ONLINE HORSE SOFTWARE

SPONSORS

HORSE VIDEOS

GLOBAL FEDERATIONS

HORSES FOR SALE at Horseville!

Have a
horse website?
Click here
HORSELOGS.COM - Feature Article from Lindsay Grice...
Feature Article from Lindsay Grice, March 2006

Q. I have shown my mare very successfully in Hunter Under Saddle classes and would like to eventually show in pattern classes, showmanship, and possibly trail. The problem is she can be a bit quirky - quick to anticipate, easily surprised by a sudden movement of my leg or hand, even spray bottles or clippers. We've lived with these issues because my mare is such a lovely mover and good at what she does. My instructor says she should just stick to the rail classes. Am I wasting my time?

A. Probably the main question you need to ask yourself is how much time ( or training money) you wish to devote to making your horse into an all around horse. I have trained some horses in my program for years that are now lovely all around horses but started out like the mare you're describing. I have had others with quirks that we just decided to live with because I knew in addressing them I would open up a "can of worms" that the owner did not have the time or funds to deal with. Examples of things I have elected to live with are: not tying up, not jumping, not clipping, not showing in certain environments (ie indoors) or even not showing at all. In these cases the owners decided that they would still be able to enjoy their horses or accomplish their goals without going through the process of training through these problems. I am big on being realistic about these things.

The process we use to accustom a horse to the things that alarm them is commonly called "sacking out" which I define as systematically desensitising a horse to a stimulus by introducing it at a level that causes some stress but withdrawing it before it triggers his flight response. Let's take a closer look at some of these words.

SYSTEMATICALLY. I always start any cue at a level of two on a scale of one to ten. For example, I don't come right at the ear with the clipper but start at the shoulder. I slide my leg back smoothly for a canter transition rather than surprising with a kick.

I use rhythm. I will move the trail gate open and closed only six inches rhythmically beside my horse before I ever ask him to move his feet. I don't change the rhythm until he is absolutely indifferent to it. WITHDRAW. As with all training, make sure you are the one making the decisions, not your horse. I withdraw the clippers before the horse decides to withdraw his head. Doing this requires good timing and the ability to read a horse. In loading a hesitant horse onto the trailer, I will decide to stop before he does. I may even back him up a few times before I ever ask him to put a foot in the trailer. I take my time.

FLIGHT. Horses, being prey rather than predators, have a flight response whereby they leave now and ask questions later! You don't want to trigger this by taking too big a step. A good horse training rule is - never lose. If your horse raises his head out of your reach while you're clipping him and finds there's freedom there, he's going to go there again. If he rears up and pulls away while you're trying to load him, he's likely to try it again. If she kicks out at your leg in a canter transition and your leg comes off, or you allow her to stop while you regain your composure, you've shown your horse an open door.

Don't ask for anything that you may not be able to contain. Be in an enclosed area, for example. Have a strong lead shank, or a long enough longe line or whatever tools you need to be able to get the job done, including a helper if necessary.

Although some horses are more limited in their physical, emotional and mental abilities than others, using a system and enough time, almost every horse will be able to get over the things that alarm them.

Q. How can I have the quiet hands the judges are looking for in equitation classes? Mine bounce around. Are there any exercises you could suggest?

A. More important than the look of still hands is the function of still hands. Your hands communicate slow, turn, collect,etc to your horse. When the horse responds to your request, you deliver a reward, or pause in which your horse finds freedom. So, you see, you're always speaking a clear language of "no" and "yes" to your horse. Unsteady hands are like background noise which drowns out your signal.

Still hands are the result of elastic arms which follow the movement of your horse's head. Also, if your seat is bouncing in the saddle, you won't be able to keep your hands from bouncing, either. The first step is to develop a deep, secure seat in the saddle. Learn to follow the motion of the horse. Try sitting trot without stirrups (no pain, no gain!) and concentrate on not locking up your lower back and hips. Once you've mastered the shock absorbing action of following hips, it's time to work on those elastic arms. Try posting with your fingers touching the mane or the saddle pad (whatever you can reach comfortably) With your hands in one place, you will have to open and close your elbow as you rise up and down. Now raise your hands a bit so they're no longer touching. Can you recreate that feeling of keeping your hands in one place? Do this every time you want to deliver a "yes" to your horse.
Who Is
Lindsay Grice? lgrice.com
Lindsay Grice is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association's Professional Horseman Association and an Equine Canada Certified Level 2 Coach. She teaches horsemanship clinics in the United States and Canada and writes articles for several equine publications. She has made appearances on television and radio, speaking about horse related issues.

Lindsay has often been Ontario's top ranked Jr. Hunter Under Saddle rider, and in recent years has ridden several horses to AQHA's national high point year end status. Lindsay has a reputation for successfully training clients horses for new events - including Western Riding, Horsemanship, Equitation and classes over fences. She strives to create thinking horseman of her students by clearly communicating the how's and why's of riding.