundwork, first aid, and a myriad of other topics. If you get the chance to assist the shoer or the vet, or even just observe, you will undoubtedly learn something. Watching your instructor, or other students, ride is also fantastic for picking things up or confirming what you are learning.
More than anything, your attitude will determine your learning curve. To state the obvious, to be a good rider, you need to be a good student. You need to be able to take direction. You need to be able to face your shortcomings and faults when presented to you by an almost total stranger - remember, you are paying them to tell you what you are doing wrong! You need to be willing to do things over and over that are frustrating because you can't get it quite right. You might have to try something you haven't done, or may not completely understand, based on your faith in your instructor alone. Above all, you have to have perseverance. No one ever got anywhere in horseback riding by getting frustrated and quitting. You have to just keep getting back on; even if your last ride was terrible, you're tired, it's hot/cold out, etc. The greatest rewards are the ones you have to work hard for.
And your attitude will sustain you; anyone who is a lifelong rider knows that you are never truly done learning to ride. Being a better horseman is something everyone is always working on, from the person who just trail rides, to the professional trainer who is always working to perfect their technique. There is always something to improve, brush up on, or a new direction to go. Riding horses is endlessly inspiring, and you could spend a lifetime learning new things about them!
You notice I haven't said anything about the horses themselves....well, I haven't forgotten them. Tomorrow I will cover what you should be looking for in lesson horses, and your first horse. Have a wonderful day!
Those with experience with horses can easily see why being fit helps a rider progress; if you are reasonably fit, you have an easier time getting on, have more flexibility and balance, faster reflexes and don't get winded as easily. New riders don't realize how important this facet is, and often give up quickly because they get so tired and sore after their first few rides. Being prepared beforehand, and doing a lot of stretching afterward, are keys to sticking with it.
As with any new endeavor, the time you spend on it is one of the most important determining factors in achieving success. You can't learn to play an instrument well if you only pick it up once a week. Daily practice is best, but if you don't have that much extra time, or don't own your own horse yet, get in as much riding time as you can. Try to take a formal lesson once or twice a week, and then, negotiate with your instructor to borrow a horse for non-lesson practice time where you can just ride on your own (don't be offended if they don't feel you are far enough along that you shouldn't be riding alone yet; consider it their way of keeping you safe). Keep at it, and keep your expectations reasonable - it will take months of riding several times a week before you could really be considered proficient.
Having a good instructor in your corner is absolutely invaluable. A good trainer has beginner safety as their first priority, and therefore, may end up telling you, "No, you can't do that yet," more than you want to hear in the beginning. A good instructor will start with basic concepts and build on them with every lesson, always pushing you to do something a bit better or a bit more daring, but will keep reviewing the basic concepts to drive home their importance. A good instructor teaches you how to be a good horse owner and advocate, so expect to spend some time on the ground learning about horse care, equine body language, groundwork, first aid, and a myriad of other topics. If you get the chance to assist the shoer or the vet, or even just observe, you will undoubtedly learn something. Watching your instructor, or other students, ride is also fantastic for picking things up or confirming what you are learning.
More than anything, your attitude will determine your learning curve. To state the obvious, to be a good rider, you need to be a good student. You need to be able to take direction. You need to be able to face your shortcomings and faults when presented to you by an almost total stranger - remember, you are paying them to tell you what you are doing wrong! You need to be willing to do things over and over that are frustrating because you can't get it quite right. You might have to try something you haven't done, or may not completely understand, based on your faith in your instructor alone. Above all, you have to have perseverance. No one ever got anywhere in horseback riding by getting frustrated and quitting. You have to just keep getting back on; even if your last ride was terrible, you're tired, it's hot/cold out, etc. The greatest rewards are the ones you have to work hard for.
And your attitude will sustain you; anyone who is a lifelong rider knows that you are never truly done learning to ride. Being a better horseman is something everyone is always working on, from the person who just trail rides, to the professional trainer who is always working to perfect their technique. There is always something to improve, brush up on, or a new direction to go. Riding horses is endlessly inspiring, and you could spend a lifetime learning new things about them!
You notice I haven't said anything about the horses themselves....well, I haven't forgotten them. Tomorrow I will cover what you should be looking for in lesson horses, and your first horse. Have a wonderful day!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Why I Changed My Mind About Helmets
I started riding very young, and was very much a daredevil about it. The first equine I rode was a Shetland pony named Molly, who happened to be blind in one eye. Molly was owned by my dad's pit crew chief, Vick, as my dad raced stock cars locally on the weekends, and kept the car at Vick's garage. During the week, my dad and Vick would work on the car, so I would beg to go along so that I could see Molly. She was a tolerant babysitter, but like most ponies, she basically did what she wanted & occasionally humored me by going along with what I wanted to do. Vick gave me a few pointers, but I was pretty much on my own, which meant that I almost always rode bareback, and sometimes with only a halter. Once, I decided to put a bridle on her, even though it had only one rein. I got on Molly, and off we went, ending up way out in a cornfield, where we couldn't see very well. I decided I wanted her to turn back, but having only one rein, the pony would not listen, and continued on her given trajectory of straight out to the middle of nowhere. I pulled and kicked and got nothing, except a faster pace. Being a child of about five, this was very scary! I finally jumped off, and led the pony back, and learned an important lesson about having the proper equipment. But that equipment did not include a helmet.
My parents finally relented to my endless begging, and enrolled me in lessons at a local stable. Soon after, they gave in once again, and bought me my first horse, a Half-Arabian, half Paint mare named Cherokee Dawn. That mare was nearly a saint, putting up with all the mistakes a kid can make while learning to ride, along with having flowers and tinsel festooning her bridle, parades, costumes, and showing in every class at a horse show. I loved and trusted her immensely, and to prove this, I would go out into the pasture to get her, get her up against a tree stump to climb on, and then I would ride her around without any equipment of any kind. This might not seem very remarkable, but this was in a huge pasture, with maybe 20 or more horses out there with me. And I wouldn't just walk - I would be galloping!
At the time, no one wore helmets. I had a 'hunt cap' that I wore to show English in, but it had no substance to it whatsoever. Just a flocked plastic hat. The only instances that I knew of where riders wore real helmets was while racing or at high-level jumping or eventing competitions. Even when I took jumping lessons from a very well-known instructor in our area, there was no request that I wear a helmet. And I definitely had my share of spills, though, remarkably, my worst injury was a cracked shoulder. Others were not so lucky, but still, that didn't send me a message that I should protect my skull while mounted. As a teenager, I became a very confident, experienced rider, which added even more bravado to my attitude. Helmets, when they were eventually introduced to the horse-riding public as daily-use equipment, were for beginners, not for someone who would climb on a gigantic, barely-broke, fire-breathing Saddlebred stallion, "just for fun." I would NEVER have put a helmet on at a show - as it would have felt like the kiss of death, competition-wise. It would have been like carrying a big sign that said, "I can't handle my horse." Or so it seemed to me at the time.
As an adult, I have made my living giving riding lessons, training and showing clients horses, and breeding a few mares. I took some time off from 2005 to 2008 to have my two children, and then began to take on customers again in the latter half of 2008. During the spring of 2009, I took on a 3 yr old Quarter Horse gelding, Harley, who needed some tuning up and retraining. I was riding again, and it felt great, though I can admit that I was rusty from the time off. It was during this time that the actress Natasha Richardson died in a skiing accident, which led to a very important, personal 'aha' moment for me. At this point, I did own a helmet, but it had seen little use; I only wore it if I was riding a horse that was very green or if I was going to trail ride on or near pavement. I was not wearing it while I rode Harley, as I perceived him to be gentle and predictable. After hearing about Natasha's death, I felt like someone had taken me by the collar and shook me. She was on skis - her head was only the length of her body off the ground, and witnesses said she was moving slowly. She basically just lost her balance, and whoopsy-daisy! And while I didn't know her, it isn't hard to imagine that being smart, independent and slightly embarrassed, why she refused any medical help. This is undoubtedly how I would have handled it too - don't fuss over me, I'm fine! But she wasn't.
When I ride, I am further off the ground than my own height, I am at the mercy of physics, and I am moving at speed. A slight misstep, a physical failure on the horse's part, equipment failure, a slip or stumble on bad footing, a sudden spook or a well-timed buck, and the rider becomes a lawn dart. Falling off a galloping horse is much like being hit by a vehicle going anywhere from 15 to 30 mph. Sometimes you are able to fall "well," where your limbs are tucked in and you can roll out of the way. Other times, events happen so quickly, that the rider cannot possibly prepare for it. Usually, you don't get to make a choice of where you are going to land; you might land on hard concrete, or protruding rocks, or you could hit something upright, like a fence, a building, or a tree. Once you are on the ground, you are at risk to be hit by your own horses' hooves, or even by another horse you are riding with. And the brain is a delicate structure - it only takes a small bruise for swelling to occur, and blood to leak, creating pressure against the unyielding skull. Even mild brain injuries can take a long time to come back from; more severe injuries can cause permanent damage, and of course, death.
For years I have required my students to wear helmets, as was required by my liability insurance. And I am constantly trying to improve their balance and technique, so as to avoid falling off, something that riding instructors truly do not like to see their students do. But for some reason, I still believed myself to be invincible. But that changed on March 18, 2009. I had two small children now, and I knew in my heart that NO ONE is indestructible. The sad thought of Natasha Richardson's family mourning her, knowing that if she had only had a helmet on, she would still be with them, changed my mind forever about putting that helmet on. Now I wear it every time I ride, whether it's a young horse, or my one of my old campaigners. My children will grow up wearing them, and will never know the difference. And I have become evangelical about wearing them to 'non-believers'. Personally, I would like to ride my whole life; maybe I'll be able to still be a "daredevil' when I'm 90! A helmet is a little insurance policy that I will be able to do so.
My parents finally relented to my endless begging, and enrolled me in lessons at a local stable. Soon after, they gave in once again, and bought me my first horse, a Half-Arabian, half Paint mare named Cherokee Dawn. That mare was nearly a saint, putting up with all the mistakes a kid can make while learning to ride, along with having flowers and tinsel festooning her bridle, parades, costumes, and showing in every class at a horse show. I loved and trusted her immensely, and to prove this, I would go out into the pasture to get her, get her up against a tree stump to climb on, and then I would ride her around without any equipment of any kind. This might not seem very remarkable, but this was in a huge pasture, with maybe 20 or more horses out there with me. And I wouldn't just walk - I would be galloping!
At the time, no one wore helmets. I had a 'hunt cap' that I wore to show English in, but it had no substance to it whatsoever. Just a flocked plastic hat. The only instances that I knew of where riders wore real helmets was while racing or at high-level jumping or eventing competitions. Even when I took jumping lessons from a very well-known instructor in our area, there was no request that I wear a helmet. And I definitely had my share of spills, though, remarkably, my worst injury was a cracked shoulder. Others were not so lucky, but still, that didn't send me a message that I should protect my skull while mounted. As a teenager, I became a very confident, experienced rider, which added even more bravado to my attitude. Helmets, when they were eventually introduced to the horse-riding public as daily-use equipment, were for beginners, not for someone who would climb on a gigantic, barely-broke, fire-breathing Saddlebred stallion, "just for fun." I would NEVER have put a helmet on at a show - as it would have felt like the kiss of death, competition-wise. It would have been like carrying a big sign that said, "I can't handle my horse." Or so it seemed to me at the time.
As an adult, I have made my living giving riding lessons, training and showing clients horses, and breeding a few mares. I took some time off from 2005 to 2008 to have my two children, and then began to take on customers again in the latter half of 2008. During the spring of 2009, I took on a 3 yr old Quarter Horse gelding, Harley, who needed some tuning up and retraining. I was riding again, and it felt great, though I can admit that I was rusty from the time off. It was during this time that the actress Natasha Richardson died in a skiing accident, which led to a very important, personal 'aha' moment for me. At this point, I did own a helmet, but it had seen little use; I only wore it if I was riding a horse that was very green or if I was going to trail ride on or near pavement. I was not wearing it while I rode Harley, as I perceived him to be gentle and predictable. After hearing about Natasha's death, I felt like someone had taken me by the collar and shook me. She was on skis - her head was only the length of her body off the ground, and witnesses said she was moving slowly. She basically just lost her balance, and whoopsy-daisy! And while I didn't know her, it isn't hard to imagine that being smart, independent and slightly embarrassed, why she refused any medical help. This is undoubtedly how I would have handled it too - don't fuss over me, I'm fine! But she wasn't.
When I ride, I am further off the ground than my own height, I am at the mercy of physics, and I am moving at speed. A slight misstep, a physical failure on the horse's part, equipment failure, a slip or stumble on bad footing, a sudden spook or a well-timed buck, and the rider becomes a lawn dart. Falling off a galloping horse is much like being hit by a vehicle going anywhere from 15 to 30 mph. Sometimes you are able to fall "well," where your limbs are tucked in and you can roll out of the way. Other times, events happen so quickly, that the rider cannot possibly prepare for it. Usually, you don't get to make a choice of where you are going to land; you might land on hard concrete, or protruding rocks, or you could hit something upright, like a fence, a building, or a tree. Once you are on the ground, you are at risk to be hit by your own horses' hooves, or even by another horse you are riding with. And the brain is a delicate structure - it only takes a small bruise for swelling to occur, and blood to leak, creating pressure against the unyielding skull. Even mild brain injuries can take a long time to come back from; more severe injuries can cause permanent damage, and of course, death.
For years I have required my students to wear helmets, as was required by my liability insurance. And I am constantly trying to improve their balance and technique, so as to avoid falling off, something that riding instructors truly do not like to see their students do. But for some reason, I still believed myself to be invincible. But that changed on March 18, 2009. I had two small children now, and I knew in my heart that NO ONE is indestructible. The sad thought of Natasha Richardson's family mourning her, knowing that if she had only had a helmet on, she would still be with them, changed my mind forever about putting that helmet on. Now I wear it every time I ride, whether it's a young horse, or my one of my old campaigners. My children will grow up wearing them, and will never know the difference. And I have become evangelical about wearing them to 'non-believers'. Personally, I would like to ride my whole life; maybe I'll be able to still be a "daredevil' when I'm 90! A helmet is a little insurance policy that I will be able to do so.
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