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Sample Our Newsletter
"An Exercise For When You Can't Ride," from my FREE monthly newsletter
From the Horse Ground Training Series:
"Take your left hand and hold the lead rope as if it's the left rein. Pull the halter slowly toward yourself.
"Concentrate. Feel how much pressure it takes to bring that rope toward you. You should feel on your pinky how many ounces it takes. Throw it back out and do it again. This time close your eyes and really concentrate. If you get this lesson, horse training gets a whole lot easier. Really focus on what it feels like. How many ounces is it taking to bring that halter back to you? Think of a specific number. How many pounds? How many ounces? One or two? 5 pounds or 5 ounces?
"How would you like your horse to be that soft? A pound or two doesn't seem so bad, does it? Actually, it's terrible. Having to put a pound or two of pressure on the rein to get it to "come back to you" is just terrible. Take the halter off the lead rope now and throw the rope back out, snap end first.
"Do the same thing, drag the snap back to you. How does that feel? It feels pretty light, right? You feel a big difference. But that's still terrible. Now take the lead rope and throw the opposite end out, the end without the snap. That feels really light. It feels like nothing. It's still terrible.
The reason it's terrible is because…"
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From John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman |
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Rein In Your Horse's Speed Online Course
A Downloadable Book
A sample from Day 1:
"You should keep in mind that while you can in fact get through this online course in just a week, the fact of the matter is, it's going to take you much longer to really button down the exercises and "build that perfect horse." Take the next week to absorb the concepts, read the articles and of course get started. Take it at your own pace – and remember to be objective in your training because general requests get general responses. Specific requests get specific responses.
Are you asking "Who cares about a specific response?" The answer is "You do." Does it matter if your knee "just barely" hits the gate rather than missing it entirely? Does it matter if your horse stops right now – or twenty seconds from now after he's thrown you into a fence? You'll see it play out as you train; your results will be a thousand times better if you are specific with your requests." - Print out from home
- 5 Days, 5 chapters
- Learn at your own pace
Just $3.99
For more info:
this course | all courses
Available Downloads:
"Stop Bucking"
"Rein/Speed" (for Nervous Horse Owners)
"Round Pen First Steps"
"Trailer Training"
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GUEST AUTHOR ARTICLES
Hoof Health
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"Horse Health – How To Recognise, Prevent And Treat Hoof Thrush"
By Tane Moores
There are any number of proverbs and clichés related to horse health but one of the truest has to be “No Hoof, No Horse”. Thrush is a distressing condition which can make your horse thoroughly miserable and unable to walk without pain. It is easily prevented and is a condition that, quite frankly, should not occur in as many cases as it does. No self respecting horse owner should allow it to develop. If one horse in a field or stable has thrush it can become the source of infection for other animals by contaminating the environment. There is some disagreement on the length of time the bacteria can survive off the animal but it is believed to survive for as long as ten months. It is also possible for us to contract thrush when treating a badly infected hoof, so you must be careful when treating it should your horse be unfortunate enough to have infected hooves.
Recognising Thrush is not difficult. It appears as a foul-smelling, black, clay-like substance in the area surrounding the frog. It is caused by anaerobic bacteria – this is the type of bacteria that thrives without oxygen. Most manure and dirt contain these organisms and if it is allowed to remain packed in hooves it will cause disease and discomfort. Wet bedding doesn’t help, but is not the direct cause.
Muddy conditions, which cannot always be avoided are not good for your horse’s hooves. Hooves and heels can become soft making them more susceptible to bruising and damage as well as Thrush. Long term exposure to moisture and bacteria sets up the perfect environment for thrush to thrive. Basically, horses are at risk for developing thrush in any conditions where the bottom of the hoof is kept in a damp environment. The bacteria thrives particularly well in soil and thus affects horses that stand around in wet mud so if these conditions are unavoidable you should be doubly vigilant in checking and cleaning hooves
Horse hoof care is fairly simple, it is mainly common sense. One of the most basic parts of horse hoof care is picking out the mud, manure, stones and other debris from your horse's hooves, yet for some reason this one of the most neglect parts of horse health care.
The build up of materials in the hoof can put an undesirable pressure on the sole, cause bruising and even cuts and abrasions which lead to bacterial infections such as thrush. By cleaning out your horse's feet every day you will soon spot if there is any damage or cause for concern. Some horses, particularly those with upright, narrow feet or deep clefts that tend to trap more dirt, debris, and manure, are more likely to develop thrush even when well cared for.
Well developed cases of thrush are easy to spot – the smell alone is enough to tell you, but it is not so easy to spot an early case. If you are not sure ask your Farrier or Vet to check. A regular trimming schedule with your Farrier also helps prevent and control thrush.
Treating your horse for thrush isn’t difficult as long as he is willing to stand still while you handle his hooves. Simply clean out the hoof thoroughly with a hoof pick and brush, then liberally apply the thrush treatment of your choice to both sides of the frog and to the area around your horse’s shoe. You can use a bleach spray but you need to be careful with this so it is often better to get an appropriate treatment from your Vet or Farrier. You should not attempt to treat severe cases of infection without professional advice. Do not stop treating until you are absolutely certain that your horse is clear of Thrush and do make sure you maintain good hygiene standards when treating to protect yourself from infection.
The best treatment is to not allow Thrush to take hold in the first place so keep the stall clean and dry, or if your horse has to stand in a wet field check his feet regularly. This simple precaution will help maintain good horse health and keep
your horse happy.
About the Author: Tane Moores has been riding since a very early age and has long been involved in all things Equestrian. The experience and knowledge gained over many years of involvement in the world of horses is freely shared with anyone who cares to read. Tane writes regularly on Horse Facts and Equestrian Sports at The Easy Equestrian
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246209&ca=Recreation
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Disclaimer: Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury. Keith Hosman, Josh Lyons, Patrick Benson, their associates and other trainers listed on this site will not assume any liability for your activities. Our newsletter, books and videos provide general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. No warranty is given regarding the suitability of this information, the instructions, and techniques to you or other individuals acting under your instructions.
All Rights Reserved (TM) 2009, horsemanship101.com
No part of this website, including newsletter material and photos, may be reproduced without our express written permission.
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Horse Owning: Hoof Health, advice for the horse owner provided by John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman
Bookmark horsemanship101.com for Horse-Keeping Tips
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