Troubled Horses
About half of Ross' work comes from people who are having difficulties with their horses. Some of these problems are just training issues such as foal handling, flying lead changes or straightness. But other people send horses because of dangerous behaviours, such as bolting, rearing, bucking or kicking.
Ross views problems in horses as a chance to get the horse better at something and to build experience and trust into a human's relationship with their horse. “I first try to work out why a horse behaves the way he does. Even horses that come to me with the same type of problem could have completely different causes. One horse may buck because he has a sore back from poor riding and another may buck because he can’t release his hindquarters to allow him to move forward freely. There would be no point treating these two horses in the same way.
"I believe the reason most people struggle with their horse’s behaviour is because communication is only in one direction. We expect the horse to listen to us all the time, but we are not very good at listening to our horses and what they have to say about the way we present the work to them. If from the beginning, we could make our ideas easy and clear to the horse we would not have any problems getting along with them.”
Ross thinks there is a misconception about training. "To me, it's more about humans teaching rather than training. I don't believe a horse comes to us that has a problem that is not man-made. Where we fall short is when we are unclear about what we want, and then our inconsistency compounds the problem. It's our job to understand how deeply a horse holds on to a way of life that has, up to that point, saved his life. Then we have to find a way that will help them to know they can try to live another way. But we have to be there to support that learning process, every step of the way. And that re-education can never be forgotten.
About half of Ross' work comes from people who are having difficulties with their horses. Some of these problems are just training issues such as foal handling, flying lead changes or straightness. But other people send horses because of dangerous behaviours, such as bolting, rearing, bucking or kicking.
Ross views problems in horses as a chance to get the horse better at something and to build experience and trust into a human's relationship with their horse. “I first try to work out why a horse behaves the way he does. Even horses that come to me with the same type of problem could have completely different causes. One horse may buck because he has a sore back from poor riding and another may buck because he can’t release his hindquarters to allow him to move forward freely. There would be no point treating these two horses in the same way.
"I believe the reason most people struggle with their horse’s behaviour is because communication is only in one direction. We expect the horse to listen to us all the time, but we are not very good at listening to our horses and what they have to say about the way we present the work to them. If from the beginning, we could make our ideas easy and clear to the horse we would not have any problems getting along with them.”
Ross thinks there is a misconception about training. "To me, it's more about humans teaching rather than training. I don't believe a horse comes to us that has a problem that is not man-made. Where we fall short is when we are unclear about what we want, and then our inconsistency compounds the problem. It's our job to understand how deeply a horse holds on to a way of life that has, up to that point, saved his life. Then we have to find a way that will help them to know they can try to live another way. But we have to be there to support that learning process, every step of the way. And that re-education can never be forgotten.
Starting/Re-starting Horses
The other half of the business are horses started or re-started under saddle. Ross has some thoughts on starting horses: “Getting a horse started under saddle is not particularly difficult. Most people who ride reasonably well could do it. But in my opinion, there is more to starting than just getting on his back and putting a stop, a go and a turn in a horse. The hard part about starting horses is doing a good job.
"The first thing I try to instill in a horse is the 'try'. It’s a willingness that the horse has to try to go along with whatever idea I present to him. He may not always be able to follow through with what I’m asking, but he will at least make an attempt. That’s all I ask. To get a try from a horse I work on getting his focus and his trust. When I have these things, a horse is ready to move forward with establishing the basic work with a quality that just would not be there if I simply used strength and guile to get him rideable.
"For me, the basics include softness to the rein and leg, a correct bend in the turns, balance (straightness) in all he does, a relaxed mind and a willingness to try. These are things I am always working on no matter if I am training for a halt or a lead change.
"It is important that a horse is broken-in with these things in mind because when trouble strikes a horse will always return to how he was started. If a horse was started with a focus and try in him, when he feels that things are going downhill he will maintain that focus and try. But if he was started as if being ridden was just a job and the horse’s thoughts were not soft towards the job, then when things go wrong it will be ‘every man for himself.’"
The other half of the business are horses started or re-started under saddle. Ross has some thoughts on starting horses: “Getting a horse started under saddle is not particularly difficult. Most people who ride reasonably well could do it. But in my opinion, there is more to starting than just getting on his back and putting a stop, a go and a turn in a horse. The hard part about starting horses is doing a good job.
"The first thing I try to instill in a horse is the 'try'. It’s a willingness that the horse has to try to go along with whatever idea I present to him. He may not always be able to follow through with what I’m asking, but he will at least make an attempt. That’s all I ask. To get a try from a horse I work on getting his focus and his trust. When I have these things, a horse is ready to move forward with establishing the basic work with a quality that just would not be there if I simply used strength and guile to get him rideable.
"For me, the basics include softness to the rein and leg, a correct bend in the turns, balance (straightness) in all he does, a relaxed mind and a willingness to try. These are things I am always working on no matter if I am training for a halt or a lead change.
"It is important that a horse is broken-in with these things in mind because when trouble strikes a horse will always return to how he was started. If a horse was started with a focus and try in him, when he feels that things are going downhill he will maintain that focus and try. But if he was started as if being ridden was just a job and the horse’s thoughts were not soft towards the job, then when things go wrong it will be ‘every man for himself.’"
Foal Handling
Each year Ross is asked to handle and educate many foals ranging from near newborns to yearlings. They believe that good handling from an early age gives horses such a huge advantage when it comes to the more intensive work they will receive later in life. It not only makes the young horses easier to handle for the farrier or in the event that you have to transport him to a vet hospital, but it sets the horse up for a less stressful time during his later education. They like to see every foal learn to be caught, halter-lead, float load and pick up their feet in the first few weeks of life. Such a simple thing like that makes everything from weaning to being started under saddle so much easier on the horse (and the trainer). If the handling is done well the foal learns early the concepts of trust and yielding to the human that every owner and trainer tries to instill into every horse's mind.
Each year Ross is asked to handle and educate many foals ranging from near newborns to yearlings. They believe that good handling from an early age gives horses such a huge advantage when it comes to the more intensive work they will receive later in life. It not only makes the young horses easier to handle for the farrier or in the event that you have to transport him to a vet hospital, but it sets the horse up for a less stressful time during his later education. They like to see every foal learn to be caught, halter-lead, float load and pick up their feet in the first few weeks of life. Such a simple thing like that makes everything from weaning to being started under saddle so much easier on the horse (and the trainer). If the handling is done well the foal learns early the concepts of trust and yielding to the human that every owner and trainer tries to instill into every horse's mind.
Ground Handling/Float Loading
The most time any of us spend with our horses tends to be when we are leading them. The root of most issues on the ground and loading come from where the horse is thinking, and the lead rope can be a kind of physical reminder of where the holes are. Almost every float loading problem is found in a horse who fails to lead with any quality, and a horse who cannot lead well is usually a horse who finds focus on a human a worry, or confusing, and his mind will focus on other things.
Ross accepts many horses each year into work for ground work, and to help the horse and the human have a better relationship. A float is not a pleasant place to be, but when a horse finds a level of confidence in following the human's directions and waits to know what will be asked of him, he is more readily able to face the tough situations humans require of him, like walking onto a float, backing out and waiting halfway, back on and to settle there. Ground work, like anything else we do with a horse should require our efforts to support the horse as he waits to know what we may ask of him, and it is our responsibilty to let him know our interference with his life will keep him safe.
The most time any of us spend with our horses tends to be when we are leading them. The root of most issues on the ground and loading come from where the horse is thinking, and the lead rope can be a kind of physical reminder of where the holes are. Almost every float loading problem is found in a horse who fails to lead with any quality, and a horse who cannot lead well is usually a horse who finds focus on a human a worry, or confusing, and his mind will focus on other things.
Ross accepts many horses each year into work for ground work, and to help the horse and the human have a better relationship. A float is not a pleasant place to be, but when a horse finds a level of confidence in following the human's directions and waits to know what will be asked of him, he is more readily able to face the tough situations humans require of him, like walking onto a float, backing out and waiting halfway, back on and to settle there. Ground work, like anything else we do with a horse should require our efforts to support the horse as he waits to know what we may ask of him, and it is our responsibilty to let him know our interference with his life will keep him safe.
Home Visits
Ross receives frequent calls from people seeking help with their horses. Often they will visit to make an assessment and give advice as to the cause of the problem and what options are available to the owners looking for a solution. They also receive requests to make "house-calls" to deal with such issues such as catching a horse or loading one onto a float. It is important to understand that these visits are not intended as quick-fixes, but instead Ross hopes they can lend some advice to help the owner consider the options they might have in working towards a long term solution.