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Sample Our Newsletter
"Snaffle Bits vs Shank or Leverage Bits," from my FREE monthly newsletter
From the Horse Training Bit Series:
"The leverage (or shanked) bit doesn't give me any more control than any other bit. If I have to pull 5 pounds to stop my horse on that bit, I still have to put 5 pounds on this bit. Except I'm only pulling about a pound's worth, because a pound from me feels like ten down there because of the leverage this bit creates. It makes me feel like I have more control. It makes me feel like the horse is softer and more responsive, but pretty soon the horse will start pulling on this bit, if I allow him to, just like he does on the snaffle bit.
"A leverage bit will allow me to teach him to keep his head straight and break at the poll – but that's about all I'm going to be doing. I do use a leverage bit, if I want to work on keeping horse's head in position or to keep him square between the reins. But while the bit might be keeping his head correct, it's my body, my seat that's telling him where to go. For instance, if I were riding toward you and I tell the horse to take his hips to the left and his shoulders to the right or the left, then it's my body that's telling the horse how to move, not the bit. The bit is just keeping him "in frame."
"The reason then that I don't train in a curb or leverage bit is…"
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From John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman |
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Stop Bucking Study Course
A Downloadable Book
A sample from Day 4:
"Day 4: “The Crash Taught Me This”
Hello and welcome to our fourth day in this study course “Stop Bucking!”
We discussed the “Calm Down Cue” in yesterday’s segment. By now you might have tried your hand at it.
Here’s a major point I’d like to make about that lesson: The Calm Down Cue is not a magic cure that calms your horse when he’s three feet off the ground. Just as the disengaging of the hip (as described in Day Two) does not provide instant relief once things have gotten out of hand, neither does the Calm Down Cue. For it to work, you must be proactive.
Here’s an example - and it happened to me: Years ago I was riding one of my own horses; we’d just had a terrific session and this green horse had been pretty good. To cool out we took a casual walk around the equestrian center. She caught something out of the corner of her eye and in an instant she shot out from underneath me. In one trillionth of a second she was four feet to the left and I was hanging in the air like Wile E. Coyote holding up a “Help” sign. I’ve never fallen straight down before or since; usually you gets thrown to the left or the right. This happened so fast that I dropped like a freight elevator." - Print out from home
- 5 Days, 5 chapters
- Learn at your own pace
Just $4.99
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
Buying and Selling Horses: It's All in the Photo
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"Selling a Horse - It’s All in the Photo"
By Lydia V Kelly
Trying to sell a horse in the current market is a big challenge. One thing that can make or break a sale is a good quality photo. With a good photo your horse will be shown off to her best advantage. A bad photo can turn a lovely horse into something a buyer wouldn’t touch.
The first thing to consider is that you need to make sure your horse is fully prepared for her photo shoot. If the weather is warm enough you should give your horse a thorough bath. Grey horses or horses with white markings benefit from shampoos that whiten the hair. Once your horse is dry you need to groom her as though you were taking her to a show. Keep in mind the way horses from your discipline are turned out for the ring. If they are braided and you have skill in braiding, braid your horse. If they have pulled manes, pull the mane. You want your horse to look as though it is ready to go out and win. Even if your horse is a pleasure horse you want to make sure that there are no tangles in its mane or tail and that it looks its best.
To photograph your horse you will need an assistant who is either good with cameras or with horses. One person needs to handle the horse while the other takes photos.
A digital camera is ideal for photographing horses as you have virtually unlimited exposures available and you can easily change the settings to allow for rapid-fire photographs to get good action shots. You should have a high resolution, preferably 5 mega pixels or higher, to get a good photo that can be edited nicely for internet use.
The first photo you should take is a conformation photo. To get this have your horse stand in the pose that is typical of its breed. This could be square, with front and back feet standing side-by-side, or offset, with the hind legs apart and the front feet square, or open, with all four legs showing, the ones closest to you in a bit while the ones away from you are spread further apart. Some breeds require the horse to stand in a special stretched position. If you are not familiar with setting your horse up this way just stick with the basic square, offset or open positions.
The idea of the conformation photo is to show off how your horse is put together. She should stand as straight as possible without resting any legs. The surface she is standing on should be level so that she does not appear to be downhill. Her neck should be relaxed and if possible stretched forwards slightly to extend it. If you can, try to get a shot with her ears forward and a pleasant expression on her face.
Take advantage of the fact that you can take multiple shots with your digital camera. You can always edit out the bad shots afterwards. Get several shots from both sides so your clients can get a good idea of what your horse looks like. Be sure to bend down a bit, or even kneel so that the camera is looking at the horse straight-on rather than from a downwards angle. This is especially important if you are photographing a pony or small horse.
Next turn your horse loose in an enclosed area. Use your multi-shot option to take a series of photos of your horse walking, trotting and cantering. Try to get trot shots with the horse’s leg extended forward to show off how well she moves. Take as many pictures as you can keeping the image as close in to the horse as possible without cutting off her extremities.
Finally, if your horse is trained you need to tack her up and photograph her under saddle or in harness. Once again take as many pictures as you can. It is easier to weed out photographs that are no good than to have to start over and take fresh photos.
When posting an ad select the photo you feel best shows off your horse. If she is going under saddle be sure to use one with her working rather than just a free shot. Some websites allow multiple photos. If you use this feature make sure that you include at least one conformation shot, one movement shot and one under saddle or in harness shot. Head shots are a nice added touch, but are not good selling photos, so only add them if you have extra room.
Another good idea is to upload your photos to an online photo hosting site. You can then direct inquiries to the site instead of constantly having to attach pictures to your emails.
A good photo will attract buyer to come look at your horse. A bad one will only make them turn away. If you can’t get good photos you are better off not having a photo at all. Fortunately with modern technology and a bit of time you can get the pictures that will make the difference between a no-show and a sale.
About the Author: Lydia V Kelly is a writer for www.HorseClicks.com, popular classifieds of horses for sale, horse farms and horse trailers for sale.
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=272493&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) 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: Buying and Selling Horses: It's All in the Photo, advice for the horse owner provided by John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman
Bookmark horsemanship101.com for Horse-Keeping Tips
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