Ross' Soap Box
5-Day Good Horsemanship Clinic – November 6-10
4 September '10
For anybody who has doubts about how much rain we have been getting this winter this photo of Michele driving the Kawasaki Mule along one of our laneways should convince you. We are so tired of traipsing through mud all day. I even ride in my gum boots!!
We had an 19 month old Connemara gelding arrive yesterday for handling. He is a very nice fellow, but knows hardly anything. I worked him today for his first session and focused on getting him light on the lead rope and picking up his feet. Like many pony breeds he was pretty sure that the way he had been leading was the way it is suppose to be done. But being such a nice and smart fellow he began to see that there was an easier way by the end of the session. I really like this horse and I think he will be a fun riding pony in the future.
The new pony is getting along just fine with Dakota, the Project Hope Shetland pony
Saddling And Mouthing
Hello Ross
Thank you for your advice about saddling Kafka. I have saddled him 4 times now and he has bucked quite a lot each time. Is this normal? Should I be doing something about it?
Also should I be using a side pull for mouthing. I see on your site that you use a side pull and was wondering if I should buy one for Kafka. I had planned on riding him in an eggbutt snaffle bit, but I am glad to be guided by your advice.
Regards
Rose
Well Rose in my experience most horses are just about done bucking by the time you get to the 4th saddling. But that is not to say that some horses are not more persistent and still come out just fine. It really is a measure of the degree of their worry about the tightening of the girth. And of course, there are horses that people call “cold backed” which buck every time the saddle is first girthed up.
If Kafka is continuing to be explosive with the saddling, try to get him feeling better before attempting to saddle. If he is tense and flinches when you touch around his girth area (behind the elbow), you can be pretty sure he is worried and might buck. Rub him firmly around the girth and flank until he stops flinching. Repeat it on both sides.
Since you are from Ireland, I am assuming you are using an English style saddle and not a western with a rear girth.
When you put the saddle on, don’t buckle the girth immediately. Instead snug the girth up with your hand – gently at first. You may have to use one hand to steady the saddle so that it does not slip around his belly. Ask Kafka to walk around you while you hold the girth against him with your hand. Slowly loosen the girth and then slowly tighten it again. Keep repeating this until you feel him relax. If at any time he humps up, relax the pressure of the girth and start again.
If doing this with the saddle is too much for him at first, begin by using a lead rope or some other soft feeling rope around his belly, without a saddle. Use the rope as if it was a girth and have him walk around you. When this looks okay, put the saddle on his back and try with the girth.
When you finally do get to the spot where he is okay to buckle the girth make sure it is only tight enough to keep the saddle in place. Don’t snug it up as if you were going to ride. Work him for a bit with the saddle. If he bucks, don’t worry too much – just keep working him until you get him feeling more relaxed. Then take the saddle off.
Work him for a few moments without the saddle. Then saddle him again. You may find he is perfectly okay or you may have to begin from the start again. It doesn’t matter how long this takes. Keep working so that you end with him being more relaxed and accepting of the saddling than when you began.
On a difficult horse I will often belly rope (front and rear) a horse for several days. But this requires some expertise with the method and I don’t want to suggest something that may get you into more trouble.
Another tactic that I have found useful for some horses is to saddle them 6 or 10 times a day. Leave them in a safe yard with the saddle on for a while (maybe 30-60 min), then unsaddle and leave them for 10-15 min. The go back and saddle them again and leave it on for another 30-60 min. Repeat this many times each day for several days or at least until you can saddle him 3 times in succession without him thinking about bucking.
Some trainers will hobble a horse or tie them up extremely short or trip them to fall down if they buck. These methods can work to stop the bucking. But the bucking stops because the horse becomes afraid to buck. I see these approaches as absolute last resorts because they do nothing to relieve the fear and anxiety that is causing the problem.
With regards to using a side pull for mouthing, I really like them for all the reasons I have discussed in the Horse Talk article. However, they are not necessary in order to produce a good mouth on a horse. The quality of the mouth will depend on the skill of the trainer and you can use a snaffle or a rope halter or cavesson or web halter – it doesn’t matter if you know what you are doing. However, if you don’t know what you are doing the choice of equipment is not going to make a difference to the quality of the outcome.
You don’t say what method for mouthing you are choosing. I won’t discuss the various methods here, but one piece of advice I will give you is to make sure your horse is brilliant on the lead rope. A horse that leans against the feel of the lead rope will lean on the reins. So mouthing starts by getting a horse really soft on the lead rope. I have never ridden a horse that was heavy on the lead rope, but soft on the reins.
Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hello Ross
Thank you for your advice about saddling Kafka. I have saddled him 4 times now and he has bucked quite a lot each time. Is this normal? Should I be doing something about it?
Also should I be using a side pull for mouthing. I see on your site that you use a side pull and was wondering if I should buy one for Kafka. I had planned on riding him in an eggbutt snaffle bit, but I am glad to be guided by your advice.
Regards
Rose
Well Rose in my experience most horses are just about done bucking by the time you get to the 4th saddling. But that is not to say that some horses are not more persistent and still come out just fine. It really is a measure of the degree of their worry about the tightening of the girth. And of course, there are horses that people call “cold backed” which buck every time the saddle is first girthed up.
If Kafka is continuing to be explosive with the saddling, try to get him feeling better before attempting to saddle. If he is tense and flinches when you touch around his girth area (behind the elbow), you can be pretty sure he is worried and might buck. Rub him firmly around the girth and flank until he stops flinching. Repeat it on both sides.
Since you are from Ireland, I am assuming you are using an English style saddle and not a western with a rear girth.
When you put the saddle on, don’t buckle the girth immediately. Instead snug the girth up with your hand – gently at first. You may have to use one hand to steady the saddle so that it does not slip around his belly. Ask Kafka to walk around you while you hold the girth against him with your hand. Slowly loosen the girth and then slowly tighten it again. Keep repeating this until you feel him relax. If at any time he humps up, relax the pressure of the girth and start again.
If doing this with the saddle is too much for him at first, begin by using a lead rope or some other soft feeling rope around his belly, without a saddle. Use the rope as if it was a girth and have him walk around you. When this looks okay, put the saddle on his back and try with the girth.
When you finally do get to the spot where he is okay to buckle the girth make sure it is only tight enough to keep the saddle in place. Don’t snug it up as if you were going to ride. Work him for a bit with the saddle. If he bucks, don’t worry too much – just keep working him until you get him feeling more relaxed. Then take the saddle off.
Work him for a few moments without the saddle. Then saddle him again. You may find he is perfectly okay or you may have to begin from the start again. It doesn’t matter how long this takes. Keep working so that you end with him being more relaxed and accepting of the saddling than when you began.
On a difficult horse I will often belly rope (front and rear) a horse for several days. But this requires some expertise with the method and I don’t want to suggest something that may get you into more trouble.
Another tactic that I have found useful for some horses is to saddle them 6 or 10 times a day. Leave them in a safe yard with the saddle on for a while (maybe 30-60 min), then unsaddle and leave them for 10-15 min. The go back and saddle them again and leave it on for another 30-60 min. Repeat this many times each day for several days or at least until you can saddle him 3 times in succession without him thinking about bucking.
Some trainers will hobble a horse or tie them up extremely short or trip them to fall down if they buck. These methods can work to stop the bucking. But the bucking stops because the horse becomes afraid to buck. I see these approaches as absolute last resorts because they do nothing to relieve the fear and anxiety that is causing the problem.
With regards to using a side pull for mouthing, I really like them for all the reasons I have discussed in the Horse Talk article. However, they are not necessary in order to produce a good mouth on a horse. The quality of the mouth will depend on the skill of the trainer and you can use a snaffle or a rope halter or cavesson or web halter – it doesn’t matter if you know what you are doing. However, if you don’t know what you are doing the choice of equipment is not going to make a difference to the quality of the outcome.
You don’t say what method for mouthing you are choosing. I won’t discuss the various methods here, but one piece of advice I will give you is to make sure your horse is brilliant on the lead rope. A horse that leans against the feel of the lead rope will lean on the reins. So mouthing starts by getting a horse really soft on the lead rope. I have never ridden a horse that was heavy on the lead rope, but soft on the reins.
Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Click on the images to enlarge
This is an example of using a belly rope on a horse that had a tendency to buck when being saddled. The rope you be snugged against his belly and only released when he made a change not to buck. He quickly learned that comfort was gained by not bucking. I think I did this for about 3 or 4 sessions before became reliable with being saddled.
Can you imagine what sort of response to the reins this horse had?
Rolkur or Low, Deep And Round?
There was been a lot of discussion around the world regarding a law suit where Sjef Janssen is suing a magazine journalist for stating in an article that his wife, Anky van Grunsven uses rolkur (or hyperflexion) as part of her training of dressage horses. Rolkur has been banned by the FEI and clearly Sjef takes exception to a journalist suggesting that his wife uses illegal practices. Sjef is Anky’s trainer and also the trainer of several other international riders and it was predominantly the use of rolkur by his students, which brought the controversial method into the public debate.
When the FEI chose to ban rolkur, they replaced it with a concept they call low, deep and round (LDR), which is now a legal method of training. However, as yet, nobody has been able to come up with a definition of LDR that makes it easy to distinguish from rolkur. So the controversy continues with some people saying that rolkur is still in use but now being called LDR, and others claiming they don’t train using rolkur, but use LDR instead.
Here is a clip of Sjef Janssen training a horse using rolkur or hyperflexion or is it LDR?
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2 September '10
I have added the August Soap Box to the archive, which you can find by clicking on the box in the sidebar to the right.
I have also put a new story on the Story page. It’s the third instalment of the training of Satts. In addition, you can find the first two stories of this riveting saga in accordion style folders at the bottom of the story – just click on the bar to open the folders and click again to close them.
I have also put a new story on the Story page. It’s the third instalment of the training of Satts. In addition, you can find the first two stories of this riveting saga in accordion style folders at the bottom of the story – just click on the bar to open the folders and click again to close them.
Therapeutic Clinic
Dear Ross
Hope all is well & coping with all this lovely mud.
Wondering if you could pass this around to anyone interested in developing themselves to be a better person and leader for their horse...
I'm organising for Patricia Broersma author of 'Riding Into Your Mythic Life - Transformational Adventures with the Horse' to come to Aust.
http://www.trishbroersma.com/
http://www.trishbroersma.com/
She is presenting at Equitana Fri & Sat. as well as conducting a 5 day workshop at Banayandah Nov. 11-15th.
It was originally going to be with Norma Nakai with part of it to be a Shamanic drumming vision quest and shadow work. Norma now will not be coming so the focus will still be a journey into self & some shadow work but more focus on journeying with the horses rather than a large element of Shamanic work.
It will include a lot more horsemanship/liberty work (& some riding for those who wish) with horses with a focus on developing more of an in depth partnership with your horse through a journey into self awareness. - 'A Transformational Adventure with your Horse' with the archetypal pattern of it being the heroes journey.
There is a website for some more info (needs changing with Norma details taken off).
www.JourneyHorseOz.webs.com
The 5 day w'shop will be held at Jane Reid's at Banyandah at Howlong on the Murray River near Albury - $1250.
Accom @ $35pn in the luxiourous Lighthouse (providing own linen-$15 if camp in bushmans hut or tent) lunch & dinner catered @ $40pd (make own breakfast) & horse agist @ $10 pd.
Can take own horse or work with Jane's horses for the groundwork/liberty work. The days will be quite long with things after dinner as well as all day.
If anyone would like to know more just email or call
Warm wishes
Cheryl
A bit more about Trish
She founded the Saddle Light Center for Therapeutic Riding and was director and head instructor, leading it to premier accreditation with the North American Riding for the Handicapped (NARHA).
In 1993, she re-established HOPE Equestrian Center in southern Oregon, leading the program to premier accreditation with NARHA. She also developed an innovative program for at-risk teens based on utilizing myth and the horse/human connection for transformational experiences. She was director and head instructor of HOPE for nine years.
She engages in part-time professional work with Jean Houston and her multi-cultural human development work, Peggy Rubin and her Center for Sacred Theatre, was licensed as a massage therapist for ten years, and qualifies as a NARHA registered therapeutic riding instructor.
Since 2003, she has devoted her time to writing, riding, teaching, and serving on the board of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association, a section of NARHA, where she is currently president. She offers her skills as a graphic designer through her company Green Horse Graphics.
Meet Guy – Michele’s New Horse
Michele was given a new horse last weekend.
He is a 19-year-old Arab gelding that she broke in for a fellow last year. The owner is downsizing his herd and wanted to give Sergio to a good home. Michele has renamed him Guy.
Guy spent most of his life as a poorly handled stallion and when he came to us for starting he was quite troubled. Michele really like him and when the owner contacted us about helping him find a new home for the horse, she began planting the seed for us to take him.
He is a wonderful horse, but I would be lying if I said I am happy to have yet another horse to be responsible for. But as if any was needed, this is yet more proof that (i) I love my wife more than anything, and (ii) I am a saint.
Michele was given a new horse last weekend.
He is a 19-year-old Arab gelding that she broke in for a fellow last year. The owner is downsizing his herd and wanted to give Sergio to a good home. Michele has renamed him Guy.
Guy spent most of his life as a poorly handled stallion and when he came to us for starting he was quite troubled. Michele really like him and when the owner contacted us about helping him find a new home for the horse, she began planting the seed for us to take him.
He is a wonderful horse, but I would be lying if I said I am happy to have yet another horse to be responsible for. But as if any was needed, this is yet more proof that (i) I love my wife more than anything, and (ii) I am a saint.
The German Training Scale
Hi Ross!
You find some fabulous Youtubes!! I was particularly interested in the one you posted of the beautiful grey on the 28th of August. The girl in the clip reminded me of Michele! I did notice how attentive and relaxed the horse was. The softness and athleticism of the horse (and rider!) was amazing – why don’t we see these kinds of horses in top level Dressage?? The horse seemed so relaxed with all it did …………….. which brings me to my question………………
Doesn’t a horse need to be relaxed before it can maintain rhythm? I have noticed that depending on who the writer is of books (and websites) I have read there is often a discrepancy in quoting the six “building blocks” when it comes to the Dressage Training Scale. Most things I have read agree on the last four building blocks of Contact, Impulsion, Straightness and Collection but the first (fundamental!!) two tend to differ. Some quote them in the order of Relaxation then Rhythm, some quote Rhythm then Relaxation and some quote the order of Rhythm and Suppleness (Relaxation not mentioned at all).
I know you have mentioned the training scale on a previous blog (that the scale is a guide and where the terminology comes from) but I was particularly wondering about your thoughts on the order and the discrepancies with the first two “building blocks”?........................... I suppose I am associating “Relaxation” with having the horse’s mind where you want it……..happy and willing and therefore should be the one thing that books/websites is consistent about!!??
Cheers,
Kathy
I agree that Relaxation should come before Rhythm. A horse that doesn't maintain a Rhythm is not relaxed. If he is not relaxed then the only way to maintain a Rhythm is to impose it on him. This is often done by constantly driving a horse forward, into a restraining hand. It is driving a horse to maintain a forward, but using the reins to limit the degree of forwardness. Which of course is putting a horse between a rock and hard place when you do that - there is no release of pressure.
The other problem I have with the German Training Scale is putting Contact before Impulsion and Straightness. I believe that the type of resistance in a horse that causes a lack of energy (lack of Impulsion) and a crookedness (lack of Straightness) needs to be cleared up before a horse is capable of accepting a softness of Contact. In my experience it's not possible to have a soft Contact unless a horse also has Impulsion and Straightness. Thanks for your question. Cheers to everybody at home.
Hi Ross!
You find some fabulous Youtubes!! I was particularly interested in the one you posted of the beautiful grey on the 28th of August. The girl in the clip reminded me of Michele! I did notice how attentive and relaxed the horse was. The softness and athleticism of the horse (and rider!) was amazing – why don’t we see these kinds of horses in top level Dressage?? The horse seemed so relaxed with all it did …………….. which brings me to my question………………
Doesn’t a horse need to be relaxed before it can maintain rhythm? I have noticed that depending on who the writer is of books (and websites) I have read there is often a discrepancy in quoting the six “building blocks” when it comes to the Dressage Training Scale. Most things I have read agree on the last four building blocks of Contact, Impulsion, Straightness and Collection but the first (fundamental!!) two tend to differ. Some quote them in the order of Relaxation then Rhythm, some quote Rhythm then Relaxation and some quote the order of Rhythm and Suppleness (Relaxation not mentioned at all).
I know you have mentioned the training scale on a previous blog (that the scale is a guide and where the terminology comes from) but I was particularly wondering about your thoughts on the order and the discrepancies with the first two “building blocks”?........................... I suppose I am associating “Relaxation” with having the horse’s mind where you want it……..happy and willing and therefore should be the one thing that books/websites is consistent about!!??
Cheers,
Kathy
I agree that Relaxation should come before Rhythm. A horse that doesn't maintain a Rhythm is not relaxed. If he is not relaxed then the only way to maintain a Rhythm is to impose it on him. This is often done by constantly driving a horse forward, into a restraining hand. It is driving a horse to maintain a forward, but using the reins to limit the degree of forwardness. Which of course is putting a horse between a rock and hard place when you do that - there is no release of pressure.
The other problem I have with the German Training Scale is putting Contact before Impulsion and Straightness. I believe that the type of resistance in a horse that causes a lack of energy (lack of Impulsion) and a crookedness (lack of Straightness) needs to be cleared up before a horse is capable of accepting a softness of Contact. In my experience it's not possible to have a soft Contact unless a horse also has Impulsion and Straightness. Thanks for your question. Cheers to everybody at home.
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2 September '10