A website worth checking out.

I have been following a page on Facebook called Intended Horsemanship for a while now. The horseman is David Schumpert, and I really like his take on horsemanship.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.intendedhorsemanship.com/
It is a new site so it will be fun to follow it as they go along.

Training and teaching

First off, this colt now has a barn name.

Rascal.

For Lytha:

I started his halter training yesterday, as I need to be able to lead him and his mama out of the pen for some hand grazing. I had to put Belle and him into the stall to confine him so I could get the halter on, and I tied Belle so she would stand still while I worked with getting the colt to face me or at least let me approach him from the side.... but no, he wanted to turn his butt to me and kick. So he got spanked with the halter and lead rope which I had in my hand- just a quick twack across his butt in the same manner a mare would bite him if he did that to her. He tried one more time, with the same reaction from me, and then he decided that it was better not to try to kick me. I haltered him, and then spent about 5 minutes rubbing him all over his body, not forcing myself on him but working with where he would accept rubbing and if he was ticklish I'd retreat and then rub again a little further until he tolerated it everywhere. The only spot he was worried about was on the spot where he felt me twack him, but it only took a few seconds to get him over that. Petting was much preferrable!

After that, I led Belle and Rascal out of the pen. Well, I led Belle out of the pen and Rascal followed. Then I took the slack out of the rope, and stood there. He pulled, I stood, not pulling on him, just holding my position while he flopped around like a fish on a line. He ended up throwing himself about 6 times before he figured out that it wasn't working to pull against me. Every time he stopped and faced me, he got his face petted and a  "good boy". We stood there while he thought about it, on a loose lead, and then I slowly took up the slack again and asked for a step forward and to the side. He gave me a tiny step. And got a big reward of petting and praise. Three times, then we called it a day.

This morning, Belle saw me coming in to the pen with the foal halter, and headed straight for the stall. (Smart mama!) I caught Rascal, petted him all over again, picked up all 4 feet, and opened the gate and let mama out. He followed, and I went with him. When mama stopped, and he did too, I asked gently for one step... and he did! In fact, he didn't fight me at all. Smart Rascal!

"I got this"

He got lots of praise today! I was able to get some video.

He really is a rascal though. So full of himself! Like a typical colt he has to try to impress the other horses, and he is pretty rough with his mama. But she is just smitten with him!

I sure wouldn't want to try to halter train this one at weaning time.  I had Coulee and Mesa out hand grazing yesterday, and Mesa leads like an old broke horse. 😍 Love her!

NG was helping me with chores yesterday, so she got to have a lesson on Beamer. I asked if she wanted a saddle or bareback and she chose bareback, which makes me happy because it helps to teach them balance and helps them to be able to feel the movement of the horse better.

We went to the round pen, and I had her do reaches upward and outward first with one arm and then with both and I longed Beamer at a walk. I had my mecarte bridle on him, and then I taught her how to handle the reins while I directed Beamer with the get-down shank. She caught on quickly, so I let her go on her own.

She did really well. I got to thinking, and I have three 10 yr old girls to teach riding to this summer..... Beamer will get a workout! Rosalee too, but she isn't quite ready to turn loose with children yet.

 I did ride Beamer a bit too, so that I could demonstrate some of the rein handling points and how little it takes to get a response from Beamer. I think teaching children is more important to me than my own riding. I just wish I had a couple of tried and true kids horses so we could all go trail riding or at least go to an arena and teach them some of the games. But this is a good start for them, and it will be up to their parents if they wish their children to progress in the sport. I feel that's it's my job to introduce them to riding with a focus on safety, harmony, and partnership.

 Day 25

A couple of happy things

Saturday morning, I couldn't stand watching the colt walk on his tiptoe any more so I googled oils for tight tendons and found a blend I could make. 10 drops peppermint, 5 drops marjoram, 6 drops rosemary, 5 drops Aroma Seiz, and 2 drops lemongrass in 2 to 3 ounces of coconut oil. (I use Young Living oils) So I mixed it up, and applied it to his leg from knee to hoof, twice that day. 

This is a before photo:

You can see how he was knuckled over on that right front.

The next morning, I was not sure what I would see, I was hoping for at least some slight improvement. This is what I saw:

Happy dance! I oiled him up again before I let them out of the stall. He was pretty zoomy once that foot worked properly!

The horse chiro was out that morning to work on Belle, he spent about a half hour or more on her and he also did a little work on the colt, in his left stifle where he had been compensating for the tightness in his right front. 

 Now the little guy is just full of himself! He sure is leggy. I am haltering him every day just to get him used to it, he is pretty strong already and I don't want to wait any longer to get him leading. Once he does I'll hand graze him with Belle, who really wants to get out of that foaling pen.

One hind sock, a star and a snip on his nose.

The gal came out to try out Coulee on Saturday, and it went really well. She longed her first and then rode- Coulee hasn't been ridden since last November- and she got to see what Coulee does when she doesn't think she has to work, so I got to see how good a horsewoman she was as she worked Coulee through that. Then she got on, and Coulee tried again, so I had her step off and work her through it on the ground and then when she got back on Coulee was good.

The lady is a good hand, she worked her quietly but was no nonsense, she did everything right and she has good hands and a quiet way about her. I was impressed with her, and she decided to buy Coulee. Once I get a down payment later this week I will consider it a done deal. She will get to take her home around the end of August.
I'm not at all worried about weaning Mesa a little bit early, she is eating good and spends more time with Rosalee than with her mama, and once Coulee is gone I'll turn Belle and her foal in with them.

Day 24 This morning I worked with both foals, with the assistance of NG ; they got haltered and brushed and Mesa got her front feet picked up and cleaned.
Then NG got to have a bareback ride on Rosalee, her first time getting on a horse bareback. She's a good kid, listens well and isn't too timid. She came in boots today 😃.

Getting connected

As I gear up mentally and physically for a new riding season (even if it seems like it will never come!!!)  I came across this article on Facebook that explains in detail the horse training philosophy that I am trying to achieve. I need to start this year off right, and this is how I'm going to start with Rosalee.
I invite you to click on the link and read this article: The Mental Connection

A helpful clinic

Busy busy busy! I know it's been a few days since I posted, but I haven't had time to work on a post. Friday to Sunday, I audited and photographed a Bruce Koch clinic, it was for Level 1 Parelli students. I found it really interesting, and was able to pick up some tips on things I could do with Kai- but I'll get to that later
With my husband away for 6 days visiting family in the Edmonton Alberta area, I didn't want to get on Kai, so this clinic came at perfect timing.
I really liked this instructor: he spent a lot of time explaining things clearly, spent plenty of time with each individual and horse, and had all 7 students in the arena at the same time. Also, he had a great sense of humour; when the horse was being particularly resistant, he would just laugh- he said it works better than getting frustrated. Also, he kept everyone smiling, as well as learning. Here are a few photos from the 140 that I took- don't be alarmed- only 3 here!

This is his personal horse, Jake. Apparently, Jake loves the pedestal. He will walk over to it and stand like this for about 15 minutes while Bruce is working with the students.

This lady warmed my heart. She was the highlight of the clinic for me. She came with her 15 year old granddaughter, they are both just getting into horses. She had never ridden before, but wanted to do this for her granddaughter, to help her become involved with horses and not boys. She was very shy and not at all sure about riding, but they matched her up with this 23 year old retired rope horse, who took very good care of her. She went from being very nervous and having no clue what she was doing, to being confidant that she could steer, control the speed, go over and around obstacles, and even went on the little trail ride at the end of the clinic. With a huge grin of delight!
This next one is a group photo of the riders and instructors. What is so cool about this is that some of these folks thought that this is something they never thought that they could do, but by the end of the clinic they had such a good connection with their horses that it was no big deal.

The lady who invited me to attend was having major issues with her horse- a dominant mare who was pretty used to just doing whatever the heck she wanted. By the end of the clinic, she had enough confidence and skills that she had no trouble handling the mare that she had previously been rather fearful of.
A good clinic, I'd say.
So, getting back to Kai, I picked up some tips on things I could do to improve his fearfulness and avoidance issues. One thing I had been doing was avoiding using the stick and string around him because of his strong flight instinct whenever he heard it zinging. So tonight, I brought him in the round pen and worked on that. I flipped it around and over him like I normally do, then started whacking the ground with it- still ok; but at one point I swung it hard at the ground by his left hip- and he was leaving. Round and around he went at a gallop; but this time I just stood still and kept whacking the ground, not turning with him like I did before. Pretty soon, his feet stopped, and he got a rub and a "good boy". Then I swung it again, and off he went- but for a shorter time. Rinse and repeat.... about the 4th try, he just stood there as I swung that string wherever and as hard as I pleased. Ha! Just right! That little tidbit was worth all the time I spent at the clinic, although I did pick up other useful things too. I'll be working on all those little things that are bugging Kai, until he is not a fearful pony any more. Also things like the way I use my body language and energy, and a few exercises I can do on the ground to make things easier under saddle. A lot of the stuff I already did with him, but I reviewed it tonight, like the tarp. I wasn't sure he would walk over it, as I hadn't done that with him yet, it was on my to-do list but....

Yes, Kai, you look good in blue...

The tarp held no terrors for him, and when I asked him to walk out with it on, and it fell off, he didn't bat an eye. When I has him circle around me he stepped right on it and walked up to me- I felt bad making him keep on walking but I hadn't asked him to come in. 

Well that was not very exciting ! (Yay!) I did a little more work on yielding the rear quarters and front quarters and sidepass, and called it a day. 

I see

Ever wonder about training issues and the horse's vision? Most of us horse people are aware that horses have mainly monocular vision, but remembering that when we are training is another story. We get frustrated when a horse does something well going one way, but going the opposite way it's like it hasn't learned a darn thing. Here is an excellent article (thanks to my friend Carol for posting the link on Facebook)  that explains what the horse can see, and how it sees.  It's interesting to me what it says about collection, and about circling.

Anticipation

Foal watch has begun!
The last two nights I have begun my camp out and nightly checks on the mares. Foaling is not quite imminent, but I like to get the mares accustomed to my presence at odd hours so that it becomes routine for them and doesn't disturb them when they go into labour.

Gussie is fully bagged up, but is still carrying her foal high, it hasn't dropped down into foaling position yet. Tomorrow will be exactly 11 months from the first day she was bred. For the record, I'm hoping for a blue roan colt.

Coyote Belle is carrying a little lower than Gussie, but she is still really wide; if this photo had been from behind she would look like a house! She is much softer in the tail area than Gussie, but isn't fully bagged yet. On Friday it will be exactly 11 months from the first day she was bred. Also for the record, I am hoping for a true black filly- it's about time for Beamer to throw his colour!
They are used to the routine at night of being separated into their own pens and getting grain- nothing like grain to assist in a routine.
Rio continues his schooling, and continues to impress us. He loves his trail ride/walks, and yesterday we worked in the round pen, I wanted him to lope (without rider) which went well, and then Shayla rode with me on the longe line. Not ready yet for loping with a rider, but we asked him to trot, which we haven't done a lot of. His extended trot is beautiful! His steering is really coming along nicely as is the stop and back up.

Once we have him loping nicely with a rider, it will be time for solo rides; I plan on hauling to an arena for that. Of course, that will mean getting him accustomed to new surroundings and going back to basics in the arena before progressing.

I always prefer to err on the side of caution, and if this all seems like a pretty slow process- it is.

Riding in the horse pasture

Riding a mare in pasture with other horses loose around you poses it's own set of problems. The first time I did this with Gussie, the other horses got quite excited and raced around like little hooligans, doing fly-by kicks and getting in the way when we were trotting circles. I like my long split reins; I can use the end of them on little horse bums to encourage them to move away.

They finally settled down and ignored us and let me get on with schooling Gussie. The last few times I rode in the pasture, they kept their distance, and I am now able to work Gussie without interference. She has a really nice stop and a very willing (sometimes too willing) back-up. She tends to use the back-up as an evasion, so I really focus on forward impulsion with her, especially when working on spins, so that it is always a forward movement for her. When I ask Gussie to turn, I find I have to be careful to release the aids quickly- timing is important with her as she gives more than you want if you don't release quickly enough-a quarter turn can become a roll-back. So it's good for me because she is keeping me aware of just how little pressure I really need to apply, and my riding is improving as my mare improves. Win-win!

Quotes from Al Grandchamp

( Al Grandchamp, May, 1998)

A few years ago, Al Grandchamp gave me a little Syllabus that he wrote, entitled "Syllabus for the Advanced Horsemanship Class". There are excercises described in a step by step fashion, and diagrams to follow as well. At the end, he has a number of quotes; some from other famous horsemen and some from himself. Let me share some of them with you:


Jean Froissard-(French horseman)-To judge a situation rapidly, one must learn to observe, and to be able to observe one must not talk a great deal.

Ed Connell-(California reinsman)- The main point for any rider to remember is for him to come alive on the horse while he is up there working him. Go with him!

General L'Haute-Calm, forward, straight. This triad is the catechism of riding which every rider must keep constantly in mind.

Henry D. Chamberlain-(U.S. Army)- Sensitiveness of the hand is cultivated by conscious effort.

Wilhelm Meuseler- (Germany)- In a quarrel with a horse the more intelligent man is always wrong, or else he would not let it come to a quarrel.

Alois Podhajsky-(Spanish Riding School)- When anyone thinks he has found out something new, he may be sure that some old riding master has had the same experience and that it has been temporarily forgotten.

Henry Wynmalen-(England)- Nothing shakes a horse's confidence more than being held tightly.

And from Al Grandchamp, the following quotes:

The 5 Bs: Be ready. Be relaxed. Be alert. Be poised. Be confidant.

Expect the unexpected and be prepared for it.

Teach one thing at a time and put the components together.

Adapt to fit the horse and the condition.

A basic rule: It is wise not to rush a horse into something he is not ready or willing to try.

The 3 Ps: Prepare. Position. Propulsion.

Preposition the horse for the desired maneuver before asking him to do it.

It is better not to fight old habits. Just start new ones.

Skill is mastered by repeated effort and attention to results.

Always be willing to learn by accepting suggestions and criticisms.

No matter how difficult the training problem, never become discouraged. There is always a solution.

A Gift

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend horsemanship clinics given by Walt Vermadahl. Those of you who follow rodeo will remember the Tryan's AQHA heading horse of the year"Walt". They bought him from Walt Vermadahl, hence the nickname. Walt lived in Montana at the time; he now lives in northern California- and he came every May to Canada and put on a colt starting and horsemanship clinic. I learned so much from him, and from another gentleman that he used to bring with him- Al Grandchamp, a master rawhide braider and Walt's mentor. I believe Al is 100 years old this year.When he was 93, he made me this bosal hackamore, which I use on all the colts I start.

Sassy has a little muzzle, so I need to make a couple of wraps with the mecate to make it fit better. I use it at this stage of training just for longeing and turning from the ground. When it's time to get on her, I will use it for her first rides.

I am thankful to Walt and Al for all that I learned from them. Taking those clinics dramatically improved my understanding of horses and riding, and gave me building blocks to keep on improving, and the desire to keep on learning.

At the Swap Meet

My husband and I attended an auto swap meet yesterday, and we found this really cool book, published in 1889. It contains vet info on horses, cattle, sheep, poultry, swine, dogs, and birds.

It also has a section on horse training. Most of the training in this section we would now consider barbaric and cruel, as he advocated a lot of restraints, and some methods that are downright rough. It is wonderful to compare this to today's methods and know that our beloved horses are benefiting from the most humane methods in history, thanks to the pioneering of such great men as Tom and Bill Dorrance, Ray Hunt, and all the wonderful trainers who are carrying on this tradition. Some of the things that Oliver W. Gleason wrote, however, are timeless:

Never quarrel with your horse.

Never say whoa unless you want your horse to stop.

Bad hay is not cheap at any price.

To put an unwarmed bit in a horse's mouth in frosty weather is rank inhumanity.

Remember that you have no business trying to control a horse unless you can first control yourself.

And my favourite- if you have a horse which you want to match, don't tell the dealer or he will make you pay dearly for the size and colour.

The Latest Craze

Have you noticed how popular bridleless reining is becoming? Thanks to Stacy Westfall, with her Freestyle Reining wins done bridleless and sometimes also bareback (you go, Stacy!) many trainers are now showcasing their talents with bridleless performances and demonstrations. I think it's absolutely wonderful! It sure proves that communication isn't all about the bigger, better bit in the horses mouth. I and some friends have trail ridden bridleless, but it pales in comparison to the thrill you'd get being able to do something like this. I hope to be able to order Stacy's training videos soon to find out more about what is involved in getting a horse (and myself) to this level. Even if I don't achieve the pinnacle of success at this by being able to enter a freestyle class, I am sure it will improve my horsemanship skills, and make my horse happy. I noticed in this video that Clinton's horse is in a beautiful, rounded frame; and Clinton looks as if he's using the same body language as if he was using reins.

Do you think that dressage riders will start doing bridleless Kurs? Or are they doing that already?

(Double click on the image to go full screen)