For the sessions on training and riding we all gather in the stands of the Estes Park Rodeo grounds. Mandy has brought a 2 ˝ year old palamino Quarter Horse gelding, Golden Flash, otherwise known as Peanut. Peanut is a tall, rangy colt. He has been worked in a round pen, bridled, and saddled. He does not like anything above him. He has trouble staying calm and focused and seems to be scared some of the time.
Harry’s first question is, “What do you feed him?”
“Rolled oats, grass, alfalfa.”
While a young horse needs enough nutrition to grow it is important not to overload his system causing rapid growth or excess energy. Given Peanuts level of activity he might do well with less alfalfa and oats.
Harry has brought his horse Turbo with him. Harry has put 41-42 rides on Turbo and will be using Turbo in working with Peanut.
Harry opines that there has been too much promotion on sending a horse around a pen. What we want from a horse is to be attentive. Peanut has been restlessly circling the pen as this discussion has been going on. Harry is standing in the pen. Peanut was curious at the start but moved away. He cannot find comfort near Harry and continues to circle the arena.
Harry steps toward his path of travel to turn or stop him. Peanut starts to turn in but then squirts past. “He knows the job his feet are to do, but his heart isn’t there. I see a lot of colts that are this way if they’ve been round penned.”
Peanut’s attention is not with Harry, but Harry works with him to get changes and transitions, to keep his mind focused on Harry. Finally Peanut stops and faces Harry. Harry is still, allowing Peanut to find that this is a safe spot, a good choice. When Harry quietly moves toward Peanut, he is gone, but quicker now Peanut comes around. Still when Harry moves Peanut moves out unable to find safety. “His feet go where his brain goes. He’s insecure, worried about a lot of things. It’s bad here. It’s worse above him.” Harry has now taken out a retractable fishing pole with streamers on it.
“If he doesn’t feel good here, then things will build at each step, and when we go to mount, he can’t handle it.” Peanut is beginning to stay with Harry. When he is moving his head is lowered, his tail is moving freely. Harry moves away and reapproaches. Peanut lets him approach then is gone. Harry asks for a change. Peanut faces him. Harry approaches and strokes him. When Harry leaves at an angle Peanut comes with him. Harry alters the angle, but Peanut can’t quite make the change. Harry backs up and resumes the former angle, and Peanut follows.
People often get in front of a horse to get the horse’s attention. Harry is off to one side asking for attention. He gives the horse a choice. “It’s like standing in front of kids watching television and trying to get eye contact. They just look around you. Here’s a stranger in the pen. He doesn’t know if he can feel good. We need to help him with trouble.
Training Flies
“You’ve heard we should make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy, but sometimes we make the difficult way to difficult…If I were any good as a trainer, I’d train flies. I’ve seen flies get horses to do amazing things without carrying a flag or spurs or a club. I’ve seen flies get a horse to reach around and scratch the tailhead with their teeth, and we ask the horse to do limbering exercises.
“Turbo was bought as a yearling and taken to a trainer who started him in the cowboy manner. I don’t know what they did, but they scared him bad.”
Peanut is moving around the pen. Harry puts a bit of pressure on then offers some calm. Peanut stops and takes the offer, but he is unsure if he wants Harry to approach him. He moves out. Harry puts no pressure on him, and he comes around. Then his mind goes out to a horse calling in the distance. Harry moves. He refocuses in the pen.
Insecurities can be a big piece when we try to mount a colt. If the colt’s brain is not all there, and you start to mount, it can be a big surprise to the colt. Horses don’t have a short attention span, but they do need some motivation to keep their attention on us.”
Turbo has sidled over to help Harry who is on foot. Harry sends Turbo back to his corner. Turbo is reluctant to go evidently feeling that Harry needs some help with this youngster. Finally he goes to the side of the pen and stays there.
Harry now puts a halter on Peanut and asks him to move out. He shoots to the end of the rope. Harry draws him back. This time when he moves out he does not hit the end of the rope, but when Harry puts just a little pressure on to move, Peanut makes big, quick movements. He is not attentive. He moves to the end of the line. Not even an ear is cocked Harry’s way.
Harry moves to his hindquarters, and Peanut moves them away. His attention now comes to Harry. He turns in to Harry. When asked out again he goes a bit further than Harry asked, but not to the end of the line. It is easier to work on Peanut’s left than right.
Bringing in Help
Harry now brings Turbo over and mounts. We note that every time something changes Peanut worries. “I wouldn’t get on this horse until all those worry spots are taken care of.” Peanut is struggling to follow Turbo on the rope, then, for a moment, the struggle is over. He drops his head by Harry’s knee and follows. As he moves his feet, Harry pets and rewards him. “It’s 100% more important what he takes in when his feet are moving then when he is standing still.” Peanut tenses, then lowers his head and follows.
Harry switches sides, and Peanut’s anxiety level rises. His head is up, his tail clamped; he resists following. Turbo snakes his head and Peanut moves his hindquarters over, brings his attention back. An auditor asks whether it would be better if Peanut knew the horse he was working with. “No difference that I can see.
“It’s okay if he gets into a trouble spot if we help him out. We want him to know how to make a recovery. We don’t want him to worry, but if he does, we can help with recovery. Working off the fence, round penning, imprinting—none of these has any magic. They’re only as valuable as the help the human is giving.
“Some people think standing is a sign of acceptance. Many horses who are tied to a post will stand and take amazing things. They just shut down. What happens when the worries overwhelm them? Then all he’s stuffed will come out with the first jump. I don’t want to be there when that happens. I’d rather his feet move easily. I don’t want to make him stand. I want to help him learn to stand and learn to move his feet when he needs to. We’ll be working with this colt all week and helping him recover from those worries.”
DR. DEB BENNETT
Judy has brought a gray Thoroughbred mare who is 18 years old. She had been on the track for six years before the trainer quit. She is more horse than Judy can handle. They have been redoing her training. She was squirrely and kicky, but her attitude is now changing, and she is more likeable. She is off in the front. Farriers and vets have been working on her. She has been in pain for years.
Deb points out that she is worse than the yellow horse was at the end of the lesson. She is tense. She is also an alpha mare. Deb reminds us that a horse can’t race six years without some dominance. The mare has been pushing into Deb. Deb has been keeping her out of Deb’s space. “I can come into your space, but you can’t come into mine unless I invite you in. A horse learns to trust you when you are clear.”
A Problem Revealed
Deb notes that the horse hangs her stifles. The patella of the hind leg hangs high too long. It hangs when the limb is straightest then comes down on the patella hook. The muscles that hold it up keep it up a fraction of a second too long before letting it down—kalunk, kalunk—it can hurt. Tenseness causes 9/10 of this. Her mind is elsewhere. Conditioning accounts for the other 1/10. When the horse’s attention is focused elsewhere, the muscles are tenser. They are misfiring.
Deb has been moving the horse around, stroking, getting acquainted with the mare so that she can show us some of the points she wants to make. The mare is taking Deb’s measure and is not sure of her at this point. The horse is off in the front. The vet hasn’t found any lesion or named any problem. During this week the horse will also be seen by a farrier, a dentist, and a chiropractor. Perhaps some solutions will come out of this.
The horse is leaning to the left. Deb asks her to shift weight to the right foot. She sends the horse energy from her hand, finger, eye, and heart. The horse shifts onto the unweighted side. “The straighter a horse’s legs are the more prone the horse is to hang a stifle. A left leaning, right turning horse won’t want to take the left lead.
“The more a horse uses its back for work the worse it looks. We do not want the longisimus dorsii developed any more than we have to for the job.” Deb is now indicating the muscle that runs parallel to the spine. “Whatever the stifle does the hock does also and at the same time. This is the law of reciprocation. Joints have to work together. So also doe the ligaments and tendons that go around the stifle and onto the back.
“Whatever the loins do the stifles want to do. If the stifles don’t do what the loin is doing, we have string halt. You’ll see it most often in arabs and saddlebreds…They wind up with…a stiff back.”
Anatomy Lessons
Deb lunges the horse to the right. The mare tips her head sideways and shakes it. “I want to play, or I want to kill you. It can change in an instant under pressure.”
Deb works with the horse but continues ranging over a variety of subjects as they come to mind. “Nunoz was a great teacher. He taught that you open a place on the inside in a half pass. The horse will hold the bend then.”
With just a thumb and forefinger Deb is telling the mare to cross her left hind leg under. This equalizes the weight and allows the horse to be straight. When the horse is consistently not straight you will find soreness in a checkerboard pattern on alternate sides. The site of soreness is not necessarily the primary site of pain. You may need to look further, deeper.
A horse may become one sided or crooked from being handled all the time on one side. They have eye dominance within a week of conception. This they will always have, and it influences them to favor one side over another. The rider/trainer can work to close the gap. Mount from either side. Work on either side. Mount from a mounting block. “I expect a horse to help me get on.” Deb goes on to explain that if a horse is not standing still for mounting, staying still until asked to move, keeping body balanced, Deb looks for physical reasons and then training issues to be addressed before mounting.
The withers are the least mobile part of the back except the sacrum. We want to look for a horse that has “fluff” in the muscles on the back. If they are flat and sleek it may indicate that circulation is not good. Transitions or backing one step at a time are good for improving circulation. We could see as Deb worked with this mare that there seemed to be less angularity, more fullness below the spine—a visible “fluff.” The saddle will displace weight onto the ribs. The riders weight is balance. The horse will “round up.”
TWIRLING
When asking a horse to turn we want to set it up to keep the horse straight (the horse is straight when her breastbone is centered between the shoulder joints). This is done by twirling the head and body. Pressure on the atlas drops and turns the head. There is rotation at the second neck joint. The first joint is still. The horse’s head stays vertical. The nose does not tip out. To continue this curve the horse steps under its navels with the inside hind foot, helping the muscles of the back and rump to release.
Muscles fire because of fear, a desire to move, or a prick or poke. In firing the muscle contracts. Once a cell fires it contracts to the end of its capability. A weak contraction is fewer cells firing. A strong contraction involves more cells. Stretching occurs when an external force pulls on the ends of a muscle cell. Stretching must pull the cell longer without pulling it so forcefully or so far that the cell ruptures. Limbering occurs when muscle cells are stretched so far or so forcefully that they rupture. Limbering involves only a few cells at a time, so that redness, swelling, heat, and pain are minimized and may not be evident to surface palpation. Spraining is the same as limbering, except that it involves many more cells, so that symptoms become evident.
Deb teaches her horses a two-legged bow so that they can do their own stretching. Twirling the head in a turn also helps the horse stretch muscles rather than brace and perhaps limber or strain muscles.
Deb has succeeded in calming the mare but not completely alieviating her fears. Deb is unable to demonstrate all she would like to because the mare evades some touch. Deb, in her characteristic forthright way, offers the opinion that she would not ride this horse. I, who have my own challenge horse, hope that during the week some answers may be found for this mare, some plans may be formed to help this horse become a safe and reliable partner for Judy.
JESSICA JAHIEL
Christina has brought G’Donya, a 22 year old thoroughbred. G’Donya had a race track career but has been with Christina for the last eleven years. She first used him in polocrosse and is now working on classical riding, being in balance with her horse. G’Donya is blind in one eye.
Christina is riding a new saddle, a Back County saddle bought at the suggestion of Peggy Cummings who is a classical riding instructor.
Jessica begins by saying that you want to be riding with your weight balanced, so that if the horse disappeared from under you, you would land on your feet, not behind your feet, not forward of your feet. You need your pelvis level.
She asks Christina if she rides with her heels down. Christina does. Then she notes that it is our lower leg that gives aids to the horse. That aid is because you tighten your calf muscle. You can only do that if the toe is up. Lift your toes. If you push down with the heels, the legs go forward; the buttocks tense; the seatbones disappear.
The length of the stirrup needs to allow the knee and hip angle to be closed to the same extent. If the stirrup is too long, you cannot get that angle. A place to start is to have the stirrup at the underside of the ankle bone.
If you grip with your thighs, you tip forward. If you grip with your knees, your heels come up.
Jessica then opens her hand and asks Christina to pick a color. Christina picks a bright barette which Jessica fastens at G’Donya’s poll. “If you see it, look up. Look where you are going because your horse will go where you are looking.”
On the Move
G’Donya is sauntering in a circle around Jessica. Christina would like more energy and impulsion. “There are two ways to keep your horse going. You can scoop with your butt, or you can make you bottom soft and tighten and relax your calf muscles. You can ride the rear or ride the engine. The only time to ask is when his hind leg is lifting and about to move forward. Feel the swing away from the right leg and give an extra nudge with the right calm muscle. Mix it up with his regular walk—six longer, six regular strides. Try it for yourself…There, with more muscle you are getting a longer stride. Now ask for a trot. Use your calf to ask for more movement—just a heartbeat, repeat not escalate.”
“He’s forward on the trail but pokey in the arena.”
Christina has taken her lower leg off and is holding with her knee. Jessica remarks that the knee then becomes a pivot point even as impulsion communication is lost.
Christina is posting, and Jessica talks to us. “Posting is not up and down. The horse takes you up. Gravity brings you down. Forward is your responsibility. You are bringing your hips toward your hands. It is like a hinge in the lower back opening and closing.” Christina now drops her weight and asks for a halt.
Every horse has it’s own signature tempo or speed. At the walk feel for the beat, clear, clean four beat walk. “You’re tensing your butt. Try breathing. Breathe, smile.” At the trot feel for the two beat tempo, clean. Memorize that tempo. Too fast means the horse is anxious, not comfortable. Take the horse back to slower than optimum until they almost doze. Too pokey bring the horse up to slightly faster than optimal.”
Christina remarks that G’Donya works better after he has cantered. “An older horse often needs to canter to stretch. Do a 15-40 minute warmup then let him choose the gait. He’ll choose one that will lift his belly.”
Hold your reins at the base of your fingers with contact. Close your fingers not your hands.
Keeping your horse collected prevents the horse from picking up on everything and getting sensory overload.
At home practice up and down the road. Sing. If you sing, you must breathe. Bring out your boom box. Music is great because it helps keep you in rhythm.
If you are a western rider and your horse has a good trot, sit the trot. Otherwise, post. If your horse’s natural trot is big strided, post.
Tom Thumb, colt starter bits, broken curb bits have a purpose. They are great on a bathroom wall with tissue hung on the bit.
Soft hands come from a good seat.
VIC THOMAS
Adult Learning
A learner is one who increases his/her skills or knowledge. An instructor is an expert in some area of information who structures and sequences the material to meet the student’s learning process.
We must learn new disciplines all our life. “The man who knows how can always get work, but the man who knows why is the boss of the man who knows how.”
Domains of Learning
The most inclusive domains of learning are cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. Cognitive is the what, the knowledge. It is the easiest to teach, to learn, and to test. It involves the five senses. Psychomotor is the how, the skills. It is more difficult to teach, to learn, to test. It is not a time for remonstration. The student is always his/her harshest critic. The teacher is second, but criticism creates a learning hook. Instructors can eliminate tons of learning hooks just by caring. Affective is the why, the attitudes, ego, self worth, self image. It is the most difficult to teach, to learn, and to test.
If you want to make an enemy, insult a person.
Reward for good behavior is important, but excessive reward has no sincerity. Reward should be specific, a validation or notice of something positive. It is specific, immediate, and cannot be expected. It’s not the amount of reward given. It’s the quality, the way in which it is given. Respect and caring go both ways.
How do we learn? I learn best when:
1. I want to,
2. The material is geared to my level,
3. I see a relationship between my goals and what is to be learned.
Behavior tells us what we think. (We argued that one because people in control of themselves may think one way and behave another if it is beneficial for them to behave a certain way—for example, as an employee). Vic conceded that in a business or organizations we rent an employee’s behavior.
MARK RASHID
Marlene has brought a 9 year old, Polish arab mare, Vanessa, that Marlene uses for endurance riding. She sometimes rides with a halter. She is fighting with her horse and wants the horse to be softer and more responsive to leg cues. Sometimes Vanessa is afraid and will not want to do something. When Marlene insists Vanessa will get very calm and if pressed will go through blind, without paying attention to anything.
Marlene has been riding Vanessa as she talks. Each rider is rigged with a microphone, so that we can here the give and take of the dialogue. Mark suggests that sometimes when we are using a halter our cues can get heavier than if we were using a bridle. Marlene also admits that she doesn’t use as much leg when she is in the saddle. Mark suggests she try turning Vanessa without cues--just look where she wants to go. She tries it, and Vanessa offers a turn.
Mark refines it by asking her to turn from her center, her navel. “Could you feel your horse offer the turn?” She has tried before Marlene even completes her turn. “Where was she offering it up? How can you help the horse? This is more about you than her. She’ll be fine. It’s not enough to look. You have to see where you’re going.” Mark states his one rule, “Don’t run me over.”
Mark then takes the reins and asks Marlene to feel the softening of the horse and to release when the horse releases. Next he asks her to be the horse. Mark, with his exquisite timing, is able to find the start of her softening even before she releases and releases instantly.
If a horse is pulling on the reins to go home, it may be a trust issue. If you have eliminated physical causes, then you have a horse who would rather be with another horse they’ve never met than you because the other horse knows their needs better than you do.
If you have lightness on the outside, you have softness on the inside.
Lateral Work
Marlene attempts a turn on the haunches, but Vanessa helicopters moving all four feet. “Slow down. Take your hands slowly. Just get a hint of backward movement. Drift back. There’s a spot where you can just glide over. Teach one step at a time.”
For a turn on the forehand Marlene again drifts Vanessa back on her hindquarters then asks for a turn. Again she is too quick the first time and gets a helicopter effect, but the second time she gets a nice turn on the forehand.
“You’re using a lot of pressure to get her to back. We need to soften the picture. She’s leaning into the pressure, bracing against your hands. You’re using a four on her. Start with a one.” Vanessa is crooked. “Straighten her head. Keep it on me.” Vanessa tosses her head. Marlene is asked to frame her hands and shorten the reins but not use a lot of pressure. Vanessa dips her head and backs without any brace.
Vanessa’s attention is drifting. Mark moves slightly, and Vanessa’s attention returns to the moment. Marlene moves her forward then asks for a stop. Vanessa drifts. Marlene is instructed to take her across the arena to a sign with a water bottle and stop at the water bottle. She drifts again. She is asked to back. “Look for softness.”
“She offered a back at one.”
“Way less than a one—that’s your ten now. Before we can get a flex at the poll we have to get rid of the fight. Let’s ask for a back again. Your release needs to be brief then take up contact again to continue to keep the momentum in the back. Try ten steps back…She’s calm. There’s softness front to back.”
They continue to work on flexion, rounding up, and working from the hindquarters. The goal in a back is to have Vanessa lower her head and Marlene release when the nose drops. She is tent to take up contact. She does this and gets a lovely back.
Again and there is release and contact all in one movement. Vanessa softens, backs, turns on her haunches, and we break into applause.
But the next turn as she goes forward Vanessa is on the forehand. They try again, turn, stop on the haunches. “As you come around think about the stop.” She does, and it is accomplished with no cues. “Beautiful!”
“Breathe…Nice turn on the haunches. To bring her back end around tip her nose in the opposite direction, and her back will move. Move your outside leg back just a bit.”
Now Marlene receives instructions for a sidepass. “Outside leg in the middle. Tip her nose slightly away from the direction of the pass. Lead out with your inside hand. Hold her up so she doesn’t go forward.” There is a struggle as Vanessa tries solutions to this new problem, and she winds up walking through the cues. A second try is no better, so they back down to something Vanessa knows rather than argue.
Marlene is making up her mind which way she wants to go. Vanessa moves. She has felt Marlene’s direction through her seatbones. “She’s telling us she doesn’t need any leg.”
Nose tossing is still a problem. Mark suggests that if Vanessa tosses her head Marlene should tip her nose one way or the other. “She needs more guidance in an effort to be soft. You don’t have to get heavier. We’re working with the rider more than the horse today.”
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
After a dinner break we gather for a question and answer session with those presenters who have already presented. Each question can go to two of the presenters.
How can I get my horse to do what I want without help from me?
We do exercises around cones. My horse has done them a lot. How can I get my horse to do them automatically?
Mark Rashid—“You can’t do that. You need to help the horse—around anything. There has to be a continuity between you and your horse, otherwise communication has broken down. The rider has to be involved. I don’t see how you can not help your horse.”
Harry Whitney—“Without the rider—that would be a trick. You could accomplish the job, but it would be mechanical. The horse would just be doing a job. Support is a factor that comes in here. The horse may need help.
How can I minimize fear?
Jessica Jahiel—“Your physical coordination may be off. If you have more control of your own body, you will feel that you have more control of your horse. Where do you feel confident? Start there. It’s like eating an elephant. You do it one bite at a time. Tweak or push out your boundaries where you have confidence. Expand your comfort bubble a little at a time. Yoga, tai chi, centered breathing, relaxation, visualization may help.
“There are little things you can do for the horse as well. Thank your horse. It’s hard to be afraid when you are thanking your horse. Ask yourself ‘why am I afraid of my horse?’ Is it past trauma? With this horse or all horses? You may have to seek professional help. A therapist can help you break through fear. If it was real traumatic, you’ll need help to get through the fear.”
What is your opinion about the barefoot or natural trim ala Hiltred Strausser?
Deb Bennett—“Most horse troubles are caused by one thing—man. If you have your horse fenced with less than 40 acres free space, she is not free to be run. If you are keeping your horse in a stall, it’s like keeping a horse in a porta-potty. The horse has no natural teeth, no natural feed, no place to run. That’s why we worm them.
“The barefoot trim is designed to look like a mustang. The trim is designed to protect joints. You want a trip—look at orthopedic appliances designed by a diagnostician…” time for Dr. Deb was up.
Stuart Greenberg—“I don’t know about Hiltred Strausser in particular. Sounds like the horseshoeing flavor of the month. I don’t believe in horseshoes if the horse has a sound health hoof. Give a horse six to eight week with the shoes off and a good trim and you can get the perfect, desired, sound foot. Unnatural acts may need traction and shoes.”
Do you believe in shoeing prescriptions from the veterinarian?
Stuart Greenberg—“Do I believe the farrier and the vet should consult—yes> It should be a three-way communication between owner, vet, and farrier. You as the horse owner should sort out what is needed. If you can’t sort it out between the vet and the farrier, get other people. If you don’t get consideration from them, get another farrier and another vet. Don’t allow their ego problems to happen. You’re paying these people.
“But also let the vet and the farrier talk together on technical terminology.”
Deb Bennett—“Some medical people are not able to communicate with people. You learn to be a good consumer. Read good books.”
My horse is out at C1 and C2. Can I take care of the problem with one adjustment?
Dr. David Siemens (equine chiropractor in Wednesday’s notes)—“It doesn’t matter which area is out. It is the severity of the trauma. Is there scar tissue? What is the use planned for the horse?
“Will you always need followup care? Maybe. Do you have to continue to water your plants? How long do you want your plants to live? Will one adjustment take care of this? Probably not.”
Deb Bennett—“You have to look at three things.
1. What caused it?
2. Are you sure you’re getting a quality massage therapist or equine chiropractor?
3. Who is the most effective person in the horse’s life? You are. Can you get on the horse and not degrade him?
“Beware of limbering which pulls on cells until they rupture…” time’s up for Dr. Deb.
What is the process a horse goes through in learning?
Harry Whitney—“Cue, pressure, response—we probably shouldn’t label it, but that might be a starting point for how a horse figures something out. CPR is accurate but only a part of a piece of learning.”
What about using a tiedown to teach the horse to work from his hindquarters?
Mark Rashid—“Someone brought a horse to a clinic that they had used with a tiedown. The horse had learned how to brace and lean in the tiedown. If you’re having trouble teaching a horse to work from his hindquarters check physical things. Teach the horse to supple through the neck, to soften to the bit, to bend laterally, not to lean on anything.
“It’s a combination of little pieces. Take as long as it takes. It’s a long process. You can’t work on the back end until you have softened up the front. Soften to the bit first that brings flexing the head, poll, neck, withers, and rear end.”
Harry Whitney—“Using a tiedown is just poor riding. Go to a clinic with Mark or Jessica.”
When I am riding to the right my horse leans out. What can I do?
Jessica Jahiel—“Ride straight then ask for a supple bend. Otherwise you lean like a motorcycle. When the rider takes a strong hold on the inside rein it inhibits the inside hind leg from coming under. Do less!”
Dave Siemens—“Look at function, fluid, movement of the horse and rider. Look at length of stride. What is hanging up? Does the rider need help? Is the rider stuck (in the hip)?”
How do I help my horse around a curve?
Deb Bennett—“The inside shoulder blade is slightly lower on a curve. Help the horse set the inside leg under the navel. A horse at liberty on a curve looks out, leans in. Having a rider makes a difference biomechanically…Riding is not natural. Reins are tendons that connect a horse to muscles she never had before—yours. You need to come into harmony with knowledge, learning, good heartedness.”
Jessica Jahiel—“Don’t drop your inside shoulder on the turn. Your shoulders and your horse’s should be together like an airplane that turns but doesn’t bank.”
How do you get a horse from a bad feet to healthy feet?
Stuart Greenberg—“If you are taking a horse from a previous bad trim, the horse may go through some pain and discomfort for several days from the new physiology.
“Sometimes a trim is prescribed by the vet based on the foot, joints, capsule, ligaments. We need to do the least we can to accomplish what is needed, what is best. You may need to turn the horse out for a few days until he feels okay. Let him be a horse for awhile.”
Deb Bennett—“My horse Painty was lame. We had bar shoes and pads. Shoes effect foot growth. They have their drawbacks, but they are a powerful orthopedic tool. Learn to use that tool. I loaded Painty up and took him to Stuart just before we came here.”
How do I know if I need an equine chiropractor?
Dave Siemens—“Look at the overall look of the horse while he is standing. We can get some clues from standing. Rocking back and forth may be a clue to pain.
“Look while he is moving. Movement gives us more information. What is the horse’s function? How does he move? Is the movement symmetrical? What is the whole horse doing? Learn how a horse moves by watching movie film frame by frame.
“Dr. Deb’s web site has confomation information. Observe, remember, compare.”
How do you ride a rearing horse?
Harry Whitney—“I spell Whitney w-i-m-p-y. If a horse rears on the ground, I don’t get in the saddle. I look first at the saddle. Is it causing problems? I eliminate pain. Then I work on the ground.
“If the hindquarters are coming forward and there’s an impediment to the front, the horse has to go someplace. What is obstructing forward movement? It may be the brain, so that we need to make a mental change, so the horse can see how to go forward.
“Think out in front of the horse. Are the rider’s hands impeding movement? Does the horse want to go back to the barn? Let go of the obstruction to going forward then work with the forward motion. Let the horse see that going forward is an option.”
Mark Rashid—“Why is the horse doing this? Why are her feet stuck? The horse can’t see her options, or she’s been taught it’s okay. She got out of something by rearing. She was afraid or hurting. Getting up on her back feet makes her really tall, and while we’re in awe we release the pressure.”
When do you start a colt?
Mark Rashid—“I don’t start a horse under saddle until he’s three or four. Other folks may ride at two. I don’t think their physically or mentally mature enough.
“The first time I get on I sit for a moment and get off. I do this several times, so that the horse knows I won’t live up there. Then I quit for the day. The second ride the horse can go anywhere he wants within the state. We may walk, stop, back, turn in the round pen. Let the horse tell you how fast to move in training.”
Harry Whitney—“Listen to the horse. You’re going to have twenty useful years. Wait two or three extra years to get twenty good years out of the horse.”
Should I have my two-year old horse shod?
Stuart Greenberg—“You need a hell of a good reason, and it better be therapeutic to nail iron to a two-year-old. You get shoes on a two-year-old, and you think “Well, he’s got shoes on. I think we’ll go up that ridge road”—you and your 250 pound saddle and your belt buckle.”
Why do you want contact with a horse or have the horse “on the bit?”
Jessica Jahiel—“Dressage—classical—works to have a horse happier and better looking month by month, year by year. It gives the horse a chance to learn to balance with you. If your horse has a pulse, you can retrain her. You need trust. Contact is light, soft. It is like holding hands with a small baby.
“On the bit is a closed circuit of energy through you and your horse. It is like being on the telephone when nobody screams and nobody hangs up. It takes just a little pressure—1/2 ounce as the horse reaches for the bit. On the bit works from the hind legs, up the back, through the neck, and flex at the poll.
“That’s the part people see from the withers forward. Some dressage—not classical—want the horse in a frame. If you want a horse in a frame, take a picture and put it in a frame.” This is a dynamic relationship.
Harry Whitney—“Contact means the horse has turned loose of mental thoughts and is waiting for you to give help. The brain drives the hindquarters. Get the brain with you.
“On the bit means that for every change in you there is an equal change in the horse’s hindquarters.”
If you could teach your horse only one thing and for the rest of your horse’s life you would ride it, what would that be?
Stuart Greenberg—“Whoa.”
Jessica Jahiel—“I’d teach the horse she could trust the rider and could trust for the rest of life. That’s why it’s hard to sell a horse.”
Mark Rashid—“I’d make sure the horse could think on his own.”
Harry Whitney—“I’d show the horse how to operate like a horse even if I’m in his way.”
Deb Bennett—“I don’t ride a client’s horse that isn’t ready to be ridden. Sadie, my first horse, filled in where I was deficient. Painty has to like you. We have chemistry, electricity. Get a horse that wants to be around you more than anything else.”
Dave Siemens—“Friend.”
The Tables Are Turned
Now each of the presenters are able to ask us a question. The first bring laughter and tears.
Why do you have horses?
“…love and passion.”
“…better couch than anyone I know.”
“…grow through horses.”
“…had troubles and know people are here to help us through.”
“Honestly? To see who I really am.”
“…fills a hole in my being.”
“…ground me. Get me back to where I need to be.”
“…honest and humble.”
“…joy to children who will never have a healthy day.”
“…connection.”
What do you want in the clinic scene?
“Certification…” Harry adds, “A license to own a horse, and Harry Whitney will be the only licensor.”
“Better integration of clinicians…”
“I want to bring my horse to a clinic with these people.” Deb’s web site has schedules so go!
“Broad format clinics…”
“A video to help us identify what the horse is saying.” Mark has a video in production which will be out in December which will help do that.
We are all the time talking about helping the horse? Can you let your horse go?
This question brings out stories and tears from people who have let their horses go. I am silent, not as noble as these folks. I have two I could let go. Young, they may wind up in other homes, but another one--we have some healing to do from my past mistakes. Only then can I answer that question.
What do you want in a farrier?
“A willingness to listen to what we say…” “Listening skills…”
“More quality education…” “A way to find educated farriers…”
“Connect with the horse…”
“Live with horses…”
“Collegial cooperation…” “A willingness to cooperate with other professionals…”
“Compassion, cooperation, patience…”
“Natural horsemanship skills…”
“Lose their egos…”
“Courtesy, basic business and people skills…”
“Caring…”
“Honesty…”
We want these things from all people who care for our horses. We want what we are getting here at The Horse Gathering, 2000.
