I've been wanting to review some basics that are the foundation of any training, with any animal. The building blocks that are hurried through, or skipped altogether.
The boring stuff. Simplifying riding a horse is a rather inexact art, isn'ta? But distilling it down is exactly what GoLightly pointed out to me, right from the start. I'd never had instant obedience to an aid. GoLightly's long neck and back seemed to be it's own compass, a constant course correction. Old Lightly was my navigator, and yet my pilot. I was the point. I was the tip of his mast, if GoLightly had been a sailboat.
The big bay did a realignment of my entire ideas on riding, just by being so straight.
I recently devoured "My Horses, My Teachers" by Alois Podhajsky, mesmerized, fascinated, a little ashamed I've never read it before. I HAVE to quote this, I just do:)
"The initial work with a young horse offers little distraction to an accomplished rider, and above all, no opportunity to impress any spectators with spectacular exercises. It is the stage of making straight and riding forward in which the rider tries to ride his horse briskly on, avoiding turns and, at the rising trot, making him used to carrying the riders weight."
(bolded highlights mine)
Man, I've said that somewhere. But the point as well, is that it's those boring hours and miles we must accomplish first, for the horses' future comfort, that will ultimately allow him to be happy in his work.
Part of that is avoiding too much turns/bending/noodling the neck. The amazing thing about GoLightly, was that he ALWAYS went back to straight, when released.
And they Always should.
People, too, really. We are coiled springs of energy, as horses are.
My own slight crookedness, built from years of defensive posture, had to straighten, or GoLightly was immediately not. He would reflect however I sat. Tight through the left side of the neck? So was he. If I softened, loosened, became fluid, he was perfect.
He was amazing:)
You knew that, though.
In any difficulties arising from riding, the best place to go back to is making straight and going forward.
The same can be said of any training, of any animal. With my girls, I keep their basics sharp. It doesn't take long, and it allows them the joy of an easy job well done.
Well, I can say that, but Flip is still in charge when it comes to certain types of distractions. Perfection is a bore, and Flip loves to remind me of that:)
16 comments:
"The best place to go back to is making straight and going forward"
Words to live by! Great post GL
Sounds like a great book...
:D
Oh grey mare...she reads me like a book.
Telling me how crooked I AM!!!!
I can't remember who told me first, but I learned early on that GOOD horsetraining is about as exciting to watch as paint drying. Cheerful, patient trainer rewarding the TINIEST of efforts (imperceptible to the audience)...then the moment of the first backing comes with zero fanfare. Maybe some forward walking. Then we're done. The bucking, rearing, bronc-busting training is for the movies!
Got any brilliant tips for a horse who is impossible to catch? Understands moving forward off pressure, even understands whoa if you step in front of his shoulder...but only if you're 20 feet away. Approach and you've got a snorty, nose-breathy mess. WILL NOT approach patient, cheerful trainer in the roundpen, regardless of motivation. Can be cornered and haltered...but who wants to do that...
Interesting, SB.
"Approach and you've got a snorty, nose-breathy mess".
Maybe go at it from the other way. Walk away, let him follow you? Will he? Approach, to a prey animal, can be very intimidating. Do not look directly at him, that is intimidating too.
Have the attitude of "Meh, so what, I have another horse (somehow) over HERE, and HE loves the cookies I feed". Or eat the carrot, noisily, yourself. Keep your back to him.
Feigning disinterest can increase their interest.
Sort of like how antelopes will turn and walk up to a pride of lions lazing on the veldt.
SB, bear with me as its easierr to do than to tell. Approach obliquely from the side . Stop just outside of the zone where he rtakes off . TAke the pressure off When he looks to you approach a bit further . Watch very closely ,and the horse will tell you right before he is about to go ,step out before he goes and take pressure off agin. work on this slowly in a smaller area until the horse is turning in and approaching you . Reward can be as simple as easing pressure or as much as a pat if and when he accepts.I don't believe in "cookie breaking" but once he has let you catch him its OK to Pay him with a treat , but ONLY WHEN HE IS WEARING a HALTER !It is a painfully slow proccess but eventually I find them approaching me. I really hope that makes sense .I am not a great teacher , I can do it , but not always tell it
TAke the pressure off When he looks to you approach a bit further . Watch very closely ,and the horse will tell you right before he is about to go ,step out before he goes and take pressure off agin. work on this slowly in a smaller area until the horse is turning in and approaching you .
This is what I am doing with him now. I am not used to it taking so many repetitions! Last night he let me scratch his forehead after 45 minutes of approach-retreat interspersed with me sitting quietly in the middle of the pen, looking away from him, while he stared at me (I watched from the corner of my eye), so I let him be after the forehead scratch. BROTHER. I don't know how they caught him at the ranch, but my guess is that it involved herding and a corral.
He seems to prefer it if I approach more toward his head/shoulder, I think if I angle in toward his side he thinks I mean for him to go forward. I like that he goes forward when I am behind the shoulder, so that's ok for now.
This compared to Zora, who I can go down and sit beside while she is napping. Gentling foals is easier.
SB, I think you have the right plan going on , but it does take forever with the older ones esp if they have some baggage .We have a team of Morgans here , that the owner always just chased them into a pen to catch them , Took what felt like forever to get them to seetle , still have trouble with one , but I catch the easy one then use him to catch the other . The key for me seems to make sure they are looking at you before you progress .If they won't "face up" you are sort of screwed for the moment
When I say approach obliquely I do mean shoulder , not full on side , front end just behingd his head and not straight on ,angle your body (if that makes sense ) just behind his eye so he needs to turn and acknowledge you
One of the old tricks that I use is-find a good book and some yummy apples and carrots. Go out, read the book and eat the apples and carrots yourself. Maybe sunbathe. Make sure the chair is comfy. When horse comes up, offer them a bite if they let you touch them. Then up the ante to haltering before sharing. Reading a book (I think anyways, kinda maybe!) focuses our attention on something other than the horse, kind of like community grazing with them.
I think a lot of horses never get approached by people unless the person has an agenda...move your feet horse, play that game, let me catch you, then go to work.
We tend to just hang out with foals, and they learn that hanging with humans is not so bad.
Part of the problem, too, is that he's a draft. Takes a long time to teach something, and they hold grudges forever.
Last week we didn't have time to play games, he needed his shots. Now I'm paying for it...
It's frustrating how these ranch-raised ones are SO wild...and the owners consider them broke. Two different perspectives. Yes, I can corral him, get a halter on, then he works well for me...but the catching-in-the-pasture thing is key for me. Major hole in the training AFAIAC.
That's the crux of the matter though, Sunshine.
You're asking him to do something that has never been considered necessary, in his world.
What is wrong with you??
Kidding. Nothing wrong with you, you're asking for a major shift in his Normal, is all.
Some personalities are smart enough to think, for themselves, hey, this is wrong, I don't DO this. That behaviour could actually be handy when you're stabled next to a road with icky humans on it...
Either that, or buy a lasso.
;)
coughcoughZORApics.
man, I am shameless, aren't I?
I love that book! I try to incorporate as much of his training philosophy in my horse handling as I can. The main mantra I got from reading that book is to remember that "I have time." I try to think about that whenever I work with my horses.
No advice here, SB. Every damn one of my horses has always been a treat whore. Always in my way no matter what I am doing.
But you will prevail and you are correct, it is a huge hole in training. IMHO.
That behaviour could actually be handy when you're stabled next to a road with icky humans on it...
Oh yes, I don't mean to be frustrated with him. All signs point to his being relatively bright.
A great trainer once told me that the slightly mischevious ones are a lot more fun, and make better performance horses because they can think for themselves! It makes sense, on the trail, over fences, etc. Sometimes you pick a REAL bad distance and depend on pony saving your butt over the fence...
I'll post a picture of his pony moustache. It cracks me up.
Timely post there GL. You have no idea. And for the riders as well. Going back to riding just to ride. Not worrying about frame, cadence or ???, just point and shoot, go and do.
S & B- SOunds like you are working in the right direction. Another thing to try, approach, scratch & coo as a reward and walk away.
Leave them wondering WTF? She didn't put the halter onand make me do anything??? She was carrying the dumb thing. Not every approach and catch means work in their world. This works on the crafty little ponies too.
S&B- A great trainer once told me that the slightly mischevious ones are a lot more fun, and make better performance horses because they can think for themselves!
Hubby JR says all the time curiousity is a sign of intelligence. It shows they are interested in things and want to learn. Much easier to work with than the stoic, bored and uninterested of the group.
Very nicely said GL. I love a 'straight' horse. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. Most people don't realize how much time it takes to get a horse to travel nice and straight.
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