Stand not in front of your horse and not to his left, but in the space in between, that is, sort of facing his left shoulder. This area keeps you safer (notice the "er") from back leg kicks or tramplings. DO NOT GET IN FRONT OF YOUR HORSE where a sudden lurch can get you flattened. That would certainly take the fun out of this. Raise the lunge whip in your right hand, as if a conductor sans orchestra, up above your horse's left hip.
Now, listen and listen carefully: You must, must, must, develop a pattern and a rhythm to that pattern. It keeps you proactive and it breaks things down for your horse. If you want the horse to ever read your body language and begin sidepassing toward you, then you must be consistent with your teaching. That means that if you begin by raising your hand, pausing, clucking, and tapping, then ten minutes later you're still following that flow and pattern. As I've said many times, they've been everybody's dinner for eons and they're très fab at reading body language. But they suck at reading minds. Always holding your hand in such and such position and clucking is a clear signal to the trained horse. Thinking "x" but asking your horse to comply with inconsistent signals simply confuses and aggravates the both of you. Well-trained horses seemingly read their owner's minds, but they're either reacting to small clues given to them by their rider's body language, or they're trying things that have gotten them a release in the past, one after the other until successful.
Now, where exactly, during that one bazillionth of a second did I have time to do the "The Calm Down Cue"? I didn't have time to think the words, let alone do it.
I should have been doing the Calm Down Cue the entire time we were walking because I knew this horse's history of shenanigan-pulling. The horse had told me when she was jiggy in the preceding days that she couldn't yet be trusted. It's my bad, as they say. I should have never let my guard down.
What I learned that day was the importance of being a proactive rider. You with the bucking horse take heed: When you're riding any horse that isn't dead broke, you've got to keep making requests to keep that horse focused on you. When the horse spooks and you react you are, by definition, a reactive rider. If you wouldn't bet your collar bone on the performance of your horse, then you are duty bound to keep that horse occupied at all times. That doesn't mean an intense workout at all times - that means keep making requests to keep the horse focused: drop the head, move the shoulder, soften the neck, etc. Had I been doing these things that day, the horse would have had it's mind on me, not the spooky object. Had it still seen the scary monster, I would have been in a better position (both physically and mentally) to react by deflecting it's movements with a disengagement before it erupted, not after.
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Issue Thirty-three, Part 1 of 1
Whoever Moves First Loses
Does your horse bang impatiently on the stall at feeding time? Or lead poorly or bite or buck or kick out during a speed transition or drop his head to eat grass or forget you exist when whinnying to his buddies or "get cinchy" or act the fool for the farrier...? Does your horse see you more as servant than lord of the manor?
Or maybe you're looking for some effective training to do on a rainy day? Maybe something you can teach in a barn aisle when somebody else is using the arena?
For those of you who answered "aye," I'm going to describe a test and then a fix. Some of you will test your horses, they'll pass and you can move on to something else. I hazard to guess, however, that the vast majority of you will find that a little tune up is necessary. The purpose of today's work is to diagnose just how much control we have versus what we think we have; to wrest back control we might have unconsciously ceded, to improve "manners," and to boost our training in general.
Round Pen First Steps
• round penning explained, step-by-step
• sacking out, come to me
• spook in place
• teach your horse to lift its legs when you point!
• see more
If your horse does something (to you) that he'd never do to his mother, you've got a respect issue. Each of the problems listed above comes from a horse that doesn't see you as boss. More importantly, these horses are owned by folks (that'd be you) who either don't realize they're being chumped or know they're being played and don't know what to do about it. Simply put, ya gotta reset that relationship; ya get back to being the boss.
In the round pen, we gain respect by controlling the horse's direction, by not allowing him to stop moving, through speed control, etcetera. At feeding time we enforce respect by not allowing him to crowd us. When leading we keep our positioning by demanding he be polite. We accept no slips, we maintain a zero tolerance policy and we do so because we know that it's the little things that add up to the total package. (Right?)
As common sensical as this sounds, you'd be amazed how often somebody will ask (at a clinic) how to fix a behavioral issue - and swear they've been strict with their horses - and yet I can see several screaming signals from the horse that he's spoiled, spoiled, spoiled. The owner, no disrespect if I'm describing uh, you, is wholly oblivious.
There's a little something we can do to take back (sustain, or solidify) our rightful spot as leader and it comes down to this: Horse are programmed by nature to understand that "Whoever causes the other to move is the boss." Watch a group of horses in the pasture. At feeding time you'll see that the boss mare can easily move the others away from the trough as she approaches. Granted, she's earned this respect by backing up the threats she makes today with kicks made yesterday - but this underlying understanding is the point here. From today forward, each and every time she gets the other horse to move without lifting a finger, so to speak, she further cements an understanding of just who's calling the shots. "I don't get out of your way, you get out of mine." You can take a cue from nature by instituting a similar measure.
When working, walking or otherwise moving near our horses, we need to begin expecting the animal to move away as we approach as did the Red Sea from Moses. If your horse is between you and the gate, don't walk around the horse to the exit, expect the horse to move out of your way as you approach.
Four things to bear in mind as you practice this lesson, each critical to your success: First, if and whenever possible, use your body language to move the horse. Don't resort to physical force unless you absolutely positively have to. (Horses rarely, rarely, rarely resort to violence and manage to maintain harmony in their herd, yet we humans feel it imperative to swat, smack and spur incessantly - a good thing to keep in mind. If they can do it, so can you.) Second, if the horse does ignore you, be quick with your fix. Don't allow even two seconds to pass before you enforce your request. (Read: Belt him if you have to and be quick about it.) Third, what we're looking for is for the horse to "yield his body," not for him to simply "walk away." See the difference? Ambling away with his "back turned" is a metaphorical flipping of the bird. Stepping the hips away while keeping both eyes focused on us is respect. Be mindful of the very way he carries himself as you work with your horse. Fourth, practice everything described here from both left and right sides of the horse.
So, let's test your charge to see if he reads our body language and dutifully moves away when cued. (And, if not, let's teach him to.) Note that the overriding goal here is for you, the human, to start seeing when you're being respected and when you're getting dissed, so start being aware of this. Further, we want to start assuming (or reclaiming) our rightful place as "Me Moses, you Red Sea" and here's how: Halter your horse and, holding the lead rope in your left hand, approach his left rump. Be careful to apply zero pressure to the lead and walk as if the horse isn't there at an even speed and kiss (saying, in essence, "move") as you approach. Whether logic says that the horse will accurately read the situation and take a step away or not, it is imperative that you believe that he will indeed move. Trust me, your thoughts very much affect your body language. If you take a hesitating step, that balk will say "I'm second-guessing myself, maybe I'm not in charge here" and the horse will happily stand rock solid.
Now, go back and reread that last paragraph. From what I've seen of riders/owners at my clinics, a great percentage of folks will stop moving when approaching their horses because logic tells them their horse isn't going to move. It is imperative that you learn to walk forthrightly and right "through" your horse. As easy a concept as this sounds, you'd be amazed at how people will balk and turn back to me "He's not moving. Wahhh." If this is you... MAKE HIM MOVE. This whole dance must be fluid with zero hesitation. You've got the lead rope in your hands, use it. Better, you've got the logic of foresight, use it. The very instant that you think the horse might stall out, put pressure on his nose and ask the hip to move. If that doesn't do the trick, make his nose touch his hip. If that doesn't work hit him with your crop. If that doesn't work... get a dog.
Now, an aside: When you jump in your car, you first turn on the engine, right? The horse is the same way. When simply standing there, hanging out or munching grass, he's "off." I don't expect him to start moving body parts when I enter the arena like some crazed French mime; I expect him to remain calm and just chillin' until my stance tells him "move something." I can and should be able to work in his presence and he can and should stand or act as if I'm not there. That's fine and even necessary. But then, to wake him up, I "turn his key" by kissing, "Hello, I need something." Looking directly at your horse, kissing, walking and staring at his hip... these things combined send a pretty clear signal "Hey, get in gear and move your rear, sis." While the kiss is a wakeup call, your stare and movement signal what it is specifically that should move. (After I've got the horse listening I can (and do) expect him to move through that session based on my movements, sans kiss.)
Back to the task at hand... You've held the lead in your left hand and walked toward the hip (following your heads-up kiss and resolute walk). You've practiced enough that he understands your request and moves his hips away nicely. You've nailed it from both left and right sides. The next step is simply to remove the halter and work for the same results. Should he ignore your requests at this point, just wave your arms or the lead toward his hip. Should he run off, tell yourself you should have begun in a smaller pen. Fetch him and try again. If you have issues here, go back and practice more with the horse haltered, being especially careful to ask the horse to keep his two eyes on you as he moves off (this helps keep them near you and from "turning tail").
If the horse won't move or moves like he's got rocks in his pants: It might be because you're not reprimanding with enough gusto or it might mean you're waiting too long after making your request before backing it up with a reprimand, forcing the issue. Always, always, always make your request and then back it up with all sound and fury you can muster two beats later if he should fail to move upon your initial request. Remember, it's 1) Kiss to say "I need something," 2) Walk at the spot that needs to move. 3) Back up your request with a little motivation if you need to.
From here, you need to capitalize on the improvement you've made by asking the horse to back away from you: Ask the hips to swing away and then one half beat before they stop moving walk toward the horse's shoulders or chest, suggesting "Back up." Be sure to make your "back" request before those hips come to a rest for the same reason that it's easier to push a car that's already moving than one that's not. Use inertia and work on your timing: You kiss, he steps the hips over, you walk at his chest/shoulder while putting light pressure on the lead rope to now say "Back up." Only ask for a step or three and if he does step back, great - but immediately bring him forward or swing his hips and end on that. (Be careful not to stand in front of him when there's a chance he could walk over you.) Do not release (quit) until you feel less pressure from him through the lead rope. (That is, less pressure than the time before.) If need be, keep those hips swinging or the horse walking forward until he does lighten (you'll feel it through your hand). Do not release as he's moving backwards unless he's actually speeding up as you do so. Releasing as he starts to slow in his back up will cause him to move still slower; he may also begin leaning away from you, like a tree blown in the wind.
If he moves sluggishly: 1) You're allowing it. Send him a wake up call as prescribed previously. Remember, energy in, energy out. And / Or, 2) You're allowing those hips to come to a full rest before asking for the change of direction. Adjust your timing, asking for "back" a full beat or two earlier.
Two further remedies you might try: 1) Try backing at an angle (It causes him to lift his legs higher and thus more lightly) and/or 2) Reverse things: Ask him to move forward then back then forward again (still ending on forward). Swing the hips, then without hesitation, back away from him, asking for "forward," then immediately ask for either the back up (if you can get it) or another swing of the hips (if you can't get "back"). Once again, finish with forward steps or hip disengagement. As long as you put energy into this and keep him moving, (and only release when he grows lighter through the lead), he'll grow lighter and lighter on his feet. Before you know it, he'll be skating any direction as if on ice. Just stick with it and keep him moving; you'll have the back up in no time.
Note that when we first train the horse to back up or walk forward, we're only looking for a few steps. And, through this, the "willingness" of the horse you feel through the lack of "back pressure" on the lead rope is paramount. Release your pressure (on the lead or through your body positioning) when the horse relaxes and does as you ask. If you're good about your releases, it's a simple thing to build from there, progressively asking for more. Once the two of you are practiced, you can ask for greater distance - but get good at two steps before asking for ten. (Tip: Try releasing when you think the horse has the correct idea, as opposed to a beat later when he actually makes the step. He'll learn even faster.)
Finally, now that your horse is starting to understand the "You move away based on my body language" theme, get the shoulders moving. You want the ability to walk toward the horse's shoulders and have him pivot away (on those back legs specifically). An example of why you would need this: You're leading the horse at his left shoulder. You notice a dollar bill back to your right. You should be able to simply veer to the right while the horse briefly halts and pivots away, allowing you to snatch up the bucks. (If he didn't "pivot," but rather just sort of meandered about, he'd end up blocking you.)
There are a couple of ways to get the shoulders moving away, but in this situation, let's make it happen by asking for "outside turns." Those of you skilled in the will recognize the components. If you stand at the point of your horse's shoulder and walk "at his neck" as in that example, you may find that he simply blocks you. Instead, back away from the horse by 10 to 20 feet and ask him to turn away from you by waving your hands at his nearest shoulder and kissing, walking toward the shoulder staring at it, cracking your whip in that direction, whatever it takes to get him to move away from you through the shoulders. If you were in a round pen, this would be an "outside turn," as the horse is asked to turn away from the center of the pen, rather than toward it. Naturally, you'll want to practice this in an enclosed space. Practice asking him to turn "out" from both sides till proficient. As the partnership improves, begin creeping forward, making your requests from an ever-smaller distance. Before long, you should find that you need only walk toward the horse's shoulder/head/neck and he'll obligingly move off.
John Lyons says (and it's very true) that "You ride the horse you lead." So, whether you have issues riding, leading, feeding, or just plain "being near," you can often help yourself a great deal by first addressing any of these problems from the ground. You'll be safer there - and thus more objective. Horses put great stock in the concept of "whoever controls the movements of the other is the boss" so practice the material described above and you'll find renewed willingness in all aspects of your training.
End of Issue Thirty-three, Part 1
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