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Sample Our Newsletter
"Four Things You Need to Train Your Horse," from my FREE monthly newsletter
From the Young Horse Training Series:
"Training a horse is pretty simple. It's four things: motivator, spot, direction, reward. That's all training a horse is. First, motivation. Do you have a job? What if I asked you to quit your job? What if I said I was going to hire you and give you two bucks an hour. Would you do it? Working with a horse is very similar. You're asking the horse to quit his job and come work for you. His job as you begin training is to get out of that arena as fast as he can, or to get back to that stall or to a buddy horse or find food. They have all kinds of jobs – and their jobs keep changing.
Our job is to create a motivator that causes the horse to quit his job and come work for us. Quit trying to get out of the gate; quit trying to get to the other horse. Quit trying to pick up your left lead and come work for me. Some horses you can hire for two bucks an hour and some will cost you forty. That's just the way it happens. Some horses you really gotta motivate; you gotta say, "No, I really want you to come work for me.""
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From John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman |
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Round Pen First Steps
A Downloadable Book
A sample from Day 5:
"The very good news is that you've already done most of the work. Have you dutifully worked your way through Days One to Five? If you've taken the time to transform your horse into an obliging, trusting partner, then today's segment is a no-brainer. When we first took control of the horse's movement in Day One, we caused it to begin seeing us as boss. Day Two gave us the ability to position the horse and keep it near us. (Remember keeping the two eyes?) Our third day began conditioning our horse to pause and think, to stay put when something scary happens, rather than bolt off. Finally, yesterday's segment accustomed the horse to our touch. Skipping steps, ostensibly to save time, can actually make your training take longer in the end. How would you begin to pick up your horse's feet if you have no way to ask him stand still?" - Print out from home
- 5 Days, 5 chapters
- Learn at your own pace
Just $5.99
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
Learning to Ride Horses
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"Choosing a Horse Lesson Barn"
By Lydia V Kelly
Taking riding lessons is a great way to introduce yourself to the world of horses. But before you rush out to the first stables listed in the classifieds section there are a few things you should know.
Many stables specialize in riding lessons. These riding schools have many school horses and several instructors who teach. Other farms have a single coach, often the barn owner, who teaches lessons on a few select horses from her barn. Both types of farms have their benefits.
Riding schools are generally lower in cost than smaller barns. They usually offer group lessons where up to six horses and riders learn together in hour-long lessons. Many schools also offer semi-private and private lessons at higher rates.
With a variety of horses available to ride you get a chance to see what different horses are like and gain a range of experience riding them. Usually there are at least two instructors, often more. You can sometimes try different coaches until you find one that works well with you, but not all schools give you that option.
Riding schools tend to be less personal than smaller stables. The lessons are generalized to meet the needs of the group, so the instructor often cannot work with specific issues that an individual rider may be having.
In the long run most riding schools are limited to lower level riders. As riders develop their skills they may need to move on to private coaching and may need to lease or purchase their own horse.
Smaller barns usually only hove one coach. That coach often only teaches private or semi-private lessons, often because there are not enough school horses available for larger groups.
With only a couple of horses available for lessons the student gets less selection. On the other hand there is a chance to get to know the horse you are riding and gain a rapport with that horse. The horse is often well trained and tends to have the ability to go further than the basics. If that horse does not have that level of ability the owner may have another horse that will take her riders into higher level riding.
Small barns are also more personal and inviting. This can be great for riders with confidence issues. The only difficulty is that when the rider/coach dynamic does not work there is no secondary coach to try instead.
When checking out a barn for lessons take a good look around the property. The horses should be well groomed and in good weight. While they should not be fat, they also should not have their ribs showing. There should be signs that the horses get lots of turn-out and are not stuck standing in a stall all day.
The barn should be clean with clearly designated areas for keeping tack and for grooming horses. Pitchforks and other farm implements should be stored neatly away where they are not likely to be knocked over by a passing horse.
The arena should be clear of dangerous obstacles and be well fenced. A mounting block should be available to help riders get on tall horses. The footing should be loose and around 3-4” deep.
Be sure to take the time to meet your instructor, or if that is not possible in advance of a lesson ask if you could take a trial lesson to get to know the coach before committing to a series of lessons. Many barns ask that you pay for up to 10 lessons at a time. This is normal, but you should be able to at least meet the coach before committing. The lessons are generally not refundable, so you want to be sure that you are happy with the person you will be learning from.
If you do start lessons at one farm and find over time that it doesn’t work out, don’t be afraid to look around to find a barn that better suits your needs. Everyone is different and each barn suits its own type of people.
Above all make sure that you find a farm you are comfortable at, and where you feel safe. Riding lessons should be fun, not stressful. So take your time, find the right barn and enjoy your introduction to the world of horses.
About the Author: Lydia V Kelly is a writer for www.HorseClicks.com, popular classifieds of horses for sale, horse property and trailers for sale.
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=272498&ca=Pets
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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) 2008, 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: Learning to Ride Horses, advice for the horse owner provided by John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman
Bookmark horsemanship101.com for Horse-Keeping Tips
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