It’s All About the Angle!

I recently had the opportunity to ride in a clinic with Classical Dressage instructor Georges Malleroni at the lovely Kennebec Morgan Farm in Woolwich, ME.  I choose my clinics wisely nowadays, and have greatly enjoyed the two lessons I have had with this fellow.  I find that right after a clinic or a successful lesson, my mind is often a jumble, and if someone asked me what I learned, I’d be hard pressed to tell them.  It is usually only after a little while, and some more rides that the lesson emerges.  The best lessons can often be expressed in a few concise words or concepts, and I either experience it while riding in the clinic, or during a later ride.  In this clinic, my “aha!” moment was while riding.

We were working on improving the symmetry and straightness of my horse Gabe, and I was struggling to consistently get the elusive feeling of lightness and energy that emerges when your horse is truly straight.  We were working on very slow precise steps of shoulder in, which some may know, I am a big fan of as a very helpful movement.  Then Georges stated emphatically, “It’s all about the angle, a little more or a little less, there is nothing. You have to get it just right for it to work.”  This was my “aha!” moment.  While schooling the shoulder in, there would be moments where it all felt right, and Gabe was light and forward – as if he switched into a higher gear, and I felt perfectly balanced and quiet, but it was hard for me to understand why those moments happened when they did.  But then Georges told me – “It’s all about the angle.”  And of course, he was right.  When I rode Gabe at a specific angle in relation to the arena wall, it allowed his inside hind to step under and engage in a very productive way which was just not possible at “a little more, or a little less” of an angle.  Of course, he also had to be straight through his body, my timing had to be on, and the angle of my body also had to be correct.  But what it really came down to was the angle…

This comment “It’s all about the angle,” resonated with me so greatly because it is something I say to my students a lot also, about about their body position when doing groundwork with their horse.  When the human’s body position and the horse’s body position combine to create a correct maneuver, that is when we get moments of true lightness and clarity, whether we are mounted or on the ground.  I liken it to watching a Border Collie move a herd of sheep.  There is a very precise position where the dogs presence causes the herd to move – a very precise angle of dog in relation to the herd.  At that point, the energy of the herd of sheep is fluid and they move as one, any more, or any less and there is chaos.

When working on the ground with your horse, whether it is with a rope halter and lead, or a lunge line, or long lines, pay attention to the angle of your shoulders in relation to your horse.  I find that most behavioral or movement problems when using any of these tools can be corrected by adjusting the angle of your shoulders.  I tell my students to imagine “lightsabers” extending from their shoulders out in a straight line towards their horse.  Your body should be parallel to your horses when they are circling you – i.e you should be facing their belly.  Think of this position as “neutral.” From that position, you can then alter the angle of your body to influence their movement.  If you want them to halt or slow down, you can close your  leading shoulder – i.e swing your shoulder that is closest to their head gently towards them.  By doing that, you are essentially closing an energetic door in front of them and they will respond accordingly.  If your horse does not want to go forward while circling you, check that shoulder. Often, it is not open, so your energy is telling them to not go.

Your other shoulder (the one closest to the rear of the horse)  acts mostly as a driving aid.  If you want your horse to turn and face you, or step under with their inside hind, or disengage their hindquarters, or whatever you want to call it, close that shoulder.  Meaning, bring that driving shoulder towards their hind end – your body should become more perpendicular to theirs if you do that.  If your horse is turning and facing you when you don’t want them to, check the angle of that shoulder, usually therein lies the problem.   If you imagine the lightsabers extending from each shoulder, your horse should stay within the angle made.  Adjust the angle to change their position.

The combination of your correct angle and theirs is synergistic – it creates an energy that is greater than that of just you and your horse.  Perhaps this sounds complicated, but once you feel it, the simplicity of it becomes apparent.   And that is precisely it. It all makes sense once you feel it.  When you have the angle right, your horse will move off of your body cues lightly and effortlessly and it begins to feel like dancing.

An Exercise in Observation: Recognizing Crookedness In our Horses and Ourselves

In the past two years, I have been gifted with the opportunity to have observed many different horse and rider pairs.  Some I have watched only once, some I have watched evolve both physically and mentally over the course of  the two years.  This has been the most amazing learning opportunity, and has obviously really influenced my approach to training both horse and rider.  In being able to observe so many horses and riders, I have realized that there are a few key ingredients that are supremely important to develop.

#1 – Straightness in both horse and rider (or the lack thereof) is probably at the root of most issues.

#2 – Learning how to develop and use one’s core properly is essential for the rider.

#3 – Breathing properly is crucial for both horse and rider.

I will discuss these points individually within the next few posts.  First, lets look at the importance of straightness.

In the classical pyramid of training, straightness is very close to the top, but I feel that it is crucial to develop in both yourself and your horse from day one.  Before we can improve straightness in ourselves and in our horses, we must begin to recognise lack of straightness – or crookedness. This is where being able to observe so many horses and riders has really helped me.  I have become acutely aware of how crooked 95% of horses and riders are – including myself and my own horses.

First, lets look at ways to observe crookedness in horses.  I recommend doing a mini “case study” on a horse to improve your ability to recognize the many ways in which our horses can be crooked.  Find a good basic drawing of a horse online and record your observations visually on there. A good one can be found here: http://www.horse-stall.net/coloring-pages/horse-19.gif

Here are some points to note:

– When grazing or eating hay off of the ground, which front hoof does the horse normally have forward? This hoof will often have a more dished appearance.

– When standing square, is the horse asymmetrical?  Does the neck bend one way or the other?  Is one shoulder more developed than the other?  Are legs straight?  Does the horse consistently have trouble standing square and want to stand in a particular way? Is one side of the rump higher than the other?  Note the shape and asymmetry of the hooves.

Is the rump symmetrical?

– When you lift the horses hooves to pick, do you meet any resistance? Are there consistently behavioral problems with a specific leg or hoof?

Does the horse show any resistance when picking up their hooves?

Now it is time to introduce movement.  At a standstill, introduce some stretches and bodywork techniques that address the horses body laterally.  Basic Masterson Method techniques are very helpful for doing this. More information on this method can be found here:  www.mastersonmethod.com.  Jim Masterson’s book, “Beyond Horse Massage,” can be a very helpful tool.

– Are you met with more resistance stretching the horse in one direction over the other?

– Do you get more “responses” (i.e blinking, softening of the eye, shifting of weight, swishing tail) or “releases” (i.e licking and chewing, yawning, rolling back the third eyelid) during specific maneuvers?

– Do the muscles feel physically tighter or “lumpy” in a specific area of the horses body?

Now, ask your horse to circle you at the walk trot and canter if possible.

– Is there a soft bend through their entire body? (Although there is obviously much less flexibility in the body than the neck, the horse should feel bent around you on a circle.)

– Does the horse have trouble stepping under their body with one hind leg more than the other?

This is a good example of the inside hind stepping nicely under the horses body.

And now, it is time to mount up.

– Ask the horse to bend laterally.  Is one side stiffer than the other?  When riding does your horse turn one way easier than the other? Can you see one eye more often than the other?  Is one ear tip higher than the other?

This illustrates a soft lateral bend and the inside hind stepping under the body…

– Ask for a back.  Does the horse consistently turn it’s hindquarters one way or the other when backing?

– When walking, trotting and cantering does the horse lean on your aids in any way?  Do they feel heavier in one rein over the other?  Do they drop either of their shoulders or blow through your aids anywhere?  Do they drift to the inside of a circle or cut corners going one way more than the other way?

– Is it consistently hard to pick up one canter lead over the other? Can they maintain the canter going straight?

– If asked for a sidepass, or a leg yield, is one direction more difficult than the other?

Now, on to you!!! Make a diagram similar to what you just did for your horse.

– Which arm do you throw with?  Which leg do you step forward with first?

– If you lie down, is one toe longer than the other?  Are the points of your hips level? Are your shoulders level?

– Do you always sleep on the same side?

– Where is there tension and stiffness in your body?

Pay attention to your own crookedness! Both on and off of your horse!

It might seem like this all is excessive,  but these questions should help you notice patterns. When I am teaching horses and riders, I am looking at all of this data, and it helps me guide the lesson and training plan.  As you look at the straightness/ symmetry map that you just created notice the patterns.  Obviously the moral of this lesson is that symmetry equals straightness, which leads lightness in your riding and the overall health of you and your horse.  Think about what this map means for both you and your horse.  In my next article we’ll look at various exercises that will help with all the crookedness that you just discovered! In the mean time, keep on being observant of the concept of straightness.  The more you aware of it you are, the easier this will be, and eventually it will just be a part your training reality.

Lessons From Ace

 

As promised in the last article I wrote about my “perfect” horse Ace, here are some more specific lessons I have learned from him. Hopefully everyone can find some pearls of wisdom in here that will also apply to their horses.

 

Go With Your Gut, It’s Your Horse –  As horse owners, we rely on a team of experts to assist us in making safe, healthy and smart decisions for our horses.  Veterinarians, Farriers, Trainers and Friends are all part of that team.  Advice is good, especially if it’s from a professional that you trust, but ultimately you must make the call.  Over the years, I have found myself in situations where my gut feeling has contradicted advice of others regarding Ace.  When I have not followed that gut feeling, I have almost always regretted it.  Educate yourself about all things horse as much as possible, this learning will become experience, which will allow you to look at problems critically.  Good veterinarians, farriers and trainers welcome questions, bad ones don’t.  In my experience, it’s that simple.  As an owner, I believe it is your responsibility to ask those questions, even if you feel that you are being a pest.  It is also very important to know your horse and their behavior intimately.  Your team relies on you to know those finer points – the little observations are often the most important part of the puzzle…  There have been times with Ace where I have stood back and watched uncomfortably as a trainer or farrier does something that I didn’t agree with.  It is hard to interrupt and speak up when someone with “authority” is supposedly helping – but your horse is counting on you to do that.  Nonetheless, we are all human, so at least make sure you learn something from those moments…

 

Know Your Horses Conformational Faults – Every horse is crooked due to stiffness, bracing and conformation. Learn that crookedness so that you can help correct it.  Articles by Dr. Deb Bennett are very helpful resources.  As you watch your horse move, and as you ride, note whether your horses head turns in one way more than another. Does he come in on a circle more one way that the other?   Can he step under himself with his inside hind leg equally in both directions of travel?  Does he have trouble picking up the canter lead one way?  Does he lean on your aids in any way?  These are all clues – so notice this stuff, and then figure out the reason.  Utilize your vet, farrier and trainer to help you.  Learn about equine anatomy and gaits.  If you do all this, working with your horse will become much easier.

 

Feet First – Most horse owners take their horses feet for granted.  Ace came to me with terrible feet – due to a combination of neglect and conformation. I quickly realized that I needed to educate myself as much as possible about hoof anatomy, trimming, and hoof care if I wanted to help him overcome his soundness issues.  As I noted earlier, a good farrier welcomes questions and observations.  You see your horse everyday.  They see him once every few months.  The farrier-owner relationship should be full of dialogue, and the more knowledgeable you are about everything hoof, the better this dialogue will be.  There are many styles of trimming and shoeing out there, and it is your responsibility to find the one that works best for your horse.  Beware of farriers and trimmers that are “religious” about only one style or product.  A competent farrier or trimmer has many tools in their toolbox, to suit the huge range of horses and disciplines out there.

 

Remember To Release!! – Ace is an extremely sensitive horse that used to be very explosive.  That is because I was trapping him with my aids because I didn’t know better. He used to rear so high that I thought we were going to flip over backwards.  Always give your horse an “out.”  Remember that horses learn from the release of pressure, not the application of it.  Pressure can come from many things including most obviously – your reins, your legs and your seat/balance.  But it also can be your voice, your body language, the swinging of a rope, the angle of your body, an obstacle, etc… Start thinking critically about how many forms of pressure you are applying to your horse, and why.  Make sure your actions are intentional. Conversely, also make sure that you are not releasing unconsciously – which will just reinforce unwanted behavior.  Remember that adjusting your reins, changing the tempo of an aid, looking away, stopping to regroup all can be interpreted by the horse as a release.  So set yourself up for success before you start…

 

Quiet Hands, Quiet Mouth, Get an Independent Seat-  Work on your balance as much as possible.  If you can take lunge lessons on a safe horse with a good trainer, do it.  That is the best way to get an independent seat.  Strengthen your core, and educate yourself about your breathing (or lack thereof!) Bring your breathing down from your shoulders, deep into your core below your belly button. If you can stay balanced on your horse without relying on your reins or gripping legs, your communication with him will be much more clear.  Then you can stay off of his mouth.  Most horses will lean into unyielding pressure, so if you are always clamped down with your reins, they will mimic that intensity of pressure and constantly pull on you.  I know that it is scary to let go though – I struggled with it for years.  Your horse WILL slow down and quiet down if you stop trapping him with your aids.  Try softening your outside rein, and redirecting your horses energy into serpentines and bends, rather than fighting with them…  Quiet hands does not mean giving up control.  It means that you are creating consistent boundaries, and then asking your horse to meet you there.  Stay steady and quiet with your contact, and remember to release when they soften.

 

Vary Your Exercise Routine – Rote ringwork is the easiest way to sour a horse.  Cross training is so important, both physically and mentally.  Whatever your discipline of choice is, try something new.  Trail riding can help develop natural impulsion and improves any horses walk.  Cavalettis help regulate cadence and help lift the back.  Basic classical dressage principles will help your horse learn to carry themselves better.  Groundwork will strengthen your communication and bond with your horse, and in my opinion, is absolutely essential.  Versatlity and obstacles encourage your horse to think independently, and will test your horses responsiveness.  And above all, cross training should help you remember that riding and working with your horse should be enjoyable.  If it isn’t, figure out why.

 

Redheads Are Sensitive! – I try to avoid stereotypes in general, both in and out of the horse world, but some are true.  Ace is a chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail, and chestnuts are definitely more sensitive both physically (bugs bother them more) and mentally (they demand quiet riders).  So are grey horses.  Bays are usually more steady eddy.  Some breeds are more sensitive than others (Thoroughbreds, Arabs, Morgans).  Owning up to these realities make your life easier, so just do it…

 

Ride Other Horses – Over the years, as I have been able to ride more and more horses, I have gained more and more tools to apply to Ace. You have to approach every horse differently, and those subtleties are great opportunities for learning.  Also, if you need to improve your own riding or horsemanship, get on a more trained horse and do that under the supervision of a good instructor.

 

Keep Trying, and Be Patient With Yourself and Your Horse –  Stick with it, and your efforts will pay off.  Try to not lose your temper both with yourself and your horse.  We all have bad days and good days, so just roll with it, and learn from your mistakes.  Your horse will forgive you, that is why they are so special.  Become more aware of your emotions and it will be easier to control them.  The more zen of a state you can be in when working with your horse the better your results will be.  Take some lessons from a martial art or meditation.  Learn to redirect your and your horse’s emotions rather than squashing them.  And above all, always remember to breathe.

 

Do no harm: understanding the function of tie-downs, martingales, and draw reins

Well worth a read – the pictures really demonstrate the difference between engagement from the back to front of a horse (impulsion, suppleness leading to a soft and flexed poll)

versus forcing the flexion in front, and forgetting about the rest of the horse. (which causes a horse to be behind the vertical, heavy on the forehand, hollow brack and dragging behind…)

 

Do no harm: understanding the function of tie-downs, martingales, and draw reins.

Daily Gleanings – Post #3 – Lessons Learned, Fear Runs Deep

As the months passed, the incident with the Canadian Horse got pushed farther and farther  back into my mind.  At first, I often repeatedly mulled over the chain of events, looking for some reason for his aggressive behavior.  There were any number of things that I did that possibly could have triggered him, but in the end, I think his underlying issues ran deep.  It was hard to not feel guilty about the incident though.  For me, it was in some ways, a failure, and that was hard to swallow.  Soon after, we found a great horse for my client, and life continued on.  I put the event behind me and moved on, or so I thought.

It took some time after the Canadian Horse incident for me to realize that it had created a defensiveness in me that was changing how I was working with horses.  About 1 to 2 months went by before I really saw the pattern and was able to change it.  I am always looking for patterns when working with horses.  The similarities and differences between horses and their behavior fascinate me.  I work with a number of drafty, sticky, “not forward” horses.  These horses often get quite sticky and grumpy if not worked with very consistent and clear aids.  They are quite sensitive, but usually do not show their emotions outwardly.  I began to notice that a lot of them were acting quite defensive when I was doing groundwork with them.  There was a lot of ear-pinning, tail-swishing and posturing going on.  At first I thought I just had a lot of very grumpy horses on my hand, and it was impeding my progress with them.

When I was able to step back and look at my own behavior, I realized that I was causing it.  I was on the offensive during my groundwork sessions.  It was all subconscious at that point mind you, but I felt that I had to send those horses out right away, and get their feet moving, when and where I wanted.   It was too much, too fast for them; I was not taking the time to connect with them, or read their body language, or anything.  I was acting on the offensive out of fear.  The moment I realized that, I also realized that it was connected to being charged by the Canadian Horse.  I was afraid to allow these big horses too close, for fear that they would turn on me in an instant.  Because what happened with the Canadian Horse was so sudden and out of left field, it left me afraid without even knowing it.

I can tell you that I was immensely relieved when I figured this all out, but it did take some conscious work to retrain myself to be soft on my actions with these bigger horses.  Of course, I saw an immediate positive difference in their demeanor when they were approached with softness.  So despite the sadness that that horse left in my heart, I learned a huge lesson from him.  Not only our conscious actions affect our horses.  Our entire psyche does, so remember that, and take a moment to look inwards from time to time, especially when you have encountered any difficulty in your training or riding.

Daily Gleanings – Post #2 – 10/21/12

A few months ago I went to look at a horse for a client.  He was a stocky, handsome Canadian Horse, who was pretty affordable for his breed.  We drove for hours, into the beautiful rolling hills of New Hampshire, and arrived at the old farmhouse finally.  As we got out of the truck, the gelding was standing in his pasture already tacked up – bad sign #1.  We walk down to meet the owner and the horse, and I note that she had already tacked him up.  She claimed she just wanted to see how he would do – we already had established on the phone that he had been “off” lately, a bit pushy on the ground, and generally bratty.  She said that he was good for when she tacked him up, but obviously I asked her if I could untack him, and go through my normal “getting ready to ride routine.”  She obliged, and I began by just petting him and rubbing him down, and then took him for a walk around the pasture.  He was definitely pushy and hard headed, but nothing too alarming – he just appeared to be a 1500 lb. horse that never had been given boundaries.  We began tacking him up, and I gently sacked him out with the saddle pad.  He exhibited no nervousness, but definitely was acting annoyed. Without any other warning, he locked his neck, spun, pulled the lead rope out of my hand, and galloped to the other end of the pasture.

Hmmm… I thought, not so good so far… I walked over to him, and grabbed the lead rope to bring him back over to where the saddle was.  He pinned his ears at me and began to act very threatening.  I redirected his energy, sending him out, circling him until he softened.  We then walked back across the pasture.  As I went to pick up the saddle pad, he quickly pinned his ears, reared and lunged right at me with one of the most intense looks I have ever seen in a horse.  I can only describe it as a look of hate.  I I dodged out of the way, and he dove at me again.  I disengaged his hindquarters, and he finally stopped.  My heart was pounding.  Never have I experienced such aggression from a horse.  What scared me the most was not necessarily his actions, but rather the direct intent and aggressiveness of his energy.  He was literally seething hatred.  To be honest, I really think that there was a hormonal or mental imbalance going on with this horse.

Needless to say, I immediately ended our visit.  I came to look at a horse for an intermediate youth rider, not work through major behavioral issues, and frankly I did not feel that I had the skills to work on such aggressive behavior.  As I watched the owner lead the horse back into his pen, I paid close attention to their body language, and it immediately became clear that this was not an isolated incident.  She was afraid of him too, and was literally tiptoeing around him for fear of upsetting him.  She claimed that he had never done something like that before, but I was not so sure.  I pleaded with her to seek professional help from someone more local to her, and to not show him to anyone else without full disclosure of his aggressive behavior.  The defeated look on her sheet white face did not leave me hopeful that she would follow either bit of my advice.

As we drove away, a huge cloud of sadness and silence fell over the car.  I had no faith that the lady would keep prospective buyers safe from her horse, and consequently, no faith that the horse would be safe either.  He was the type of horse that would end up hurting someone, and then get would get hurt himself. Possibly, that cycle may have already begun, and perhaps that was part of why he was the way he was.  Even though this gelding was hours away from me, and I did not have the setup, resources or skills to deal with such a horse, I still wished I could have helped him.  Leaving behind a horse if a bad situation always hurts, and that sadness would linger with me for a while.

Stay Tuned for Part 2.

There Are No Shortcuts With Horses

Last week, I had a great stretch of rides and lessons.  As I looked back on them, trying to figure out why all were so productive and successful, the answer quickly became clear.  I had taken the time and effort to set up every training session for success.  That might seem overly simple to you, or perhaps you are thinking – duh – obviously that is what you should do… But how many of us do that day in and day out??

I know that I am slowly learning to do this, but it is not yet second nature, and I continually have to remind myself to slow down, and really take whatever time is necessary, even when I don’t necessarily have the time!

Those of you that own horses know that something always comes up that can pull your focus away from your ride or training session.  There are always chores hanging  over your head, some sort of health problem, another horse or rider distracting you… In the long run though, it is most efficient to give whatever task is at hand your full attention.  It is easy for me, when I have a tight schedule of training sessions and rides, to approach them with less thought and intention and presentness than I really should.  This inevitably leads to less productive rides, which is in the end, less efficient use of my time.  Specifically, what do I mean?  I have touched on many of these points before, but I will summarize again:

1. Approach your training sessions with a positive outlook.  No defeatist attitudes and statements.  That is the crux of intentional horsemanship – we all have the ability to manifest our realities.  If you say it or think it, it can be so.  Too often, this shift in mindset is all that is needed to fix a problem.  I was working with a young mustang baby and her owner the other day on lessening her anxiety when separated from her herd mate, when this concept was really illuminated.  When the filly’s anxiety began to increase,  the owner, an incredibly kind and competent lady, said “Oh no, this is how she gets, now were going to have problems…”  She was obviously speaking from a point of anxiety herself, but that sort of defeatist mentality just amplified the scariness of the situation for the filly.  For the horse, she initially got nervous because her pasturemate left.  Then the owner confirmed that yes, this is indeed worth getting nervous about by mirroring the filly’s emotions.  When we changed this, and projected calm and secure emotions, the filly began to feel safe, and in turn mirrored our emotions.  The effect was immediate, and surprised the owner at first, but what a great, simple logical concept?!  Go into your training session with positive and focused intention, and you will be more successful.

2. Begin with a goal in mind, but be able to adjust that goal if necessary.  Riding is a partnership, and sometimes horse and rider both “bring their left feet to the dance.”  Addressing why that is the case is more important than pushing through towards your goal.  In the long run, it WILL get you there faster.  I wanted to work on posting with one of my students last week, but her horse was tense and uncomfortable when he came in.  We spent the first half of the lesson doing bodywork to help him relax and release that tension.  In the second half, I had her ride with a bareback pad, and the horse was the softest, most supple, straightest I have ever seen him be.  What she was able to learn and feel in that ride was way worth the extra time.

3.  Take that time to assess how your horse is feeling, and then take the time to work on any tension or uncomfortableness the horse may have – either physically or mentally.  Do the same for yourself. – If you are tense or anxious going into the ride, work on it BEFORE you start working with your horse.  Do some breathing exercises, change your mindset.  Use your grooming time to relax yourself while relaxing your horse.  If you are physically tense, stretch yourself!  I have a student that used to whirl into her lesson and I could tell her brain was still going a mile a minute from the business of her day.  She had allowed this to permeate her body and she would be tense and unfocused.  I finally paired her up with a horse that would immediately react to that energy and mirror whatever every she brought to the ride.  It has been great to see how this horse essentially acted as a big mirror in which this person could see how her energy was influencing the situation.  Horses are great at reflecting externally your internal emotional state.  Allow them to do that, and learn from it.

4. Ride with intention – ride an obstacle, ride a pattern, or ride towards a physical goal to keep your riding focused and intentional.  In an arena, dressage letters are very helpful. Be aware of your every movement, and how it influences your horse.  Don’t let this tense you up though, sometimes it is helpful to imagine looking down at yourself to “feel” your ride.  Or close your eyes occasionally, and really just feel the horses and your movement.

5.  Stop when you are ahead.  End on a good note, not at a fixed time.  As an instructor, that means I might end a lesson before the time is officially “up.”

I’m sure that there are many more things to do to set yourself up for success when working with your horse.  Anyone have any other suggestions?

Nagging is a No No

Nagging is something that we all do at one time or another, both while working with our horses and just in life in general.  One of the riding instructor’s most important jobs, in my opinion, is to help their students remember to not nag. First off, how do I define “nagging?”  To me, it comes down to unclear repetitive use of the rider’s aids with little or no release.  For example – someone who clucks repeatedly at their horse as they trot around is nagging.  If you squeeze with your leg at every stride you are nagging.  If you seesaw on your horses mouth continually with your hands you are nagging. All of these actions do one thing, they dull the horse to your aids and cause them to brace.

In the world of horses I see nagging arise for two reasons.  First, riders often are trying to be kind or nice to their horse by applying aids more gently – but end up having to apply them repetitively to hold their horse up.  Second, riders often nag from a position of being unaware.  Most riders that nag aren’t even aware they are doing it, as it has become second nature.  And guess what?? Your horse has tuned you out too, so they are not aware either.  Nagging riders create dull horses, and dull horses are a real bummer to ride.  Why do you think a lot of school horses are dull?  Because they have essentially tuned out because of repetitive nagging and inconsistent aids.  All the time I see people pass judgement about horses that have gotten to this point who claim that it is the horses personality, not a learned behavior.  Granted, I do think that some horses are more prone to becoming especially dull – but I often find that it is actually really sensitive horses that become dull as a protective mechanism.

So lets return to our two reasons for dullness.  First – the rider is trying to be “kind” with their aids.  In my training, I have a very specific sequence of aids.  First, I ask with my voice.  Second, with my physical aids – i.e leg, reins seat etc… Third, I follow through with a tap of the whip. If the horse doesn’t respond, I up the ante until they do.  That might sound harsh, so let me clarify two things.  First, it is imperative to be very cognizant of whether you horse understands what you are asking.  It’s not fair to up the ante if your horse simply doesn’t understand what you are asking.  Second, upping the ante doesn’t mean beating a horse.  If that triple sequence of aids doesn’t work, there is likely confusion or pain on the horses part and you must address that before proceeding.

STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO – ADDRESSING SOLUTIONS AND RIDER AWARENESS – I.E INTENTIONAL RIDING

 

Cross Tying vs. Ground Tying.

Not till I moved back from Montana did I realize that there was such a geographical difference between these two methods of tying.  Back here on the East coast, the more I see of cross tying, the less I like this method.

Think about it – how often do you hear of horses having behavioral problems on cross ties.  They rear up and break them.  They pull back on them.  They don’t stand still on them.  They kick or bite while being cross tied. I hear of these problems all the time, and my response is usually – teach them to ground tie.

Out west, and in western riding, the concept of ground tying is much more prevalent, although it is gaining more mainstream traction with the increasing popularity of natural horsemanship.  What does it mean to ground tie?  Simply, that the horse will stand still with out being tied, and without a human holding him still.  Why, might you ask, might that be beneficial other than for show?

Lets look at why horses develop bad habits on cross ties.  In my experience, horses that have behavioral issues on cross ties have developed them because the human in the relationship has substituted the physical restraint of the cross tie for behavioral training.  Essentially, the basics have been skipped, and it is understood that the horse will not move now that it is hooked up on both sides of their halter, but they have never been taught to actually stand still.  In time, as they continue to move around on the cross ties, they are reprimanded, but it is not clear to them what they are being reprimanded for.

I’d say that the  emotional volitility of cross tie reprimanding had to be a close second to trailer loading.   I understand this, as I have been guilty of falling into that emotional trap where I take the horses actions personally. (more on this subject another time !…)  Essentially the human gets really frustrated because “Why can’t my horse do something as simple as standing still why I groom them, or tack them up???”

So the horse is reprimanded, and their fear level, and defensiveness increase because they have no escape route, as they are physically being restrained.  A horse needs to be able to move their feet when scared – forcing them to stand stock still buts up against thousands of years of evolutionary function.  I follow an excellent blog that is written by English horse trainer that is traveling around Southeast Asia writing about her encounters with horses along the way.  She recently wrote about a commercial riding stable in Bali where all the horses had developed intense aggressive tendencies.  She was asked to come in and help, and as she observed, she noticed that the horses were put on the cross tie before being reprimanded for anything.  Essentially, they were being physically restrained, and then were beaten.  Read about it here. This is obviously an extreme example, but relevant nonetheless.

I just got to visit with and trim a little pony client of mine, and she further solidified my opinions on cross ties and my approach regarding “tying” in general.  This pony exemplifies claustrophobia in equines, and unfortunately, because she is so small, has probably been manhandled most of her life.  Because of this, she also had developed some very bad habits.  Today, her owners were telling me that the one time they tried to cross tie her, she was extremely naughty, and reared up and generally resisted.  I admit that when I first met her, I too tried to just physically push her around when she resisted my trimming efforts.  I quickly learned that this approach was not going to work.  In fact, I have really grown to love this little rascal, and truly appreciate her for what a good teacher she has been. You see, once I backed off a bit, and began to respect her personal space she would instantly calm down.  Instead of tying her, or even having someone hold her when I trim her feet, I merely loop her lead rope over her neck or back, so that I can grab it to correct her if necessary.  By teaching her to ground tie, I gave her her dignity back and she is quite lovely to work on now.  

When we teach a horse to stand, but don’t force them into it, we give them a sense of self confidence and security that is invaluable.  It also reinforces the concept of personal space – they don’t invade ours, we don’t invade theirs.  By teaching a horse to stand, you also further your ability to move their feet where you want them to go, and stop that movement. Once this is accomplished, then I have no problem with cross tying – as your horse now knows how to stand independent  of the physical restraint.

In my lessons, I encourage my students to groom and tack their horse up while they are standing untied wearing a rope halter and lead.  I recommend that the lead rope is draped over their withers and back on whichever side you are working on, so that you can correct any movement or other behavior issues.  When beginning to teach to ground tie, there are two forms of correction that I use.  I start by stopping the horse at a specific spot, and I’ll groom them, or touch them all over while holding the lead rope with some slack in it.  If they walk off briskly, I’ll send them out on a circle and get control of their feet by moving them out and then “disengaging their hindquarters.” All without anger or emotion.  Cool as a cucumber is a great mantra to repeat when working with your horses. If the horse just takes a small step, I will just quietly bring them back to where they were standing, releasing immediately when they respond.  In time, I’ll then drape the lead rope over their back, and practice walking away and coming back.  It’s good to have a verbal cue like “whoa” to give before you walk away, and be sure to praise and pat when you return if they stand.  This might take a little time, but I find that if you institute this as the default way you groom your horse, they will learn very quickly.  You will likely see a huge difference in their demeanor – their eyes will soften, they will look much more relaxed, sometimes their skin will even feel less tight.  Grooming becomes enjoyable for both horse and human, back to the way it should be.

This will also greatly improve how your horse stands for the farrier and the vet.  I recommend never cross tying a horse while being visited by a vet or farrier for all of the above mentioned reasons.  You will have little control over your horse, and they will feel trapped in a situation that is already stressful for them.  Believe it or not, by sending your horse out on a circle, you will usually be able to regain control much faster than if you just try to force them to stand still.

To summarize, ground tying is basically is just a much more conscious  and interactive way of having your horse stand still.  By default, you are forced to pay more attention to your horses body language, and I believe that this truly helps you become a more effective horse person, and helps your horse become a happier citizen.

Please! Get me off of these things!!!

Still Like Water

“We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us, that they may see their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even a fiercer life, life because of our quiet.” – William Butler Yeats

Wow!… That is an amazing quote, and oh so pertinent to life as a horseman or horsewoman. This is what we should strive for. And truly, that is a great mantra for all aspects of life.

Horses are a social activity for many, and are often a way to meet friends and spend time with existing friends, and that is great.  But I also believe that it is crucial to at least sometimes, just be present – you and your horse without any other distractions.

When I am teaching lessons or schooling a horse, people often come to the arena and want to have conversations with me.  Although I appreciate their desire to connect, it can be very frustrating, as I often completely lose my focus and connection with the horse and rider.

In a lesson the other day, my student expressed to me that she felt completely disorganized and ineffective with her horse, but she couldn’t really explain the feeling in more detail.  I backed off i-on the verbal instruction for a bit and just asked her to focus on making the rhythm of her horses trot steady by counting quietly out loud.  Within five minutes of doing this, I saw the horse and rider relax and the quality of their relationship improve.  In this instance, I – the instructor – was contributing to her cluttered mind by “teaching” too much. Sometimes sending the student into a period of silence and reflection with intention and focus is the best thing to do.   

I encourage everyone to at least take the first five minutes of your time with your horse – it could be on the ground or in the saddle to just quiet your own mind so that you can hear your horses mind.  Try to be deliberate in your thoughts and movements, and exude calmness out of your pores.  Your horse will respond.  If, at any point something in your ride or groundwork is not working – if there is confusion in the air – repeat this exercise as a way to ground your interactions with your horse.  This concept is fundamental to the idea of intentional horsemanship – that every action will have a reaction, so you should be very aware of your actions, and put conscious thought behind them.  Every movement, every shift in balance, every lift on a rein, every leg aid, every voice aid should happen for a specific reason.  If you try to instill that concept into your horse life you will start to see the positive and negative consequences of your actions much more clearly, and patterns will begin to emerge.  These patterns can be immensely helpful.

If you have ever had the opportunity to watch a truly great horseman, you will see to concept of a still mind in action.  These people have this amazing aura of calm, quiet strength, and that is why horses immediately calm down around them.  Horses, and really all beings, are drawn to this type of energy, like moths to light – they cannot even control it. It can be really interesting to see a horse be drawn in to that still energy forcefield even as they are actively resisting.  And the truth is, that although being still like that may be more natural for some, we are all capable of doing it.

When a horse releases their tension and clears their mind by being around that calm energy you can see a number of physical changes.  Their eyes will soften, they often begin licking and chewing, sometimes they will shake their head a bit, almost as if they are shaking off that tension.  Sometimes they will actually let out a big sigh of relief, sometimes their tail will swish right before they release, as a sign of their last bit of resistance.  They can yawn, often a lot, they will lower their head and soften how they hold their ears.  Sometimes they will cock one hind foot.  You can often see a horses skin and muscles become less tense.  If you are riding, you will see their gaits become more rhythmic and cadenced.  Their strides will elongate and there will often be more suspension.  Their back will lift and feel looser, their tail will not be clenched against their bum.  They will voluntarily release at the poll and lower their head.  You will feel the contact soften through your body and reins.  They will often let out a soft snort, as if they are clearing their lungs…

Start looking for those signs as you begin to interact more consciously with your horse and you will begin to learn what you did to cause the positive change.  When we allow  our mind to quiet, our horses will tell us how to work with them in a more effective and soft way.