How often have you thought seriously about what trainer would be the very best choice for your horse? If you’re what we call a “recreational rider”, probably not much. Owners who show on most of the competitive breed circuits here in Southern California, however, expend a whole lot of effort into deciding who they want to lead or ride their horses into the show ring each year, and most of the time it pays off handsomely to those who do. My goal this time around is to try to help the average horse owner decide where to go when the time is right for putting a horse in training.
Your primary consideration should include an awful lot of thinking about what you want to do with your horse. If you buy a trail horse that you just want to enjoy going for pleasure rides on, he still needs to be well behaved and must know how to respond to you, his rider. So many riders have come to me complaining, “He only wants to jog on the trail, he won’t relax,” or, “When we turn for home, he just wants to run, what do I do?” What most of them don’t realize is that even a trail horse should have reasonably good rail manners.
The right trainer to school a trail horse will stand apart from most average show horse trainers in that they will have the time to actually get your horse out on the trail to give him some practical experience where he needs it most, plus they also should be capable of teaching the horse how to master the basics of good horse etiquette, such as knowing what correct leads are, what a decent headset is and how to yield to the bit. Too many show horse trainers just don’t have time to take their charges out on the trail, they either have too many horses in training that must be worked each day or they’re too busy going to shows every weekend.
What many people don’t know is that there are a number of good trainers who don’t show and who specialize in trail horses. Not to mention the fact that they sometimes charge considerably less than show trainers! I’m certainly not saying that a show horse trainer wouldn’t be capable of the job, but you’ve got to take the trainer’s schedule into consideration. An awful lot of trainers will accept a horse “in training” simply to fill up their barn, and if the horse isn’t one they consider to be a top contender in their field of specialty, the horse will just stand there. Sometimes even those who place show horses in training run into the problem of a horse who doesn’t get worked very often.
Don’t be afraid to ask any prospective trainers about their accomplishments, and be sure to get some references. Watch the trainer at home and/or at the shows, pay attention to their interaction with the horses and how each horse responds to him. Watch him or her school a variety of horses and talk to as many people as you can. Sometimes if a trainer knows you care about your horse’s education, they’ll put forth more of an effort to educate him. Another good idea is to sign yourself up for riding lessons, either on your own horse or on a lesson horse provided by the trainer. This also lets the trainer know that you want to be the best rider you can be. Even if you’ve been riding since you began walking, there’s always something new you can learn. The best trainers in the world view being involved with horses as one constant, lifelong learning process. If you find a “trainer” who thinks they know it all -- run, don’t walk, in the other direction!
Be wary of training stables that won’t let you drop in unannounced just to visit your horse. Requiring an appointment to see the horse actually worked isn’t too much to ask, as many trainers like to plan their schedules ahead of time, including lessons, shows and other duties. Most of the time there is a reason why the trainer and his/her staff don’t want you to stop by without advance notice -- and those reasons are never justifiable. Another sensible inquiry to make is regarding who will actually be doing the work with your horse. Many large training barns will have an assistant trainer ride or work a lot of the horses, so the head trainer can concentrate on his or her best chances at the winner’s circle for each upcoming show.
It should go without saying that if you are interested in showing you should first decide what discipline or division you want to show in, then research that area of expertise extensively. Then you should seek out the trainer who specializes in your area of interest which best suits your needs and meets your standards. If you want your horse shown at a specific event, you should also clarify in advance exactly who will be showing the horse, since trainers sometimes accept several horses in training for the same divisions or classes, even at the same shows, who then have to get somebody else to exhibit one or more of their entered mounts (this generally only applies to halter or pleasure classes, since horses are shown individually in events like reining, cutting, trail, dressage and hunters/jumpers).
There are many tools to to assist you in making your decision about who you should entrust your horse’s care and training to. Be sure to utilize as many of them as you can!
~SFTS
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Exciting News!!
Short post tonight, because I am just too dead tired to write anything much and it's been a long, hot week already.
But I am so very thrilled that a wonderful former client is coming back into the fold, bringing her multi-National Champion stallion and we are at present planning his return to the show ring, this time under saddle!!
A very dear friend told me about this horse in the Spring of last year and we all, including the broker, spent several months working to bring the deal for my client's acquisition of this incredible horse to fruition.
Many conversations later, almost one year to the day today, he came home to this very special client.
This horse is a two time National Champion with several additional National Top Tens in both the US and Canada in Stallion Halter, and he was pinned Top Five this year at Scottsdale in the Freestyle Liberty class.
More details will be forthcoming soon, but we are just so very excited for what the future holds!!
~SFTS
But I am so very thrilled that a wonderful former client is coming back into the fold, bringing her multi-National Champion stallion and we are at present planning his return to the show ring, this time under saddle!!
A very dear friend told me about this horse in the Spring of last year and we all, including the broker, spent several months working to bring the deal for my client's acquisition of this incredible horse to fruition.
Many conversations later, almost one year to the day today, he came home to this very special client.
This horse is a two time National Champion with several additional National Top Tens in both the US and Canada in Stallion Halter, and he was pinned Top Five this year at Scottsdale in the Freestyle Liberty class.
More details will be forthcoming soon, but we are just so very excited for what the future holds!!
~SFTS
Monday, August 10, 2009
Trail Basics - The Arena And Beyond
Last week we covered trail riding as you would head out on the trail and take a nice trip to the backcountry, if you will...but now let’s explore that other world of ‘Trail’, the horse show world’s obstacle class.
During most shows, within the Western disciplines division is the Trail class. Trail isn’t so much about how beautifully your horse jogs, or how slow his lope is, it’s about how well he can negotiate various obstacles with differing degrees of difficulty. Particularly without clunking said obstacles with his feet or demolishing a multi-faceted obstacle.
The ideal Trail class horse will be a smooth, easy mover and won’t get his feathers ruffled very easily. If he’s careful with his hoof placement, I’m going to pick him as a Trail candidate. Of course, having that nice, slow lope and that pretty, smooth jog doesn’t hurt, either.
Beginning to train a horse to be competitive at Trail starts with having him solid on the rail. It will do no good to try taking a green mount who doesn’t know his leads yet into a Trail class. You’d be doomed to failure.
Once the horse is consistently good at the walk, jog and lope; once he backs quietly and easily; once he’ll respond quickly and softly when asked to halt; I’m going to start gradually adding in things for him to do, culminating in asking for a complete pattern.
My next step is to teach turns on the haunches, turns on the forehand and sidepassing. I have found that it’s generally easier to train a horse how to move his hindquarters while keeping his front in place first, so I’ll start there. This harkens back to making perfectly sure the horse understands completely and totally what it means when I tell him “Whoa!”. At that command, he needs to cease all movement. Immediately. No questions asked. If need be, I’ll reiterate those lessons, or give him a crash course. When I request he move his hip while not moving a forefoot, all I’m going to be asking for at first will be one step. Then two and so on, until I can get him to turn 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 360 degrees.
After the horse has mastered the concept of turning on the forehand, we move on to a pivot on the hind. Using the same method, he’ll be highly praised for moving only his front feet and keeping his rear still. The idea is to plant one hind foot and move around it. I’ll again ask for just one step to begin with, then two, using positive reinforcement and pretty soon he will be giving me a nice pivot. But remember -- this is not a Reining horse class, speed is not necessary! What the judge will be looking for is finesse and precision, not how fast your horse can spin.
When I begin sidepass training, all I’m doing is building on what the horse has already learned, just adding in a few caveats. First I want a step or two with the front, then a step or two with the rear to catch up. If I don’t rush him, shortly I’m going to have a horse who will understand how to sidepass. Eventually I’ll want to teach him how to sidepass over a pole, but that will come later.
In all these exercises, I will essentially be working a balancing act between using my legs, my seat (shifting my hips along with my weight in the saddle) and my hands. Asking the horse in what I term “little baby steps” to slowly perform whatever maneuver I request. Again, there is no need to rush. You gain no points for speed in the Trail class.
Now that I am assured the horse has nice gaits and listens fully to my cues with rein and leg, I can work him on cones (just like those you see on the side of the road during construction projects), walking through, jogging through, loping through, backing around -- serpentines and all sorts of creative combinations, mainly giving him something else to think about.
Once he has these additional components down, I’m going to start him over poles. There is some debate over whether to begin teaching a green youngster to accept walking and jogging, then loping, over poles as a normal part of his daily work routine, but I’m pretty sold. The only problem which arises is if he tends to either be sloppy with his feet and whacks the poles with a hoof, or if he tries to rush over them without paying attention to where he puts his hooves. As I’ve already stated, going too fast, rushing, is neither necessary nor conducive to riding a pretty Trail class pattern.
When I’m focusing on smooth, slow travel over poles, I start out with just one, then two, before asking the horse to negotiate a whole row and will always begin with a walk. I don’t like PVC or any type of plastic, solid wood is best. It doesn’t shatter and will only crack or break when old and rotted after many years of use.
To me, it’s important that I get a really nice ride consistently (there’s that word again!) at the walk over a series of six to eight poles before asking the horse to begin learning how to jog them, again adding in poles until I have a good six, seven, eight. The same goes for the lope, with the difference being I’ll just ask for three or four lopeovers in a row instead. Just remember to adjust and correct the spacing needed based on the gait and stride length of the horse.
If the horse is at the point in his training where he has perfected his rail gaits, his halt, turning on both the fore as well as hind both ways, sidepassing each direction and performing all gaits quietly, smoothly and without fuss over poles, he can just about deal with any Trail class segment. Now it’s time to wrap up his Trail training and put him to the test.
Finally, there will be a process of desensitizing the horse to two basic elements -- walking over or across something and accepting scary noises and/or objects.
The first comes in handy with bridges, tarps, water crossings or tire obstacles, for instance. Let’s take the bridge component of our Trail course. I’ll start by asking for one hoof on the bridge (usually made of wooden planks, but you can improvise by simply using a 4’ x 8’ sheet of thick plywood). If he pulls it away quickly after setting the hoof down on the bridge, that’s okay. He tried. My first goal will be to keep him standing on the bridge until I tell him to step off. After being patient and getting him to set all four feet on it at once, soon he’ll be walking across like it’s no big deal. The same goes for walking over tarps, across water, through old tires -- patience is the best virtue! Especially when it comes to training horses...not unlike dealing with little kids.
Some Trail ‘obstacles’ involve things like sidepassing up to a mailbox and opening it; or picking up a plastic trash bag, burlap sack or bucket full of something scary like aluminum cans. Vary simple to simulate and practice with at home. These things I’ll generally begin with from the ground (in fact, tarps and water crossings can be easily dealt with in the round pen). That way, when the horse decides to bolt over or away from the spooky thing in his way, I can more easily reassure him there’s nothing to fear. Once he’s de-spooked (or ‘sacked-out’ as we used to say) and used to this sort of thing, I’ll start riding him through, over, around and with the things that had frightened him. After I’ve achieved success in that task, he’s almost a finished Trail class horse.
Last, we’ve got to tackle the gate. For many horses, it can be a scary episode, that first time, but it doesn’t need to be. I usually start out by making sure all my horses will allow me to open and close a gate while I’m on their back, I should be able to do so by making it a part of their daily routine when being ridden. Once more, slow baby steps are a must and soon, it’s just no big deal.
Well, there you have it, Trail Class 101. Happy trails!
~SFTS
During most shows, within the Western disciplines division is the Trail class. Trail isn’t so much about how beautifully your horse jogs, or how slow his lope is, it’s about how well he can negotiate various obstacles with differing degrees of difficulty. Particularly without clunking said obstacles with his feet or demolishing a multi-faceted obstacle.
The ideal Trail class horse will be a smooth, easy mover and won’t get his feathers ruffled very easily. If he’s careful with his hoof placement, I’m going to pick him as a Trail candidate. Of course, having that nice, slow lope and that pretty, smooth jog doesn’t hurt, either.
Beginning to train a horse to be competitive at Trail starts with having him solid on the rail. It will do no good to try taking a green mount who doesn’t know his leads yet into a Trail class. You’d be doomed to failure.
Once the horse is consistently good at the walk, jog and lope; once he backs quietly and easily; once he’ll respond quickly and softly when asked to halt; I’m going to start gradually adding in things for him to do, culminating in asking for a complete pattern.
My next step is to teach turns on the haunches, turns on the forehand and sidepassing. I have found that it’s generally easier to train a horse how to move his hindquarters while keeping his front in place first, so I’ll start there. This harkens back to making perfectly sure the horse understands completely and totally what it means when I tell him “Whoa!”. At that command, he needs to cease all movement. Immediately. No questions asked. If need be, I’ll reiterate those lessons, or give him a crash course. When I request he move his hip while not moving a forefoot, all I’m going to be asking for at first will be one step. Then two and so on, until I can get him to turn 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 360 degrees.
After the horse has mastered the concept of turning on the forehand, we move on to a pivot on the hind. Using the same method, he’ll be highly praised for moving only his front feet and keeping his rear still. The idea is to plant one hind foot and move around it. I’ll again ask for just one step to begin with, then two, using positive reinforcement and pretty soon he will be giving me a nice pivot. But remember -- this is not a Reining horse class, speed is not necessary! What the judge will be looking for is finesse and precision, not how fast your horse can spin.
When I begin sidepass training, all I’m doing is building on what the horse has already learned, just adding in a few caveats. First I want a step or two with the front, then a step or two with the rear to catch up. If I don’t rush him, shortly I’m going to have a horse who will understand how to sidepass. Eventually I’ll want to teach him how to sidepass over a pole, but that will come later.
In all these exercises, I will essentially be working a balancing act between using my legs, my seat (shifting my hips along with my weight in the saddle) and my hands. Asking the horse in what I term “little baby steps” to slowly perform whatever maneuver I request. Again, there is no need to rush. You gain no points for speed in the Trail class.
Now that I am assured the horse has nice gaits and listens fully to my cues with rein and leg, I can work him on cones (just like those you see on the side of the road during construction projects), walking through, jogging through, loping through, backing around -- serpentines and all sorts of creative combinations, mainly giving him something else to think about.
Once he has these additional components down, I’m going to start him over poles. There is some debate over whether to begin teaching a green youngster to accept walking and jogging, then loping, over poles as a normal part of his daily work routine, but I’m pretty sold. The only problem which arises is if he tends to either be sloppy with his feet and whacks the poles with a hoof, or if he tries to rush over them without paying attention to where he puts his hooves. As I’ve already stated, going too fast, rushing, is neither necessary nor conducive to riding a pretty Trail class pattern.
When I’m focusing on smooth, slow travel over poles, I start out with just one, then two, before asking the horse to negotiate a whole row and will always begin with a walk. I don’t like PVC or any type of plastic, solid wood is best. It doesn’t shatter and will only crack or break when old and rotted after many years of use.
To me, it’s important that I get a really nice ride consistently (there’s that word again!) at the walk over a series of six to eight poles before asking the horse to begin learning how to jog them, again adding in poles until I have a good six, seven, eight. The same goes for the lope, with the difference being I’ll just ask for three or four lopeovers in a row instead. Just remember to adjust and correct the spacing needed based on the gait and stride length of the horse.
If the horse is at the point in his training where he has perfected his rail gaits, his halt, turning on both the fore as well as hind both ways, sidepassing each direction and performing all gaits quietly, smoothly and without fuss over poles, he can just about deal with any Trail class segment. Now it’s time to wrap up his Trail training and put him to the test.
Finally, there will be a process of desensitizing the horse to two basic elements -- walking over or across something and accepting scary noises and/or objects.
The first comes in handy with bridges, tarps, water crossings or tire obstacles, for instance. Let’s take the bridge component of our Trail course. I’ll start by asking for one hoof on the bridge (usually made of wooden planks, but you can improvise by simply using a 4’ x 8’ sheet of thick plywood). If he pulls it away quickly after setting the hoof down on the bridge, that’s okay. He tried. My first goal will be to keep him standing on the bridge until I tell him to step off. After being patient and getting him to set all four feet on it at once, soon he’ll be walking across like it’s no big deal. The same goes for walking over tarps, across water, through old tires -- patience is the best virtue! Especially when it comes to training horses...not unlike dealing with little kids.
Some Trail ‘obstacles’ involve things like sidepassing up to a mailbox and opening it; or picking up a plastic trash bag, burlap sack or bucket full of something scary like aluminum cans. Vary simple to simulate and practice with at home. These things I’ll generally begin with from the ground (in fact, tarps and water crossings can be easily dealt with in the round pen). That way, when the horse decides to bolt over or away from the spooky thing in his way, I can more easily reassure him there’s nothing to fear. Once he’s de-spooked (or ‘sacked-out’ as we used to say) and used to this sort of thing, I’ll start riding him through, over, around and with the things that had frightened him. After I’ve achieved success in that task, he’s almost a finished Trail class horse.
Last, we’ve got to tackle the gate. For many horses, it can be a scary episode, that first time, but it doesn’t need to be. I usually start out by making sure all my horses will allow me to open and close a gate while I’m on their back, I should be able to do so by making it a part of their daily routine when being ridden. Once more, slow baby steps are a must and soon, it’s just no big deal.
Well, there you have it, Trail Class 101. Happy trails!
~SFTS
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Western Disciplines: Choosing The Right One For YOUR Horse
Since we explored the English world yesterday, we’re going to take on the flip-side at this time. If you’ve decided you would like to start showing your laid back mellow horse and figure his chosen path would probably include a Western saddle, let’s begin exploring the options you face and how to determine if he’s really the right candidate for those Western classes.
There are generally three things a horse under Western tack can do (other than speed events, of course, and those I won’t cover here): Ride the rail in a pleasure class, negotiate trail obstacles or work cattle. Western Riding and Reining are two additional classes, wherein the horse has to have the manners of a pleasure horse while executing a pattern of maneuvers not unlike a Western version of Dressage.
Pretty much all breeds can make good Western horses, depending on their mental attitude. While Paints and Quarter Horses seem tailor made for the discipline, you can find fantastic individuals who are Arabian, Morgan, Saddlebred and even Thoroughbred that have what it takes to excel.
What to look for in a Western pleasure mount is vastly different than a horse you’d like to work cattle on, so let’s start examining what you’ve got. First and foremost, he’ll need to have a calm disposition and prefer to take it easy. You don’t want him too lazy, but a smooth, slow gait is a mandatory requirement. If your horse tends to move easily within a tight frame keeping a cadenced, balanced look, he’ll probably make the ideal Western prospect. You’re not necessarily looking for a vastly different horse than can compete and win as a Hunter, but certain qualities needed for a world beater under English tack may not bode well for your Western horse.
A well shaped neck carried low yet not so the poll drops below the withers topped off with ears set nicely forward to compliment a silver headstall is the perfect place to start. Personally, I like to avoid seeing too straight of a neck and a horse lacking carriage, regardless of the breed, although many stock breed animals are either built or trained to carry themselves this way. He should have a good slope to his shoulder in order to ensure smooth movement, and well defined angles in his pasterns. Short-coupled horses with a relatively level croup and long hips with proper angles are beneficial, and good hocks are a must, preferably ever-so-slightly turned in for superior stopping ability. I generally look for a horse who looks effortless even cantering around in a pasture. He shouldn’t seem to be laboring at all...contrary to the popular belief of some.
For the stock breed enthusiasts, you may well have the opportunity to take that winning HUS mount and do really well in Western pleasure. Likewise with an Arabian Hunter pleasure horse. The key ingredient is a horse who can switch gears and go from being a forward-moving bold English mount to an expressive yet ultimately relaxed Western horse with the ease of a ballet dancer.
When seeking a candidate for the Trail class, you should be looking for a horse similar to one who can be competitive in Western pleasure. One important factor to remember, however, is that he must not be easily ruffled and he’s got to have far more concentration than needed to go down the rail. If you are negotiating a gate obstacle, he must follow the instructions that his rider gives him implicitly and with a great deal of steadiness. You don’t want him running backwards while you’re attempting to close the gate. When you’re jogging or loping over poles on the ground, he can’t be thinking about leaping as far over them as he can, in fear of hitting one with an errant hoof.
He’s got to be solid enough to pay extremely close attention to every cue while working his way through a backing pattern and he’d better be able to handle the extra-ordinary that would spook a lot of horses -- like dragging a sack full of noisy aluminum cans, walking across a plastic tarp covered in water or carrying his rider through a maze of old tires. Something many trainers look for in a horse to compete on in Trail is one who’s very careful in where he places his feet. If he doesn’t like to crack a log with a hoof, as long as he doesn’t take off if he DOES touch one, he more than likely isn’t going to make his rider worry about demolishing the obstacle and will be an excellent Trail class candidate.
For those looking to compete in either Western Riding or Reining, not only do you want a superiorly athletic horse, he must be light on the reins and have the capacity to respond accurately, quickly and without a fuss. Quiet mouthed horses are paramount and you’ve got to be certain he’ll keep his momentum during the entire pattern. If you ask for a change of direction, and along with it a change of lead, your horse had better give it to you immediately. Should you request a change of frame and speed, the reaction had better be precise and smooth. The horse must be able to handle the rigors of many transitions over the course of a pattern while paying strict attention to detail in the cues given him.
On the other hand, you could look into working cattle, and if that’s your destination there are three separate events you can partake in: Cutting, Reined Cow and Working Cow. The goal of a Cutting horse is relatively simple, but the most difficult to pull off a flawless performance. Bring each chosen steer out of the herd and keep them apart for a specified time, while allowing the horse to do his job almost entirely on his own. Some say it’s more like a sixth sense, and it does require a special horse. The Reined cow and Working cow classes also, as evidenced by their very names, involve cattle, but you will have specific maneuvers you will have to execute with the cow you draw to work. For any of these divisions you will need a horse who is neither afraid of the cow or afraid to be aggressive. The level of concentration required for working cattle in any show ring capacity is of utmost consideration and you need to be sure your cow horse prospect is going to give 110% every class, although this should be a standard requirement for ANY show horse.
With the various breeds and classes we’ve addressed above, there is only one real choice for a saddle -- but make sure the configuration of the Western saddle you choose is best for you (and your horse!). Be certain you pick a saddle that conforms to your horse, one that fits him properly, adheres to rule book specifications and has all the requisite fittings, then you’ll do just fine.
Similarly, there is little variance which exists in bridles and bits, other than the preferred length of curb shank and the mouthpieces. As with the English disciplines, however, you need to know what bits are legal and which ones are not. More information on this topic will be available in a future post, which outline various bits and their proper usage. As long as you follow the rules of your chosen breed and division, while finding out what your horse works best in, the bridle he’s wearing will be of little consequence. Good luck!
~ SFTS
There are generally three things a horse under Western tack can do (other than speed events, of course, and those I won’t cover here): Ride the rail in a pleasure class, negotiate trail obstacles or work cattle. Western Riding and Reining are two additional classes, wherein the horse has to have the manners of a pleasure horse while executing a pattern of maneuvers not unlike a Western version of Dressage.
Pretty much all breeds can make good Western horses, depending on their mental attitude. While Paints and Quarter Horses seem tailor made for the discipline, you can find fantastic individuals who are Arabian, Morgan, Saddlebred and even Thoroughbred that have what it takes to excel.
What to look for in a Western pleasure mount is vastly different than a horse you’d like to work cattle on, so let’s start examining what you’ve got. First and foremost, he’ll need to have a calm disposition and prefer to take it easy. You don’t want him too lazy, but a smooth, slow gait is a mandatory requirement. If your horse tends to move easily within a tight frame keeping a cadenced, balanced look, he’ll probably make the ideal Western prospect. You’re not necessarily looking for a vastly different horse than can compete and win as a Hunter, but certain qualities needed for a world beater under English tack may not bode well for your Western horse.
A well shaped neck carried low yet not so the poll drops below the withers topped off with ears set nicely forward to compliment a silver headstall is the perfect place to start. Personally, I like to avoid seeing too straight of a neck and a horse lacking carriage, regardless of the breed, although many stock breed animals are either built or trained to carry themselves this way. He should have a good slope to his shoulder in order to ensure smooth movement, and well defined angles in his pasterns. Short-coupled horses with a relatively level croup and long hips with proper angles are beneficial, and good hocks are a must, preferably ever-so-slightly turned in for superior stopping ability. I generally look for a horse who looks effortless even cantering around in a pasture. He shouldn’t seem to be laboring at all...contrary to the popular belief of some.
For the stock breed enthusiasts, you may well have the opportunity to take that winning HUS mount and do really well in Western pleasure. Likewise with an Arabian Hunter pleasure horse. The key ingredient is a horse who can switch gears and go from being a forward-moving bold English mount to an expressive yet ultimately relaxed Western horse with the ease of a ballet dancer.
When seeking a candidate for the Trail class, you should be looking for a horse similar to one who can be competitive in Western pleasure. One important factor to remember, however, is that he must not be easily ruffled and he’s got to have far more concentration than needed to go down the rail. If you are negotiating a gate obstacle, he must follow the instructions that his rider gives him implicitly and with a great deal of steadiness. You don’t want him running backwards while you’re attempting to close the gate. When you’re jogging or loping over poles on the ground, he can’t be thinking about leaping as far over them as he can, in fear of hitting one with an errant hoof.
He’s got to be solid enough to pay extremely close attention to every cue while working his way through a backing pattern and he’d better be able to handle the extra-ordinary that would spook a lot of horses -- like dragging a sack full of noisy aluminum cans, walking across a plastic tarp covered in water or carrying his rider through a maze of old tires. Something many trainers look for in a horse to compete on in Trail is one who’s very careful in where he places his feet. If he doesn’t like to crack a log with a hoof, as long as he doesn’t take off if he DOES touch one, he more than likely isn’t going to make his rider worry about demolishing the obstacle and will be an excellent Trail class candidate.
For those looking to compete in either Western Riding or Reining, not only do you want a superiorly athletic horse, he must be light on the reins and have the capacity to respond accurately, quickly and without a fuss. Quiet mouthed horses are paramount and you’ve got to be certain he’ll keep his momentum during the entire pattern. If you ask for a change of direction, and along with it a change of lead, your horse had better give it to you immediately. Should you request a change of frame and speed, the reaction had better be precise and smooth. The horse must be able to handle the rigors of many transitions over the course of a pattern while paying strict attention to detail in the cues given him.
On the other hand, you could look into working cattle, and if that’s your destination there are three separate events you can partake in: Cutting, Reined Cow and Working Cow. The goal of a Cutting horse is relatively simple, but the most difficult to pull off a flawless performance. Bring each chosen steer out of the herd and keep them apart for a specified time, while allowing the horse to do his job almost entirely on his own. Some say it’s more like a sixth sense, and it does require a special horse. The Reined cow and Working cow classes also, as evidenced by their very names, involve cattle, but you will have specific maneuvers you will have to execute with the cow you draw to work. For any of these divisions you will need a horse who is neither afraid of the cow or afraid to be aggressive. The level of concentration required for working cattle in any show ring capacity is of utmost consideration and you need to be sure your cow horse prospect is going to give 110% every class, although this should be a standard requirement for ANY show horse.
With the various breeds and classes we’ve addressed above, there is only one real choice for a saddle -- but make sure the configuration of the Western saddle you choose is best for you (and your horse!). Be certain you pick a saddle that conforms to your horse, one that fits him properly, adheres to rule book specifications and has all the requisite fittings, then you’ll do just fine.
Similarly, there is little variance which exists in bridles and bits, other than the preferred length of curb shank and the mouthpieces. As with the English disciplines, however, you need to know what bits are legal and which ones are not. More information on this topic will be available in a future post, which outline various bits and their proper usage. As long as you follow the rules of your chosen breed and division, while finding out what your horse works best in, the bridle he’s wearing will be of little consequence. Good luck!
~ SFTS
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The English Disciplines: Choosing The Right One For YOUR Horse
This is another older article, from quite a number of years back that I've brought out and dusted off for my readership here. Lots of pertinent good info, so enjoy. I'm posting the Western version tomorrow:
So you’ve got a new horse and all your friends have suggested that he “looks like an English horse”, now you want to compete on him. How do you know if your horse will make an acceptable English candidate or which division you should show him in?
If he’s a Quarter Horse or Paint horse, the answer is fairly simple -- but you’re going to want to make sure he’s suited conformationally, athletically and mentally to do well. When seeking a Hunter Under Saddle prospect in the stock breeds, trainers and exhibitors look for tall, long legged, long strided and low, long necked horses who fit the image of English. That more narrow and less stocky Thoroughbred-like look is very popular in the HUS arena. Traditional foundation-bred Quarter Horses can do fine under English tack, but they don’t often have the World-winning form or give the impression that they are made for the task.
You want to start with a horse who possesses a long well angulated shoulder and a neck that ties into the chest deeply, while allowing for ample natural carriage. He should be a fluid, free moving horse with a ground covering stride and good impulsion from his hindquarters who moves forward with confidence. Desired movement can be somewhat round and have just a hint of arrogance: He should be authoritative traveling around the ring! With these mental pictures created, you should be able to ascertain if you have a good HUS prospect.
When you have an Arabian or a Morgan, you have the choice of a myriad of English classes, but what you’ll be looking for in the ideal prospect isn’t much different. Under Hunter tack, you can compete in Hunter pleasure or venture into the Sport Horse Under Saddle classes. These horses must retain much the same frame and many similar qualities as the stock breed animals do, though a more arched neck and a lot more forward impulsion is a must in today’s show ring. Many winning Hunter horses these days also have higher, more round action than in the past and than their Quarter Horse counterparts do. The exception is the SHUS, as these judges are looking for more of an Open Hunter-type mover unless the horse is shown under Dressage appointments.
Depending on how your horse carries himself and on his motion, you have numerous Saddleseat options with these breeds as well. Country English pleasure horses are flat saddle mounts with good manners, a pleasant expression in the bridle and who have the appearance of being a good Saddleseat horse while not trotting over the moon. English pleasure animals are more animated and not as relaxed, higher stepping and ground covering with good speed while maintaining balance. There is also the Park division, which is for the ultimate athletes in Arabian and Morgan Saddleseat endeavors. They’re the fancy, brilliant high stepping horses shown in formal attire, the stars of the show.
For the ideal Saddleseat mount, you will want a horse who has low set hocks and carries them well under himself, has a compact back and powerful quarter to sit back and drive off and a good free shoulder. His neck should set high on that shoulder and he should possess a well hinged poll for easier bridling. He should also be able to be comfortable maintaining the necessary frame and level of collection desired in these divisions for long periods of time. If a horse isn’t built that way and you force him to carry himself, you’ll have an unhappy mount who is in pain, and you most certainly won’t be winning any classes.
Something that’s also fun about riding Saddleseat is that you have so many options in clothing. Unlike Hunters, where tradition reigns supreme and subdued, conservative colors are mandatory (ok, maybe not in all breeds...but I’m a traditionalist when it comes to attire), in the Saddleseat ranks you can be a little daring. Staples like your base suit should be a dark color, such as navy, but you can accent with light shirts, wild colored or patterned “day coats” and bright ties. For chestnut horses, I also like an understated beige with creme accents...but I've covered show ring attire more in depth earlier, and that's a topic I have been asked via email to delve into in even more detail.
My favorite Arabian-division class is the Show Hack event. The perfect show hack horse will be built similarly to a Country pleasure horse, without quite as much elevation as is necessary in English pleasure. Now split into English Show Hack and Sport Horse Show Hack, it’s the ultimate place to showcase the best trained horses in the breed. Exhibited mostly under Dressage tack (And in formal Dressage attire - shadbelly coat with tails, white breeches and a top hat - for the English version), the horses competing in this class are basically judged on the rail using the collection and extension principles of Dressage.
When showing in Morgan circles, you have the option of a Classic Pleasure class, too -- which is similar to AHA’s Country English pleasure section though an Amateur only division -- and Road Hack, similar to Show Hack, as some other breeds do. Conformation to look for will be nearly identical to that sought with an Arabian in the same divisions. The American Saddlebred on the other hand, and in part the National Show Horse (an Arabian/Saddlebred cross), have a somewhat different structure of classes, with Pleasure, Three Gaited and Five Gaited events to choose from. A Three Gaited class is what’s now referred to as Park in the Arabian breed, for the extreme high steppers. Five Gaited horses are equally as animated but also add in another dimension, called racking, both fast and slow, in addition to your typical walk, trot and canter. Conformationally speaking, you will likewise seek a high neck set, a deep, well laid back shoulder, a long nicely angulated hip with hocks set down for drive and a brightness in the bridle. In recent years there have been Hunter classes added to the Saddlebred and NSH roster as well and Show Hack is also offered for the NSH's, but you’ll find them looking vastly different from the Hunters you see in most other breeds, with no long, low daisy cutters in sight.
In the Appaloosa, Palomino and Pinto breeds, because they are based on coat colors or patterns as opposed to being dependent entirely on bloodlines, your options are either Hunter-seat or Saddleseat too, depending on what those bloodlines tell you. There are many pinto National Show Horses, and they, along with the Spotted Saddle Horses (basically a cross between ASB’s and TWH’s with pinto coat patterns) are mostly Saddleseat-type mounts in the show ring. Of course, you’ll have more than a few choices of Hunter-type overos, toveros or tobianos. If your preference is a dilute, you can find Palomino horses ranging from the Hunt seat style QH’s to the Golden Saddlebred, with a variety of animals to choose from in between. I have also seen a wide choice of Appaloosa’s, too, including a breathtaking chestnut Half-Saddlebred ridden Saddleseat style who had a lovely snowflake blanket and was highly competitive at ApHC shows.
I cannot stress enough that if a horse fits the conformational description of a division, he’s more than likely going to excel in that division. Just as a horse who doesn’t look the part is almost guaranteed failure.
There are some English divisions and events, however, which aren’t limited by the breed of horses allowed to compete. Open Hunter and Jumper circuits, as well as USDF sanctioned Dressage, offer all breeds a chance to participate against each other. While you can find Dressage and over fences classes at Arabian and other breed shows, it’s only in the Open ranks that you can truly find out if your horse can hold his own competing alongside the best of the best.
Ideal Dressage horses pretty much all need the same basic ingredients: A well set on neck, neither too high nor too low, a good shoulder angle which allows for freedom of movement, a short, strong back (particularly in relation to the size of the horse) and a slight slope to the croup with excellent gaskins and hocks for the necessary power. The only difference is when you get into the upper levels, which require a more “perfect” specimen. The physical ability to elevate, collect and extend with ease and a long, cadenced stride are imperative, no matter which level you’re looking to advance to. Frankly, all horses could benefit greatly from a little bit of Dressage foundation, from Standardbreds to Tennessee Walkers to Andalusians, but that does not mean all horses can be Grand Prix winners.
Some folks also don’t understand that there is a difference, at events which showcase over fences classes, between “Hunters” and “Jumpers”. A true Hunter will be judged on style, form and presence, while the sole quality Jumpers need to possess is the ability to quickly get around their course without refusing to take a fence, knocking down or otherwise disturbing a component of a jump. If your horse can win in a competitive flat Hunter class yet has dexterity, concentration and isn’t overly clumsy, he might just make a great Hunter over fences. In the event he’s simply got the ability to clear anything you point him at regardless of how he looks doing it, you may have a super Jumper candidate.
Even as the Open H/J and Dressage shows have become more popular in recent times for Arabians, Morgans and Quarter Horses -- among others -- the Thoroughbred and various Warmblood breeds still set the standards in those venues.
Now, with all the above breeds, divisions and classes we’ve tackled (no pun intended!) above, there are three basic distinct and very different types of saddles: Hunt seat, also known as forward seat; Saddleseat, also known as a flat saddle or cutback; and Dressage. The widest variation comes in Hunt seat saddles, which range from an all-purpose close contact you would expect to see in HUS or Hunter pleasure classes, to the deep seated jumping saddles where you’ve got deep knee rolls and an even deeper seat to help you stay in the saddle taking a fence. There are some English flat saddles better suited to keeping an equitation rider’s seat and legs in the proper place, while others offer a better position for purportedly getting more motion out of your horse by setting you further back on his loin (although I’m certainly not fond of this trend). Whichever saddle you choose for the class or division you ultimately pick for your horse, as long as it fits him properly and adheres to rule book specifications, you will be fine.
The same situation exists in bridles and bits, as many Hunter pleasure and Hunter under saddle horses wear kimberwickes, which are illegal in some other divisions such as the Arabian sport horse classes and Dressage. Open H/J exhibitors and judges tend to frown on them, as well, regardless of how popular they are with some trainers. Snaffles are the all-around most popular choice for the widest variety of English-type events, but both the majority of Saddleseat mounts as well as upper level Dressage horses are shown in a Weymouth, or full (sometimes called the double) bridle. More information on this topic will be included in future installments of Laying The Foundation, which will outline various bits and their proper usage. Just make sure you read those rulebooks and understand exactly what you need!
~SFTS
So you’ve got a new horse and all your friends have suggested that he “looks like an English horse”, now you want to compete on him. How do you know if your horse will make an acceptable English candidate or which division you should show him in?
If he’s a Quarter Horse or Paint horse, the answer is fairly simple -- but you’re going to want to make sure he’s suited conformationally, athletically and mentally to do well. When seeking a Hunter Under Saddle prospect in the stock breeds, trainers and exhibitors look for tall, long legged, long strided and low, long necked horses who fit the image of English. That more narrow and less stocky Thoroughbred-like look is very popular in the HUS arena. Traditional foundation-bred Quarter Horses can do fine under English tack, but they don’t often have the World-winning form or give the impression that they are made for the task.
You want to start with a horse who possesses a long well angulated shoulder and a neck that ties into the chest deeply, while allowing for ample natural carriage. He should be a fluid, free moving horse with a ground covering stride and good impulsion from his hindquarters who moves forward with confidence. Desired movement can be somewhat round and have just a hint of arrogance: He should be authoritative traveling around the ring! With these mental pictures created, you should be able to ascertain if you have a good HUS prospect.
When you have an Arabian or a Morgan, you have the choice of a myriad of English classes, but what you’ll be looking for in the ideal prospect isn’t much different. Under Hunter tack, you can compete in Hunter pleasure or venture into the Sport Horse Under Saddle classes. These horses must retain much the same frame and many similar qualities as the stock breed animals do, though a more arched neck and a lot more forward impulsion is a must in today’s show ring. Many winning Hunter horses these days also have higher, more round action than in the past and than their Quarter Horse counterparts do. The exception is the SHUS, as these judges are looking for more of an Open Hunter-type mover unless the horse is shown under Dressage appointments.
Depending on how your horse carries himself and on his motion, you have numerous Saddleseat options with these breeds as well. Country English pleasure horses are flat saddle mounts with good manners, a pleasant expression in the bridle and who have the appearance of being a good Saddleseat horse while not trotting over the moon. English pleasure animals are more animated and not as relaxed, higher stepping and ground covering with good speed while maintaining balance. There is also the Park division, which is for the ultimate athletes in Arabian and Morgan Saddleseat endeavors. They’re the fancy, brilliant high stepping horses shown in formal attire, the stars of the show.
For the ideal Saddleseat mount, you will want a horse who has low set hocks and carries them well under himself, has a compact back and powerful quarter to sit back and drive off and a good free shoulder. His neck should set high on that shoulder and he should possess a well hinged poll for easier bridling. He should also be able to be comfortable maintaining the necessary frame and level of collection desired in these divisions for long periods of time. If a horse isn’t built that way and you force him to carry himself, you’ll have an unhappy mount who is in pain, and you most certainly won’t be winning any classes.
Something that’s also fun about riding Saddleseat is that you have so many options in clothing. Unlike Hunters, where tradition reigns supreme and subdued, conservative colors are mandatory (ok, maybe not in all breeds...but I’m a traditionalist when it comes to attire), in the Saddleseat ranks you can be a little daring. Staples like your base suit should be a dark color, such as navy, but you can accent with light shirts, wild colored or patterned “day coats” and bright ties. For chestnut horses, I also like an understated beige with creme accents...but I've covered show ring attire more in depth earlier, and that's a topic I have been asked via email to delve into in even more detail.
My favorite Arabian-division class is the Show Hack event. The perfect show hack horse will be built similarly to a Country pleasure horse, without quite as much elevation as is necessary in English pleasure. Now split into English Show Hack and Sport Horse Show Hack, it’s the ultimate place to showcase the best trained horses in the breed. Exhibited mostly under Dressage tack (And in formal Dressage attire - shadbelly coat with tails, white breeches and a top hat - for the English version), the horses competing in this class are basically judged on the rail using the collection and extension principles of Dressage.
When showing in Morgan circles, you have the option of a Classic Pleasure class, too -- which is similar to AHA’s Country English pleasure section though an Amateur only division -- and Road Hack, similar to Show Hack, as some other breeds do. Conformation to look for will be nearly identical to that sought with an Arabian in the same divisions. The American Saddlebred on the other hand, and in part the National Show Horse (an Arabian/Saddlebred cross), have a somewhat different structure of classes, with Pleasure, Three Gaited and Five Gaited events to choose from. A Three Gaited class is what’s now referred to as Park in the Arabian breed, for the extreme high steppers. Five Gaited horses are equally as animated but also add in another dimension, called racking, both fast and slow, in addition to your typical walk, trot and canter. Conformationally speaking, you will likewise seek a high neck set, a deep, well laid back shoulder, a long nicely angulated hip with hocks set down for drive and a brightness in the bridle. In recent years there have been Hunter classes added to the Saddlebred and NSH roster as well and Show Hack is also offered for the NSH's, but you’ll find them looking vastly different from the Hunters you see in most other breeds, with no long, low daisy cutters in sight.
In the Appaloosa, Palomino and Pinto breeds, because they are based on coat colors or patterns as opposed to being dependent entirely on bloodlines, your options are either Hunter-seat or Saddleseat too, depending on what those bloodlines tell you. There are many pinto National Show Horses, and they, along with the Spotted Saddle Horses (basically a cross between ASB’s and TWH’s with pinto coat patterns) are mostly Saddleseat-type mounts in the show ring. Of course, you’ll have more than a few choices of Hunter-type overos, toveros or tobianos. If your preference is a dilute, you can find Palomino horses ranging from the Hunt seat style QH’s to the Golden Saddlebred, with a variety of animals to choose from in between. I have also seen a wide choice of Appaloosa’s, too, including a breathtaking chestnut Half-Saddlebred ridden Saddleseat style who had a lovely snowflake blanket and was highly competitive at ApHC shows.
I cannot stress enough that if a horse fits the conformational description of a division, he’s more than likely going to excel in that division. Just as a horse who doesn’t look the part is almost guaranteed failure.
There are some English divisions and events, however, which aren’t limited by the breed of horses allowed to compete. Open Hunter and Jumper circuits, as well as USDF sanctioned Dressage, offer all breeds a chance to participate against each other. While you can find Dressage and over fences classes at Arabian and other breed shows, it’s only in the Open ranks that you can truly find out if your horse can hold his own competing alongside the best of the best.
Ideal Dressage horses pretty much all need the same basic ingredients: A well set on neck, neither too high nor too low, a good shoulder angle which allows for freedom of movement, a short, strong back (particularly in relation to the size of the horse) and a slight slope to the croup with excellent gaskins and hocks for the necessary power. The only difference is when you get into the upper levels, which require a more “perfect” specimen. The physical ability to elevate, collect and extend with ease and a long, cadenced stride are imperative, no matter which level you’re looking to advance to. Frankly, all horses could benefit greatly from a little bit of Dressage foundation, from Standardbreds to Tennessee Walkers to Andalusians, but that does not mean all horses can be Grand Prix winners.
Some folks also don’t understand that there is a difference, at events which showcase over fences classes, between “Hunters” and “Jumpers”. A true Hunter will be judged on style, form and presence, while the sole quality Jumpers need to possess is the ability to quickly get around their course without refusing to take a fence, knocking down or otherwise disturbing a component of a jump. If your horse can win in a competitive flat Hunter class yet has dexterity, concentration and isn’t overly clumsy, he might just make a great Hunter over fences. In the event he’s simply got the ability to clear anything you point him at regardless of how he looks doing it, you may have a super Jumper candidate.
Even as the Open H/J and Dressage shows have become more popular in recent times for Arabians, Morgans and Quarter Horses -- among others -- the Thoroughbred and various Warmblood breeds still set the standards in those venues.
Now, with all the above breeds, divisions and classes we’ve tackled (no pun intended!) above, there are three basic distinct and very different types of saddles: Hunt seat, also known as forward seat; Saddleseat, also known as a flat saddle or cutback; and Dressage. The widest variation comes in Hunt seat saddles, which range from an all-purpose close contact you would expect to see in HUS or Hunter pleasure classes, to the deep seated jumping saddles where you’ve got deep knee rolls and an even deeper seat to help you stay in the saddle taking a fence. There are some English flat saddles better suited to keeping an equitation rider’s seat and legs in the proper place, while others offer a better position for purportedly getting more motion out of your horse by setting you further back on his loin (although I’m certainly not fond of this trend). Whichever saddle you choose for the class or division you ultimately pick for your horse, as long as it fits him properly and adheres to rule book specifications, you will be fine.
The same situation exists in bridles and bits, as many Hunter pleasure and Hunter under saddle horses wear kimberwickes, which are illegal in some other divisions such as the Arabian sport horse classes and Dressage. Open H/J exhibitors and judges tend to frown on them, as well, regardless of how popular they are with some trainers. Snaffles are the all-around most popular choice for the widest variety of English-type events, but both the majority of Saddleseat mounts as well as upper level Dressage horses are shown in a Weymouth, or full (sometimes called the double) bridle. More information on this topic will be included in future installments of Laying The Foundation, which will outline various bits and their proper usage. Just make sure you read those rulebooks and understand exactly what you need!
~SFTS
Catching Up...Again (Post for Friday August 7)
I really have to learn how to set up this blog for automatic posting on certain really busy days, because I am finding myself more often not being awake enough come evenings to put up an intended post!
Anyhow, all I really wanted to do for my Fabulous Friday (cute, isn't it?) post was give thanks to the folks who support local equestrian activities.
Here in our area, we only have three local horse associations dedicated generally to horses and that host shows, with just one other over on the Los Angeles County side. There are four others which host barrel races and gymkhanas, but are not all 'rounders...and then we have a few local 4-H clubs, though only one of those is dedicated to showing horses and training as opposed to gaming. Now before anyone says it, there is nothing wrong with clubs being dedicated to gaming! :-D It just isn't our thing.
We are so blessed that overall we've got such a great horse community, with caring people who want to make the future better for the horses and their owners. Maintaining trails and trail access, having facilities available for shows, being active politically in the community in order to preserve the rights of horse owners are all so important.
So my wish for the weekend is that all of you go out and get involved in your own community. Volunteer, lend a hand, do your part and help safeguard what's precious to all horse owners.
~SFTS
Anyhow, all I really wanted to do for my Fabulous Friday (cute, isn't it?) post was give thanks to the folks who support local equestrian activities.
Here in our area, we only have three local horse associations dedicated generally to horses and that host shows, with just one other over on the Los Angeles County side. There are four others which host barrel races and gymkhanas, but are not all 'rounders...and then we have a few local 4-H clubs, though only one of those is dedicated to showing horses and training as opposed to gaming. Now before anyone says it, there is nothing wrong with clubs being dedicated to gaming! :-D It just isn't our thing.
We are so blessed that overall we've got such a great horse community, with caring people who want to make the future better for the horses and their owners. Maintaining trails and trail access, having facilities available for shows, being active politically in the community in order to preserve the rights of horse owners are all so important.
So my wish for the weekend is that all of you go out and get involved in your own community. Volunteer, lend a hand, do your part and help safeguard what's precious to all horse owners.
~SFTS
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Demystifying Longlines & The Bitting Rig
Recently I have been asked quite a number of times and have received a good number of emails asking me to elaborate on bitting and ground driving horses in preparation for ridden work, so here we go.
Many novice horse owners or handlers are worried they cannot possibly ‘line drive’ a horse, because of all the possibilities for wrecks. But really, if we’re that worried about a bad wreck occurring, what do we own a horse for? Simple steps to feeling secure about safety are essential. We all can do this if we put our mind to it and pay attention to what’s going on around us. Now let’s get started.
Once a horse is in his third or fourth year, it’s time to progress to further training and get him prepared to be saddled and ridden. To simplify the process and ensure the safety of both horse and rider, I’ll introduce certain components of tack I’m going to expect the horse to wear once he’s being ridden, and certain concepts he will need to understand in order to be ridden safely. Later on, the task of starting a young horse under saddle will be covered -- but for the purposes of this topic, let’s assume he has been accustomed to what he’s supposed to wear.
For older, already trained horses I will utilize ground driving or longlining to give them a tuneup, too. Remember, some things (like snaffle bits!) aren’t always only for the babies in our barns. The term ‘ground driving’ was given to this process because we’re doing just that ... driving the horse while standing on the ground rather than having him hitched to a cart.
First, we need to know and understand what type of equipment is necessary to bit or longline a horse. Obviously a good fitting bridle. The basic bridle will consist of the headstall, cavesson, snaffle bit and sidereins. I prefer soft leather and for my purposes (which I’ll describe a little bit later) I want the headstall fitted with sidecheck rings. Cavessons are generally rather similar, I just want one that fits the horse well, doesn’t rub on his cheekbones and has a noseband that’s not too big around. In choosing a bit, my first picks are going to be either a smooth, solid Dee-Ring for starting youngsters, a smooth, thick Eggbutt or full cheek for my Hunter and Western horses and a smooth half-cheek for my flat saddle English horses. I prefer an inlaid copper or sweet iron mouthpiece, as do most of my horses, for keeping their mouths soft and responsive. There are many variations, but these are my staples. Last, for the sidereins I do not want elastic parts or those rubber ‘donuts’, but rather simple leather reins with decent snaps at each end.
A properly fitted martingale (the type I prefer is called an Arabian training running martingale by some vendors -- I don’t like ‘training forks’, a standing martingale-type contraption, nor do I want the rings placed where it will pull the horse’s head down while in use) is a must, as is a good quality surcingle made of leather or webbing, with a variety of rings at different places along each side. Under the surcingle I’ll use either a leg wrapping quilt [ideal] or just a regular smaller sized saddle pad. Along with that surcingle, I’m going to want to be sure I keep the crupper strap and the crupper itself soft and in good repair, since I don’t want anything that goes under his tail to chafe or bother him.
For some show horses, I will use what’s called a sidecheck or an overcheck. These devices can be helpful in both preventing a horse from dropping his head too low, or keeping him from getting behind the bit.
Now that we’ve covered what we need in the way of special tack and we have a horse who already knows how to wear his leather, it’s time to cover the safety factor. Just as with longeing a horse and riding one, the last thing we need to happen is to become entangled or stuck in something attached securely to the horse. Longlining is a prime opportunity for the handler who isn’t quick with their hands and/or their feet to become caught up in the lines and that can be deadly. Be prepared for anything and always be cognizant of where your lines are.
If the horse is already used to being saddled, then it’s generally no sweat to fit him with a surcingle. Basically, it’s going to feel the same as a normal cinch or girth. What won’t feel right is the crupper. With most horses, I’ll take them into the round pen before placing that ‘horrible thing’ (in the horse’s mind, at least!) under the tail. Some horses have no issue with it. Others almost immediately start kicking out or bucking. This is why my preference is to either have someone hold the horse, or at least to run a long lead rope or soft cotton longeline around one of the pen’s support poles, still holding onto it while securing the crupper in place. I’m not keen on actually tying him yet, because that could put me in more danger should he try to bolt off or kick. Having the ability to snub his nose tighter if he fidgets or wants to leave and using the rope or line to push him over toward the fence, I’m going to be far more safe. Also vitally important to remember is to ALWAYS buckle the crupper on the opposite side from that which you are on, pulling it under the tail and away from you.
A side note about cruppers and why we use them in driving and longlining horses ~ simply put, so that we do not pull the surcingle too far forward on the horse's withers and cause him discomfort or pain.
What is the purpose of bitting up a horse and longlining a horse? While each has it’s own actual purpose, my reasons for using each are unique to the situation and the horse. With a youngster I’m getting ready to train under saddle, it’s a must so that the horse understands what the girth feels like, what it’s like to carry a bit and how to respond to the reins. For a horse who hasn’t grasped the concept of yielding, giving to the bit or any sort of lateral flexion, I want him to learn that he can seek and get relief from the pressure on his mouth. Instead of a rider’s hand releasing the pressure, he will find that relief on his own, by bringing his face toward where I want him to be.
The process of bitting also can be useful in helping to build the horse’s neck muscles in the proper way and teach him to keep his neck in the proper place. A properly bitted horse will be neither too tight or too long, although I will start with a fair length of side rein with an inexperienced horse, gradually tightening until he’s at the desired headset. This should occur over several days, not immediately.
Bitting up a horse is fairly simple, but to do so without hurting the horse or unnecessarily stressing him can be a challenge. I prefer not to leave a horse bitted up in his stall -- i.e., where he lives -- but will do so in the round pen, as long as he keeps moving for the most part. What I don’t want to teach him is how to lean on the reins. If he’s moving and he feels the resistance and pressure of the side reins, he will be far more likely not to lean on them, as long as he’s not left bitted for too long, if he’s not being ridden or driven yet.
Bitting while longeing, on the other hand, not only teaches the horse how to carry himself properly at the requisite gaits (walk, trot/jog and canter/lope), but gives him a goal to work toward without learning to lean on my hands - he must keep himself together while propelling forward and without being allowed to stop when he wants to, as he can while simply bitted up. For the beginning of this exercise, I’ll usually let the horse canter without the reins being attached at first, to get some of the ‘go’ out of him, then slowly start tightening the reins until he’s where I want him. But while that shortening of rein is spread out over quite a few sessions (as described above) for first teaching the green horse, with a horse in training who’s used to being schooled, this is simply accomplished over the span of a mere 10-20 minutes or so, or as a precursor to either longlining or riding.
I personally try to avoid using the bitting rig itself to do most of my training. It’s more a tool of reinforcement and allows the horse to learn proper self carriage, rather than teaching him how to perform his chosen job, as will the longlines. But it is necessary.
By the time we progress to working in the longlines (‘ground driving’), the goal changes somewhat. Meaning, our goal in bitting is as described above - self carriage. Now the goal will be to learn how to apply that self-carriage. Read on.
Since I’ve done my homework, the horse knows how to yield to the bit and will give to pressure on the reins. While I can bend him to one side or the other while bitting up to help with suppling exercises and getting him to flex, I would rather do so at the start with the horse in longlines. That way, I will be able to give him more release from the pressure on his face when he responds correctly.
Something I will take into consideration at the outset, however, is how sensitive the horse will be to the lines themselves. At some point, they will come into contact with his croup, buttock, flanks and/or hocks. Does he or will he spook when they touch him? Will he bolt to get away from them or try to kick at them? If the answer to any of these (or a myriad of others) questions is “Yes”, I’ll need to desensitize the horse to the lines first, before I ask for much work.
When the horse is ready to begin his real work in earnest, after he’s groomed and tacked with the basics, I first free longe him (meaning having him not attached from the bit to the bitting harness whatsoever, and not working him without a longeline) a little bit to take the edge off, then I’ll lightly longe him, softly bitted, while he loosens up and tests his boundaries. By ‘softly’, I mean so he barely comes into contact with the bit.
At that point, he’s probably ready to hitch, or hook, which, in terms of ground driving (versus having him pull a cart), simply means attaching the lines to him via the bit and running them through the surcingle.
Now, where I go from here depends on a couple of factors. First, where is he at in his training? Which stage of development? Then, what is his ultimate job going to be? Once I’ve answered these questions, I will have determined how I need to proceed.
If the horse is a youngster just learning, our lessons will be basic: go forward, stop, walk, trot, canter, turn to go right, turn to go left (always turning him into the rail away from the center as opposed to turning him toward me -- for safety purposes -- so that the horse does not get tangled up in the lines), along with a little bit of flexing down and to the inside, which builds on what he’s learned while bitted up.
I start ALL my horses in lines the same way, regardless of whether he’s going to be a trail horse, a Dressage horse, a Park horse, a Reiner, a Western Pleasure horse, a Jumper...you get the picture. There is never any substitute for a good foundation, no matter the horse’s lot in life.
For horses intended to live out their days as pleasure riding trail buddies, these basics will be enough in lines, then he’ll start on the next step to go onto the next level of training under saddle. But I want the basics mastered.
Only after I’ve had a chance to watch a horse with show performance potential (a prospect who, it’s been decided, will eventually be a show horse) will I decide how to move on after he’s nailed those basics.
With my western and hunter mounts, I want them learning how to carry themselves relatively low, with long reaching strides, plenty of impulsion and a soft, quiet attitude. This goes for horses who’ll move on to any number of areas of expertise: jumping, reining, working cattle, or simply pleasure classes on the rail.
How I accomplish this will entail using a draw rein attachment run through pulleys, connected to snaps which are hooked to the bit and run back to a low point on the surcingle. It’s really not as complicated as it sounds! My goal here is to allow the horse to drop his head (or, in the beginning, at least to encourage him to do so), bending from the shoulder/withers and lengthen his frame.
But, you may ask, how does this lead to a horse who works back off his haunches, such as is necessary for a Reiner...or that ultra slow Western Pleasure lope? Well, it doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a rather long process which involves a gentle nudge toward a horse’s inclination to be lazy and just be himself. In other words, I’ll encourage a Reining prospect, for instance, to play up his athletic qualities and fun-loving attitude by asking him to push against [toward] the rail in a series of rollbacks, thereby teaching him how to roll over his hindquarters without my ever yet having been in the saddle. For a Western Pleasure horse, I’ll increase the bump on his mouth in order to get his attention, then gradually decrease the length of rail I’m letting him jog (then lope) down before asking for that rollback. Train in increments, ask for things slowly. That builds your foundation.
To start a flat-saddle English-type horse or a Dressage mount, I’m going to want him to learn how to set and bridle higher, as well as teaching him to give more flex, or hinge, at the poll. Let me stop here for a moment. Naturally, and this should go without saying, each horse MUST be conformationally correct for the job he’s intended to perform. Only then can the animal be physically comfortable with what I’m asking of him. A horse can have a phenomenal trot, yet be disinclined to give it to you when you ask for it. Such a horse will never make a good Saddleseat or Dressage candidate!
Remember -- training must be goal-oriented. Going back to how I’ll accomplish my goal of training a horse to carry himself more elevated, the draw rein pulley attachment described above will be snapped at a much higher level on the surcingle than would be normal for a western or hunter-type horse. Why is this important? Because I want to give him the opportunity to carry himself higher. It’s for this reason I’m also going to use either a sidecheck or an overcheck, mentioned earlier.
Which I choose for a specific horse depends largely on how badly he wants to fight against being bitted higher. Again, let’s stop for a moment and consider a few things. I never, ever will even attempt to ‘crank up’ a horse’s head without building them up to it slowly first. Do you recall the tale of Black Beauty? How, upon seeing his soon-to-be-friend Ginger for the first time, the reaction to what Beauty termed the “check rein”? The horrid thing which held Ginger’s head up in the air ‘unnaturally’ and was just dreadful? That’s how some horses will initially approach getting used to the sidecheck or overcheck.
With that in mind, taking the attitude and abilities of most English or Dressage horses, I’d rather opt for a sidecheck. If I encounter resistance, I’ll put him in an overcheck. But horses have to be taught how to carry themselves higher, in small increments, even if they’re naturally higher-headed animals. How to teach this? Foremost, start with a horse who has the physical qualities seen in the best English-type horses. Then take it slowly and work toward your goal without rushing the horse and making him resentful of his training.
Keeping all these things in mind, you, too, can transform your prospect into a winner. Or at least get him well on his way before sending him out for training! Just be sure you take all the steps and don’t skip the small stuff, because that’s where holes will show up.
~SFTS
Many novice horse owners or handlers are worried they cannot possibly ‘line drive’ a horse, because of all the possibilities for wrecks. But really, if we’re that worried about a bad wreck occurring, what do we own a horse for? Simple steps to feeling secure about safety are essential. We all can do this if we put our mind to it and pay attention to what’s going on around us. Now let’s get started.
Once a horse is in his third or fourth year, it’s time to progress to further training and get him prepared to be saddled and ridden. To simplify the process and ensure the safety of both horse and rider, I’ll introduce certain components of tack I’m going to expect the horse to wear once he’s being ridden, and certain concepts he will need to understand in order to be ridden safely. Later on, the task of starting a young horse under saddle will be covered -- but for the purposes of this topic, let’s assume he has been accustomed to what he’s supposed to wear.
For older, already trained horses I will utilize ground driving or longlining to give them a tuneup, too. Remember, some things (like snaffle bits!) aren’t always only for the babies in our barns. The term ‘ground driving’ was given to this process because we’re doing just that ... driving the horse while standing on the ground rather than having him hitched to a cart.
First, we need to know and understand what type of equipment is necessary to bit or longline a horse. Obviously a good fitting bridle. The basic bridle will consist of the headstall, cavesson, snaffle bit and sidereins. I prefer soft leather and for my purposes (which I’ll describe a little bit later) I want the headstall fitted with sidecheck rings. Cavessons are generally rather similar, I just want one that fits the horse well, doesn’t rub on his cheekbones and has a noseband that’s not too big around. In choosing a bit, my first picks are going to be either a smooth, solid Dee-Ring for starting youngsters, a smooth, thick Eggbutt or full cheek for my Hunter and Western horses and a smooth half-cheek for my flat saddle English horses. I prefer an inlaid copper or sweet iron mouthpiece, as do most of my horses, for keeping their mouths soft and responsive. There are many variations, but these are my staples. Last, for the sidereins I do not want elastic parts or those rubber ‘donuts’, but rather simple leather reins with decent snaps at each end.
A properly fitted martingale (the type I prefer is called an Arabian training running martingale by some vendors -- I don’t like ‘training forks’, a standing martingale-type contraption, nor do I want the rings placed where it will pull the horse’s head down while in use) is a must, as is a good quality surcingle made of leather or webbing, with a variety of rings at different places along each side. Under the surcingle I’ll use either a leg wrapping quilt [ideal] or just a regular smaller sized saddle pad. Along with that surcingle, I’m going to want to be sure I keep the crupper strap and the crupper itself soft and in good repair, since I don’t want anything that goes under his tail to chafe or bother him.
For some show horses, I will use what’s called a sidecheck or an overcheck. These devices can be helpful in both preventing a horse from dropping his head too low, or keeping him from getting behind the bit.
Now that we’ve covered what we need in the way of special tack and we have a horse who already knows how to wear his leather, it’s time to cover the safety factor. Just as with longeing a horse and riding one, the last thing we need to happen is to become entangled or stuck in something attached securely to the horse. Longlining is a prime opportunity for the handler who isn’t quick with their hands and/or their feet to become caught up in the lines and that can be deadly. Be prepared for anything and always be cognizant of where your lines are.
If the horse is already used to being saddled, then it’s generally no sweat to fit him with a surcingle. Basically, it’s going to feel the same as a normal cinch or girth. What won’t feel right is the crupper. With most horses, I’ll take them into the round pen before placing that ‘horrible thing’ (in the horse’s mind, at least!) under the tail. Some horses have no issue with it. Others almost immediately start kicking out or bucking. This is why my preference is to either have someone hold the horse, or at least to run a long lead rope or soft cotton longeline around one of the pen’s support poles, still holding onto it while securing the crupper in place. I’m not keen on actually tying him yet, because that could put me in more danger should he try to bolt off or kick. Having the ability to snub his nose tighter if he fidgets or wants to leave and using the rope or line to push him over toward the fence, I’m going to be far more safe. Also vitally important to remember is to ALWAYS buckle the crupper on the opposite side from that which you are on, pulling it under the tail and away from you.
A side note about cruppers and why we use them in driving and longlining horses ~ simply put, so that we do not pull the surcingle too far forward on the horse's withers and cause him discomfort or pain.
What is the purpose of bitting up a horse and longlining a horse? While each has it’s own actual purpose, my reasons for using each are unique to the situation and the horse. With a youngster I’m getting ready to train under saddle, it’s a must so that the horse understands what the girth feels like, what it’s like to carry a bit and how to respond to the reins. For a horse who hasn’t grasped the concept of yielding, giving to the bit or any sort of lateral flexion, I want him to learn that he can seek and get relief from the pressure on his mouth. Instead of a rider’s hand releasing the pressure, he will find that relief on his own, by bringing his face toward where I want him to be.
The process of bitting also can be useful in helping to build the horse’s neck muscles in the proper way and teach him to keep his neck in the proper place. A properly bitted horse will be neither too tight or too long, although I will start with a fair length of side rein with an inexperienced horse, gradually tightening until he’s at the desired headset. This should occur over several days, not immediately.
Bitting up a horse is fairly simple, but to do so without hurting the horse or unnecessarily stressing him can be a challenge. I prefer not to leave a horse bitted up in his stall -- i.e., where he lives -- but will do so in the round pen, as long as he keeps moving for the most part. What I don’t want to teach him is how to lean on the reins. If he’s moving and he feels the resistance and pressure of the side reins, he will be far more likely not to lean on them, as long as he’s not left bitted for too long, if he’s not being ridden or driven yet.
Bitting while longeing, on the other hand, not only teaches the horse how to carry himself properly at the requisite gaits (walk, trot/jog and canter/lope), but gives him a goal to work toward without learning to lean on my hands - he must keep himself together while propelling forward and without being allowed to stop when he wants to, as he can while simply bitted up. For the beginning of this exercise, I’ll usually let the horse canter without the reins being attached at first, to get some of the ‘go’ out of him, then slowly start tightening the reins until he’s where I want him. But while that shortening of rein is spread out over quite a few sessions (as described above) for first teaching the green horse, with a horse in training who’s used to being schooled, this is simply accomplished over the span of a mere 10-20 minutes or so, or as a precursor to either longlining or riding.
I personally try to avoid using the bitting rig itself to do most of my training. It’s more a tool of reinforcement and allows the horse to learn proper self carriage, rather than teaching him how to perform his chosen job, as will the longlines. But it is necessary.
By the time we progress to working in the longlines (‘ground driving’), the goal changes somewhat. Meaning, our goal in bitting is as described above - self carriage. Now the goal will be to learn how to apply that self-carriage. Read on.
Since I’ve done my homework, the horse knows how to yield to the bit and will give to pressure on the reins. While I can bend him to one side or the other while bitting up to help with suppling exercises and getting him to flex, I would rather do so at the start with the horse in longlines. That way, I will be able to give him more release from the pressure on his face when he responds correctly.
Something I will take into consideration at the outset, however, is how sensitive the horse will be to the lines themselves. At some point, they will come into contact with his croup, buttock, flanks and/or hocks. Does he or will he spook when they touch him? Will he bolt to get away from them or try to kick at them? If the answer to any of these (or a myriad of others) questions is “Yes”, I’ll need to desensitize the horse to the lines first, before I ask for much work.
When the horse is ready to begin his real work in earnest, after he’s groomed and tacked with the basics, I first free longe him (meaning having him not attached from the bit to the bitting harness whatsoever, and not working him without a longeline) a little bit to take the edge off, then I’ll lightly longe him, softly bitted, while he loosens up and tests his boundaries. By ‘softly’, I mean so he barely comes into contact with the bit.
At that point, he’s probably ready to hitch, or hook, which, in terms of ground driving (versus having him pull a cart), simply means attaching the lines to him via the bit and running them through the surcingle.
Now, where I go from here depends on a couple of factors. First, where is he at in his training? Which stage of development? Then, what is his ultimate job going to be? Once I’ve answered these questions, I will have determined how I need to proceed.
If the horse is a youngster just learning, our lessons will be basic: go forward, stop, walk, trot, canter, turn to go right, turn to go left (always turning him into the rail away from the center as opposed to turning him toward me -- for safety purposes -- so that the horse does not get tangled up in the lines), along with a little bit of flexing down and to the inside, which builds on what he’s learned while bitted up.
I start ALL my horses in lines the same way, regardless of whether he’s going to be a trail horse, a Dressage horse, a Park horse, a Reiner, a Western Pleasure horse, a Jumper...you get the picture. There is never any substitute for a good foundation, no matter the horse’s lot in life.
For horses intended to live out their days as pleasure riding trail buddies, these basics will be enough in lines, then he’ll start on the next step to go onto the next level of training under saddle. But I want the basics mastered.
Only after I’ve had a chance to watch a horse with show performance potential (a prospect who, it’s been decided, will eventually be a show horse) will I decide how to move on after he’s nailed those basics.
With my western and hunter mounts, I want them learning how to carry themselves relatively low, with long reaching strides, plenty of impulsion and a soft, quiet attitude. This goes for horses who’ll move on to any number of areas of expertise: jumping, reining, working cattle, or simply pleasure classes on the rail.
How I accomplish this will entail using a draw rein attachment run through pulleys, connected to snaps which are hooked to the bit and run back to a low point on the surcingle. It’s really not as complicated as it sounds! My goal here is to allow the horse to drop his head (or, in the beginning, at least to encourage him to do so), bending from the shoulder/withers and lengthen his frame.
But, you may ask, how does this lead to a horse who works back off his haunches, such as is necessary for a Reiner...or that ultra slow Western Pleasure lope? Well, it doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a rather long process which involves a gentle nudge toward a horse’s inclination to be lazy and just be himself. In other words, I’ll encourage a Reining prospect, for instance, to play up his athletic qualities and fun-loving attitude by asking him to push against [toward] the rail in a series of rollbacks, thereby teaching him how to roll over his hindquarters without my ever yet having been in the saddle. For a Western Pleasure horse, I’ll increase the bump on his mouth in order to get his attention, then gradually decrease the length of rail I’m letting him jog (then lope) down before asking for that rollback. Train in increments, ask for things slowly. That builds your foundation.
To start a flat-saddle English-type horse or a Dressage mount, I’m going to want him to learn how to set and bridle higher, as well as teaching him to give more flex, or hinge, at the poll. Let me stop here for a moment. Naturally, and this should go without saying, each horse MUST be conformationally correct for the job he’s intended to perform. Only then can the animal be physically comfortable with what I’m asking of him. A horse can have a phenomenal trot, yet be disinclined to give it to you when you ask for it. Such a horse will never make a good Saddleseat or Dressage candidate!
Remember -- training must be goal-oriented. Going back to how I’ll accomplish my goal of training a horse to carry himself more elevated, the draw rein pulley attachment described above will be snapped at a much higher level on the surcingle than would be normal for a western or hunter-type horse. Why is this important? Because I want to give him the opportunity to carry himself higher. It’s for this reason I’m also going to use either a sidecheck or an overcheck, mentioned earlier.
Which I choose for a specific horse depends largely on how badly he wants to fight against being bitted higher. Again, let’s stop for a moment and consider a few things. I never, ever will even attempt to ‘crank up’ a horse’s head without building them up to it slowly first. Do you recall the tale of Black Beauty? How, upon seeing his soon-to-be-friend Ginger for the first time, the reaction to what Beauty termed the “check rein”? The horrid thing which held Ginger’s head up in the air ‘unnaturally’ and was just dreadful? That’s how some horses will initially approach getting used to the sidecheck or overcheck.
With that in mind, taking the attitude and abilities of most English or Dressage horses, I’d rather opt for a sidecheck. If I encounter resistance, I’ll put him in an overcheck. But horses have to be taught how to carry themselves higher, in small increments, even if they’re naturally higher-headed animals. How to teach this? Foremost, start with a horse who has the physical qualities seen in the best English-type horses. Then take it slowly and work toward your goal without rushing the horse and making him resentful of his training.
Keeping all these things in mind, you, too, can transform your prospect into a winner. Or at least get him well on his way before sending him out for training! Just be sure you take all the steps and don’t skip the small stuff, because that’s where holes will show up.
~SFTS
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