It's All About The Bend

Now that we're back to discussing horses, we can delve back into our training issues and begin to chart our horses' progress. This is a great topic for really Illustrating the whole theory behind "laying the foundation". When you have a horse who's inflexible, you'll never get a decent ride out of him. It's just a fact of life. I've covered lateral flexion, vertical flexion and slow work in the past, however, your best bet to accomplish having a balanced and supple horse is loping or cantering circles, figure 8's or serpentines.

Let's understand, if your horse isn't flexible at the jog or trot, he's not going to comprehend being flexible at the lope or canter, and if he's got an issue with flexibility at the walk, you can be sure that will be an issue at the jog or trot. Always remember to start from the beginning and build your foundation first. Remember also, that your horse needs to have good lope/canter transitions and know his correct leads before beginning these exercises. Every time you ask the horse to move forward, you want him to step up under himself with his hindquarters and lift his shoulders. This doesn't mean you pull on his face! In order to achieve elevated shoulders, a rounded back and a balanced hindquarters with impulsion, you need the horse to understand bending while moving forward. That's where your circles and figure 8's come in.

For the purposes of this article, we're going to use the Western terms of jog and lope. Begin by asking for a nice loose forward jog, you can either sit or post. Request that he stay straight until you encourage a slight inward bend when putting him into a 20 meter circle. By bend I mean his whole body, from his poll through his hips. What I don't want is for the horse to lean on my inside leg, or drop his inside shoulder. Putting your weight on your outside seatbone  (and thus your outside stirrup) allows you to free up his inside shoulder and drive him forward with your outside leg. This will help him stay straighter and more balanced as you continue to ride your circles. After you have nice jog circles with your horse bent properly to the inside -- key words here are "bent properly" -- we'll start a slight counterbend while remaining in that same 20 meter circle, progressing into slightly more bend toward the outside.

After mastering the task of counterbending on a circle, we'll start riding 20 meter figures of 8 in that same forward jog. If you're posting, don't forget to change your diagonal! All a figure 8 truly is, is two opposing circles connected by a change of direction at the center meeting point. During your figure 8's, keep the horse on an inward bend by using your seat and legs. Then we move into serpentines (loops) doing the exact same. Once your horse is performing correctly at the jog, you can ask for the lope and continue enhancing his performance. Once again, you want to make sure he's got solid lope transitions and knows his leads. Those 20 meter circles while loping are very basic, as are the counterbent lope circles. If you've laid a solid foundation, the next steps are easy.

When loping figures of 8, we will utilize simple changes of lead ( even if your horse has flying changes). While you should already be familiar with them, a simple lead change is one where the horse drops down to a trot in the middle of the 8 before picking up the opposite lead. We'll do the same with our loping serpentines. On those simple changes, I only want 4-5 jogging strides at the very most, ideally just 2-3. But, there must be a clearly delineated jog. Why, you might ask, would you insist on a simple lead change as opposed to a flying change? Because our focus here, and thus that of the horse, must be on maintaining correct momentum, proper carriage and the right trajectory during this exercise. We're not working on the lope here, nor on the lead changes. We are focusing on the horse's body and how he carries himself.

Finally we will start counter canter work, which begins out of our circles down the long sides of our arena and requires a responsive horse that trusts his rider and will pick up the asked for lead regardless of the direction of travel. I've had horses thought to be highly well trained that would switch leads when asked to counter canter, but that's not correct! If we're traveling clockwise and I request the left lead, I want a left lead! So, by now you and your horse should have a clear concise idea about circles and bending. With the exercises outlined above, your communication and performance should be well on the way to being stellar.

Remember, training is a process and there is no end to it. We are constantly seeking to improve our horse's performance and our communication with the horse.

~SFTS

In Need Of Rescue!

Cold, Hard Realities of the Horse Industry.

For my first foray back into actual equine subject matter, I've chosen to talk (write) about where the horse industry is headed. It's no surprise to those of us who have been watching trends over the past 10 years that were in very real trouble. We actually have been for a long time, due to economic shifts and the widespread influence of modern technology. At our fingertips we have so much visual stimulation, just sitting on our behinds inside, from cell phones and tablets, to computers and videogames -- it's sensory overload.

When I was a child, my mornings were filled with feeding and riding horses, my afternoons were filled with chores like cleaning stalls, stacking hay, cleaning tack and more riding, my evenings were filled with dreaming about horses. They were an all consuming passion and I couldn't have imagined life any other way. Most kids today don't understand the commitment to these majestic creatures and cannot comprehend how magical life with them can be. But unless you've given your heart to a horse, you won't feel it either.

Let's get down to brass tacks, shall we? Our world has changed. In actuality, our world is ever changing. Horses are no longer a necessity,  they are luxury. And in a struggling economy, luxuries are the first things to be cut out of our lives. But how about when that luxury "item" is a living, breathing animal that's too big to live in your home with you, requiring a large piece of land and special outside accommodations? It's not that difficult to understand why our industry is suffering.

What are the answers? How do we improve things for the horses we love and the future of the business of horses? Some say we are being harmful to these animals by having built an industry around their presence in our lives. But the way I see things from my perspective, because of the desire we humans have to ride horses, there will always -- at the very least -- need to be folks who can train them and folks who can teach others to ride them. Hence, the horse business. Add in the support portion of this industry (feed, tack, barns & corrals, farriers, veterinarians and so forth) and you have an entire segment of the economy. When the country, and the world, suffer financially, so do the horses.

Many of us who devoted our lives to horses and who've been involved in at least some aspect of the horse rescue world understand things aren't good. There is turmoil in our pocketbooks and holes in our hearts, knowing we cannot possibly save them all. Change needs to begin with breeders. By choosing your bloodstock carefully and breeding for a specific purpose, the horses you produce will become more desirable to buyers. By ensuring your young horses have at least some training (halterbreaking if they're too young to be saddled) before they enter the market place, they'll stand a far better chance of finding good homes.

This indeed is a multi-faceted problem which needs to be addressed by a majority of owners, whether or not they breed, whether or not they are professionally involved with horses and some capacity, or whether they simply enjoy owning these amazing athletes. I don't think I have ever heard a more fitting or appropriate use for the phrase, "It takes a village."

~SFTS

Reflections: Revisiting LTF, Looking Back

In the beginning when I started Laying The Foundation as a monthly column in Horsin' Around Magazine tackling horse training, and behavior issues in horses, I could only imagine that it would still be viable and valuable 22 years later.  What began as an idea to impart some of the knowledge I've gained over many decades of horse ownership and as an equestrian professional, has grown into somewhat of its own entity. Yes, I am the writer, however, this is part of me giving back to the community.

We've covered everything from show ring fashion, to Reining training; from the benefits of snaffle bits, to rating jumpers; from the most basic of basics, to extremely intricate techniques for getting the most out of horses that have high level performance careers. Pretty much everything horse-related imaginable, I've written about and posted to this blog. And there's so much more to write about.

One thing I have learned in my lengthy career is, you can never know too much, and you can never learn enough. I've already got some fabulous topic scheduled over the next month, and have about a million more ideas I'm going to be touching on. In some cases, I'll be learning right along with you. This is an opportunity for me to explore equestrian sports that I'm interested in, as well as educate and entertain the rest of you. Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be learning together. I'm excited, and can't wait to see where we go from here.

~SFTS

Setting Sail On [Another] New Journey In Blogging...

Welcome back! Again. I know, how many times have we danced this same dance together? More than a few. That's my fault, and I've never shied away from admitting my faults or from taking responsibility. So, here we are, one more time. All I can do is promise to make more of a commitment to post more frequently. Right? So let's get to it.

This blog began in 2009, dedicated to helping horses and their owners. It's also been a resource for trainers and other equine professionals. We've covered many topics over the past 8 years, and there are so many more I can't wait to explore. If you have a topic suggestion, email me at sunlitfarmtraining@yahoo.com, or send me a Facebook message through our page -- https://www.facebook.com/LayingTheFoundationHorseTraining/.

While I've been on hiatus, I have had some great ideas for posts, so be sure to follow along and gain more wisdom on this amazing journey we call horsemanship.

~SFTS

A Tradition...

This year I have much to be thankful for. Most of all, second chances. After the most difficult year of my life, months of rebuilding a life to be proud of and to enjoy, I shall rise like the Phoenix.

I have a daughter I am immensely proud of. I have a love second to none. I have the most amazing group of friends anyone could ever ask for. I have the most incredible clients in the world.

My message this year is, be good to each other. Be kind and benevolent. Seek to do good things, do not harm others. Make those who love and care about you proud. Be the best you can be.

Enjoy your families and good company today. Love on your horses and other four legged friends. Take some time to count your blessings. Most of all, be happy and at peace. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!

~SFTS

What's So Natural About Natural Horsemanship?

It's a term used more and more frequently over the past 20 or so years, and does seem to have different meanings for different people. But truth be told, there's nothing natural about any of it. Natural for a horse is living on the range, foraging for feed and not having to be annoyed by humans wanting to ride them.

One of my favorite NH terms is "round penning". In the good old days, we just called it "working a horse". This appears to be more of an excuse not to ride the animal, and I'm sorry, but chasing a horse around a round pen until he's huffing and puffing, wobbly legged, isn't training the horse. Yes, I do longe my horses in a round pen. I prefer to do my longlining and bitting work there as well. Oh, you say? Longlining and bitting up? How decidedly non NH! Exactly.

This is been said and endless number of times, both by me and by others, but there's a great deal to be said for proven, common-sense approaches to training horses. Since when did selling gadgets and DVDs make someone a good horse trainer? Make no mistake, there are plenty of excellent horsemen who do produce videos and who do sell tack, however, those aren't their primary sources of income. These folks actually spend time in the saddle to earn their money. Imagine that!

I am going to expound upon this topic later on when I have time to go into some of the history behind the term, delving into the methodology and philosophy, as well as all of the debate regarding “traditional” training versus “natural” training. My personal philosophy of training horses is simply common sense – which is the entire reason for the subtitle of this blog. Common sense horse training. I can't repeat myself enough, though -- wet saddle blankets!!  That's how your horse is going to become a good citizen.

~SFTS

Winterization 101: Surviving Winter As A Horse Owner

So Wintertime is upon us. This time of year always presents new challenges to horse owners, especially in areas of higher altitude where freezing temperatures and snowfall can be common. To blanket or not to blanket, preventing your horse from slipping on frozen ground, making sure your horse has a non-frozen water source to drink from, dealing with your horse's Winter coat while riding -- these and more are all issues we face. Even though I've written on these topics previously, they are worth addressing once more.

I rarely blanket, even during the Winter season, with a few notable exceptions: Obviously with a horse I'm going to show throughout the cold season or a bodyclipped horse, blanketing is a given. With elderly horses, or when there is an impending storm, I'll also blanket them, but blankets come off when the air temperature rises above 45 degrees (55 degrees for the bodyclipped horses or those with show coats).

Something plenty of horse owners don't think about is just how slippery the ground can be for their animals during the Winter months. Whether in their paddocks, in the arena or out on the trail, frozen ground is every bit as hazardous for your horse as it can be for you. Even if you can't see ice, the danger (or potential for injury) is real. Ask any cowhorse trainer, reining exhibitor or barrel racer what it feels like to ride in such conditions, then think how it feels to walk on a sheet of ice (or drive in a blizzard). Imagine what it must be like for your horse.

Another major concern, easily the most critical one, is ensuring all water buckets, barrels and automatic waterers are ice free. I have seen 3 or 4 inch thick ice on water barrels before in the High Desert with an altitude of only 3500', and dealt with frozen water lines for years. This can be fatal for your horse, so be sure to keep a close eye on your water sources. If you utilize auto waterers, hang buckets as an alternative. Keep a hammer or something to break ice handy. Pour warm water into your buckets or barrels, as many horses won't drink water that's too cold, and that can lead to colic. Disconnect your hoses at the bib and drain them each evening before temperatures drop, so you can use them in the morning.

Earlier, I discussed blanketing, and with that subject brought up bodyclipping. But what if you don't want to have to be a slave to your horse's need to be blanketed for warmth? Because their coats are their insulation, most horses do just fine without blankets. But, those Winter coats can be a pain in the rear for riders, especially when we like to ride!  There aren't many solutions to the Winter coat dilemma, however, with those horses who have thicker coats, an obvious recommendation is to avoid allowing the horse to get sweaty, or work them early enough in the day so you can easily cool them out before temperatures drop.

Utilizing a trace clip can be a logical way to remove unwanted hair in places your horse is most likely to sweat and may help with the cooling out and coat drying problem. Personally I prefer a full bodyclip (sometimes leaving a “saddle patch” on the horse’s back) for a number of reasons, not merely aesthetics. Naturally though, that means blanketing_. One pet peeve of mine, and I did bring this up above as well, is leaving blankets on when it gets to warm. Be considerate of your horse. They’ll thank you for it.

Enjoy your horses in the Winter -- just remember these tips and you'll be fine.

~SFTS