Horse Training From The Ground Up

Mark Rashid, Aspen 2000



MARK RASHID
ASPEN 2000
Lael Van Riper

Leaving the valley behind, the road hugs the mountain. Now I am hemmed in by aspen and spruce; now the mountains recede a bit leaving room for paddocks and upscale homes. The pavement gives way to gravel as the road curves and climbs then suddenly around a bend is a discreet green sign with gold lettering "Moon Run Ranch." Glimpses of roofs through the aspen hint at the extent of the ranch.

Then Moon Run begins to reveal its secrets. First is a large, white fenced, sanded arena with five jumps set in place. Off to the right, still hidden in the trees, is the gracious log home of Holly Fuller McLain, owner and designer of Moon Run. There is a new barn with six large stalls open to the elements, a breezeway divider with an office overhead.

Brass nameplates tell you who lives in each stall. The "Big Wood River" barn has two stalls, a tack room, and an equipment room. Flowers bloom in profusion around these barns, loving planted there by Holly. Beyond these barns are a 70' sanded round pen and paddocks. Then, the piece de resistance, an Aspen landmark far from the madding crowd, a massive two-story log barn topped by cupolas, two apartments on the back.

Mark Rashid has already arrived bringing Boo and Buck to aid with the clinic. I find a spot to camp and go to meet the clinic participants.

The Stories

Every horse and rider come with a dream, a story, a history. In a small personal clinic such as Mark runs we may learn bits and pieces of the story. What brought these two together? What keeps them trying to be partners? What are the dreams of the rider/owner? Here then are some of the stories I as I watched them unfold in Aspen, incomplete, in progress. Perhaps one of these stories will intersect with your own and in so doing alter your story as they are altering mine.

MAGGIE AND EMMY LOU

1--Ropes

Emmy Lou is worried. Emmy Lou is mistrustful, and Emmy Lou is cautious. She was not always this way. This lovely 12-year-old bay Quarter Horse mare was once a dependable trail horse, the chosen mount for a four-year-old, one of the best horses on the ranch. But the ranch sold, and the new owner decided to turn Emmy Lou into a roping horse--fast. Instead, he frazzled her, fried her, and then sold her because she didn't meet his expectations.

The new owner had expectations and a timetable also. He took her to a clinic where they used ropes and speed and expectations, and the results (as evidenced by some photographs in the barn) was a horse who was startled, fearful, reactive.

Among Angels

Maggie was at that clinic and saw two things-how harmful the clinic was to Emmy Lou and what a beautiful, warm-hearted horse Emmy Lou was. She asked to buy Emmy Lou. Emmy Lou wasn't for sale. Maggie was undeterred and eventually Emmy Lou was hers. Maggie had owned Emmy Lou for a year before bringing her to Mark's clinic.

We gather at the round pen where Emmy Lou is walking the perimeter. Maggie says that Emmy Lou is difficult to catch, and in response to Mark's questions says that Emmy Lou has been round penned before, required to run.

Mark responds to questioners about his view on the value of round penning a horse. "If you make a horse run around in a pen, they will gradually turn and face you because they don't have many options."

Emmy Lou continues to circle around Mark who puts no pressure on her. "If you need to go, I won't chase you." Emmy Lou puts her head over the fence. Mark asks for her attention back. She gives him her right side. As they work together she consistently gives him her right side, leery of letting him be on the left.

This is a dance. Sometimes Emmy Lou must move. Sometimes she stops and gives Mark her right side. Mark is subtly suggesting moves. Emmy Lou is free to respond any way she chooses. When Mark is able to reach under her neck and pet her left side, he comments that her muscles are tight and balled up on the left side.

She walks, offers the right side. He gets ahead of her. She stops. He pets her left side. There is a big sigh and a snort. Mark interprets, "I'll let you be there, but I don't like it much."

The dance continues, and as Emmy Lou begins to trust her partner she begins to cautiously offer her left side. A wandering eye over the fence, a kiss, a turn giving the right, a kiss "I want something else from you," a turn-Mark walks around; she follows. He is letting her know she doesn't have to move forward.

Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

The goal is to bring her level of fear down so that she can think things through. "I try to be as clear as possible with what I want."

Emmy Lou is not haltered and is free to move. Increasingly she chooses to stay with Mark relaxing when he is on her right side, becoming a little more alert when he is on the left. "Prove to me you're okay."

Mark is handed a halter. Emmy Lou accepts it. Then it is off, and Mark has walked away. He returns, halter in hand and repeats the process. When the halter comes off her nose," Emmy Lou sighs and moves off then returns.

"Tell her every single time, 'If you need to walk away, that's okay.' Take the fight out of yourself, and you take the fight out of the horse." The key for Mark is to be as consistent as possible. If Emmy Lou wandered off, he followed, cutting her off quietly, easily. "You can cheat in the round pen to catch her. You can't in a large area. It has to be her decision to be caught."

When Emmy Lou's anxiety gets too high, she puts her head over the fence watching Canadian geese come in for a landing on the pond. Mark kisses, moves her to get her attention, and asks again for her left side. Just by asking her anxiety level rises. Her head is up. Her strides are shorter. He asks for the left side again. "That's the side all the bad things happen on."

She yields slowly moving her feet around until her left faces Mark. Her mouth is tense, tight, working. "She's trying to let go of some stuff. Much better, everything is soft on the other side."

They try again. This time on the ask she shifts around quickly. "She's a real sensitive little horse. Okay, Maggie, what your goal?"

"To have her be relaxed. So what you're telling me is get my thoughts together before I go out?"

Maggie and Emmy Lou begin the dance. As Emmy Lou turns Maggie yields. Mark observes, "I found that if I'm stepping back every time, every situation, I'm losing ground. If I stop, they step back removing pressure from themselves."

And then Maggie too is consistenly catching and offering a halter to Emmy Lou. "She doesn't want to be caught, especially by men. She's probably been chased. I think she's an overachiever, Maggie. She couldn't do anything right no matter how hard she tried until she couldn't even be caught correctly."

Small Successes in a Big Arena

Mark and Maggie take Emmy Lou to the big arena and turn her loose. She stays in a small circle about the size of the round pen gravitating around Mark then stops and offers him her left side.

Mark walks across the arena. Emmy Lou leaves the pile of feed she has discovered and follows Mark settling into the circle around him. He stops his feet. She comes near, hesitates, drifts, then comes around. Mark walks away. She doesn't follow. "I'm not interested in having her follow me. She won't anyway. The trust is not there."

She moves. He moves. She begins to turn in. He stops. She moves. They dance. I leave the dance to wander off and discover the Canadian geese on an acre lake behind the new barn.

2--It's Easier on Horseback

Standing for twelve hours a day is wearing on even the fittest person. Mark's body has suffered some damage over the years. For this clinic Mark's horse Buck and a mare named Boo have come along to give him some relief. Mounted on Buck Mark works with Maggie and Emmy Lou in the arena.

Basics-Emmy Lou has had the basics, but it is here at a foundation level that they begin again to establish cues, to build trust. Emmy Lou has done a lot of one-rein stops. Asked for a two-rein stop she walks through. Maggie is coached to apply even pressure, holding her hands steady. Emmy Lou works her mouth thinking about what's being asked.

They try again. "Go softer. What did that take on a scale of 1-10?"

A three and a walk-through, Maggie tries a 3 ½. The next time it is a four. "Shift your weight in the saddle then ask with a three. Shift, ask, two, three, then go to a one-rein stop. Try to alternate left and right. We're working on getting her feet stopped with a three pressure." Mark wants lightness in Maggie's hands, which then softens through Emmy Lou's mouth and asks for a responding softness.

"She'll say, 'I don't understand. I don't understand." Then all of a sudden it will be like a light switch goes on. She'll get it."

I learn more of Emmy Lou's history from Leslie. Her son had ridden Emmy Lou with a bosal when he was four. But since then she has been spurred and flipped over backwards in excessive training. "She was a really good horse at one time."

They continue to work on walking, stopping, and backing when she blows through a stop.

Questions and Interruptions

In response to an auditor's question Mark explains that he doesn't immediately go forward after a back, or the horse will learn to back then shoot forward.

Maggie shifts her weight, picks up the reins. Emmy Lou moves out. A stop, an immediate forward, a one-rein stop then she plants her feet. "It will be better tomorrow." She stops and drops her nose. "She's telling you 'I think I've got this. You don't have to hold me so long." The next stop takes little more than a weight shift. Emmy Lou sighs. "Let her walk forward. I expect she'll be better tomorrow. You're breaking it down so that she will understand. Before she knew that walking through a stop was right. Once she understands what you want, she'll fight to give it to you.There's nothing you can do to make me mad. This is a new perspective. She'll be happier. You'll be happier. Oh, that's pretty. Atta girl, Maggie."

Emmy Lou is starting to engage mentally as Maggie gives her consistent cues and responses. "Start with three. You can move to two, one, then just a weight shift. There, she was just about to stop. You might not have felt it. When she offers a try, trust here.That time it took only a half.A horse has a learning curve. 'Let me go back and see if I have this right. Okay, let me try something else.' She'll be a little more precise tomorrow.

"How many stops do you want in a row before we stop? That first one was precise, two, three, four, that last one you got a bit of a walk through. Now jump down and give her the reward, the big release. You gave me what I wanted, now we're done."

3--He's Right

Emmy Lou has caught on. She walks quietly, gives easy stops, backs lightly. "We're starting to see a change in her mentally. She's quieter, thinking."

It's not totally straight progress. There is a walk through on some stops, hesitancy on some backs, a little worry. "We want to keep her quiet, not tap into that worry but get her quieter, thinking." She's now stopping easily about 80% of the time.

Emmy Lou walks head low around the arena. Just as she passes a gate her head lifts. Her body tenses. She is blowing. Her gait speeds up. Maggie circles her on Mark's instructions. As her mind becomes engaged in the task, she softens and slows. "There's a difference between a nervous horse and one who just needs to move. If you run a nervous horse, she'll get tired, but she'll still be nervous. When we work this way [circles, serpentines, figure eights], we can tune in to what is happening with the horse. As soon as the horse begins to worry we can give it help by circling it or doing serpentine work. The horse looks to you for help with nervousness. After awhile when she starts getting nervous, she'll check in with you. Just lift a rein, and it will be enough to say 'I'm with you.'

"We put tons and tons of pressure on horses to do something when they're quite willing to do something. 'Hey, I'll do it for you. You don't have to yell.' We want her to walk around the ring in a nice, quiet walk. If she hurries, just do serpentines and circles until she walks quietly."

Three-quarters of the way around the arena Maggie and Emmy Lou repeatedly circle, and then Emmy Lou drops into a calm, still walk. She relaxes front to back. Her poll drops. Her steps lengthen. Her tail has pulled away from her body and swings freely. She is listening to Maggie.

Maggie turns her in the other direction. Something new. Her tail clamps then gradually loosens. The last place a horse will let go of tension is in the tail.

Moving Out

They transition into a trot, fast, head up. "Ask with your reins." She drops to a walk, lowers her head. "Lift." She moves up into a brisk trot. "Ask for a stop. Seat first, hands." Up, down, mix with stops-"Use just your energy. Now squeeze. Here she comes.Softer.Even softer.There you go, Maggie. Now you're getting inside her. How did that trot feel?"

"Softer."

"There's worry coming even before the transition. It just takes a thought to get her into a trot."

They circle the arena circling when Emmy Lou's attention drifts or she picks up speed. "When she's trotting fast, ask her to slow with the reins. Just slowly pick up the reins, and she'll give you what you want. Tomorrow we'll work on the canter."

4--The Last Day

"She's better today but still a little concerned. On the last day I try not to introduce anything new. If you have any questions, ask them. We want to reinforce what we've done, working quietly. Always start with what she knows. Do a quiet lap or two at the walk before moving into the trot. She doesn't need the round pen. That's too much pressure."

Walking around the arena Maggie is showing some tension-head up, nostril flapping, tail clamped. Then she calms and walks like an island of peace in a sea of sand.

"Emmy Lou is trying to get herself centered. The first day she was worried. She didn't know you were trying to help her. The second day was the same. The third day was 'no one's brought out a whip or spurs or thumped on me.' Now she's calmer. She's starting to trust that you mean this. She may revert back to what she did before trying to find out what will happen. Then 'Oh, okay, just wanted to check out what would happen.'

Mark's Story

"Some folks brought a seven-year-old Arab stallion to one of my clinics and dumped him out in the round pen. I watched the owner and the horse for about twenty minutes thumping and whacking. It was a mutual struggle.

"No one would breed a mare to this stallion because of his behavior." Mark excused the owner from the pen. For the next twenty minutes Mark gave no response to the horse whatever he did except to keep himself from being run over. At the end of the twenty minutes the horse's head was down, and he was standing next to Mark.

They worked quietly for another twenty minutes, and then the stallion began to posture and prance. Mark lifted the halter in his hand. The horse stopped. "Oh, okay."

The next three days the owner rode the horse softly. The horse's muscles loosened, and everyone was able to see how sore the horse was from tension and fight. By the fourth day he was extremely sore but still responding. Then he stopped, popped up off the ground. Mark instructed the rider to sit quietly. The horse lowered his head and slowly began to lie down. "I need you to get off of me, but I'm not going to hurt you."

While Mark is telling his story Emmy Lou is quietly circling the arena, head down, tail loose. As she trots past the auditors someone raises a large beach umbrella with a pop. She continues on quietly unfazed.

When she does get rushy, Maggie picks up the reins and circles her or serpentines. "You're a little too fast. I don't want to get in your mouth." Now into a canter where the same exercises slow her speed. Transitions and explanations-"In a month's time you'll have a completely different horse. Right now she has that same stiffness in the canter that she had in the trot. She has to make sure that the same thing will happen in the canter as in the trot. She's afraid this might be where the other shoe will drop. Go slow, deliberate, easy. You're laying the foundation. Go back to the walk, the trot, then canter a little reassuring her that what was true at the walk and trot will be true at the canter. That was a nice stop. Now let's get a nice canter in a small circle and stop. Well done, Maggie."

SARAH AND RED

1--Maggie Has a Daughter

Sarah, Maggie's daughter, has brought a four-year-old thoroughbred Red whom she has owned for a month. She bought him from a facility that breeds race thoroughbreds. Red is a dropout. He comes in calm and composed. He does not have the temperament for the track.

Sarah wants to work on catching Red. He also loses focus, calls to his friends when asked to leave them, and loses his attention to outside allures.

Fear versus Curiosity

Two emotions control horses. One is fear. The other is curiosity. If a horse is fearful, he cannot be curious. If a horse is curious, he cannot be fearful. We want to create curiosity. As Mark is explaining this, Red's attention has drifted outside the pen. Mark moves. Curiosity brings Red's attention back. "Why are you moving?"

Red's nose drops and with it his attention. Mark leisurely circles a foot under his nose and breaks into his drifting attention. "You have a nice, little horse here."

Sarah asks how a horse knows that the kissing sound means you want his attention if you have also used it as a cue for going forward. Mark explains that kissing really tells the horse I want a different response than the one I am getting from you.

Red walks past Mark, and Mark moves slightly. Red's attention shifts to Mark. "When asking for his attention, start with a one. That's my moving. If necessary, try moving and kissing. That's a 1 ½. There are no rules to horse training except don't run me over. I want to pique his curiosity." Mark moves toward Red's rear. Red shifts around. Mark stops. "He can't see you if you move to the rear. He has to look behind. Stop when you get something back from him. If his head is already down eating, you've lost him. It takes a heap of pressure to get him back."

The Allure of the Irresistible

Now Red is looking over the fence. Mark puts some pressure on him for his attention. He trots off with an ear on Mark. "You don't want to stop him from looking, but you want his attention back as quick as possible." Red's attention shifts again to the outside. Mark moves. Red's attention is back on Mark. "Make yourself so irresistible that he keeps coming back to you."

"Will this work for my boyfriend?" Sarah asks.

One of the auditors asks about ropes. Mark has a halter and rope in his hands. "I swing a rope only when nothing else works to get his attention. Overhand means 'move out.' Underhand means "I need a change.' If you're riding and lose the attention, you can just pick up an outside rein."

Ready to Ride

Red is saddled, and they move to the large arena. Sarah starts to mount. Red moves to get his balance. Mark squares him up so that he is balanced for Sarah.

As they are walking Mark asks Sarah to feel for the change within the walk. If he is slowing, he is asking can I slow down. Before the total slowdown or stop occurs this is the time to say no, I'd appreciate it if you didn't. This dialogue, so subtle to the watchers, is how the rider gets the horse tuned in to her. The dialogue can become so fine-tuned that you can think about a pace and get it.

They stop and back-a crooked back. "Let's get him straight. Sarah, where are you looking?"

"The barn."

"The barns pretty big. What part of the barn are you looking at?"

"The crosspiece on the door at the top."

"Okay, now keep your focus and back." Red backs slowly straight across the arena.

Low Gear

They begin again-a slow start.

"You came in with no life. I want you to pick up life from the first step. Bring up your energy. Horses are usually mirrors of us. Now let's look at the walk. If it's a slow walk, there's not much going along. If you have a fast walk, you're taking inventory. Adrenalin comes up. There's lots going on. Mentally prepare and see what we can get from here to the sixth pole." Red is already stepping out. "What we're looking for in the walk is to be riding with the horse instead of riding on the horse."

Mark notes that Sarah is giving big cues to Red and wants to know how far he will travel without having to ask him for more. They start with a back, and this time Red makes his own correction. He is backing with his nose up. That's noted and can be worked on later.

As they move out Mark observes that Sarah is doing a lot with her legs and not getting a lot in return. "Squeeze, release, nothing.squeeze, release, what? squeeze, keep on. Sarah, he's twisting some, and his hocks are popping. You might want to have Dr. Dave look at his back."

Dr. Dave

Dr. David Siemens is a human and equine chiropractor who often is along on Mark's clinics treating equine clients and as a resource on saddle fitting. I have seen him at work at three clinics. Just as I was once a skeptic about human chiropractors and was converted when I found one helped me, I was also a skeptic about equine chiropractors until I saw the miraculous results Dr. Dave gets.

He is here to work on a number of horses in the area and will make time for those in the clinic who also need an evaluation or treatment.

Consistency in Cues

Red loses his trot when Sarah asks for an arcing reverse. She is oversteering, and Mark works with her to get consistency in the cues. But now it is noticeable even to the auditors that Red is having trouble when he is asked to trot to the left. The limp is almost unnoticeable, but this is a good time to stop.

2--Goals for Today

Transitions, going with purpose, feeling the trot in the walk, and working on getting Red on the bit are set as the goals for Red and Sarah on the second day. Red easily responds to requests to trot but is strung out once there. As Sarah is working on feeling the surge in Red's walk, the beginning of the trot, Mark talks about horse training.

"Most horse training is designed to focus on what is wrong with the horse and fix it. I want to focus on what is good with the horse and build on that."

"What's putting the horse on the bit?"

"You start by using light pressure on the bit until the horse drops his nose. Then you release with your hands but don't throw the reins away, or he'll lift his head again. Then come back with a bit of pressure again. When he shifts down, release. Take up contact again. Being on the bit is having the head near vertical or vertical depending on the horse.

"Sarah, turn Red back the other way. He's hooked on something in that direction. You've got to get him back to you. When you find he's hooked on something, get him thinking back to you. Give him something else to do. He's starting to get his nose down, not jutted out. Circle him. Give him some release on the outside rein."

Mark rides over to Sarah. She is not using enough pressure, and Red is not searching for an answer. "Ask for a back. If he drops his head or backs, give him some release. You're looking for a drop in the head." Red tosses his head. Sarah applies a bit more pressure, and his nose drops.

They try again, and again there is resistance and head tossing. "If he's tossing his head to get relief, just tip his nose. While you're doing that, he's thinking how do I get rid of this.

"If you see the star on his forehead, he's probably got his head too high." Red continues to toss his head, and Sarah quietly tips it to one side then asks for the back again. He tosses. She picks up the other rein and tips his nose. He backs. They move out.

"This is like watching grass grow, but we are establishing a base which will serve the horse for the rest of his life--what the bit is for, how to use it.

"Slow things down to get rid of that head tossing.He's going to drop his head.There.You might want to shorten your reins a bit.

"He's searching with his head tossing or ducking. We need to be there to give him the release when he finds what we're asking."

Red finds the head position, searches for the rest, then he's got it-a soft, soft back.

The Horse Who Reads Minds

"A woman came to one of my clinics and said, 'My horse does everything I want before I even ask, when I'm just thinking it. It drives me crazy. Can you fix it?'

"I told her most owners would kill for that."

Mark now asks Sarah if he can ride Red. Soon after he is mounted Red is backing quietly. Mark explains that he is keeping his hands steady. When the nose goes down, Red hits the end. When his head goes up, Mark keeps the pressure on but releases when the head comes down. He has taken away the option of tossing his head so Red tries dipping his nose past vertical. Mark holds steady letting him find the area of no support, then pressure, releasing when he brings his nose to vertical.

Sarah remounts and practices holding her hands steady.

Help Me Understand

An auditor asks about using your body to control gaits. Mark notes that Red is a young horse just getting his balance. If you use too much body when starting a horse, you can throw a horse off balance. If you try to get your body going with a horse who is already having some balance problems, it can throw the horse further off balance.

In response to a question on rearing Mark tells us that is a defensive measure. The horse has stopped searching for answers. Look at the saddle fit, physical fitness, pain. If a horse won't back, look for possible pain first. Second ask if you're applying too much pressure. Head tossing will bring a release for a horse. The horse will then toss his head higher to get more release. Then if he still need release, the next measure is straight up.

3--More of the Same

Sarah and Red are working on backing and timing the third day. Back three steps, pressure until he drops his nose, release for reward but take up contact again so that he doesn't learn to drop his head and pop it back up again. Red is tossing his head again. Sarah pulls it immediately to the side. He tries again. She pulls it to the other side. Once more and Red is convinced head tossing is not a winning strategy.

As they move out Red is traveling with his nose in the air. Mark notes that he is a young horse, and that we must teach him to carry himself better now so that he doesn't lose his topline in the future. The next request for a back Red works his mouth, starts to raise his head, stops the motion, and backs a bit crookedly.

"Keep his head straight, and his body will correct itself."

Trotting, Red again has his head somewhat extended, but as Sarah picks up contact there is an almost imperceptible drop. He's softening up front. His nose is down, up, down. "He's asking, 'Where do you want me to be?' He is searching and needs a bit more pressure to get the job done. If he were trying harder, you could go softer. You need enough pressure so that he doesn't lean against your hands but drops his nose. Then you can begin to go softer to one from four or five. There.he's searching.release. Release just your fingers. Don't give up the reins. Then pick up contact again. He's leaning on two. Start soft and go up to find the pressure which encourages him to search."

Red is still trotting with his nose up, then there is a drop, a release. Sarah is riding with steady hands. He comes around by a tree where Dr. Dave is working on a horse. "His ears are out forward. He's not with you. Add a little pressure, turn him. Just use a little pressure while he's learning."

They are working ostensibly on head position, but it is also work on focus, attention, responsiveness, body position. They do serpentines and circles. Red's head drops. He is paying attention. They stop and back. He softens his neck, tucks his head, backs.

Listen Up!

Beginning again Mark asks Sarah to switch directions every few steps. When they are on a straight line on the rail, Red doesn't have to pay attention to his feet. He sticks his nose out. His mind is disengaged. His momentum slows. She clucks but doesn't break him out of the straight line.

"Sarah, you're behind him on the trot and canter. You have to get yourself up to speed. Your hands are soft and steady, but they're too soft for him at this point. Make your turns sharper to keep his mind on his feet.

"When you're teaching a horse you may need more pressure to begin. As he learns you back down on the pressure. You need quick reaction. The rider's mind must be engaged to engage the horse mentally.

"Upstairs this is a young horse. He's more easily distracted than an older horse. It may be another year before he gets all these things. We don't want to hurt him, but we can give a bit more pressure to get him through to the other side."

Red is tiring. Sarah now mixes up trotting, turning, stopping, backing, cantering. He is slipping his back feet but is working softly. He makes a turn worthy of a barrel horse.

They join us and Sarah notes a change. "I just put a little pressure on the reins, and his ears come back, and I have his attention." Red is standing with his head lowered but flexes at her ask.

"The rider has to think. We've got to do what works for the youngster. What does the horse need?"

Sarah has taken Red out once more and asks for a canter. His head is lowered. His ears are back toward Sarah, listening. Sarah has opened up. Mark cautions, "Let's not get him too tired. We've pushed him past the point where he said 'I think I'm done now.'"

Questions

"How do I get my gaited horse into a canter?" an auditor asks.

"Trot and let him go into a canter, only go a few steps and then bring the horse back down. After the horse has the transition down, you can begin to travel further."

"Why do you use serpentines?"

"I might use serpentines for tightness, then when the horse gets softer, I would straighten him out. I might use it for a horse that is too loose, unfocused. The pressure of the serpentine would get the horse to focus. If the horse is picking up the pace, you can use the serpentine to slow him without any fight. "

4--The Final Performance

Red has been thinking about his lessons. He begins with his poll curved, nicely balanced. Mark prescribes stepping over cavalettis and lateral work at home to get Red to think about where his feet are. He also notes that his front end and back end are not working in harmony, but that is young horse stuff.

Red is now trying to look for the bit, dropping his nose down. "Ask for him to come onto the bit when you're stopped, and then walk forward." Red lifts his head as he moves forward. "Ask as you're moving." His head drops.

They make a nice transition into the canter then come down to a stop. Asked for a back Red lifts his head high but returns it with just a dip of the nose. "Get him on the bit then ask him to go forward. If he steps out with it, then he's coming from behind." He steps out on a loose rein with his head down. "He's not quite as strung out. He's picking you up a bit better." Red is now using abdominal muscles to carry the weight on his back.

Now when his attention goes away, Sarah is able to ask for it back and get it immediately. They stop to try a bit of lateral work. "Rock back as if you are going to back or actually start the back then rein him to the side. His weight will be on his back, and he can just float over." He steps awkwardly to the left, and Mark notes that he was leaning to the right. She reins him right, and he steps over smoothly. She needs no leg to the right but a little to the left. By the third try left she needs no leg on either side.

"That's the first step in neck reining. If you feel him turning on all four feet, he's not rocked onto his hindquarters. There.feel that.that's him rocked on his back end and moving his feet across." Now he tucks his head and backs, stops with head down. "You're neck reining now." Mark reviews the lessons then adds, "A lot of what we're doing is mentally taxing on him. Next time or next year it will fall into place. Then you can jump him. The neck reining will come from your lateral work. You've got a nice horse there."

What Is That Noise?

An auditor is puzzled by the sheath noise that one horse makes. "Is it because of stress?"

"It's just noise. Air gets in the sheath."

"Sheath farts, " Tracey quips.

"Oh, I thought those were abdominal noises," another comments. You learn a lot at these clinics.

KATHLEEN AND ASHCROFT

1--The Veterans Return

Slightly over a year ago, in desperation, Kathleen brought Ashcroft to a Mark Rashid Clinic in Parachute, CO. Kathleen had found Ashcroft five years ago in a small pen by the railroad tracks, emaciated, hooves deteriorating, in generally sad condition. Perhaps this sad horse spoke to her own struggles. At the time Kathleen, only in her twenties, was working to overcome a stroke.

She purchased the grey thoroughbred and doggedly began to bring him back to health. The two worked to become a winning hunter-jumper team, but Ashcroft continued to be deeply troubled. Kathleen was ready to give Ashcroft to the first person offering her $100.

Today, at the start of their third clinic, Ashcroft is not for sale at any price. There are still goals to be reached, but the two are forging a strong partnership. As they tour the arena the grey, 10-year-old thoroughbred gelding looks better than any of us have ever seen. The two travel as a team working together.

Accentuate the Positive "Are you feeling anything in him?"

"Oh, you mean good?"

Mark has been teasing Kathleen into focusing on Ashcroft's positive traits. "He's offering you some softness, but you're riding through it. He's offering you an opportunity to get soft with him. Travel a lap. Let's see if you can feel it."

At the end of the lap Mark takes the reins and becomes the horse. He releases tension as if the horse were dipping his head. Kathleen is invited to note the release and release in return. I am empathetic having ridden with Mark. His timing is exquisite. Mine is intermittent.

Kathleen responds with softness. They move into a trot. "Here.here.here.can you feel him offering you softness? There.you're giving it back to him now. You're not too far apart." I sit across the arena and strain to see what Mark is seeing, the dip of the head, the release. I catch it every fifth or sixth time. A year ago I was lucky to catch it at all.

"He's tensing when we pass the X (an X jump set up in the arena)."

"Change. Use half the arena. Change direction. Cut through the middle."

"He still feels tense to me."

"I'm guessing that he's less tense. Can you feel a difference?"

A Philosophy for Training

Kathleen continues riding but begins to explain her goals to the auditors. "I'm riding today for tomorrow. I'm riding this corner so that the next corner is better." She is making conscious decisions to try new things.

"We're always training for tomorrow."

During this time Ashcroft has been giving her a striding walk, offering up softness. Mark coaches Kathleen to give softness, release, in return. Ashcroft is charged up because nearby horses are leaving the facility. Kathleen quickly switches him into circles and serpentines across the arena. His attention returns to her.

She picks up the reins, and Ashcroft speeds up his walk. She has been dropping pressure when she gets the walk she wants. Now just picking up the reins quickly causes a rapid change in gait.

"How can we do that differently? Pick up one slowly, then the other. Pick up softer. Pick up slower. Breathe out when you're picking up the reins. He's paying that much attention to her that he can feel what she's thinking. You even have a different look on your face." As Mark is talking, Kathleen has been practicing his suggestions. "Kathleen, you've loosened your face up." She grimaces then grins. She comes to this seriously, and we are seeing the results of her work and her play with Ashcroft.

Like a Cloud

The softness from Ashcroft brings an answering softness from Kathleen. Kathleen is riding lighter and giving lighter cues.

"Riding is like an onion. We're peeling away layers of responsiveness, not fighting but rewarding softness, not just him, but all of our horses."

Ashcroft has been offering to trot. "When he offers a soft jog, take it. Even ask for it." She offers, and Ashcroft no longer wants to fight over the trot. "You took the fight away."

And then another change-he quickens his pace. "When you're coming around to the right, he runs into a heavier left hand (leftover effects from the stroke).

"What can you tell me about your hands? What are you feeling? Is there any softness there?"

"Occasionally."

"The last time you rode with me, you couldn't feel any of that, but he was offering it up then also. What are your intentions?" Mark is working with Kathleen's personality and the history between her and Ashcroft.

Walter, Kathleen's aging yellow lab, takes this time of resting and talking to come into the arena and be petted. Kathleen reaches down. Ashcroft stands quietly, unperturbed by Kathleen's unbalanced position.

As they move off again at some speed Mark continues teaching, "If you're having difficulty, just get off and walk until you have a clear picture of what you want and how to help Ashcroft get that. Take a break. He's so sensitive, so tuned in to what you're doing that it's easy to override him when you're just focusing on what you're doing and what you want.

What Is Softness?

An auditor asks what are you looking for or seeing when you are talking about softness. Kathleen responds, "There's an almost imperceptible softening in any part of the body. It might be at the poll or in the jaw, in front of the withers, or behind the withers. It might be just the way he sets his foot down. I feel a little bit less hardness."

Kathleen looked tense when they started again. Mark adds, "If you're looking for something big, feeling for something big, you won't ever get it. You need to feel for the small thing."

Kathleen continues, "On my part I am trying to give to Ashcroft-softening my whole arm, softening seat, softening legs. The specifics aren't so important, just that you get it done."

"If you're riding as soft as possible, there's little to release and nothing to fight against," Mark comments.

An auditor adds, "I use the mantra 'This is where I want to be.'" This helps her stay soft and unemotional with her horse.

Another horse and rider have entered the arena. Kathleen snakes Ashcroft across the arena. He is paying close attention to her. Gone are the histrionics of past clinics. They end on this positive note and join us as Mark continues on softness. "Look at the reins. Slack indicates a softness on Ashcroft's part and also that Kathleen is doing her job because, she hasn't picked up the slack. Consistency in the reins means there is a conversation between the horse and rider. There is correction with no emotion, which is pleasing to the horse. Think trot, and the horse will respond with a trot. That's the horse wanting to be with you."

2--Rain, Rain, Go Away

After warm-up Kathleen and Ashcroft take two jumps. Timing is off. Mark notes that the approach was out of time considerably back of the first jump, and, although Ashcroft made it through the first, he lost the second.

An Aspen afternoon deluge interrupts work. At Parachute there had been a deluge, and Ashcroft had been restless and unhappy. Today he is resigned. His lace-eared fly mask funnels water down his face. Ashcroft just drops his head and endures giving no response as Kathleen maneuvers into her slicker. We hunker down and wait for the rain gods to cease play so that we resume our play.

When all is over Kathleen and Ashcroft begin jumping again. As Ashcroft lands he speeds up. "I think you're holding your breath between jumps. I could be wrong. Take a deep breath between jumps." There is visible ease to the next jump, and Ashcroft lands on the correct lead. "You might want to try to breathe over every jump. There's something to this breathing stuff."

There is a distraction before the next round, and they are off balance over the second jump. On the next round the first jump is solid, but they fall apart a bit over the second. Each time Mark is analyzing horse and rider, giving observations. Kathleen has been sucking in her breath before a jump. Ashcroft gets ahead of the jump. She doesn't let her breath out right after the jump, and Ashcroft takes this as a signal to speed up on landing.

"The good news is that this horse mirrors you like no other horse and rider I've ever seen. The bad news is that this horse mirrors you like no other horse and rider I've ever seen. You're so tuned in to each other. You have to find some place of quiet within you. He'll do anything for you."

Mark helps Kathleen feel the rhythm in Ashcroft's stride and coaches her to breathe with every third or fourth time. His cantering slows. "Keep the rhythm even if he breaks stride. You take care of yourself, and you'll take care of him. He'll take care of the jumps. Now take a lap or two at the canter to get in rhythm with him and with yourself. Then we'll go back to the jumps."

"What did you feel?"

"A little fast."

"If you're breathing every two strides, you're breathing too shallow. Slow down your breathing, and he'll slow down his canter."

The auditors are leaning forward breathing every four or five strides, but Ashcroft is not tuned in to us.

"Keep your own rhythm. He has to come back to you. You should be able to breathe every three steps without having to count. Once you get your rhythm just stay there.

The next round is more even. There is a little rush in the jump but okay over the jump and no hurry after the jump. "There was a bit of worry when you thought of holding your breath."

Kathleen notes, "If this is all it is, this is easy."

"It's just a matter of getting in rhythm within yourself."

The heavens reopen. Ashcroft drops his head almost to the ground and endures. Kathleen is a mirror of his posture. This is not just about breathing. It is about settling yourself.

3--Floating

The third day is a continuation of jumping lessons. No, that's inaccurate. Kathleen and Ashcroft know how to jump. Mark admits that he has never voluntarily jumped in his life. He is teaching breathing, centering, softness, trust.

"He made three adjustments before that jump. He's cantering easier. He just floated over that jump."

But the next round he falters at the jump and steps wrong coming off the jump. Kathleen stopped breathing halfway toward the jump. She admits that she almost started over.

"When you make a commitment to the jump, you need to follow through or decide early that you're not ready to take off before he makes a commitment to the jump."

More jumps, more adjustments-Kathleen is nervous about breathing correctly, and Ashcroft reflects the tension with speed. "Get in rhythm with yourself. This is for you not him. If we can clear things up for you mentally and physically, it will work for him."

Kathleen is pleased with the progress they are making. "I can tell in the corner if it's okay. He's jumping featherlight, jumping into my hips. He's light in my hands and light in the jump."

Mark talks more about breathing. "Breathing is more than just taking a breath. Our anxieties in life come out in our breathing and then in our horse. It's like a troubled horse with his head over the round pen wall."

Kathleen adds, "When I am centered in myself, the center of gravity is down into my hips. He can jump ahead of me not me ahead of him."

I've Got Rhythm

Yesterday there had been spikes and valleys. Today the rhythm is smooth and steady. Kathleen now has a center of reference for future rides. In order for her to help Ashcroft, she must settle herself. She becomes a metronome-tick, tick, tick-"I'm speeding up."-tick, tick, tick-"Okay, I can't do that."-tick, tick, tick-and Ashcroft will settle into her rhythm. Her steady breathing enables him to look to her support.

"Breath in three strides, out three strides. Two is too shallow." Ashcroft slows and stretches out his stride.

"That time he made two adjustments," Kathleen tells us. "He almost bumped into my hands. I stayed steady."

"He didn't seem to have enough room to make adjustments. Look at the jump earlier. You may need to change the angle." Kathleen is laughing with joy after the next jump because it has been so smooth. She has been fighting the adjustments Ashcroft makes. Now she is working with him and trusting him.

A Journey Not A Destination

The next round is not as smooth. Mark is noting, "Adjustment.adjustment." Ashcroft takes two short steps before the jump.

Kathleen confesses, "I changed it because I though he'd be long. I held him up."

"Trust him to make the adjustments. He'll file away what is right and make adjustments from his experience bank. You're running into trouble when you make adjustments that he doesn't need."

They try again.

"You're breathing a little quick."

"It felt like there was a change."

"Everything you do, do in rhythm. Start the turn sooner or take a wider arc."

We auditors who are learning to note the overall picture and the details note that they have made their best jump. "She looked way ahead."

Ashcroft makes two more jumps perfectly and checks in with Kathleen. The next round is boom, boom, boom. Ashcroft has made one big reset and then jumps. The next time Mark cadences, "Adjustment.adjustment.good jump. He was a little long on the first but soft the whole time."

"I would like it slower and lighter."

"That will come."

4--It Comes

Kathleen begins the last day by telling us how she begins each day with Ashcroft. "I ask myself 'What can I do today that will bear fruit tomorrow?' That may be stopping early or not cantering. The next day because I have listened to my horse he may say "Let's canter. I didn't get to canter yesterday.'"

Mark adds, "There are two different kinds of people I meet at my clinics. One says 'I want to be able to get this out of my horse.' The other asks, 'How can I help my horse do this?' What can we do to help the horse?" By now we have had a foundation communication tools-soft response, no emotions dealing with horses, giving the horse the benefit of the doubt, trust the try, decreasing pressure, consistent replies. "That's not what I'm looking for. That's not what I'm looking for. No, not that either.this is it! Take a break." Or "This is close. Let's take a break."

"Do you believe in repetition?"

"I'll go back until something clicks into place. Then I like closure on it. Once they know it, they know it. Before that they don't know it. When we reach a ten, it's time to start something else. Start at one again on a new task."

As we have been talking with Mark, Kathleen and Ashcroft have warmed up and taken a first easy jump. Ashcroft is soft, responsive, tuned in to Kathleen. He has wonderful carriage and appears featherlight.

On his way to the next jump we can see him make some adjustments. Kathleen's hands are soft but still. He bumps into their stillness when he tips his nose out and knows his limits-another very pretty jump. But the third jump Ashcroft refuses. Kathleen tells us what happened. "I thought he wasn't going to make it, and I wanted to add another step. He refused, 'No, I know what I'm doing.' He's so harsh on me."

The next round he makes two beautiful jumps. "So there, Mom," Mark interprets.

Kathleen adds, "That's what I like about him. He's so honest."

There's another refusal blamed on distractions then two decent jumps in a row. "She's starting to get her breathing in rhythm. Your hands were so soft, Kathleen, they were open over the jump."

They make three more great jumps. Both are relaxed. He is rounded, supple, floating. They end after only half an hour-a perfect end.

"What is your aspiration for the future, Mark?" an auditor asks.

"I'd like to be as good as the guy I learned from."

"Where did he learn what he knew?"

"He learned from a Sioux Indian."

As for me, I would be delighted to know a fraction of what this man is teaching me, but perhaps that will come someday.

LESLIE AND KOLA

1--Twice Is Nice

Leslie and Kola rode with Mark over a year ago. Kola is a big sorrel Quarter Horse gelding who started on the race track. Leslie now uses him for hunter-jumper classes. As Leslie and Mark talk about her goals for the clinic, she has been holding the reins tightly. Mark takes the reins and becomes the horse. He releases. Leslie gives a bit of release then takes two inches from Mark when she takes up the reins again.

They try the exercise with Leslie being the horse. Mark can feel Leslie even as she begins to soften and he responds by taking the pressure off her. He is holding the reins lightly between his thumb and forefinger with just enough pressure to keep the reins stable.

Mark becomes the horse again and asks Leslie to take up normal pressure. There is a back and forth exchange of pressure, release, pressure, release, but Leslie is braced against the pressure Mark exerts. He tells us that the Mohawks call this "leaning on the wind." If you are leaning against the wind-pressure-and the wind stops, you fall down.

In response to a question about stretching out a horse, he laconically observes, "It's not too beneficial to just walk in a small circle.

"What's the goal today?" Leslie chooses to work on hands. "What did you learn in your centered riding clinic?" Leslie has been riding around with short stirrups and rigid body.

"Does it feel funny to you?"

"Yes, it's a totally different way of riding."

"Do you feel comfortable?"

"No."

"Is there someplace in between that would be comfortable to you and work for the horse?"

He then shows her that she is totally locked up, and Kola has not been able to move forward and sustain his gait. Her shoulders have not been moving.

An auditor next to me is bristling that this is putting centered riding in a bad light and that centered riding is really a good way to ride.

Although too far away to have heard this, Mark seems to have read her thoughts. "I don't want to come into a situation where someone has paid good money to learn something and change it, but here we have a situation where the rider isn't comfortable, and the horse can't move freely."

He lowers the stirrups so that they are more comfortable for Leslie. He shakes her foot. There is no shoulder movement. She is still locked up. He shakes her foot, presses against the small of her back, loosens her, and her back and shoulders move freely. "Now there's more surface area between you and the saddle, more contact with your horse.

"The key is to get the pelvis level. There's a school of thought that says when you go uphill or downhill you should lean forward or back, but being relatively level in the saddle allows the horse to move out freer."

He asks her to shorten her reins. "There was too much slack. It was taking you three seconds for the signal to reach the horse."

Taking Up Contact

There are questions about what taking up contact and being on the bit means and why they are beneficial. Mark explains that the rider takes the slack out of the reins until they can feel the normal bobbing of the head as the horse moves. The ultimate aim is to have the horse's head at or near the vertical position depending on the horse's natural carriage. This aligns the horse front to back so that there is greatest propulsion from the hind quarters.

When the horse, in response to light pressure, tips his nose downward, the rider responds with a momentary release given by opening the fingers slightly. Contact is then taken up again to encourage the horse to keep his head down and even move it more towards vertical. If the horse drops his nose past vertical, the rider keeps her hands stationery. The horse will come back to vertical to seek out contact with the rider's hands. If the horse drops his head to the ground, the rider lifts one rein.

Contact with the horse through the reins should not feel heavy in the hands at all. This is a conversation and is not static. The horse may carry a position 3 or 4 steps then deviate from the position and be asked softly by the rider to return to the desired position. Holding the head near vertical rounds the poll, puts a little arch in the neck, brings roundness to the back, and engages the horse from behind.

As Mark is explaining this Leslie and Kola have been working on it and now look as though they are ready for a Western Pleasure class. "Leslie, it's the same ask at the trot." As they move into a trot, Kola responds with moments when his head is vertical. "When you ask for the stop, ask when he is on the bit, when you have contact with his mouth, and his head is vertical. When he drops his nose and bends his spine, he can use his stomach muscles to pick you up. He can come from behind for impulsion. You're seeking softness and the position of most power and impulsion."

He cautions, "When he starts moving this way, he's using muscles he has not used before. There will be some burn. Let's only ask a little at a time. He won't hold it all the way around. Build a little at a time.

"On the third day he will probably be sore. We'll change it up and do some jumps. Today and tomorrow we'll work at the trot and canter and get some good transitions." They come down from trot to walk.

"Leslie, you're holding a bit too long trot to walk. He was almost at a stop before you released. That dumps him on his forehand. The transition starts with the back end. If the horse is on the bit, it should take very little to get the transition. Try dropping your weight a hair, pick up the reins a bit for the downward transition. For the transitions you need to get in rhythm with the footfall. Walk, walk, walk, seat, hands not walk, walk, walk, seat, walk, hands, walk, walk, hands, walk. Be more decisive."

Mark draws two lines in the sand. "Next time you come around stop between the lines. If he stops before, you're doing your job." He drifts at the next stop. "You've got a bit of leg on him. Too much release will dump him on the forehand. Too little release will dump him on the forehand. Wait until he gets softer, more collected then ask for the stop, or he'll be on the forehand."

Leslie is coached to relax. "Everything comes from back here-lower back and seat."

Kola begins to trot with his head vertical. Leslie asks for a walk. She is beginning to ask with her seat but is still sticky with her hands.

"Slow your post. That gives him a chance to slow his trot. When you feel the walk coming just sit still." Her leg pressure is easing. "He's getting heavy on the front. He's tired. He needs to stretch out occasionally. That's what he's doing there when he pushes down. He's stretching his back just like people need to stretch out sometimes. It is a good time to quit.

2--Goals For The New Day

Leslie chooses to work on getting on the bit, engaging from behind, lateral work, and the trot and canter.

They move to transitions. Kola begins with his nose out but offers to come on the bit. She takes up pressure a little at a time. "There's a spot to get to with your hands. He gets his head set and carries it for about 30 feet in the trot, but then his nose begins to come up when he doesn't encounter any pressure." Between the nose vertical and nose out position is a spot where Leslie needs to be engaging Kola.

"He'll be okay for 20 or 30 minutes, then we may see some muscle tightness. He'll begin to feel different. We need to go a little beyond that in asking for the bit so that he develops muscle."

Kola begins trotting with his head vertical. "He feels really soft."

"You sound surprised."

His attempt at cantering ranges from strung out to compact. "When he's compact, he's coming with power in the rear. His stride is shorter but steady."

Lessons For The Listeners

In response to auditor questions Mark begins talking about problem horses. "If you have a problem, back off the pressure. Take a look at saddle fit, soreness, teeth, shoes. Eliminate everything else until you know it is a training problem.

"If the horse was sore once, he may have muscle memory that brings him back to the problem.

"If it is a trust thing, you have to break the cycle of mistrust. Ask yourself, 'Have I broken the cycle?'"

3--An Off Moment

As they begin Mark again cautions, "We'll work on collection, but if he feels heavy or can't get on the bit, it's probably muscle soreness. We often see it on the third day. It comes from contracting the stomach muscles and using the hind end differently. If that's the case we'll move on to something else."

"He feels off on the trot, but he pulled a shoe during the night. He may have strained himself when he did that."

"If it's a strain, he'll warm out of it. If not, it may be the foot."

Leslie works five minutes to warm him up and comments, "It feels like he thinks he's in for a lot of work."

"Try him at the trot again. When he lowers his head we'll know what is happening. If he's heavier, he's telling us he is plenty sore, and we should move on to something else. If he's lighter, he's getting his muscles stretched out."

Kola lightens up and is not stumbling like he did the first day.

Lateral Lessons

They begin some lateral work. As they move forward, Leslie applies some leg on the outside at the girth. Kola moves his front first, and by the time his hindquarters catch up, momentum almost dies. "We're teaching one good step at a time. Let's get one step over, forward, another step over, forward."

They try at a trot adding a tip of the nose to the outside. "Let's speed it up just a bit. Then he'll have the impulsion to step over." Kola didn't need increments. He just moved over light, easy, with no struggle.

"Pick a target and ride to it. Ask for sideways movement. That came from your hand. He just followed your hand out. You drew him with your hand, picked up the front end, and the hindquarters moved with it."

"It feels easy."

"Now you're getting it without tipping his nose."

They stop, rest, and consider the horse. "He has to first understand it in the trot, then you can come down to the walk and get it. He may be a little sore. In one or two weeks he may just come in and, zip, he'll do it."

From Lateral To Vertical

They try the X jump. Leslie is a bit ahead of Kola on the first jump. The second time around she is in time with him. "Think of the jump even before moving. Target before even lining up with it."

She is encouraged to be consistent in riding. Kola is making adjustments way back. "Once he sets himself for the jump, let him. If he's short or long, he'll learn what it feels like and that will help him with the next jump.

"Where are you looking over the jump?" Leslie is focusing about 10 feet in front of the jump. Mark marks a spot about 30 feet past the jump. "It gives you something else to focus on. Forget about the jump. He can do his job."

They go around again with a nice jump that feels good to Leslie. "Okay, we have a focus problem. If you're seeing a jump while you go over it, you don't have enough to get him over the jump. One girl I had in a clinic got so focused on the jump that the horse would get there and stop. She'd fly over the jump. She started looking higher over the jump, and the horse jumped higher and prettier, so she looked at the sky. He jumped nearly vertical, and she went off the back. She dusted herself off and said, 'Well, I'm not really going to be jumping to the sky.' You pick a spot."

The next jump Leslie focuses on the X until they are past it and gets a nice jump. She tries again and gets another clean jump. Kola is mirroring her. Where she focuses, he focuses.

She sets him up further back, asks him to come on the bit, but when he lands she is not with him. Sheepishly she comments, "I was so focused on my eye sight that I forgot to ride my horse." They go around again for two nice jumps, but Leslie is worried between the jumps. "Just set up for the first jump."

She too is coached on breathing. They make one nice jump, but Leslie looks down at the next jump, and Kola ticks it. "Here's some advice. Don't do that."

Leslie takes one more lap asking Kola to come on the bit. They end on that positive try.

4--Hard Work

Kola begins the day traveling light at the trot but with his nose tilted out. Leslie picks up contact and his nose drops.

Mark notes his fatigue. "It takes a lot of power and energy to work this hard for three or four days. This is so concentrated that it's hard on them. It's like watching the clinic folks trying to eat last night when they're tired also." We had been largely silent, concentrating on getting fork to mouth before we stumbled off to bed. Kola canters with his head down, easy and light.

An auditor asks, "I have a horse at home that's been used on the Marlboro polocrosse circuit. She gets charged up when I take her on a field. What can I do with her?"

"Make big circles. Reassure her that you don't want her to charge."

Leslie notes that Kola is in pasture 24-7, and she only jumps him two or three times a month. That way when he enters a ring he doesn't bring a lot of baggage in and sees it cleaner. She has been reviewing the lessons of the last days with Kola being light and responsive. They end and have the post session talk. Mark shuts off his microphone then and gives personal attention to the clinic participant. It is one of the things he does to consider the rider.

He has wrapped Buck's reins twice around the fence while he talks with Leslie. Artfully, Buck tosses his head loosening the reins, and then he backs off easily freeing himself. He walks only a few steps when Mark catches up with him and wraps the reins three times around the fence. Buck tosses his head and then decides it isn't worth the effort. He settles down to wait for Mark.

HOLLY, PENNYLANE, AND SPENCER

Paradise

I have wandered the grounds of Moon Run Ranch marveling at the care given to every detail of management. Holly Fuller McLain came to Aspen in 1974 and has developed this fine equestrian facility herself. Most spectacular is the immense log barn, but I learn some of the details that enrich the riding experience here. Now we will have a chance to watch Holly and two of her horses.

The first day she chooses Pennylane. Penny is an 11-year-old Swedish warmblood. When Holly bought Penny a year ago, Penny had never been ridden or handled much. "It was like buying a 10-year-old body with a 2-year-old mind." Penny had a balance problem then, and Holly spent the winter walking her over cavalettis. Now she is three months pregnant and slightly overweight. Mark asks Holly to walk her around.

Then he takes up the reins and becomes the horse. Holly finds that she is taking up the reins and not giving a release when the horse softens. She has also been using some leg on Penny. They work on softening and giving release so that there is nothing to fight. Penny slows down, and Mark coaches Holly to give Penny some leg. Soon she is walking easily.

"You've done a nice job with her as bad off as she was. You're getting a nice release in there. It doesn't have to be much, just a release of your fingers."

They work on finding Penny's offers of a trot. "Okay, let's shoot for a trot at the fourth post. Use your seat to ask for the trot, then slowly, if that doesn't work, add one leg." Holly wants a slower, more deliberate transition. "Use softer, fewer clues. Try just the seat without the leg." By the third post Penny eases into a trot.

When they have mastered this transition, Holly wants to try the canter. Mark works with her to feel Penny's offers. "There.there.there.," and then Holly catches the try, and they make an easy transition into the canter. The auditors relax.

"What did you feel about the transition?"

"She hurried."

"The next few tries I want you to be okay with transitions, not concerned about anything else. After a few transitions she'll start looking for a better way to make them." Mark also works with Holly on her hands. She has been a hair behind Penny with her hands. He coaches her to lighter feeling, quieter hands, softness, fewer clues, consistency so that Penny is not dumped on her forehand.

"Penny isn't consistent with her transitions, but we'll work on that tomorrow. Keep your hands still and in one spot. She's worrying about the transitions. Just let her go to take away the worry."

Holly follows these suggestions, and the transitions become smoother.

2--Which Comes First?

The next day Mark watches and then observes, "She's leaning on your hands. I think you're leaning on each other. That was a nice transition into the trot."

"It feels like she's in a hurry. I'd like her to be softer."

"She's not getting the softness she needs in your hands for her to be softer. Try the trot on a loose rein. If she rushes, she's not soft."

The first four or five steps are soft, but then she rushes and can't slow herself. "Go from a halt into the trot. First get a clear picture in your mind of how soft, how slow you want it. Keep a loose rein. The second it isn't what you want do serpentines and circles. When she softens, loosen up and go straight. If she speeds up do serpentines. When you get her moving softly at a trot, then we can add collection."

Holly catches softness quickly and rewards it. Penny begins to carry it for several steps. They do straight lines intersected with circles and serpentines until Penny softens, then they are back to straight lines.

"Can you feel the difference in her footfalls. She has to think about her feet and what you are asking. You're giving her choices. Are you sure you want to go faster because this is what happens when you speed up?"

They begin to get longer straight stretches, and Holly asks Penny for some collection with just a little pressure on the reins. Penny drops her nose. Then her attention wanders, and Holly remarks on it.

"It's not whether she lost it. She's a horse. She will lose it, but how quickly does she come back to you?"

Grasshoppers and Centered Riding

Holly is having difficulty trying to maintain her centered riding seat and keep her legs off. Penny does not like this pressure.

Mark tells another story about a woman who grew up on a farm. She had been mowing hay all her life, and all her life grasshoppers had been jumping out of the hay and onto her. She hated them. She would brush them off, even stopping to brush them off if necessary. She said she knows they won't hurt her, but she said she was over 40 and hated grasshoppers. When she was 0ver 80 she will still hate grasshoppers.

"Horses may sometimes have issues like leg pressure that they may not get over."

He also cautions Holly that while she is working on one thing and then another, she may have some disintegration before there is full integration of both skills. Penny is now tucking her head and listening. Holly brings her down to a walk to let her think and settle. She moves her into a soft canter and calls it good for the day.

3-Holly and Spencer

The auditors discuss their favorite horses at the clinic generally dividing up along the lines of what they have at home. Holly brings a four-year-old bay gelding she rescued from a small pen where he was up to his knees in mud. His mother is a grade livery mare. His father is a paint. Spencer goes on my list of horses I would like to take home. Holly has about 15 rides on him, and he is calm and alert.

Holly wants to work on softness, roundness. He falls in on his right front shoulder. He also likes a slower pace. Holly will be keeping him for life, for herself and later for use with students also.

They start with transitions. Spencer moves into a brisk trot. Holly is holding the reins lightly. She comments that he is wandering a little but trying hard. She would like a more thoughtful transition. Mark observes that she is using both her hands and weight to cue him and suggests she use one cue rather than two.

He skitters on the next downward transition. "You're coming in with seat right behind hands. He comes to a walk, and you still haven't released, so he goes on to a stop."

Holly makes the adjustments, and Spencer quickly catches the cues. They then work on the canter depart. He is strung out. Holly wants a more deliberate change. Again she works on cues, and Spencer makes a cleaner transition. Then he starts to canter on cue, checks a little, falters, and picks it back up. But for now they are working on the transition. The rest they will clean up later.

On the Rail

Holly now trots Spencer around the arena so that they can pick up on where he is troubled. At the ends of the arena on the curves, he gets worried and wants to pull away. Mark instructs Holly to let him pull away, make a 10-15 foot circle and come back on the rail. He notes that Spencer is leaning on Holly. They travel sometimes on the rail sometimes in circles.

Mark notes that Holly has an almost uncanny ability to know where the trouble is. She is taking Spencer off the rail right at the point where he begins to have trouble. Spencer is trotting softer. Now there is only one sticky corner. "You're showing him what is right and wrong. If he wants to come off the rail, you're saying it's okay, but look how much work you're making for yourself."

When they conquer the last sticky corner, Holly moves Spencer into a canter. It is more thoughtful, more balanced. This is only the fifth time Spencer has cantered, and he is stilly trying to make sure he can carry Holly. As with all new gaits Mark cautions Holly to let him move only a few strides before she brings him back down to a trot. That way he cannot build up speed. He is doing well for only having cantered a few times. After he has cantered 15-20 times he will be smoother and have more confidence.

"Nice colt, Holly."

He stops and backs responsively then moves out with an attempt to dip his head and come on the bit. They now work on canter departs on the left lead but are having difficulty. "Ask for the lead. Look at the post where you want to begin." Spencer trots past but then picks up the correct lead. Mark explains that we should catch the lead as the body is reaching for the lead rather than as the foot is picking up.

They continue to try to catch the left lead, but "we are asking too late." And it is "we." The auditors are leaning forward learning to identify the try.

Holly is instructed to keep her weight balanced so that they're not falling in on the left. She has been trying to watch for the lead, and it is effecting Spencer's balance. Timing continues to be a problem. Holly is trying hard. Spencer is trying hard, but the left lead continues to be elusive.

"Holly, you're doing more than he needs you too do. Let's concentrate on keeping your hands still. We fix more than we need to You don't need to cue. Let him go forward and fall into it." Holly's attention is split. She is trying to keep Spencer from drifting to the right and trying to get the left lead. They are circling and circling. We are on the edges of our seats. Then Mark suggests that Spencer is very tired and worried. Just as he says this Spencer catches the left lead, and they end with success.

Holly leaves the arena planning an early morning pasture ride with Spencer to pick up the left lead.

4--Success

Holly is back with Penny for the last day, but true to her word, she took Spencer out early. "He got the correct lead six times." She had set it up, and he had found it. Sometimes you just have to back off and relax.

Penny is moving softly. They opt to work on a sidepass. Penny moves a bit front to back. Holly drifts her cue back a bit, drops a hip, and opens the other side. When they have this standing they work on it in the trot. She has a good extended trot. When Holly shifts her weight Penny responds with a leg yield. They transition into a light canter.

The transition was achieved with Penny on the forehand, but she is tuning in to Holly's thinking and willing to wait on Holly. One out of six transitions is on the forehand, but three days ago six out of ten were.

Butter Soft

After a time Holly's posture changes. She is no longer as erect. Muscle memory is bringing her back to an older style of riding. She corrects, tightening the stomach muscles to bring the shoulders up. Mark notes that she has butter soft hands. Holly and Pennylane make another lap and choose to quit.

Holly has brought two nice horses to the clinic and shown us her skills in training and riding. Visit Moon Run Ranch, and you're sure to find Pennylane and Spencer happily at home in Paradise.

TRACEY AND MAKANI

1--Disappointment

Tracey has brought a dark chocolate, three-year-old Quarter Horse filly she bred and raised. When Makani was five months old she moved with Tracey from Canada to Colorado. She's been with Tracey in some difficult times. Now as Tracey brings her into the round pen we note that Makani is dragging a front toe. Her leg is stiff from a puncture wound that she probably received in a hail storm the day before. The vet is called. For today there will be only light groundwork working on bridling. Tracey is near tears. We bring dreams and expectations to these clinics, and it is not clear whether any of Tracey's will be realized.

Mark takes Makani who is haltered. She nearly walks over him. He gives her some firm guidance with the lead rope, and she doesn't try that again. Instead she tosses her head up. Mark gently puts his hand under her chin and helps her keep her head up. Finally she quiets, and he gives her release. Mark places his hand lightly on her nose and she dips it then comes immediately back up. He hold it down until she softens and asks for release.

Makani tries to run him over. He has a noise for this occasion-a loud tsch, tsch, tsch sound which causes her to back up.

Mark now takes the cotton halter rope and puts it in Makani's mouth. She paws but keeps it in her mouth. Tracey does it. Makani lifts a hoof and then decides not to paw.

Now Mark tries with the bit. Makani resists, paws, then acquiesces. Tracy tries, and there is initial resistance before acceptance. Tracey is working quietly under Mark's tutelage.

An elbow up stops Makani from running Mark over. He quietly resumes work on bridling by laying one hand on her nose, one under her chin until she is okay with this.

Someone asks about the three seconds to kill theory. "I think it's a bunch of crap." I am startled. Mark usually is more circumspect about commenting on other's training theories. "I think you don't want to do that. You can make a statement in ½ second, a quiet statement."

"Someone bought a stallion to a clinic and forgot to tell me that he bites everyone. They dumped in the arena with me. He charged." Mark then caught him, brought his head around and put his thumb under the line of the ear above the jaw until he softened. The stallion tried once more to bite with the same results, and then he quit-a soft response.

Tracey now tries bridling Makani without the halter on. She holds the bit until Makani opens her mouth. It is done easily, softly, and with that done it is time to go and await the vet.

Someone asks about the three seconds to kill theory. "I think it's a bunch of crap." I am startled. Mark usually is more circumspect about commenting on other's training theories. "You can make a statement in ½ second. I think you don't want to do that, a quiet statement."

"Someone bought a stallion to a clinic and forgot to tell me that he bites everyone. They dumped in the arena with me. He charged." Mark then caught him, brought his head around and put his thumb under the line of the ear above the jaw until he softened. The stallion tried once more to bite with the same results, and then he quit-a soft response.

Tracey now tries bridling Makani without the halter on. She holds the bit until Makani opens her mouth. It is done easily, softly, and with that done it is time to go and await the vet.

2--Reining Her In

Makani was treated for a shallow puncture wound. She has been given antibiotics, bute, and iced several times. She is walking sound and ready to use in the clinic. Outside the arena Mark and Tracey discuss what Tracey wants from the clinic. Tracey lets go of the reins, and Makani begins to drift away. Mark retrieves her. Lessons have begun.

Mark is working with Tracey on not letting Makani have her own way because this will lead to bigger problems later. Tracey wants to work on moving forward. Tracey asks Mark how he starts colts. Makani has been ridden 12-15 times.

Mark starts colts at age three. If he finds they are not mentally ready then, he turns them back out and waits until four or even five. The first ride or two he does not try a lot of reining. On the second or third ride he begins guiding the colts. All colts have first been ground driven so they know what the guidance means. The colt does not have to learn these cues at the same time he is adjusting to a rider.

Tracey has been riding Makani while Mark is talking. He asks her to shorten the reins. She has a big loop in the reins, and it takes three or four seconds before the cues reach Makani. Tracey has heard that you should ride with loose reins. "A big loop in the reins is just that-a big loop in the reins. You need some contact, a little pressure so that the horse learns to give to pressure. You can give some guidance."

Makani is weaving across the arena like a drunken sailor. To guide her Tracey has to pull way up. Again Mark has her take up more contact, but trying to steer Makani is a see saw battle. Mark asks Tracey to put the rein on her leg and hold it steady when asking for a turn. "She'll probably lean against it or bump against it, but she will finally give to the pressure." Makani is resistant to start. She slows and stops.

Tracey ask her to move out again. In asking for a turn she only has to put her hand on her leg if there is resistance. If she gets a nice turn, she doesn't need to anchor the rein.

A Battle of Wills

Tracey is to pick a target and walk to it, not let Makani get her feet stopped. If she begins to stop, turn her head and give her a cue to keep moving. Tracey is moving a lot in the saddle because "she is trying to push her ahead." This is throwing Makani off balance.

"Keep her feet moving." Then a nice stop, a hesitant back. Mark comes over and plays horse. "Show me how much pressure you're using. Keep her coming. Don't let her get her feet stopped. When she lowers her head there's not a lot of pressure. Keep your gaze forward. Now bump her with your legs. Don't kick, just take your legs out to the side and let them drop rhythmically." Makani takes one step and stops. "If she stops her momentum begin bumping immediately.

"She doesn't want to. She's stuck. She hasn't been asked to do anything consistantly. When we get through this, she'll go for you." Makani slowly starts given a bump or two. This time she moves a bit further before loosing momentum. Tracey steadies her hands at Mark's suggestion and adds a squeeze and kiss when she asks for a start.

Tracey stops Makani at Mark's request. At the stop Makani is facing the little barn, but she drifts until she faces the new barn. "This is all part of the same thing. If she stops with her head in one direction, keep her head in the same direction. You want her paying attention to what you're asking. It's all tied together, all the same thing. It may be important down the line if you're on the trail and need to have her stop now and in this direction."

As they move forward Tracey adds a squeeze when Makani slows down. "Do this all without emotion. You're not mad at her." Makani is walking straight with direction from Tracey, but she still drifts on the stop. Tracey is asked to take up the reins before the stop. She has no place to go if her hands are already by her belt buckle.

It begins to rain. Tracey puts on her jacket while on Makani. Makani is a steady little horse and stands quietly for this.

This Is What I'm Asking

Back to work Makani is still resisting forward movement. Time after time Tracey has to bump her. "She's just making sure this is what's wanted. She hasn't had to do this before." The next stop is square then comes a slight drift. "We'll work on your riding, your seat tomorrow. Today we're working on consistency in asking. Shorten your reins a little more."

The next stop Makani tries to face the new barn again. Tracey has been doing a lot of one-rein stops. Now she is asked to consistently use a two-rein stop to counter the drift. This time Makani starts relatively easily, stops with only one step to the right, and takes big steps back.

"One more time." Mark's one more time doesn't mean this is the last time. "Tomorrow we'll work on changing speeds, relaxing, getting a good seat in the saddle. Makani is still testing by slowing, by drifting in the stops. Mark suggests that Tracey use pressure at about five on a scale of one to ten. When she needs to bang her legs start very light and slowly increase the pressure. Release immediately with a try, but if she stops begin again. Then just squeeze and go.

3--More of the Same

Thinking it over Makani has probably decided she liked the old deal better than the new deal. She doesn't want to go forward today either. Tracey is instructed to squeeze; squeeze, kiss; squeeze, kiss, bang with legs. She get some response.

Makani reevaluates her decision and on the next try responds to the squeeze. Mark is aiming for impulsion on a thought.

Makani takes advantage of the talk and backslides. She doesn't want to go. She is stuck again, troubled. She is a youngster in a new situation in a new place. She looks like a dead broke, lazy horse, but she is a scared youngster with her feet stuck. Tracey is instructed to move her head to one side then to the other to unstick her feet and move her into a walk.

"We don't want to lull this horse to sleep. We want quiet, soft responsiveness. Don't let her get stopped. Get some forward movement. Get in the middle of her if she starts to shut down. Don't bang her, turn, turn, move her feet. Past the one reins stop to move. That's it. Turn her nose. You're telling her that whatever she's doing isn't right." Makani is now trying other tactics to relieve this new pressure on her. She walks through an arc, tosses her nose, roots on the bit, makes an unasked stop. Each time Mark helps Tracey counter the behavior.

Makani puts her head around to Tracey's knee. Tracey picks up on the rein, and Makani must move to keep her balance. "Don't let her get her feet stopped. Once she stops, she's stopped, and we're in recovery then. Step up. Say I don't want this."

Mark then asks if he can ride Makani. Tracey seems somewhat relieved to leave this contest of wills.

Persistent, Gentle Annoyance

Mark immediately begins to annoy Makani. In rapid succession he kisses, moves her head side to side, bangs, makes his tsch, tsch, tsch sound. She tosses her head and plods out. He stops and does a restart using about a six pressure. When Makani walks forward Mark rides quietly. He says she understands but is just not excited about the program.

He stops her and asks for a back. She raises her head but backs. Stuck feet again-they repeat the sequence of starting, forward movement, stop, back. She is catching on-sometimes resistant, sometimes reluctantly compliant. Then she begins to move out with just a kiss, with life, not like a 40-year-old horse. He kisses again, and she picks up speed.

Backing is now easier. Forward impulsion is inconsistent. We watch for fifteen or twenty minutes life force to life force. Sometimes they even move up into a trot. The level of pressure needed to start Makani is dropping. "Get in. Make your point. Get out. What you had taught her was this is it. I don't have to go. Now she is relearning-what I want is for you to move forward. She wants to stop. You need to be in there saying 'No, that's now what we're looking for. When you stopped we were trotting. Now we have to go back to that."

Forty minutes have passed. "Why do I have to keep moving when that red horse doesn't have to?

"She's just a youngster having trouble getting going. She has to learn what each cue means. She's also saying, 'You aren't the boss of me. I don't have to do what you say.'"

An auditor remarks that once you start aggravating her you have to continue until you get movement. The horse is telling you what level of pressure she needs to get going.

Just Checking

Tracey remounts, and they talk about adding a stick. Mark again reminds us that if we do this we start by just flicking the stick out to one side so that the horse sees it. The next step is to tap it on our own leg so that the horse hears it. Tracey add the end of her mecate. Makani flips her hind end.

Mark reminds her to always offer the least first, kiss, squeeze, bang, flip the mecate. Makani moves out but slowly. Tracey kisses and gets a nice trot, keeps her momentum for a bit then slows to a walk. The auditors are leaning forward as if their combined concern will give her impulsion.

She makes a nice stop. Tracey's hands and seat are better. She is quicker at responding to Makani. Mark predicts that by tomorrow there will be no argument noting that it was unfortunate that pressure had to be increased, but now Tracey can get softer.

Makani is getting tired, but she is paying attention to Tracey. Then she tries to assert her own will, trips, stops. "Go again immediately."

An auditor asks if ponying this horse would help. Mark suggests that with ponying the horse will hook onto the other horse and not learn anything.

Another auditor asks about a seasoned horse who is suddenly afraid of rocks. Mark reminds us of the grasshopper story. There are some things a horse may not like and never will. We just help them to be safe in an uncomfortable situation.

He indicates Buck. "Buck does so much that is great. Some things I might like better, but I owe him. He doesn't like standing here in the arena. He starts fidgeting and wants to work. That's why you saw me yesterday just let him lope around the arena after one session. After two laps he said 'That's all I wanted.'" Mark has told us of some of the things Buck has done for him-trailed injured people out of Rocky Mountain National Park, roped, worked clinics, even earned him a belt buckle in their only foray into the horse showing world. Buck and Boo have now starred in a video Mark has in production. "At 21 he still does everything he ever did, and some he does better. I owe him. He doesn't owe me a thing."

Another auditor asks about eating on the trail. "I don't want it to be a problem, so I don't let it happen. I correct it before it happens.

4-Review Day

Tracey starts with bridling. Makani is not sure she wants to take the bit. Tracey waits quietly. "Okay, I'll take the bit." Next is a saddle check. The saddle doesn't fit well but can be used with extra padding in the center.

Makani still lacks some impulsion but is moving. As she gains impulsion Tracey can get softer and softer with her legs and hands. Tracey is now catching a drop in impulsion much quicker and is able to get a nice transition into a trot then a smooth stop and a nice back. "That's a ton better with your hands.much softer." Makani moves off softly with no argument.

They move onto the rail, and Mark coaches Tracey to look up into the turn and give a light cue on the outside. "She's just a baby. She's just learning to move. She doesn't understand your request. The rules have changed. Only use your outside leg for a cue in the turn. The biggest thing is to get out of her way."

There is a boost in Makani's speed around the turn then Makani dips her head which Mark attributes to stretching her back. She has had an adjustment from Dr. Dave and is also using muscles in new ways.

Mark and Tracey continue to work on cues and release so that when Makani gives Tracey rewards. Tracey is teaching Makani that life is different now. Now there is someone else here to help. "She hasn't flipped the switch yet.that someone's here to help, that she can't just do what she wants. She asks, 'Can I stop?' If you don't say no, Makani gets stopped, and then you come on with a cue. She says, 'I asked, and you didn't say no. What's going on here?'"

Tracey is now given a riding crop to use in place of the mecate rope, so that Tracey can stay in balance when asking Makani for impulsion. "Kiss, squeeze, flick stick 2-3 times so she catches it in her peripheral vision, whack on your own leg for noise, only then give Makani a light tap. Get away from a lot of movement. Work on quiet cues with balance. Each time start at one."

One of the auditors tells Tracey that she has done a nice job raising this horse. She has a calm quiet filly.

Over Time

Over time Tracey will be able to eliminate cues until only a thought, a whisper can be used for guidance. Even now Makani is beginning to process what's being asked and respond to lighter cues. She is also stretching as she moves. Her strides are smoother. They work on consistent impulsion, moving all over the arena. "That's a nice little athletic horse."

Tracey's timing is better. She is kissing as Makani starts to slow. Now Mark works on her hands showing her how to hold them quietly in a 1'x1'x1' box in front of the pommel. "The horse will know where you are all the time."

Makani lowers her head again. "It's a delicate balance between a horse's head down needing to stretch and the head down testing limits. For now she's using new muscles. We'll give her the benefit of the doubt that she needs to stretch those muscles. Ask her for a walk but keep the forward movement.

"At home you can practice transitions until they're real clean. Get rid of the stick as soon as possible. If she gives you any forward movement, take it. We can refine it later."

Makani is clearly tired now but responding to the lift of the reins, the applying of leg. Tracey's timing is not perfect but improving. "Give her a day off when you get home. You may find a different horse in a few days."

Tracey is concerned about crossing a ditch. "Once you get across it, and you may do that by ponying, go someplace else. Come back later. She'll need to go across to get home. Don't repeat it over and over and over. It's just on the way to someplace else. The goal is way over there, not here." The goal is tomorrow not today.

An Unexpected Lesson

Tracey is not staying for Mary's last session. She has several hours and several mountain passes to drive before she is home. The rest of us talk with Mark as we wait for Mary to arrive. I have positioned myself so that I can watch Tracey load Makani. I still have lessons to learn about trailering, and I know Makani loads. I want to see how Tracey does it.

But Makani has had a change of heart. For four days her life has been thrown into chaos. People have been telling her what to do. She decides this is a good place to reassert her authority. She refuses to load.

I watch the struggle. Mark has his back to this, but I am sure he is quite aware what is happening. Finally Tracey comes apologetically over and asks if Mark will help. I am delighted. Now I get to see a trailer loading lesson.

Tracey has a two horse trailer with a center post and center divider with one door open. Mark opens the second door. Tracey leads Makani up and twirls the rope at her hindquarters. Makani stalls out.

Mark takes the rope around the center divider, walks into the other side of the trailer, and invites Makani to come in. She pulls back. Mark assist her by coming at her with a loud "Tsch, tsch, tsch, tsch." She backs up, startled. He helps her back for perhaps ten or fifeteen feet then very quietly he goes back to the trailer and reissues the invitation. The results are the same twice more.

Makani rethinks her decision and puts her front feet in then changes her mind and backs out. Mark circles her, not allowing stopping or grazing, but with no emotion. The invitation is reissued. She tries front feet and head in, backs out, resistance. She is backed with noise. In two feet, out, ten feet back, in, out, circle several times, quiet invitation, Makani pulls harder and meets quiet pressure. This isn't working, so Mark changes tactics.

Now Tracey is in the trailer keeping pressure on Makani. Mark kisses, no response. Mark throws a pebble at Makani's hindquarters, waits, kisses, throws a pebble. Makani opts for the trailer.

Mark asks her out. The next time she backs out halfway in. The process is repeated. Makani is in. The butt strap is raised. Makani backs out unasked. Tracey puts pressure on. Mark kisses, raises his hand, throws a pebble. She's in. She is asked to come out.

Now Tracey comes out of the trailer, and Makani is asked to enter of her own volition. She doesn't want to. Kiss, kiss, kiss, Tracey holds her at the trailer. Kiss, kiss, kiss, pebble, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, okay. Once in, she is asked back out again.

The invitation is reissued from outside of the trailer. She declines. Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, pebble, back up, tsch, tsch, tsch, tsch, another invitation and she's in.

Please come out. "No, if I come out, you'll just make me go in again." But she comes out, gets a short walk, and decides not to reenter the trailer. Kiss, pebbles, now she tries to fun Tracey over. Not succeeding she enters the trailer. The butt strap goes up. She does not resist. The butt bar comes down She is invited out.

She is invited back in, accepts the invitation, and this time the butt strap comes up, the doors are closed and secured, and we say our goodbyes to Tracey and Makani just as Mary drives in.

MARY AND DEACON BLUE

1-Just a Baby

Mary has brought a handsome gray two-year-old Oldenburg, Thoroughbred colt who is circling the round pen as she tells us about him. Mary owned Deacon Blue's mother. She was unstable as a riding horse and was used as a broodmare.

Mary has worked Deac in a round pen for three days. He has "hooked on" to her and is halter broken. She has not done lunging or ground driving with him. She has saddled him and sat in the saddle. Mark suggests they look for any holes in his training, do some ground work, perhaps saddle him the second day. The third and fourth day they may even get to riding Deac. Mark cautions that we only have one chance to ride for the first time, and we want to make that a good experience for the horse.

Deac now has his head over the fence. Mary kisses to him. His attention comes right back into the pen, and he comes over to Mary with a long, springy stride. Mark asks Mary to show him what she does with Deac.

Mary begins by sending him out, twirling the lead rope to encourage him to move. After a few minutes Mark asks, "Why are you chasing him?" Mary is nonplused and has no ready response. "Here's what I saw. I could be wrong. He was trying to move back to you, but you pushed him away."

"Well, I want him to move off."

"Sometimes if we do too much sending away, the horse gets the idea that's where you want him-away. That's just my opinion, my way of thinking." He continues that most horses learn to go away when you need to have them leave. He advocates not doing a lot of groundwork, only what is necessary for any given lesson. "He's just a youngster, and he wants to be with you. I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. I always try to look at it from the horse's viewpoint."

Mary halters Deac and asks for him to lower his head, but his head and body are not in alignment. He is stuck. Mark suggests that she move over so that body and head are straight and then ask for a back. Mary pulses the lead rope. Slowly Deac backs as pressure increases.

Mark asks permission to back Deac. With two fingers putting light steady pressure on the lead rope Deac backs. Then moves his head as Mark asks. Mary tries. Deac backs, but he is looking behind him. The round pen walls are just behind him. Mary moves him, and he readily responds to her signals.

Mark shows her how to ask Deac for a turn by placing a hand on the shoulder or hip. Mark prefers to have hands on a horse rather than using a whip or ropes. "How would I like to be treated?" Mark exemplifies compassion.

Everything You Do Now Will Have Consequences Later

Mark had a woman at one of his clinics who was frustrated because every time she pointed at her horse's hindquarters the horse would move over. After some exploration Mark found that she had a horse who was uncomfortable with fly spray. Since she had not softened him to the fly spray, she had actually taught him to move his hindquarters whenever she pointed at him.

Now Mark begins teaching Mary to lunge Deac by walking beside his hip. When she drifts toward his front shoulder, he locks up and stops. Mark demonstrates how to stand at his shoulder, tip his nose, move toward his hip, kiss, and move out with him. It is like horses in a pasture who move out together.

Deac moves freely, easily with long strides and a floating trot. When Mark moves Deac move, When Mark stops, Deac turns in and faces him. Mark does note that when he asked for a transition by kissing and raising his right hand, Deac jumped. That was too much cueing. Just a slight tip from Mark gets a response from Deac, and Mark cautions Mary not to drill anything so that he doesn't get bored and dull.

As Mary works with Deac he is paying close attention to her, searching for the right answer to her requests. Mary slows. Deac slows. Mary speeds and lifts her rope. "Try to let him respond before you lift your rope. We don't want to overamp your horse."

Ground Driving

Deac is ready for ground driving now. Thirty-foot cotton ropes are attached with swivel hooks on each side of his halter. Mark stands to one side holding the ropes in one hand. Deac is the base of a triangle. Mark is the apex, and the ropes form the side. Mark uses his free hand to gather and release the lines. He keeps the outside line over the hock and keeps slack out of the inside line. Deac again searches for answers, but when the outside rope rides up under his tail he reacts quickly with bucking and kicking then takes off in a trot. This is his choice.

If Mary had been on his back adding her weight to a request for a turn, there might have been trouble. Mark works quietly with Deac, preferring to have him walk so that he can think through Mark's requests. Mark asks for a turn with light pressure. Deac shifts, stalls, then turns working out how to get rid of the pressure. Another turn-this time Deac's nose is high. Mark brings Deac's nose toward him rather than fight with him. The next turn is soft with no arguments. "By tomorrow he'll have it. It takes about twelve hours for a horse to process information. It takes a human about six."

Mary takes over and works on a stop. Deac again seeks relief from Mary's light pressure with his nose to the ground. She tips his nose to one side and asks again with light, steady pressure. Deac fights it then begins working his mouth which Mark inteprets as seeking a solution, and then it comes that easy, soft back. He is rewarded with petting. The next time he starts easier, turns easier, stops and backs with very light pressure after an initial hesitancy.

2-What Was That?

Mary begins the second day lunging Deac, but when someone begins filming with a video camera he starts. Mary is trying to still her hand holding the end of the rope. Time after time she catches herself about to swing and stills her hand. Even without a swinging rope Deac moves out with a snap. "He's a sensitive little guy." He is mirroring Mary's every step.

Mary has been using training learned from another clinician swinging ropes from the fence, over his head, around his girth and legs, behind his haunches. Now she is finding that without the ropes he is still responding to her moves.

They switch to ground driving. Mark begins working until Deac makes smooth, soft turns. He still resists backing, tossing his head. Mark asks him to stop by tipping his nose. Next he tries head down when asked for a stop. Mark tips his nose. "He's young mentally. That's why we're seeing some of these reactions. Warmbloods and Arabs take longer to mentally mature."

He continues to resist backing trying several ways of responding before he backs. Deac is now throwing his head one way then another. Mark has a steady hold on the lines and waits for Deac to run into his own pressure.

Youth

"When start to ride a reactive colt, he can startle himself, and then feel something on his back. That scares him further and worries him. The quieter you can be the less reaction you'll get. They get scared, feel the cinch, feel you, feel the back cinch, and about that time you get in their mouth. What starts out as the saddle becomes a rodeo. Deac is reacting to sounds and sights just like a baby does."

Deac is now making nice turns. "I prefer that they slow down as we work them. Then they'll be quiet when we saddle them. I haven't seen any big reactions for awhile. Nice back.with this head tossing he can wear the hair off the bridge of his nose. I didn't bring a sheepskin band because I didn't realize we were starting a colt. Keep a close eye on his nose for tenderness or the hair rubbing off."

Mark has been ground driving colts since he was a child. Fifteen years ago he worked at a place where they were in a hurry and couldn't take the time for ground driving. When they mounted for the first time there would be bucking because the horse didn't understand what was being asked. Their policy was to ride until the horse wore down, but many of their horses continued to buck even after training was completed. They couldn't understand why.

Deac continues to react to odd sights and sound around him. Mark believes that some of that will continue for a time but notes that Deac is bringing his attention back more quickly. He goes well then forgets what he is doing-baby stuff. Mark suggests giving him the winter off and then begin riding when he is a three-year-old. "I feel he is getting mentally tired. I'm going to pull the lines off him and let him be for awhile." Mark carefully coils the outside rope and places it on Deac's back where he can't step on it while Mark is coiling the other rope, then he removes them safely.

After a rest in which Deac has draped himself over the fence, Mark kisses for his attention. He doesn't get it. Mark pushes him a bit. Deac trots. After several laps during which Mark is still Mark takes a step. Deac continues his laps, so Mark turns him. Mark is asking Deac to focus on him. "I'm looking for something that tells me he can split his attention or bring more inside than outside." That might be an inside ear on Mark, an eye on Mark, nose toward Mark, a dip of the head, lip licking. Mark looks at the whole horse for signs. Mark is letting him go to blow off steam. "If we put the saddle on and all his attention is outside the pen, how much will he retain tomorrow?"

Asked about breed reactiveness Mark says he doesn't see a lot of that in Quarter Horses. They get in ready to work. Mark snaps a rope on Deac's halter. Deac startles.

Saddling Deac

Deac has been saddled three times. Mary sat on him once. She opens the saddle blankets and strokes his body. There is no reaction. She saddles up. Mark reaches over and picks up the end of the breast collar that is hanging loose. "I like to keep it up until I'm ready for it. That way the horse can't step on it and bring the saddle down." Deac has easily accepted the breast collar and saddle.

As Mary begins to lunge him she swings the end of the rope. "Give him a chance." Deac moves easily but veers toward Mark who is still in the pen.

Mark reminds us that his one rule is "Don't run over me." At one clinic a woman had a Paso who was too young mentally to get what they were trying to do, but the owner was adamant that they would saddle and ride the horse. Mark offered to give her her money back, but she refused. The second day she wanted to ride. He tried to talk her out of it because he could see that the horse was not ready. It blew just being saddled and lunged. The third day the horse really came unglued and again on the fourth day. Mark continued to counsel giving the horse time to grow up mentally. The woman would have none of it. They started to saddle. The horse was agitated. Mark felt the filly might be sore, but he was finally able to get the horse calm. The woman started to cinch the filly. Mark could see she was going to blow and stepped back with the long line. The horse blew. Mark pulled her away from the woman, and the filly came over Mark knocking him down. Still the woman would not quit. An hour and a half later Mark was finally able to calm the filly.

3--Energy, Not Hands

Mary begins lunging Deac using her energy to direct him. Her hands are at her side, calm, still. Deac responds walking not trotting, turning easily and quietly for a time. She switches over to long lining him.

When Deac begins to lose focus and trot, Mary pulls lightly on the lines. He slows and brings his attention back to her then gives her a pretty stop and an easy back.

Someone bangs a saddle onto a nearby fence. Deac jumps then stands. Quietly Mary saddles Deac and begins lunging him. The swinging stirrups are no bother. She stops him and uses the rope to catch the leathers and flap them. He braces but does not move. Then she tries the rope over his topline, down his back, over his head. He cocks a leg. His eyes are half closed.

She jumps up and down, hanging onto the saddle horn. His ears flick back, but he makes no other movement.

Mark says that when he is starting a colt he likes to get on and get off with little pause. This lets the colt know you aren't going to live on him. Mark will walk the colt the second day.

All Aboard

Mark explains his way of readying a horse for mounting. Bring your knee up and touch the horse on the forearm or shoulder. Pull on the stirrup to ask the horse to set his legs. If he is still wobbly, pull or push on the saddle horn so that he will set himself. Get up in the stirrup then down. This may be done a number of times if the horse is worried, making sure that the horse resets himself each time. Then when the horse is okay with this, hang over the top for a time or two. When mounting for the first time be light making this a positive experience for the horse then dismount.

Mary tries. Deac gives a bit of a look back on the first pull into the stirrup but braces. She resets him and tries leaning over him on the next mount. A horse comes by and distracts Deac so Mary takes time out to walk him around and get him refocused. Deac is not concerned with Mary leaning over him. Mary mounts. Deac is distracted by activity outside of the round pen. Mark asks Mary to tip his nose to bring his attention back.

Deac takes a step, turns to Mark, takes several steps, and stops. Mary asks for a back, but Deac's head is not straight. When she straightens his head he backs then follows Mark. Mary asks for another stop and back. Deac tosses his head. She straightens his head, and he backs. One step, release, Deac stalls. "Ask again." He tosses his head. She straightens his head. He backs and paws.

Getting Rid of Tension

Mary kisses and points Deac toward Mark. He takes a few steps, stalls, and gets distracted by someone passing with a wheelbarrow. Mary turns him back toward Mark. He takes two more steps, startles, and begins to buck. "Sit quiet. Sit quiet until he's done. He felt the back cinch tighten there." Mary coaxes two more steps out of him, and then he bucks again. Then stands quietly.

Mary asks him to walk, turn, stop following Mark. "The quieter you sit, the easier it is for him and for you." There is laughter as Mary kisses to Deac, but he is focused on a horse tied outside the pen. He takes two more steps and bucks. "Sit quiet, sit quiet." Mary does.

We who are auditing are tense. We hold our breaths as Mary asks Deac for a step. He is braced. She asks for a step to this side, now a step to the other side, a back. He stops and parks out. Then backs softly and stands with one leg cocked. We take a collective breath.

Mary quietly dismounts. Mark says that when he is starting a cold he may have him move three or four steps, stop, back, and then he gets off. The second time he may stay on a bit longer. He tries not to put so much pressure on the colt that he will blow. Then he gives advice if the horse does blow. "Push against the cantle. Push against yourself and sit quietly."

4-A Pivotal Decision

Deac is haltered with a magnetic halter but is restlessly pacing the perimeter of the round pen as Mary and Mark discuss possibilities. Mark has some concerns about Deac's mental maturity and the reactive behavior Deac has displayed. They discuss possible causes. He is young, only two. Aging may steady him and give him some confidence. Feed is a consideration. It is important that he not have hot carbohydrates. His breeding may be a factor since his mother is unstable.

Mark gets to the heart of the discussion, "How do we make it the best we can in the long run for this colt?" Mark wants to keep his training as quiet as possible so that Deac can learn and process information. Mary feels that his reactiveness comes from his mother. Mark suggests B1 supplements for Deac.

They explore options, and Mark offers that if Deac were his horse he would take him home and give him a year off. "We've got a good start." This would give time to experiment with diet and for Deac to gain some mental maturity. "Do we set him up to feel good about himself?"

Mary considers some time off, possibly ponying Deac with a saddle during that time then following with more groundwork. Mark suggests that in his experience ponying doesn't solve problems. If a young horse comes to blows with the other horse, he won't gain confidence if he can't get through it. It becomes a bad experience.

If diet is a factor in Deac's behavior, 24-48 hours of new diet should bring an improvement. If immaturity is a cause, time will cure that. If he has some pain, that can be fixed. If it is his breeding.

What's best for Deac in the long run? "I'm in no rush. This is going to be my horse." We are following the deliberations each knowing what it is to bring hopes and dreams to a clinic and then to decide whether the horse has other needs.

It is a pivotal decision. Deac had been wearing the magnetic halter for an hour but is still pacing. Mary signals to him. His focus shifts momentarily to her then back to the world beyond the round pen. Mark offers again that it may take a year or two of maturing to ready Deac for a rider.

Mary opts to longline Deac with the saddle on as she ponders her choices. She lunges him first. We are able to admire his long springy trot He seems tired, but that may be the magnetic halter.

As she rubs Deac down with the saddle blankets, Mark asks, "If I were this horse, how would I want to be treated. Mary lunges Deac. He is fine. She begins longlining him and worry appears. When she accidentally flaps a stirrup, Deac stops. She flaps it again, and this time he is unflappable. Mary backs. Deac backs. There is no pressure on the lines, no head tossing. The stirrup comes up. Deac's head comes up, but otherwise he shows no reaction. He is paying attention to Mary and gives her a soft back when asked.

She asks for a trot then a stop. She gets both easily. Mary's son crawls into the pen with a bottle of pop he needs opened. Deac stands quietly as she does this then moves out freely, stopping and backing as asked.

Mark suggests once a week lunging or ponying if that is what Mary decides to do with Deac at home. "Don't drill him until he gets bored."

The auditors not that Deac is sleep walking now. If Mary stops he will fall asleep. He has reached the end of his energy supplies. She circles him once more, strokes him, and quits.

THE END OF THIS STORY

This story of a clinic in Aspen is nearly finished, but there are other stories that continue. We were able to share a bit of some stories, but we do not know where the stories will wind, or who will be touched by these people and horses long after the clinic ends. Maggie and Sarah are planning to ride with Mark next year. Tracey and Makani have a long trail ride planned next week. Pennylane will have very little work until after her foal, but Spencer will continue in his training. Kola and Leslie will eventually advance in hunter jumper. We may never know what course Mary has chosen for Deac, but we know he got a good beginning. So I close with something Kathleen wrote for the internet and has given me permission to use here.

The Real World

"Well, finally getting back to the 'real' world after hosting [note from Lael: she did an excellent job hosting] Mark's Aspen clinic this weekend.

"You'll remember that I have a 10 year old TB gelding who I show at the local hunter/jumper shows. This was our third Mark clinic in a year and a half, and I credit Mark with not only saving Ashcroft from a dogfood can, but myself from the looney-bin as well.

"I was hoping to work on getting my jumping courses smoother-they've been proficient, but lacking that lovely rhythmical quality that sets apart the truly great hunters from the simply mediocre. This is an art, and one I had not been able to achieve with this horse.

"I will not give the blow-by-blow here,.but suffice to say that my horse mirrors me like few other Mark has seen, for better or for worse. Although I did not experience anxiety about jumping per se, I was holding my breath when jumping, causing changes to Ashcroft's speed and degree of relaxation or tenseness. Hence the inconsistency.

"Mark talked about me needing to not only breathe deliberately, regularly, and deeply while on course, but even more importantly, to SETTLE MYSELF inside. Later, as I helped Mark pack up his stuff for the day, we talked about my stroke and how one day I'm a perfectly healthy 28 year old young woman with a 4.0 grade average at a private college, my own apartment, and a great boyfriend, and the next day I'm paralyzed in the hospital, dependent on other people to be able to go to the bathroom. Life is uncertain, and that trauma and lesson haunts me every day. It doesn't rule my life, but it affects my emotions-and that goes to my horse.

"Well, the morning after this conversation, the third day of the clinic, I was woken up by a severe anxiety attack-never had one before, but that's all I can think it was. I have a water phobia, and it was like that, except with no identifiable source of origin.

"I went into my ride feeling a bit out-of-sorts, but had a fabulous ride as the rhythmical breathing became easier (so much to think about!). I became the metronome that my horse could look to for security, confidence, and rhythm.

"Last day I felt much better-no anxiety, no nervousness, just a clear mind and a goal-the breathing and settling of myself. Perfection! I did about half a course, and it was rhythmical, with the pace exactly the same all the way around, my horse landing on the leads he needed, and each jump perfectly out of stride. Mark and I agreed that it wasn't half bad for a 'dogfood horse and a person with a brain injury.'

"Also that last day, the one time I tried to change Ashcroft's takeoff spot at the jump, thereby breaking the rhythm, he refused! It was a very clear message to me: 'I HAD IT WAY BACK THERE. LET ME DO IT!!!!!'

"So the upshot of the weekend was: deal with my own garbage so I have something to offer my horse, and once we get going, let him be. Very powerful stuff. It's funny how I go to Mark to work on my horse, but we end up working on me. My horse is fine. It's time to get myself in order.

"And if anyone's wondering if Mark can help you in your chosen discipline, I would say, let him try. A hunter-jumper trainer would NEVER have taught me what Mark did, and would NEVER have gotten the results he did. But he doesn't just try to get correct behaviors, he tries to get everything good from the core out, then the correct behavior will just come."


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