Willow Run Ranch: Training Tips
The following tips are provided to you by
Willow Run Ranch Owner Terry Anderson. We hope you find them
useful, and invite you to send us your thoughts, tips, or
tricks vial email to info@willowrunranch.com.
The first task you have with
a horse is to get him to want to be with you,
whether you are on the ground or on his back. You can't help
him understand what you want if his mind isn't with you, giving
you attention and respect. You can do this in the round pen
or on horseback. But you must begin here.
When
your horse is not doing what you're asking for, or
is doing something you don't want, ALWAYS ask yourself, "What
am I doing wrong?" Whether he is kicking and bucking,
or merely fidgeting, he is responding to a stimulus, usually
yours, or looking for relief from pressure. Blaming him or
hollering "Quit, you stupid horse!" doesn't help
a bit. Figure out what the stimulus is, then remove it, or
remove his attention from it. Too many times, a rider blames
his own shortcomings, such as an unblanced seat, or heavy
hands or just an impatient attitude, on the horse.
Horses are natural animals, they don't lie
or cheat, and they're seldom mean or sneaky. They respond
to your cues, conscious or unconscious. The problems of so-called
"problem horses" are invariably put into them by
their owners or handlers, or by bad experiences they've undergone.
If you are communicating clearly, calmly
and with respect for the horse, they will want to cooperate
with you -- they will become a Willing Partner. Anger,
frustration, abrupt demands or unnecessary force confuses
them and makes them scared. Calmness, consistency, patience
and respect will always get results.
Remember
your reins are for guidance, not balance or to force
the horse to turn or stop. Balance comes from your seat, and
your hands should remain as light and still as possible, no
matter what speed you're travelling at. The ideal amount of
rein pressure is a couple of ounces, about what you would
use to pick up an egg or a fragile piece of glassware. Of
course, in the beginning, you may need more. But remember,
that horse has a piece of iron in its mouth. If you yank or
pull on it, he's not going to like it.
Use the reins and your legs to
indicate the direction, and reward the horse when
he responds by removing the pressure on his mouth. In the
beginning, ride with a loose rein, picking up contact with
the mouth only when you are asking for a specific response.
Think of the reins as a telephone. You only pick it up when
you have something to say, and when you're done, you put it
back down. This will help with your balance, and get your
horse to respond with respect.
When you communicate with the horse,
always start with a suggestion - the least amount
of pressure necessary to get a result. Then, if he doesn't
respond, get firmer. "It's not a force issue, or being
hard," says Peter Campbell. "It's firming up until
the horse tries. Air, hair, muscle bone -- start gently, ask
more firmly, then more firmly still. Look for the smallest
change and the slightest try, then release the pressure immediately."
For instance, take the slack out of the lead
rope, wait slightly, then put light pressure on the halter,
then firmer pressure, and only then "bump" the horse
by tugging on the rope. Never yank or jerk. Using too much
force too quickly is a common mistake, and will only make
the horse harder. Offering a good deal, then firming up will
allow the horse to learn to take the good deal when it comes,
and will make him softer.
Never get into a strength contest with
your horse. He's a lot bigger and stronger. Thankfully
he doesn't know that, and you don't want him to find out.
The first task you have with a horse
is to get his attention completely on you. You can't
teach him anything or ride him if he isn't giving you attention
and respect. You can do this in the round pen or on horseback.
But you must begin here.
Never
allow a horse to disrespect you by invading your space,
bumping you with his head, turning his back end toward you
or making a threatening move. You respect the horse by treating
him properly. He must respect you. That includes such behavior
as deciding for himself when to move off, stop or change direction
or speed when you're riding. If you're stopped, and you feel
the horse begin to move, it's too late to try to stop him.
You have two choices - do nothing, allow your horse to move
without your permission or suggestion, and he will become
pushy; direct the movement, ask him to back up, sidepass or
leg yield, and he will learn quickly that fidgeting just means
he'll have to work harder. You will have gained his respect,
and taken an opportunity to hook the reins to his feet.
In interacting with a horse, you apply pressure on him in
various ways. The main thing he wants is to remove
that pressure. Therefore, you must be quick to reward
him when he does the right thing by removing the pressure
- easing up on the reins, or stop bumping him with your feet.
The more quickly you give him this reward, the more quickly
he will associate his "right" action with the removal
of the pressure, and will respond even more quickly to that
same pressure in the same way.
Never
work a horse at the same exercise so long or so hard he gets
bored, or thinks he's doing the wrong thing. But
never stop when he's being difficult or hasn't found the right
response. Timing our requests and releases is vital. Sometimes
we try to go beyond the right response. The horse makes a
good try, but we want to "wear it in," instead of
giving him time to sort out what he's learned. Then he starts
thinking he's done the wrong thing, and tries something else.
But if you give up because your arms are tired
even though he still isn't finding the answer you want him
to find, you will have taught him to be more difficult or
to give the wrong answer the next time. Always wait for the
smallest change or the slightest try in the direction you're
heading. Better to stop at the first correct response than
to continue beyond it, end up with the horse losing the answer
and yet you must stop because you're tired or have run out
of time.
Your horse is learning from you every
time you come near him, whether you intend it or
not. Make sure that you're encouraging him to become a Willing
Partner.
Contact Willow Run: willowrunranch@earthlink.net
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