Every trainer has his or her own method of starting a young horse under saddle, and that’s not to say any one opinion is wrong. As long as the horse gains knowledge and experience at the proper pace for his mental and physical development, many methods can be equally successful.
I have always believed horses should be started slowly and never rushed. Of course, no owner wants to pay for six months worth of training, only to have the horse return home barely knowing how to yield to the bit. My philosophy has always been to first get the animal used to carrying a bit attached to the halter while being groomed, longed, washed and so on. I’ll use trigger snaps or very small double-end snaps to hook the bit to the halter, always being careful not to bang the horse’s teeth when inserting the bit into his mouth.
Using a lightweight, sometimes hollow-mouthed, preferably an inlaid copper or sweet iron smooth Dee-ring snaffle, the horse becomes accustomed to the bit and can gradually begin wearing a regular headstall. The reason for this particular type bit is simple: The bit should be lightweight so it’s less of a burden to the horse -- after all, if he’s never worn a piece of cold steel in his mouth, we want him to get used to it rather than be traumatized by it. Also, the thicker the mouthpiece, the less severe the bit is. Many people don’t realize this, but an extremely thin smooth snaffle can be much harder on a horse than a thicker twisted wire bit. Last, a copper or sweet iron mouthpiece, which helps keep the animal's mouth nice and soft. I'd like to stress that preferably it should be inlaid copper, since solid copper bits get chewed on, which often results in sharp edges that can hurt the horse.
Always making sure the bit fits properly and comfortably in his mouth, the trainer should use common sense and his or her own judgment to decide when the next step should be taken. Depending on the reaction of the horse (and each individual horse is different), the surcingle can be introduced separately or in addition to the bridle. This very important tool teaches the horse to respect the girth, which is the first step toward getting him under saddle.
Ideally, horses should be started in a non-stress fashion such as this at about three years of age so they are ready to ride at the beginning of their fourth year. (I realize that with some breeds the animals are started much earlier to prolong their careers, but I firmly believe a young horse's legs are not developed enough to withstand the stresses associated with intense under saddle training until at least the age of three -- however, that's another story). Some can physically and mentally handle being ridden as three year olds, but any do not.
When the horse accepts the surcingle in conjunction with the bridle, a cavesson noseband is added to discourage gaping of the mouth when rein pressure is applied. A standard running martingale is another piece of equipment my horses are often not without when worked in a snaffle -- and that applies to horses of all ages. Adjustable side reins should be used at the longest length possible, attached by snaps to the bit and run through the rings on the martingale, snapping to the center rings on each side of the bitting rig. The martingale used should have rings that fall on the side of the horse's neck rather than those which come up from the chest area (which applies unnatural leverage on the horse's mouth).
Next time: Getting the horse accustomed to being bitted up and longed, working the horse in long lines (also called ground driving) and mounting the young unbroke horse for the first time. I will also discuss the safest way to start a green horse under saddle and techniques for working horses in the round pen.
~SFTS
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Firewatch
This will be a short one, and it's getting late ~ whoops. But we are on "firewatch".
There was a fire only a few miles away today. I was giving a student a lesson when her grandmother noticed the smoke. Then, later on as I was heading into town, I saw a massive plume of smoke coming over the mountains. That one isn't all that far away, as the crow flies maybe 25 to 30 miles? Rough terrain, steep wilderness and it hasn't burned in that area in many years.
Keep your fingers crossed for us out here. California is on fire ~ again.
~SFTS
There was a fire only a few miles away today. I was giving a student a lesson when her grandmother noticed the smoke. Then, later on as I was heading into town, I saw a massive plume of smoke coming over the mountains. That one isn't all that far away, as the crow flies maybe 25 to 30 miles? Rough terrain, steep wilderness and it hasn't burned in that area in many years.
Keep your fingers crossed for us out here. California is on fire ~ again.
~SFTS
Monday, August 24, 2009
Whoa! Stopping & Spinning To Win ... and Flying Lead Changes, Too
This is a real oldie, but I thought I'd share it. :)
"What’s the single most important thing any horse, no matter his age, can learn? The stop command, or “Whoa”. It all starts when, as a baby, he must understand how to respond properly when we ask him to stop. That, of course, translates to when we’re teaching him to longe later on, and behave correctly under saddle even later. There’s nothing worse than a horse who does not understand he needs to stop immediately when asked. Not only can it be annoying if they don’t, but dangerous as well.
By the time he’s under saddle, it’s imperative that the horse understands what “Whoa” means to ensure he will become a well behaved mount. We must make certain he learns your body language, too, as you’ll teach him that “Whoa” is coupled with your sitting deeper in the saddle and shifting your weight back, which should encourage him to do the same. You may ask how I’m leading up to stop and spin maneuvers and it’s really pretty elementary -- your horse has to be in tune with your voice and your body in order to perform as he is supposed to.
Some trainers like fairly green young horses to begin as Reiners, while there are those of us who want a pretty fair foundation in place first. I fall into the latter category, though I’ll outline briefly the means for achieving satisfaction with both and the methodology used on each.
The preference for youngsters who haven’t had much education is that the horse will be easier to teach the maneuvers themselves without having to sift through the requisite manners, 'frames' and 'headsets' of a pleasure horse. He ought to know what the bridle means and he’s got to be comfortable with the saddle on his back, but any more than that is thought to just get in the way. For me, I want to be able to ride the horse down the rail comfortably and have him know his leads and how to carry himself prior to any continuing education. Rail manners are a must in my barn -- anything else is secondary, because he still may be asked to be that pleasure horse in the future and more importantly, I don’t like riding a speeding bullet that you can’t point, steer or decelerate very well.
At the outset, once I’m ready to familiarize a horse with the concept of stopping and turning (the precursor to spinning), I’ll practice teaching him to set himself on his haunches and do what we call “rollbacks” against the fence. Initially, he must understand what legs and seat mean, much moreso than hands on the reins. That’s accomplished by lots of circling and serpentines, instilling in him a good understanding of moving off my legs and turning when I shift my hips and my weight in the saddle. I should also be able to freely move him off the rail and back onto the rail while going straight, just by shifting my weight slightly and using my legs. Only then can he progress another step.
He has to understand what I’m asking him to do, so I’ll start by walking him down the rail first, moving him ever so slightly off the rail (about 5-8 feet out toward the center of the arena) and then, not too abruptly, turning him back into the rail using precious little rein and relying almost entirely on the shifting of my weight on the stirrups and in the saddle. As described above, he should already know what that means and he ought to respond properly.
Once he’s comfortable with “rolling back” at the walk, you can start to put him into a gentle jog down the rail and ask for another rollback. I don’t like to work too long in each session on rollbacks, but would rather spread it out over a number of days and/or weeks until I’ve got utter confidence from the horse in what he’s being asked to do.
The idea is that he will be learning how to rotate his weight back onto his hindquarters and begin to almost “sit”, digging deeper with his haunches with the practice of each turn -- and by listening to your body language alone. Should he begin to lean on your hands and rely too much on the reins to guide him, you’re pulling on his mouth and you have to go back a step or two until you can achieve the desired result without so much contact on the reins.
Pretty soon he should be capable of jogging off down the rail and, with the slight shifting of weight, sit his haunches down and turn, moving off your legs with ease. Then you can begin to ask for rollbacks at the lope and, eventually, the gallop. Remember the old adage, you have to walk before you can run! It’s even more true when training horses than just about anything else. A good, well performed rollback will look effortless and give the appearance of the horse and rider working entirely as one. Once the horse (and his rider) have mastered the rollback, you can begin to work on the other aspects of a beginning reiner or working western horse, but that’s the foundation.
When you’re looking to start working on your stops, the most important thing you will need to remember is how well your horse responds to that shifting of your weight. As long as he’s in tune with you and understands (as he well should by now) what it means when you use your weight, hips and legs in the saddle, you’ll be able to get lovely stops out of him with minimal scotching. “Scotching” is what we call the actions of a horse who doesn’t sit deeply at the stop and instead bounces along until he’s come to a halt. A very undesirable trait, indeed, and you’ll want to avoid letting him do so.
Again, start at the walk and keep him just a little bit off the rail. He should already be familiar with that “Whoa” command, as well as what the shifting of your weight means, so when you ask him to stop, he’ll do so on cue. Gently lift on the reins, or ever-so-slightly bump him, and move your weight back (rotating your hips essentially ‘forward’ from your pelvis, sitting ‘on your pockets’) and deeper into your saddle’s seat. The desired reaction should be that he immediately ceases all forward motion and you should feel the horse dropping his hindquarters, as taught during your sessions on rollbacks.
Another helpful tip is to remember the rule of legs. If you keep your legs into your horse’s sides while in forward motion, taking them away while requesting a stop will help the horse understand you’re no longer asking for that forward movement and the created impulsion that comes with it. I'm not even going to broach that spur stopping topic here!
Once he’s got the idea, you can move him into a trot and practice more stops. The faster he’s moving, the LESS movement you want with your hands and the quicker he should react when you shift your weight back deeper into the saddle. All it should take is a very slight lifting of your rein hand(s)...not necessarily a noticeable contact with the bit, even...while you sit down deeply, and the horse’s reaction should be immediate. If he is not giving you a nice stop on the haunches and wants to be scotchy, you’ll need to back up again and re-teach some of those steps, because he’s not responding the way you want him to. Doing your homework is important! Repeat as often as it takes for him to give you an automatic response, but once he’s got it down, don’t overdo your schooling. You don’t want to sour him.
Executing spins is yet another extension of rollback work, although some people have the idea you can get there by teaching the horse how to pivot on the hind. Pivoting (both fore and hind) is entirely and vastly different, because you’re using leg alone to get the desired result rather than a shift of weight.
Now that your horse will do effortless rollbacks and has the concept of stopping and sliding etched in his memory, you’re going to teach him how to channel that forward motion into the spin itself. No worries if you start slowly, as he becomes more adept he’ll find more balance and with that will come the speed, but do not make the mistake of rushing him. Go through the steps methodically. He knows how to move off your legs. He understands what the light contact (key word: LIGHT) with his mouth means. He will respond when you ask him to sit and turn with the shifting of your weight. Now is the time to meld it all together into those dazzlingly accurate spins.
We don’t want him to get lazy or misplace his feet, confusing him or making it more difficult for him than it needs to be, so we’re going to take little baby steps here, too. Which means, to start we only want to ask him for a rollback -- sans the forward motion. Don’t reprimand him harshly if at first he attempts to move off as if completing the rollback, but be sure you keep your weight firmly centered in the saddle unlike during a rollback itself, where you’ll be shifting your hips to one side or the other. What will guide him into the spin is your legs alone, coupled with a very slight laying of the rein against, not across, his neck.
Once he understands the concept, you can ask for more of a turn and gradually more speed, but precision is the key to start. If he’s rushing into sloppy spins, you’ll lose more points than you would if he were slower and more steady. It takes time and patience on the part of the rider/trainer, but the reward will be a horse who gives the correct response and does so flawlessly.
The last thing I plan to address here this month is teaching lead changes, and that, too, is easy if you’ve gotten the basics down as described above. All it boils down to is how well the horse responds to the shifting of your weight and using your legs, and it should only take a very slight bump of the reins, if any, in order to get the desired reaction from your horse.
When I begin to teach any horse how to change leads, I’m going to use two different approaches to accomplish that goal. First, I’ll use his own natural instincts and second, I’m going to effectively trick him. If you’ve ever watched horses out running loose in a field or pasture, especially one that has dips and rises, hills and gullies, you should have noticed how the horse naturally changes his lead with each change of direction, and you’ll see the he leans into those turns using his inside shoulder, dropping both shoulder and haunch. So we begin there, giving him the challenge of learning to change when asked utilizing a simple change of lead.
Simple changes vary from flying changes on the basis of how the horse’s feet move when he leaves the ground. In a simple change, you put the horse into a canter or lope and bring him down to a trot or jog before requesting the opposite lead when you ask him to pick up that canter or lope again in another direction. Take a figure eight, for instance. Begin the circle to the right and when you head toward the center of your circle, instead of addressing the circle in a perpendicular fashion, you’ll arc across the arena heading straight for the opposite corner. Once you get to that corner, of course, you’ll need to be on the opposite lead as well, before you head back into your circle to the left. “Perfect” figure eights may have perfectly round circles on each end of the eight, but that can come with time. First we need to teach the horse how to give us those lead changes we desire. He already knows how to complete a nice, round circle, right?
When you near the center of the arena on your path into the middle of the eight, you’ll bring him down to the trot or jog for anywhere from six to ten strides (no more, preferably no less in the beginning) before asking for the alternative lead which you’ll need before heading off into the next part of the circle to complete your eight. I’m ordinarily going to ask for perhaps seven or eight changes of lead during a series of figures of eight in a single lesson before wanting to get my elapsed time between the actual change itself narrowed down. Being smooth is more important at this time than getting closer to the end goal. If the horse is rushing too much or has a tendency to disobey, I won’t ask him to lessen those trot or jog strides just yet. He needs to be completely comfortable with what I want him to do and what I’m asking of him before we’ll progress.
As I ask him to pick up each lead from the trot or jog, I’m going to be sure to not only use my legs but also my weight in the saddle and in the stirrups, just as in other maneuvers described above. It should become automatic that he understands a shifting of weight means a change of direction, and going back to your rollbacks, have you noticed how the horse will *automatically* take the opposing lead when he’s completed each rollback and is sent down the rail by his rider? Why do you suppose that is? If you guessed because he’s trying to stay balanced naturally, you’re absolutely right. The same concept applies to lead changes.
Once he’s confident in the figure eight and giving me simple changes of lead, I’ll start making the circles smaller and gradually asking for fewer trot or jog strides between those changes. Here’s where the “tricking” part comes in. Now I’ll add in a ground pole at the center of my eight.
The horse knows what I want, he is aware that when I request a change of direction at the canter or lope I need him to be on the opposite lead when we move toward the completion of each circle. He understands my cues as asking for him to change. The pole is simply a little bit of friendly persuasion, and it gives him a reason to lift himself and, most important of all, to think. If I bring him down to that trot or jog just before the pole and ask for the change of lead right after we cross the pole, he’ll begin to associate going over the pole with changing his leads. Of course, I can’t forget to use the cues we’ve taught him!
Soon I have a horse who will change in mid-flight (a flying lead change) as we travel over the pole, and soon I can remove the pole altogether and he’ll respond by changing leads for me as soon as I cue him to. Then I have a horse trained in the art of the flying change of lead.
Remember, this should all take place over a number of lessons, don’t try to get everything in one day and burn him out! I tend to prefer not to spend too much time each lesson on any one thing, as mentioned earlier, and the above described maneuvers are no exception. Spread your lessons on each maneuver or concept you’re instilling in him out over a number of work sessions, so he doesn’t get bored. You can always add in new things while continuing to work on what he’s already mastered, so don’t let that be a deterrent when planning out what you want to do with him each day. There’s no harm in keeping him guessing.
I’m also one of those trainers who subscribes to the “less is more” theory in training horses, and I’d rather work an individual horse for a brief twenty minutes (after warmup) before cooling him down and putting him away if he’s responding perfectly to everything I’m asking of him. There’s no sense in picking a fight by asking for the same thing over and over again, especially when he’s being perfect as a horse can be. He may get resentful and not understand why you’re drilling the same thing into his brain time and again right in a row when he believes he’s not misbehaving. Ask him and give him a cue a couple-few times, and if you get the desired response, move onto something else.
If you encounter trouble in any specific area, work him through each of the steps necessary to get what you’re requesting from him, then praise him wholeheartedly and dismount. But remember also, if you just can’t get what you’re asking out of the horse, there might be something wrong, either physical pain or he just didn’t “get it” well enough in your earlier lessons. Of course, it could be that he simply wants to be a stinker, but you’d better be able to recognize what the real problem or issue is on the spot. If there are holes in your training, it will eventually show up, so you’re going to want to have those rough spots ironed out long before you ride into the show pen.
Now that you (and your horse) are ready, go take on the competition!"
~SFTS
"What’s the single most important thing any horse, no matter his age, can learn? The stop command, or “Whoa”. It all starts when, as a baby, he must understand how to respond properly when we ask him to stop. That, of course, translates to when we’re teaching him to longe later on, and behave correctly under saddle even later. There’s nothing worse than a horse who does not understand he needs to stop immediately when asked. Not only can it be annoying if they don’t, but dangerous as well.
By the time he’s under saddle, it’s imperative that the horse understands what “Whoa” means to ensure he will become a well behaved mount. We must make certain he learns your body language, too, as you’ll teach him that “Whoa” is coupled with your sitting deeper in the saddle and shifting your weight back, which should encourage him to do the same. You may ask how I’m leading up to stop and spin maneuvers and it’s really pretty elementary -- your horse has to be in tune with your voice and your body in order to perform as he is supposed to.
Some trainers like fairly green young horses to begin as Reiners, while there are those of us who want a pretty fair foundation in place first. I fall into the latter category, though I’ll outline briefly the means for achieving satisfaction with both and the methodology used on each.
The preference for youngsters who haven’t had much education is that the horse will be easier to teach the maneuvers themselves without having to sift through the requisite manners, 'frames' and 'headsets' of a pleasure horse. He ought to know what the bridle means and he’s got to be comfortable with the saddle on his back, but any more than that is thought to just get in the way. For me, I want to be able to ride the horse down the rail comfortably and have him know his leads and how to carry himself prior to any continuing education. Rail manners are a must in my barn -- anything else is secondary, because he still may be asked to be that pleasure horse in the future and more importantly, I don’t like riding a speeding bullet that you can’t point, steer or decelerate very well.
At the outset, once I’m ready to familiarize a horse with the concept of stopping and turning (the precursor to spinning), I’ll practice teaching him to set himself on his haunches and do what we call “rollbacks” against the fence. Initially, he must understand what legs and seat mean, much moreso than hands on the reins. That’s accomplished by lots of circling and serpentines, instilling in him a good understanding of moving off my legs and turning when I shift my hips and my weight in the saddle. I should also be able to freely move him off the rail and back onto the rail while going straight, just by shifting my weight slightly and using my legs. Only then can he progress another step.
He has to understand what I’m asking him to do, so I’ll start by walking him down the rail first, moving him ever so slightly off the rail (about 5-8 feet out toward the center of the arena) and then, not too abruptly, turning him back into the rail using precious little rein and relying almost entirely on the shifting of my weight on the stirrups and in the saddle. As described above, he should already know what that means and he ought to respond properly.
Once he’s comfortable with “rolling back” at the walk, you can start to put him into a gentle jog down the rail and ask for another rollback. I don’t like to work too long in each session on rollbacks, but would rather spread it out over a number of days and/or weeks until I’ve got utter confidence from the horse in what he’s being asked to do.
The idea is that he will be learning how to rotate his weight back onto his hindquarters and begin to almost “sit”, digging deeper with his haunches with the practice of each turn -- and by listening to your body language alone. Should he begin to lean on your hands and rely too much on the reins to guide him, you’re pulling on his mouth and you have to go back a step or two until you can achieve the desired result without so much contact on the reins.
Pretty soon he should be capable of jogging off down the rail and, with the slight shifting of weight, sit his haunches down and turn, moving off your legs with ease. Then you can begin to ask for rollbacks at the lope and, eventually, the gallop. Remember the old adage, you have to walk before you can run! It’s even more true when training horses than just about anything else. A good, well performed rollback will look effortless and give the appearance of the horse and rider working entirely as one. Once the horse (and his rider) have mastered the rollback, you can begin to work on the other aspects of a beginning reiner or working western horse, but that’s the foundation.
When you’re looking to start working on your stops, the most important thing you will need to remember is how well your horse responds to that shifting of your weight. As long as he’s in tune with you and understands (as he well should by now) what it means when you use your weight, hips and legs in the saddle, you’ll be able to get lovely stops out of him with minimal scotching. “Scotching” is what we call the actions of a horse who doesn’t sit deeply at the stop and instead bounces along until he’s come to a halt. A very undesirable trait, indeed, and you’ll want to avoid letting him do so.
Again, start at the walk and keep him just a little bit off the rail. He should already be familiar with that “Whoa” command, as well as what the shifting of your weight means, so when you ask him to stop, he’ll do so on cue. Gently lift on the reins, or ever-so-slightly bump him, and move your weight back (rotating your hips essentially ‘forward’ from your pelvis, sitting ‘on your pockets’) and deeper into your saddle’s seat. The desired reaction should be that he immediately ceases all forward motion and you should feel the horse dropping his hindquarters, as taught during your sessions on rollbacks.
Another helpful tip is to remember the rule of legs. If you keep your legs into your horse’s sides while in forward motion, taking them away while requesting a stop will help the horse understand you’re no longer asking for that forward movement and the created impulsion that comes with it. I'm not even going to broach that spur stopping topic here!
Once he’s got the idea, you can move him into a trot and practice more stops. The faster he’s moving, the LESS movement you want with your hands and the quicker he should react when you shift your weight back deeper into the saddle. All it should take is a very slight lifting of your rein hand(s)...not necessarily a noticeable contact with the bit, even...while you sit down deeply, and the horse’s reaction should be immediate. If he is not giving you a nice stop on the haunches and wants to be scotchy, you’ll need to back up again and re-teach some of those steps, because he’s not responding the way you want him to. Doing your homework is important! Repeat as often as it takes for him to give you an automatic response, but once he’s got it down, don’t overdo your schooling. You don’t want to sour him.
Executing spins is yet another extension of rollback work, although some people have the idea you can get there by teaching the horse how to pivot on the hind. Pivoting (both fore and hind) is entirely and vastly different, because you’re using leg alone to get the desired result rather than a shift of weight.
Now that your horse will do effortless rollbacks and has the concept of stopping and sliding etched in his memory, you’re going to teach him how to channel that forward motion into the spin itself. No worries if you start slowly, as he becomes more adept he’ll find more balance and with that will come the speed, but do not make the mistake of rushing him. Go through the steps methodically. He knows how to move off your legs. He understands what the light contact (key word: LIGHT) with his mouth means. He will respond when you ask him to sit and turn with the shifting of your weight. Now is the time to meld it all together into those dazzlingly accurate spins.
We don’t want him to get lazy or misplace his feet, confusing him or making it more difficult for him than it needs to be, so we’re going to take little baby steps here, too. Which means, to start we only want to ask him for a rollback -- sans the forward motion. Don’t reprimand him harshly if at first he attempts to move off as if completing the rollback, but be sure you keep your weight firmly centered in the saddle unlike during a rollback itself, where you’ll be shifting your hips to one side or the other. What will guide him into the spin is your legs alone, coupled with a very slight laying of the rein against, not across, his neck.
Once he understands the concept, you can ask for more of a turn and gradually more speed, but precision is the key to start. If he’s rushing into sloppy spins, you’ll lose more points than you would if he were slower and more steady. It takes time and patience on the part of the rider/trainer, but the reward will be a horse who gives the correct response and does so flawlessly.
The last thing I plan to address here this month is teaching lead changes, and that, too, is easy if you’ve gotten the basics down as described above. All it boils down to is how well the horse responds to the shifting of your weight and using your legs, and it should only take a very slight bump of the reins, if any, in order to get the desired reaction from your horse.
When I begin to teach any horse how to change leads, I’m going to use two different approaches to accomplish that goal. First, I’ll use his own natural instincts and second, I’m going to effectively trick him. If you’ve ever watched horses out running loose in a field or pasture, especially one that has dips and rises, hills and gullies, you should have noticed how the horse naturally changes his lead with each change of direction, and you’ll see the he leans into those turns using his inside shoulder, dropping both shoulder and haunch. So we begin there, giving him the challenge of learning to change when asked utilizing a simple change of lead.
Simple changes vary from flying changes on the basis of how the horse’s feet move when he leaves the ground. In a simple change, you put the horse into a canter or lope and bring him down to a trot or jog before requesting the opposite lead when you ask him to pick up that canter or lope again in another direction. Take a figure eight, for instance. Begin the circle to the right and when you head toward the center of your circle, instead of addressing the circle in a perpendicular fashion, you’ll arc across the arena heading straight for the opposite corner. Once you get to that corner, of course, you’ll need to be on the opposite lead as well, before you head back into your circle to the left. “Perfect” figure eights may have perfectly round circles on each end of the eight, but that can come with time. First we need to teach the horse how to give us those lead changes we desire. He already knows how to complete a nice, round circle, right?
When you near the center of the arena on your path into the middle of the eight, you’ll bring him down to the trot or jog for anywhere from six to ten strides (no more, preferably no less in the beginning) before asking for the alternative lead which you’ll need before heading off into the next part of the circle to complete your eight. I’m ordinarily going to ask for perhaps seven or eight changes of lead during a series of figures of eight in a single lesson before wanting to get my elapsed time between the actual change itself narrowed down. Being smooth is more important at this time than getting closer to the end goal. If the horse is rushing too much or has a tendency to disobey, I won’t ask him to lessen those trot or jog strides just yet. He needs to be completely comfortable with what I want him to do and what I’m asking of him before we’ll progress.
As I ask him to pick up each lead from the trot or jog, I’m going to be sure to not only use my legs but also my weight in the saddle and in the stirrups, just as in other maneuvers described above. It should become automatic that he understands a shifting of weight means a change of direction, and going back to your rollbacks, have you noticed how the horse will *automatically* take the opposing lead when he’s completed each rollback and is sent down the rail by his rider? Why do you suppose that is? If you guessed because he’s trying to stay balanced naturally, you’re absolutely right. The same concept applies to lead changes.
Once he’s confident in the figure eight and giving me simple changes of lead, I’ll start making the circles smaller and gradually asking for fewer trot or jog strides between those changes. Here’s where the “tricking” part comes in. Now I’ll add in a ground pole at the center of my eight.
The horse knows what I want, he is aware that when I request a change of direction at the canter or lope I need him to be on the opposite lead when we move toward the completion of each circle. He understands my cues as asking for him to change. The pole is simply a little bit of friendly persuasion, and it gives him a reason to lift himself and, most important of all, to think. If I bring him down to that trot or jog just before the pole and ask for the change of lead right after we cross the pole, he’ll begin to associate going over the pole with changing his leads. Of course, I can’t forget to use the cues we’ve taught him!
Soon I have a horse who will change in mid-flight (a flying lead change) as we travel over the pole, and soon I can remove the pole altogether and he’ll respond by changing leads for me as soon as I cue him to. Then I have a horse trained in the art of the flying change of lead.
Remember, this should all take place over a number of lessons, don’t try to get everything in one day and burn him out! I tend to prefer not to spend too much time each lesson on any one thing, as mentioned earlier, and the above described maneuvers are no exception. Spread your lessons on each maneuver or concept you’re instilling in him out over a number of work sessions, so he doesn’t get bored. You can always add in new things while continuing to work on what he’s already mastered, so don’t let that be a deterrent when planning out what you want to do with him each day. There’s no harm in keeping him guessing.
I’m also one of those trainers who subscribes to the “less is more” theory in training horses, and I’d rather work an individual horse for a brief twenty minutes (after warmup) before cooling him down and putting him away if he’s responding perfectly to everything I’m asking of him. There’s no sense in picking a fight by asking for the same thing over and over again, especially when he’s being perfect as a horse can be. He may get resentful and not understand why you’re drilling the same thing into his brain time and again right in a row when he believes he’s not misbehaving. Ask him and give him a cue a couple-few times, and if you get the desired response, move onto something else.
If you encounter trouble in any specific area, work him through each of the steps necessary to get what you’re requesting from him, then praise him wholeheartedly and dismount. But remember also, if you just can’t get what you’re asking out of the horse, there might be something wrong, either physical pain or he just didn’t “get it” well enough in your earlier lessons. Of course, it could be that he simply wants to be a stinker, but you’d better be able to recognize what the real problem or issue is on the spot. If there are holes in your training, it will eventually show up, so you’re going to want to have those rough spots ironed out long before you ride into the show pen.
Now that you (and your horse) are ready, go take on the competition!"
~SFTS
Sunday, August 23, 2009
How To Purchase A Horse Wisely (Post for Sunday August 23, 2009)
Here is the second part, today's post!! :)
Buying a new horse is probably the most exciting experience in the entire world for someone who loves horses, It can be the most frustrating experience as well. Like a journey into uncharted waters, the decision to purchase or not purchase any given animal can be trying on even the most patient of souls. This time I wish to dispense some advice for making this journey a little more tolerable -- perhaps even fun!
First things first, you really need to decide well in advance of beginning your search what you want the horse to be or do. You must decide what area most holds your interest, and if applicable, what breed of horse you are most interested in. If you want a jumper to show in open competition, you should look at breeds which excel in that field -- Thoroughbreds and any of the Warmblood breeds are good choices here. On the other hand, if you love Arabians and also want to jump, you most certainly can find an Arabian with superior jumping ability. This is the area you need to put the most thought into before you actually go shopping, since such a decision can narrow down the list of prospective horses to look at, and you won’t be spending a lot of time running around to see horses you really aren’t going to be interested in.
At this time you can even get more selective in what you want. Whether you prefer a mare, gelding or stallion, what color you prefer most and a size range you would be interested in. You may not find exactly what you are searching for in your price range, but having a list of what you really want is most helpful, especially if you enlist the assistance of an agent to look for you.
Hiring an agent to find a horse is generally thought to be reserved for the more wealthy horseman (or woman), but if you don't have a lot of contacts and even less time, this might be the way to go. The fee for these services can be anywhere from 5% to 20% of the cost of the horse you eventually purchase (and sometimes more -- depending on what kind of horse you’re buying), but to the person who has the money, I would certainly encourage you to hire your own agent.
One thing I must stress, however, is never, EVER be in too much of a hurry to make a purchase. Definitely don’t buy the first horse you look at immediately, even if you eventually do decide he’s better than any other you’ve seen, and never buy on impulse or just because you “felt something” about a specific horse, until after you’ve had the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of many horses. Take your time and see as many horses as you can. I tell my clients who are seriously in the market for a horse to try at least 20 different horses before committing to that all important purchase.
Another very significant point to ponder is make certain that you are absolutely ready to make the commitment of buying a horse before you embark on your search and before you waste the time of any sellers who are trying to market their horses. Be sure you always keep any appointments you make to go see any horse. The consequences to the seller (or whoever you’ve made the appointment with) when you stand them up are significant. Besides, if or when you decide to sell a horse, I seriously doubt you would want any “lookie-loos” just calling on your ad for the heck of it and wasting your time.
The final criteria for horse hunting is your price range and determining your budget. You need to be very specific on how much you want (and can afford) to spend on your dream horse, keeping in mind that your investment will be greatly increased by the simple monthly upkeep of said horse you intend to purchase, not to mention any training, show or breeding costs you will incur in the future with your new steed.
Be realistic in your demands and expectations, but also don’t buy any horse you really might not want just because someone tried to talk you into it, or because it was a really great bargain. The prevailing thought when purchasing horseflesh should be, “This is a horse I truly want and I’ll always cherish.” Don’t ever approach the subject of buying a horse as strictly an investment you can resell, no matter how attractive that idea might seem. That’s exactly how thousands of horses every year end up being sold to slaughter. Be a responsible horse owner, and be ready to take on a lifelong commitment. Sure, someday you may want to sell any horse, but buying and selling them like commodities on the stock market as was common practice in the early 1980’s nearly destroyed the horse industry, and certainly changed the business as we knew it.
Once you find a horse (or horses) that you are seriously interested in, you need to have an intensive pre-purchase examination done by your own veterinarian, including complete and thorough musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory exams, plus, for breeding stock you’ll want exams of the reproductive organs of the horse. In addition, x-rays, blood work and flexion tests are always in order. The costs are not cheap, but keep in mind you are making an investment, not buying a pair of socks to stick in your dresser drawer. I have an in-depth report on what I recommend for a pre-purchase exam, and you can get a copy of these guidelines at no charge by contacting Sunlit Farm Training Services.
Now, armed with this new found wisdom, you can get to the task of creating the image of your dream horse, then go out and find him or her! Whatever you do, be specific about what you want and don’t budge very far from your ideal.
~SFTS
Buying a new horse is probably the most exciting experience in the entire world for someone who loves horses, It can be the most frustrating experience as well. Like a journey into uncharted waters, the decision to purchase or not purchase any given animal can be trying on even the most patient of souls. This time I wish to dispense some advice for making this journey a little more tolerable -- perhaps even fun!
First things first, you really need to decide well in advance of beginning your search what you want the horse to be or do. You must decide what area most holds your interest, and if applicable, what breed of horse you are most interested in. If you want a jumper to show in open competition, you should look at breeds which excel in that field -- Thoroughbreds and any of the Warmblood breeds are good choices here. On the other hand, if you love Arabians and also want to jump, you most certainly can find an Arabian with superior jumping ability. This is the area you need to put the most thought into before you actually go shopping, since such a decision can narrow down the list of prospective horses to look at, and you won’t be spending a lot of time running around to see horses you really aren’t going to be interested in.
At this time you can even get more selective in what you want. Whether you prefer a mare, gelding or stallion, what color you prefer most and a size range you would be interested in. You may not find exactly what you are searching for in your price range, but having a list of what you really want is most helpful, especially if you enlist the assistance of an agent to look for you.
Hiring an agent to find a horse is generally thought to be reserved for the more wealthy horseman (or woman), but if you don't have a lot of contacts and even less time, this might be the way to go. The fee for these services can be anywhere from 5% to 20% of the cost of the horse you eventually purchase (and sometimes more -- depending on what kind of horse you’re buying), but to the person who has the money, I would certainly encourage you to hire your own agent.
One thing I must stress, however, is never, EVER be in too much of a hurry to make a purchase. Definitely don’t buy the first horse you look at immediately, even if you eventually do decide he’s better than any other you’ve seen, and never buy on impulse or just because you “felt something” about a specific horse, until after you’ve had the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of many horses. Take your time and see as many horses as you can. I tell my clients who are seriously in the market for a horse to try at least 20 different horses before committing to that all important purchase.
Another very significant point to ponder is make certain that you are absolutely ready to make the commitment of buying a horse before you embark on your search and before you waste the time of any sellers who are trying to market their horses. Be sure you always keep any appointments you make to go see any horse. The consequences to the seller (or whoever you’ve made the appointment with) when you stand them up are significant. Besides, if or when you decide to sell a horse, I seriously doubt you would want any “lookie-loos” just calling on your ad for the heck of it and wasting your time.
The final criteria for horse hunting is your price range and determining your budget. You need to be very specific on how much you want (and can afford) to spend on your dream horse, keeping in mind that your investment will be greatly increased by the simple monthly upkeep of said horse you intend to purchase, not to mention any training, show or breeding costs you will incur in the future with your new steed.
Be realistic in your demands and expectations, but also don’t buy any horse you really might not want just because someone tried to talk you into it, or because it was a really great bargain. The prevailing thought when purchasing horseflesh should be, “This is a horse I truly want and I’ll always cherish.” Don’t ever approach the subject of buying a horse as strictly an investment you can resell, no matter how attractive that idea might seem. That’s exactly how thousands of horses every year end up being sold to slaughter. Be a responsible horse owner, and be ready to take on a lifelong commitment. Sure, someday you may want to sell any horse, but buying and selling them like commodities on the stock market as was common practice in the early 1980’s nearly destroyed the horse industry, and certainly changed the business as we knew it.
Once you find a horse (or horses) that you are seriously interested in, you need to have an intensive pre-purchase examination done by your own veterinarian, including complete and thorough musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory exams, plus, for breeding stock you’ll want exams of the reproductive organs of the horse. In addition, x-rays, blood work and flexion tests are always in order. The costs are not cheap, but keep in mind you are making an investment, not buying a pair of socks to stick in your dresser drawer. I have an in-depth report on what I recommend for a pre-purchase exam, and you can get a copy of these guidelines at no charge by contacting Sunlit Farm Training Services.
Now, armed with this new found wisdom, you can get to the task of creating the image of your dream horse, then go out and find him or her! Whatever you do, be specific about what you want and don’t budge very far from your ideal.
~SFTS
Preparing Horses For Sale ~ Tricks of the Trade (Post for Saturday August 22, 2009)
Whew, intended to post this after getting home from our "Saturday Night Date Night", but it got too late and I was exhausted. :) Here you go...
One of the most significant decisions a horse owner can ever make is the one to sell a horse. Sometimes, although it’s a big step, it can be fairly easy, such as when a child has outgrown a small horse or pony, if there’s some kind of personality clash and you don’t get along with the horse anyhow, or if the horse just isn’t capable of the type or level of event you want for him and you wish to “upgrade”.
Even though actually making the decision to sell is quite difficult, the rigors of parading your horse around for others to scrutinize can be a trying experience, often made worse when you have people you thought were interested call and make an appointment to see your horse, but never come by, or worse -- the ones who come to ride him, say they love him and think he’s “the right one”, but say they want to look a little while longer than never, ever come back to buy him. That, sometimes, can be heartbreaking.
There are some simple steps you can take to make your horse a whole lot more attractive to potential buyers without deceiving them. First, even though it’s sometimes tough to do when you’re at a public boarding stable, always insist on an appointment time or time frame around which to work. If you know approximately when to expect the customer, it’s easier to make sure your horse is ready to meet his possible new owners. Of course, if you put up an advertisement on the barn bulletin board or post a “for sale” sign on his stall, everybody is going to know your horse is for sale, so you can count on uninvited traffic looking at him at any given time. Usually the word gets out pretty quick that a horse in the barn is for sale, too, and other boarders may be pointing him out to those who wander in looking for a horse to buy.
Assuming that you have someone who has called on your ad and set up an appointment, always plan on them arriving at least fifteen minutes early. That way, if they do get there early you won’t be running around trying to finish grooming him as they’re walking down the barn aisle. Make sure you have clipped and bathed him, so he looks his best. Even with a clean horse, the more you rub on their coats, the more that coat will shine, and a nice, healthy, shiny appearance is always a good selling point.
If your horse is high strung and tends to need a lot of “working down”, I would suggest either longeing or riding him that morning so he’s tired enough to behave well and won’t appear too energetic. Naturally, if a buyer is in the market for an endurance horse, you’ll want to play up those qualities, but don’t let your horse over do it! The key here is to explain fully to potential buyers just what your horse needs in the way of schooling or longeing, because you do not want to mislead them!!
One absolute rule in selling horses is to be honest. If the horse has faults, and they ALL do, mention them. If the horse has had any major injuries, illnesses or surgeries, disclose them. If you’re trying to sell your horse as a broodmare, provide a past breeding history -- and if you know the customer is in search of a breeding animal and you also know that your mare is as barren as the Sahara Desert, explain that to them before before they ever make the effort to come look at her. Don’t be afraid that you won’t get that horse sold if you tell a prospective buyer about his quirks, and never, ever administer any medications or tranquilizers to him before the customer comes to see him. Most buyers will greatly appreciate your honesty and if they’re genuinely interested in your horse, will come back and consider him seriously before making a purchase decision.
Another point of major importance to remember is this -- well trained, well schooled, well behaved, well kept and well presented horses sell much faster than horses who don’t possess any of those qualities. Also, keep in mind that the concept of “potential” is difficult to convey to most people. Any horse can have potential, but if you can prove to the buyer that your horse is exactly what they’re looking for, you have a far better chance of closing the sale.
A lot of people don’t want to put time and money into a horse they want to sell, but that’s exactly what you have to do in order to get him sold. If you’re trying to sell him as a show horse, yet he’s thirteen years old and he’s never been to a show in his entire life, chances are you won’t be getting any offers any time soon. Take him out and get him some show ring experience, even if it’s only at the small riding club’s local horse show -- at least you can prove that he has been a show horse before!
One final thought to ponder: Would you spend a lot of your hard earned money to buy a horse who didn’t look or act like exactly what you wanted? Most buyers who are in the market for a horse feel just that way. They want the most horse for their money, and when hanging a price tag on your horse it really pays to be realistic -- that’s probably the most important lesson of all!
~SFTS
One of the most significant decisions a horse owner can ever make is the one to sell a horse. Sometimes, although it’s a big step, it can be fairly easy, such as when a child has outgrown a small horse or pony, if there’s some kind of personality clash and you don’t get along with the horse anyhow, or if the horse just isn’t capable of the type or level of event you want for him and you wish to “upgrade”.
Even though actually making the decision to sell is quite difficult, the rigors of parading your horse around for others to scrutinize can be a trying experience, often made worse when you have people you thought were interested call and make an appointment to see your horse, but never come by, or worse -- the ones who come to ride him, say they love him and think he’s “the right one”, but say they want to look a little while longer than never, ever come back to buy him. That, sometimes, can be heartbreaking.
There are some simple steps you can take to make your horse a whole lot more attractive to potential buyers without deceiving them. First, even though it’s sometimes tough to do when you’re at a public boarding stable, always insist on an appointment time or time frame around which to work. If you know approximately when to expect the customer, it’s easier to make sure your horse is ready to meet his possible new owners. Of course, if you put up an advertisement on the barn bulletin board or post a “for sale” sign on his stall, everybody is going to know your horse is for sale, so you can count on uninvited traffic looking at him at any given time. Usually the word gets out pretty quick that a horse in the barn is for sale, too, and other boarders may be pointing him out to those who wander in looking for a horse to buy.
Assuming that you have someone who has called on your ad and set up an appointment, always plan on them arriving at least fifteen minutes early. That way, if they do get there early you won’t be running around trying to finish grooming him as they’re walking down the barn aisle. Make sure you have clipped and bathed him, so he looks his best. Even with a clean horse, the more you rub on their coats, the more that coat will shine, and a nice, healthy, shiny appearance is always a good selling point.
If your horse is high strung and tends to need a lot of “working down”, I would suggest either longeing or riding him that morning so he’s tired enough to behave well and won’t appear too energetic. Naturally, if a buyer is in the market for an endurance horse, you’ll want to play up those qualities, but don’t let your horse over do it! The key here is to explain fully to potential buyers just what your horse needs in the way of schooling or longeing, because you do not want to mislead them!!
One absolute rule in selling horses is to be honest. If the horse has faults, and they ALL do, mention them. If the horse has had any major injuries, illnesses or surgeries, disclose them. If you’re trying to sell your horse as a broodmare, provide a past breeding history -- and if you know the customer is in search of a breeding animal and you also know that your mare is as barren as the Sahara Desert, explain that to them before before they ever make the effort to come look at her. Don’t be afraid that you won’t get that horse sold if you tell a prospective buyer about his quirks, and never, ever administer any medications or tranquilizers to him before the customer comes to see him. Most buyers will greatly appreciate your honesty and if they’re genuinely interested in your horse, will come back and consider him seriously before making a purchase decision.
Another point of major importance to remember is this -- well trained, well schooled, well behaved, well kept and well presented horses sell much faster than horses who don’t possess any of those qualities. Also, keep in mind that the concept of “potential” is difficult to convey to most people. Any horse can have potential, but if you can prove to the buyer that your horse is exactly what they’re looking for, you have a far better chance of closing the sale.
A lot of people don’t want to put time and money into a horse they want to sell, but that’s exactly what you have to do in order to get him sold. If you’re trying to sell him as a show horse, yet he’s thirteen years old and he’s never been to a show in his entire life, chances are you won’t be getting any offers any time soon. Take him out and get him some show ring experience, even if it’s only at the small riding club’s local horse show -- at least you can prove that he has been a show horse before!
One final thought to ponder: Would you spend a lot of your hard earned money to buy a horse who didn’t look or act like exactly what you wanted? Most buyers who are in the market for a horse feel just that way. They want the most horse for their money, and when hanging a price tag on your horse it really pays to be realistic -- that’s probably the most important lesson of all!
~SFTS
Friday, August 21, 2009
Selecting, Starting & Competing The PERFECT Saddleseat English Horse
When someone brings to mind the ideal horse, generally their individual personal preference dominates the vision. For me, it’s a long-legged, graceful, tall, long-necked and high trotting English horse.
In determining what’s going to constitute that “perfect” prospect for the Saddleseat disciplines, I’ll be looking at animals with certain, specific qualities like a well laid back shoulder, neck set high out of the withers with a really flexible hinge at the poll, a good open shoulder angle that will dictate freedom of movement, low, well angulated hocks for that necessary power, a deep hip for added strength and, above all most importantly, the attitude.
As a rule when I evaluate horses I like watching them on a longeline and either ridden or at least in longlines, but the true tale is told when watching a horse at liberty -- this gives you an idea of their natural carriage, which is a must see when selecting candidates for a flat saddle career. Despite popular opinion, however, most good, naturally gifted English prospects aren’t notably fancy movers while turned out. A good way you can get a hint at such ability is merely observing front end carriage (as opposed to knee action itself) and the ability to fold their hocks tightly.
Weeding out unsuitable horses is fairly simple, if for no other reason than there are so few of them, particularly if you wish to acquire an English Pleasure or Park horse as opposed to a Country English mount. An innate talent is also easy to spot: He’ll be the aloof horse with his tail flung over his back, prancing all about and signifying to you, “Hey, here I am!!!”
My first challenge, after selection and purchase, when embarking on the training of a Saddleseat horse is to teach him forward movement and how to carry himself naturally in that high, elegant frame. I want to stay out of his face as much as possible to start and for that reason, like all other disciplines, I’ll begin with longlines in the round pen. Not until much later will I even ask for a tuck into the bridle, right now I just want to see a long, free stride, an effort to pull his hocks well up underneath him and bending his lumbar-sacral joint correctly, as well as elevating his neck clear into raising his shoulders.
Let’s assume this horse can give me a nice, unrushed, flat-footed walk, he can trot up square (even if it’s sloppy) and he can canter straight on both leads. I don’t like a horse who anticipates gait changes and I want a horse who will calmly ease into the gaits he is asked for.
My next challenge is to transform that easygoing, forward, flat-footed walk into a pretty animated walk. The horse should be able to understand the beginning elements of collection from the rear (through the hindquarters...NOT simply a headset!) and should readily half-halt when I request it. Elevation depends on a minor amount of such collection, that’s where the flashy English horse walk will come from.
Trotting is a bit more difficult, but using the same concepts I want the horse prohibited from going off too forward, instead focusing his motion up with a free, raised shoulder rather than out like you would for a Hunter-type horse. At first, especially with the trot, I want to completely stay out of the horse’s way. It’s not enough to ride them up into the bridle so soon, because all that will do is hamper their forward impulsion.
Same with the canter, I’d like to see a horse who will freely lift his shoulder and rock backward toward my hands. The departure should also be easy and smooth, with his rear end tucked up under himself and STRAIGHT. One of my pet peeves is a rider or trainer who literally throws a horse into the canter by shoving their nose toward the rail and pushing them off balance in order to pick up the right lead. So many do this, but I have an idea, guys: What about training them how to do it right in the first place?! You know, a little bit of extra effort?
With the flat saddle English horse divisions, there are several options. Most of these animals will fall into the Country English Pleasure division, where they need to be more laid back, not as fancy a mover and have more qualities suitable for a small child or petite lady to ride. English Pleasure horses are higher trotting, more extreme in the level of collection required and a bit further up the ladder of the English disciplines. The absolute pinnacle of a flat saddle mount, the Park horses are our show ring’s ‘fire breathing dragons’. In addition, there are a variety of other classes and divisions best suited for the elegant English-type horse, including Driving (and like Country English Pleasure/English Pleasure/Park there are Country Pleasure Driving/Pleasure Driving/Formal Driving events), Arabian Native Costume (although an Arabian horse of any type can compete in these classes, the flat saddle mount is almost always the most popular choice) and English Show Hack (which is what I characterize as a rail class based on Dressage principles, though the trend is toward an upright, trotty English horse).
Once I have consistency out of the horse over a period of several months, building each step so the horse is confident and strong, I’ll be planning for a few smaller schooling-type horse shows to make sure he’s ready for a new and exciting environment in which to show off that English horse attitude, plus his flash and vigor. All I’m looking for out of him at these early outings is cooperation, an ease of adapting to the show ring and keeping his wits about him when unexpected things happen (...like encountering banners on the arena fence or having donkeys start braying loudly as he’s trotting down the rail!).
Not unlike their Western counterparts, how English horses handle the excitement as well as those new sights, sounds and smells of a horse show in this low key setting will tell me a lot about how proficient they’re going to become as show horses. With a youngster, we’ll be shooting for the Futurities if all goes well. Scottsdale in February has a big one for English Pleasure mounts, then it’s on to the Fall show in Santa Barbara and hopefully to the Nationals in October. As I have already explained, I don’t like even entering a horse in a pre-entry show unless he’s READY when entries close (usually about 1-2 months before the show). It can be tough when you have a three year old, because only the very best students are going to be ready in February, because that means you have to start them at least in October or November of their two year old year in order to know they’ll be ready by mid-December when those entries are expected to be in the show secretary’s office. This is exactly why I prefer to show four year olds as Futurity horses as opposed to the three year olds.
Campaigning an English horse is no different than his Western and Hunter cohorts, outlining the ladder steps to qualifying shows, Regional Championships and National Championships, so please refer to postings over the last two days for all the minutiae and details. Happy showing!
~SFTS
In determining what’s going to constitute that “perfect” prospect for the Saddleseat disciplines, I’ll be looking at animals with certain, specific qualities like a well laid back shoulder, neck set high out of the withers with a really flexible hinge at the poll, a good open shoulder angle that will dictate freedom of movement, low, well angulated hocks for that necessary power, a deep hip for added strength and, above all most importantly, the attitude.
As a rule when I evaluate horses I like watching them on a longeline and either ridden or at least in longlines, but the true tale is told when watching a horse at liberty -- this gives you an idea of their natural carriage, which is a must see when selecting candidates for a flat saddle career. Despite popular opinion, however, most good, naturally gifted English prospects aren’t notably fancy movers while turned out. A good way you can get a hint at such ability is merely observing front end carriage (as opposed to knee action itself) and the ability to fold their hocks tightly.
Weeding out unsuitable horses is fairly simple, if for no other reason than there are so few of them, particularly if you wish to acquire an English Pleasure or Park horse as opposed to a Country English mount. An innate talent is also easy to spot: He’ll be the aloof horse with his tail flung over his back, prancing all about and signifying to you, “Hey, here I am!!!”
My first challenge, after selection and purchase, when embarking on the training of a Saddleseat horse is to teach him forward movement and how to carry himself naturally in that high, elegant frame. I want to stay out of his face as much as possible to start and for that reason, like all other disciplines, I’ll begin with longlines in the round pen. Not until much later will I even ask for a tuck into the bridle, right now I just want to see a long, free stride, an effort to pull his hocks well up underneath him and bending his lumbar-sacral joint correctly, as well as elevating his neck clear into raising his shoulders.
Let’s assume this horse can give me a nice, unrushed, flat-footed walk, he can trot up square (even if it’s sloppy) and he can canter straight on both leads. I don’t like a horse who anticipates gait changes and I want a horse who will calmly ease into the gaits he is asked for.
My next challenge is to transform that easygoing, forward, flat-footed walk into a pretty animated walk. The horse should be able to understand the beginning elements of collection from the rear (through the hindquarters...NOT simply a headset!) and should readily half-halt when I request it. Elevation depends on a minor amount of such collection, that’s where the flashy English horse walk will come from.
Trotting is a bit more difficult, but using the same concepts I want the horse prohibited from going off too forward, instead focusing his motion up with a free, raised shoulder rather than out like you would for a Hunter-type horse. At first, especially with the trot, I want to completely stay out of the horse’s way. It’s not enough to ride them up into the bridle so soon, because all that will do is hamper their forward impulsion.
Same with the canter, I’d like to see a horse who will freely lift his shoulder and rock backward toward my hands. The departure should also be easy and smooth, with his rear end tucked up under himself and STRAIGHT. One of my pet peeves is a rider or trainer who literally throws a horse into the canter by shoving their nose toward the rail and pushing them off balance in order to pick up the right lead. So many do this, but I have an idea, guys: What about training them how to do it right in the first place?! You know, a little bit of extra effort?
With the flat saddle English horse divisions, there are several options. Most of these animals will fall into the Country English Pleasure division, where they need to be more laid back, not as fancy a mover and have more qualities suitable for a small child or petite lady to ride. English Pleasure horses are higher trotting, more extreme in the level of collection required and a bit further up the ladder of the English disciplines. The absolute pinnacle of a flat saddle mount, the Park horses are our show ring’s ‘fire breathing dragons’. In addition, there are a variety of other classes and divisions best suited for the elegant English-type horse, including Driving (and like Country English Pleasure/English Pleasure/Park there are Country Pleasure Driving/Pleasure Driving/Formal Driving events), Arabian Native Costume (although an Arabian horse of any type can compete in these classes, the flat saddle mount is almost always the most popular choice) and English Show Hack (which is what I characterize as a rail class based on Dressage principles, though the trend is toward an upright, trotty English horse).
Once I have consistency out of the horse over a period of several months, building each step so the horse is confident and strong, I’ll be planning for a few smaller schooling-type horse shows to make sure he’s ready for a new and exciting environment in which to show off that English horse attitude, plus his flash and vigor. All I’m looking for out of him at these early outings is cooperation, an ease of adapting to the show ring and keeping his wits about him when unexpected things happen (...like encountering banners on the arena fence or having donkeys start braying loudly as he’s trotting down the rail!).
Not unlike their Western counterparts, how English horses handle the excitement as well as those new sights, sounds and smells of a horse show in this low key setting will tell me a lot about how proficient they’re going to become as show horses. With a youngster, we’ll be shooting for the Futurities if all goes well. Scottsdale in February has a big one for English Pleasure mounts, then it’s on to the Fall show in Santa Barbara and hopefully to the Nationals in October. As I have already explained, I don’t like even entering a horse in a pre-entry show unless he’s READY when entries close (usually about 1-2 months before the show). It can be tough when you have a three year old, because only the very best students are going to be ready in February, because that means you have to start them at least in October or November of their two year old year in order to know they’ll be ready by mid-December when those entries are expected to be in the show secretary’s office. This is exactly why I prefer to show four year olds as Futurity horses as opposed to the three year olds.
Campaigning an English horse is no different than his Western and Hunter cohorts, outlining the ladder steps to qualifying shows, Regional Championships and National Championships, so please refer to postings over the last two days for all the minutiae and details. Happy showing!
~SFTS
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Selecting, Starting and Competing The PERFECT Hunter Pleasure or Hunter Under Saddle Horse
Previously I have discussed Western horses, and I'll be covering flat saddle English horses tomorrow, yet mounts well suited for those disciplines are far more specialized than one of the current (and perennial) favorite classes of many in show ring circles -- the Hunter.
One reason why Hunt Seat classes are so popular, particularly within the Arabian breed, is because the frame and movement asked for is so naturally easy for the horses. They don’t have to work with such extreme confines, limitations and collection as does the Western horse, nor are they required to push the limits of elevation, impulsion and action we see in English horses.
I look for an athletic yet subdued horse who isn’t necessarily lazy, an animal with a good reach (length of stride) who can both cover ground as well as move fluidly. Hunter horses should give the impression that they could easily navigate a course of fences as well as gallop down a country lane; bright ears, a long nicely arched neck and outstanding use of hock makes for a sharp entry in the Arabian world of Hunter Pleasure (not unlike that which you would see in the Morgan, Saddlebred, Andalusian and National Show Horse breeds, albeit slightly -- or NOT so slightly -- less fancy).
Something I wanted to briefly touch on here, I am focusing this post on the Arabian breed, which are my specialty. In Stock breeds, such as the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa or Paint, there exists no specific division called Hunter Pleasure...they only offer Hunter Under Saddle. With Arabians, we have both, however, our HUS ‘classes’ are actually one part of the Hunter division, where entries also compete in an Over Fences section in order to determine the winners. That said, let’s get back to describing our ideal Hunter as well as what our options are with him.
For today’s competitive show ring, bigger horses tend to occupy the winner’s circle most frequently, though smaller horses can do fine as long as they have the needed length of stride, suspension of gait and “wow” factor necessary to stand out in a crowd. If I am searching for a show ring flat Hunter to compete at the National level, however, my preference will be for a horse which stands between 15-15.2 hands and up, but make sure he’s flashy enough to stand out in those 30+ horse classes! Paramount in a Hunter Pleasure horse is also a relaxed, happy attitude and the ability to perform with ease and fluidity coupled with impeccable manners and a desire to please.
These days, owners of Hunter-type Arabian horses also have the option of entering the Sport Horse division, though a number of differences do exist. First, what we call our “main ring” Hunter Pleasure classes are judged by those folks carded by USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) to judge most divisions in the Arabian show ring. Sport Horse classes, however, will be adjudicated by judges with exclusive experience in the traditional Sport Horse venues of Dressage and Hunter/Jumper (which is not to say that some Arabian judges do not or cannot have experience in these areas, some do and they regularly officiate in the Arabian Sport Horse ring). Therefore, a horse which may be a tremendously competitive Hunter Pleasure horse could conceivably ‘get the gate’ if shown as a Hunter-type entry in the Sport Horse Under Saddle classes, since most are bold, round kneed movers, which is a distinct no-no to Open Hunter savvy judges. They look more for a ‘daisy cutter’ long, low, flat-kneed moving animal and I suggest showing the more fancy horses as Dressage-type rather than Hunter-type since that choice is given to the exhibitor.
Also, something to consider is bit choice, though Junior Horse and Futurity entries are shown in snaffles, most of today’s Hunter Pleasure horses wear the kimberwicke, which is not an acceptable bit in the Sport Horse ring. They must either be ridden in a snaffle, or a pelham which can be cumbersome and difficult to handle for relatively inexperienced riders.
Ultimately our goal is Tulsa in October (or Sport Horse Nationals in September which is held in either Nampa, Idaho or Lexington, Kentucky). Therefore, we will begin our quest for roses by selecting shows which give us both points for qualifications as well as an idea of how competitive our horse will be against the best in the country come Nationals time.
When planning a show season, I look for the most bang for my (or my clients’) buck. Meaning, I want to exhibit a Nationals bound horse just enough to gain him experience (if he’s a greenie or a baby) and get him qualified, but not burn him out by over showing him.
When picking qualifiers for each Region we plan to compete at, my first choices are generally those shows which attract the most horses of the best quality, such as Whittier Lions at Pomona, CA, in January for Region I (held in late May or early June), the February Scottsdale, AZ show for Region VII (held in mid-late April), Nor Cal during April in Rancho Murieta, CA for Region III (held in early to mid-July and Santa Barbara over Memorial Day weekend (which doubles as another Nationals qualifier like Regionals since the Pacific Slopes Championships are also held during this show) for Region II in late June. That’s basically four (five counting Slopes) opportunities to qualify for Regional competition and four Regional shows. Chances are, by that point if my ‘Nationals bound’ horses are suited for competition at that level, they should be qualified and perhaps adorned with multiple Regional titles. Then, after at least a month off, with the Futurity horses I’ll target the Santa Barbara Fall show for one last tune-up before heading to the big time.
Keep in mind that how many Regions we plan to take any particular horse to largely depends on a few factors, such as how well he handles the show ring environment as well as how quickly he becomes qualified. Some horses need the extra exposure, while some are natural born stars!
Most importantly, as long as showing remains fun, your Junior Horse should go on to have a long, successful career, and that’s the whole point.
~SFTS
One reason why Hunt Seat classes are so popular, particularly within the Arabian breed, is because the frame and movement asked for is so naturally easy for the horses. They don’t have to work with such extreme confines, limitations and collection as does the Western horse, nor are they required to push the limits of elevation, impulsion and action we see in English horses.
I look for an athletic yet subdued horse who isn’t necessarily lazy, an animal with a good reach (length of stride) who can both cover ground as well as move fluidly. Hunter horses should give the impression that they could easily navigate a course of fences as well as gallop down a country lane; bright ears, a long nicely arched neck and outstanding use of hock makes for a sharp entry in the Arabian world of Hunter Pleasure (not unlike that which you would see in the Morgan, Saddlebred, Andalusian and National Show Horse breeds, albeit slightly -- or NOT so slightly -- less fancy).
Something I wanted to briefly touch on here, I am focusing this post on the Arabian breed, which are my specialty. In Stock breeds, such as the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa or Paint, there exists no specific division called Hunter Pleasure...they only offer Hunter Under Saddle. With Arabians, we have both, however, our HUS ‘classes’ are actually one part of the Hunter division, where entries also compete in an Over Fences section in order to determine the winners. That said, let’s get back to describing our ideal Hunter as well as what our options are with him.
For today’s competitive show ring, bigger horses tend to occupy the winner’s circle most frequently, though smaller horses can do fine as long as they have the needed length of stride, suspension of gait and “wow” factor necessary to stand out in a crowd. If I am searching for a show ring flat Hunter to compete at the National level, however, my preference will be for a horse which stands between 15-15.2 hands and up, but make sure he’s flashy enough to stand out in those 30+ horse classes! Paramount in a Hunter Pleasure horse is also a relaxed, happy attitude and the ability to perform with ease and fluidity coupled with impeccable manners and a desire to please.
These days, owners of Hunter-type Arabian horses also have the option of entering the Sport Horse division, though a number of differences do exist. First, what we call our “main ring” Hunter Pleasure classes are judged by those folks carded by USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) to judge most divisions in the Arabian show ring. Sport Horse classes, however, will be adjudicated by judges with exclusive experience in the traditional Sport Horse venues of Dressage and Hunter/Jumper (which is not to say that some Arabian judges do not or cannot have experience in these areas, some do and they regularly officiate in the Arabian Sport Horse ring). Therefore, a horse which may be a tremendously competitive Hunter Pleasure horse could conceivably ‘get the gate’ if shown as a Hunter-type entry in the Sport Horse Under Saddle classes, since most are bold, round kneed movers, which is a distinct no-no to Open Hunter savvy judges. They look more for a ‘daisy cutter’ long, low, flat-kneed moving animal and I suggest showing the more fancy horses as Dressage-type rather than Hunter-type since that choice is given to the exhibitor.
Also, something to consider is bit choice, though Junior Horse and Futurity entries are shown in snaffles, most of today’s Hunter Pleasure horses wear the kimberwicke, which is not an acceptable bit in the Sport Horse ring. They must either be ridden in a snaffle, or a pelham which can be cumbersome and difficult to handle for relatively inexperienced riders.
Ultimately our goal is Tulsa in October (or Sport Horse Nationals in September which is held in either Nampa, Idaho or Lexington, Kentucky). Therefore, we will begin our quest for roses by selecting shows which give us both points for qualifications as well as an idea of how competitive our horse will be against the best in the country come Nationals time.
When planning a show season, I look for the most bang for my (or my clients’) buck. Meaning, I want to exhibit a Nationals bound horse just enough to gain him experience (if he’s a greenie or a baby) and get him qualified, but not burn him out by over showing him.
When picking qualifiers for each Region we plan to compete at, my first choices are generally those shows which attract the most horses of the best quality, such as Whittier Lions at Pomona, CA, in January for Region I (held in late May or early June), the February Scottsdale, AZ show for Region VII (held in mid-late April), Nor Cal during April in Rancho Murieta, CA for Region III (held in early to mid-July and Santa Barbara over Memorial Day weekend (which doubles as another Nationals qualifier like Regionals since the Pacific Slopes Championships are also held during this show) for Region II in late June. That’s basically four (five counting Slopes) opportunities to qualify for Regional competition and four Regional shows. Chances are, by that point if my ‘Nationals bound’ horses are suited for competition at that level, they should be qualified and perhaps adorned with multiple Regional titles. Then, after at least a month off, with the Futurity horses I’ll target the Santa Barbara Fall show for one last tune-up before heading to the big time.
Keep in mind that how many Regions we plan to take any particular horse to largely depends on a few factors, such as how well he handles the show ring environment as well as how quickly he becomes qualified. Some horses need the extra exposure, while some are natural born stars!
Most importantly, as long as showing remains fun, your Junior Horse should go on to have a long, successful career, and that’s the whole point.
~SFTS
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