Grooming Your Horse

Grooming Your Horse:  How to, etc

Grooming is essential for people that are using their horses to.  Grooming gives the person information about the horse (multi-tasking).  The horse should enjoy being groomed.  

Information about the horse grooming time will give:

1.   Heath:  shiny coat, that is smooth and laying flat
1. Dull coat is not good.  Change nutrition, check for worms, temperature 
2. standing up coat:  cold horse?  
3. Rough:  not shedded out.  Shedding process varies between horses:  colour (light coloured horses have a lot more hair than a dark horse, warmth of the sun, shelter the horse, health issues, too thin (cold)
4. lumps on the body, scrapes, injuries can be hidden by a long winter coat.  Lumps should be monitored.  Swellings. (wasp? reaction to feed or bugs or product used not he horse?)  
5. behaviour of the horse:  more docile than usual, restless, tail swishing (discomfort indicator), alert, 
6. posture of the horse: resting 1 leg, front leg pointing, both front legs pointing, tense, very docile with head down lower than usual
7. stomping a foot, head shaking (turning to you), ears back, tail swishing, moving away from you, biting (at you or onto something), tight skin, tight muscle

Monitoring the horse is most important because then something can be done before it becomes a “big issue”

Horses should enjoy being groomed.  It should not be torture.  Using good tools helps.  

Good dandy brushes (long narrow, long bristled brush) have:

a) natural bristles (these are quite expensive but last for decades.  Don’t lend)

b) bristles that bend a bit with some pressure

c) have lots of bristles per square inch

d) bristles are about 3” long

Clean with a metal curry comb or brush cleaner after a few strokes

Used:

a) on a horse that lives out

b) after using the curry comb

Stiff, hard brushes are acceptable on dry muddy areas or hooves, but not for general grooming.  

Curry comb

metal curry combs are excellent brush cleaners.  That’s it.

Rubber curry combs:

a) are excellent for cleaning deeply by bringing the dirt to the surface.

b) Good for using on lightly shedding horses

c) massage

d) Use by pressing with all your bodyweight behind it on muscles in circles.  

e) Use very lightly on legs and bony areas.

f) Knock out the dirt every so often. 

g) Oval with strap on back with attacked teeth (v shaped) last longest

Body brush

oval short bristled brush with strap on handle

a) Very dense, hard bristles are best for cleaning the horse.  These are expensive but clean thoroughly and if looked after will last decades

b) Bring out the shine

c) massages the muscles

d) press hard on muscles

e) clean after several strokes

f) remove the horse’s weather proofing

Used after the dandy brush to remove fine dirt.

g) brush with the hair

Mane and tails 

1.  Use a dandy brush on mane if short, not on tail

1. People hair brush (with nylon bristles)
1. Start at the bottom and work up
2. Thick bristles will break the hair and pull out hair.  Some horses object a lot to this.

3. Tack store bristles brushed need to be used carefully as will break and pull out the hair

4. Mane combs are used for braiding (dividing the mane into sections) or pulling the hair.

5. Big plastic toothed combs are ok if used with care

Cloth

For wiping the fine dust off the horse.

Natural fibres are best (linen is traditional)

Sponges: 2

-one for eyes, nose, and mouth 

-one for under tail, sheath and udder

There are numerous other tools for grooming on the market.  These are the basics and most commonly available.

How to Groom

1.  Tie horse.

2.  Use tool in left hand on left side of the horse until go to brush hindquarters then switch to right hand.  

3.  Start as shoulder and work forward to head, then belly then flank (lightly here) then hindquarters.

4.  Keep other hand on the horse at all times.

5.  Stand a bit away from the horse so you can lean in.  Your are massaging as well as cleaning.

6.  If your horse objects by tail swishing, swinging head to you, pins ears and rolls eyes to you, moves away:  your horse is telling you that she doesn’t like it.  You must then figure out why?

a) brush too stiff

b) tight muscles

c) pain from ?

d) bruised

e) pressing too hard on a sensitive area (bony, flank, around the sheath and udder

Ears turned to you means the horse is watching you.  Pinned is when flat to neck and lips crinkle (not good manners)

Could be habit, not you (horse OTTB? been to a busy trainer?)  You need to decide what is causing the reaction.  

Always keep other hand on the horse.  The horse stepping towards you will push you away if your hand is on the horse.  You can feel tensing happening.  Don’t get sloppy because your (current) horse is “ok”.  The next horse you groom may not be.

Keep your feet out from under the horse.  If you get stepped on more than once, then you are not keeping your feet out from under the horse and the horse is not staying far away from you.

Head

I use a dandy brush lightly.

Feet

Pick out front feet by:

1. Stand beside the front leg, facing the rear
2. slide your hand down from the withers down to the hoof, changing to the front of the leg at the knees
3. Horse should pick up by then if accustomed.  Hold the hoof/toe area.
1. if not: repeat run from withers to hoof
2. bump horse with your hip
3. tap with hoof pick  (it is better to have the horse offer the hoof than for you to force it up ..in many ways)
1. pinching a nerve is rude

4. Pick form heels to toe, cleft of frog, around the toes

Place the hoof down (dropping is rude and teaches behaviour you don’t want)

If

1. horse leans on you:  poke girth area with thumb while holding up hoof
2. horse swings leg:  hold on and go with the horse (you cannot out muscle the horse so go with it).  Hold the toe and pull up if possible.
3. horse rears, takes leg away (hold more under the horse, you are pulling the leg out).  Horses with tight elbows cannot have leg pulled out sideways.  It hurts!
4. puts foot down when finished on own (someone has been dropping the hoof so horse knows what to do).  Pick up hoof and then place it down. 

Picking out hind foot

1. Stand facing the rear, inline with hindleg
2. Run hand from croup, around the leg at the hock to the back of the leg, to the fetlock.  By this time the horse should have picked up.  Hold the hoof/toe area.  It gives you more control.
3. Pick from heel to toe, around the toe, frog
4. Place foot onto ground

If

1. Horse pulls leg forward when first picks up:  go with it.  Horses do this.
2. Horse pulls leg from you (bend knees more as the hoof is too high behind (hock issues))
3. Horse pulls leg from you:  pulling leg out sideways too far.  Stop it. You are at fault.
4. Kicks:  someone let go of the leg when the horse swung its leg and taught the horse to kick
5. Stomps down immediately after picking up foot.  tap hoof so horse picks up willingly.  (I think it is a soundness issue but some people think it is a trained response from letting horse put leg down)
6. Won’t left you pick up hind foot:  kicks at you:  stand closer (against the horse) and hold on.
1. Use clicker training and touch leg with a stick:  do not let horse get touch off the leg.  This is what teaches the horse to kick.  Reward what you want.  Ignore the other.

7. Horse leans on you or kicks at you and cannot hold onto hoof:  repeatedly, fast poke with thumb on nearest (flank, hindquarter, ribs?) until horse stops.  (figure this out on your own but works like a charm)

Checking the feet:

1 cracks (toe or quarters) and horse is trimmed regularly (every 8 weeks +/-):  not balanced hoof…farrier issue

2.  spreading feet:  farrier issue if trimmed regularly (every 8 weeks +/-) (horse is landing more on that side)

3.  Smell: cleft in frog goes to heels, black gunk in frog cleft:  thrush

4. Bars:  come from heel along the frog:  should have a ridge then, not a line (new farrier needed)

5.  Angles:  front:  1 straight line along the front of the pastern and hoof;  heel line is sloped to same angle (parallel)

1) coronary band parallel to bottom of hoof on ground (no hills and dales)

2) both sides of hoof wall when looking at front are parallel 

If not ask your farrier.  Need a new farrier.  Feet are the key to soundness.

You want big feet on your big horse.  

A farrier can trim to make feet small.  Some horses are bred to have small feet (don’t buy or breed)

Chips:  soft feet if trimmed every 8 weeks +/-.  Try feeding a supplement (brewer’s yeast, has access to free choice mineral salt?)

Train your horse to like being groomed.  Scratch where the horse likes it and go lightly where doesn’t.  Horse should accept being touched everywhere.

Thoughts

Ears:  

Train horse in 1 session not to accept ears being touched:  when horse lifts head let hand slide off ears.  It is as easy as that.  

Keep hand on ear (just touching) and horse will let you in the end.  Just keep your hand there no matter what the horse does.  Reward with a rub.

Tense muscled horses do not like being groomed.  

Sensitive skinned horses need a lighter touch, different brush.  Massage with your hands to loosen.  

Stroke with your hands to give a good massage and shine.

Manual of Horsemanship (Blue Book) by the British Horse Society is easy to read.  Good for learning good horsemanship but assumes you have a well mannered horse.

New standard in safety is to wear a helmet when handling horses.  In the old days the groom always wore a cap for head protection.

Keep your hand on the horse when going behind. 

Say something when approaching a horse.  Especially if the ears are not turned to you.

Some horses have past issues that you can train out with time.  A little bit at a time.  

Wet horse

Don’t brush.  Wipe dry.  If muddy, dry the mud first. (assuming you don’t have a wash rack

Sweaty horse

Cool, dry then give a good grooming.  This is the best time

Tacking up

Light brushing with good grooming (30 min or so) after working.

Tack areas

If horse is muddy:  clean these areas well and ride.  Then know off the mud with a curry comb.

Must be clean as lots of pressure here.

Where to groom

Out of a high traffic area where the horse can see other horses is ideal.

If find a stall too dark.  But if your horse is not mannerly (kicks, bites) it is a better place than the aisle. (for other people)

A 12x12 or so grooming stall would be wonderful.

I like cross ties as the horse has more restricted movement.  Loose is not an option as then you teach the horse can move off whenever even when you are touching them. (start of hard to catch)

Photographs to come

Lungeing the Horse and Pony

Lungeing a horse and Pony

Why?  Benefits to the horse
• teaches aids and commands will be expected to do when in work (walk, trot, canter quietly)
• strenghtens and conditions the body (in a good way if doine correctly)
• supples the horse (horse must be bent to inside)
• introduces new material slowly

Benifits to the Rider
• can see horse moving
• exercises horse when you are not able
• gives introcudtion to work horse will be doing under saddle
• safer when horse is excited or young to have the edge taken off (but horse is not allowed to gallop and buck)

How to lunge a horse

Introduction
Lungeing horses on a 20 m circle  (bigger or smaller) depending on the horse will condition the horse for riding.  A stronger horse can carry the rider easier. (no inverting)
Sessions should last up to 30 minutes.  Finish at the time rather than horse if finally going well.
Work both reins equally to ensure equal development of muscles
Have good footing (not hard, not slippery, not really deep)
With a good fence (to discourage jumping out)
Not to large so can control the horse easier when beginning (20m lunge ring works)
If do not have ideal set up you will have to go a bit slower but in the end horse will learn.

Equipment
Lunge line (cotton nice, nylon not nice)
gloves to protect hands
helmet (in case of kicking)
boots (so don't get stepped on)
lunge cavesson or bridle if schooled horse
lunge whip:  long enough to reach the horse is ideal.  Snapping the whip is not good as other horses will react.


Aids
Voice:  tell the horse what you want:  walk, trot, steady, whoa;  praise:  what you want, ignore:  what you don't
Body:  faces flank of the horse. step to rear for an upward transition, step to the front for a downward transition
Arms/hands:  hold lunge line in left hand when going on left rein, whip in right hand when going on left rein
 hold your arms with bent elbows
half halt with your arms by bringing your elbow back and then forward (need contact with the horse to do this)
raise the whip to drive horse forward:  swing the whip to hindquarters (where heel would be riding if you have a good aim)

shake lunge line ttowards the horse to slow, down tranistion, whip to front of horse

Work
horse goes in a round circle with even tension (ideal)
neck is level (about) with withers at walk
strides slow, long and forward (in that order)
horse is bent to inside
hindlegs follow the front legs so circle must be large with inexperienced horse/stiff horse

Format
Start with a walk, when calm, trot, then canter, change the rein, walk one lap, trot one lap, canter, trot several minutes, walk 5 minutes
Sidereins on at trot and canter.  Nose in front of vertical (just at halt).  Inside shorter for a bend to inside


Neck stretcher
bungee cord from girth to bit (inside to outside), around poll, through bit to girth.
Nose should be in front of the vertical. or more if younger
Good for getting the neck down and back up, back relaxed
Can ride in a neck stretcher
Long enough the horse has a long top of neck

Lauffer reins
Can use draw reins if do not have Lauffer reins
from girth (elbow area) to bit (outside in) to saddle/surcinge about point of chest area
Good for getting neck down and back up, back relaxed
Long so horse has a long neck

Horse that counter flexes
Use a siderein on inside
watch bend of horse.
Whip at shoulder to bend out
half halt use whip as inside hindleg come forward
young horses tend to do this in the beginning

Horse should be expected to work off the forehand
Watch which leg starts/stops first:  front (on forehand) hindleg (good)
half halts and transitions help

Horse can be half halted to correct balance: bring your elbow back and release

Ask for a square halt: by asking when hindlegs are coming forward

Alex trotting.  (Please ignore saddle) Long, forward, loose strides

• Tail swing means back is relaxed

chewing the bit so a line of saliva shows is good.  Looking like shaving foam is a sign of tension.

Crest flops to inside as the horse turns

• Short legged horses do not have a lot of overtrack especially with a long barrel

• Short backed horses can have a lot of overtrack (with long legs)


How to Lunge
1.  Arm is relaxed and pointing to the horse's mouth.  Just like in riding it also moves as the horse's head nods (hand goes forward as the outside front leg goes forward)
2. lunge line can have a bit of a droop as it shouldn't be tight.  A flex of the finger should elicit as response
3. Lunge line in one hand, with large to small coils so it doesn't tangle
4.. attach lunge line to the centre of the lunge cavesson or bit on the inside
5. Metal clip may bother a sensitive horse so use a strap and buckle
6. have definite aids and thoughts: raise whip to go, swing to back up and insist goes.
7. no cracking of the whip. you are not trying to scare the horse but to encourage the horse
8.  Point to the front of the nose to slow down, stop.  Use the same words
9.  point to the shoulder or swing the whip to the shoulder to move the horse out
10 anticipate the horse falling in and ask the horse to move out before the horse falls in.  The horse will do it at the same spot
11.  Half halt and do a transition.  Give the horse warning.
12.

Jumping on Lunge
It is easier to  teach a horse to jump well without a rider.  If you can keep the lungeline loose and keep up with the horse jumping on the lunge works





Lunge Lessons
Help the rider develop skills needed for riding. builds confidence.  The only way to learn to ride if cannot vault.
One needs a safe and reliable horse.  If your horse is not safe enough to have a lesson on, why not?


Vaulting
Safest of the Equine sports because the vaulter learns to jump off at any sign of trouble.  Someone else controls the horse.  A great way to start a riding career.
Standing on the horse:  vaulter must be loose, move with the horse, have balance

Starting the young horse or retraining 

The easiest way to start a horse.  (the only way)  Horse learns skills needed to be riden.  New material is introduced in baby steps.  Confidence builder.

Ponies it is especially they are rideen by a competent rider, are kept in control, and have a good experience being ridden

Retraining a horse

Easier to control the horse.  Easier to see what is going on.  Most likley the horse has not been lunged before so no retraining needed.  Pony below most likely was round penned (chased to go fast until quits).  Goes around at trot as fast as she can.  

No relaxation.  

Tense movement.  

Difficult to control as only has one speed:  fast

No walk: just a fast trot

Neck too high so back is dropped (tense back)

Lola learns to stand quietly.

Other horse in arean is ridden.  Lola is not alone in arena which helps calm her.

Stuart:  beautiful trot on lunge.  His back is up:  look at upward arch behind the pad.  Legs are in sync

another beautiful trot

Saddle Fitting

lungeing to see how the horse moves without tack in a saddlefitting clinic

wonderful loose, forward walk

After learning to lunge the horse can loose school

More Information 

Spanish Hofreitschule Wein- Lipizzanergestut Piber. www.srs.at

Ride the horse you own

Ride the horse you own if it is safe.  If the horse is dangerous you might want to rethink that.
Bucking, rearing are not acceptable behaviours.  Find a trainer that can fix this.  Be sure to tell the trainer all about it.  Remember this is now a learned behaviour.  It will come back.

Other than bucking and rearing most other behaviours can be dealt with fairly easy.

Do you want a more challenging horse?  Do more with your horse.  Learn to jump.  Learn to drive.
A quiet horse is nice to learn on.  Send your horse for training so she has more to offer.  Even if her half pass is not spectacular you will learn to ride it well.  A bigger moving horse is harder to sit.

A balanced, sane horse is rideable.  You can do everything with it.  Your horse will enjoy doing more.

If you horse has issues then learn how to change them.

A horse that is fast can learn to relax and go on a loose rein.
A slow horse can learn to move out better.

It is just a matter of knowing what to do.

Lunging fixing manay errors in the horses training.  a fast hors wil learn to walk, trot, and canter with his head down, and relaxed.

a Slow horse wil learn to move out with purpose.  It can become more athletic with cavalletti and jumping work.

An anxious horse will trust you more with ground work.  This horse is the most difficult horse to ride as something was done to the horse to cause it to have fear.   This horse must be started at the very beginning.  Bringing in.  Being touched, being brushed, lwalked, lunged, and finally ridden.  It will take a long time.  I have 2 horses that had a traumatic start to being ridden.  It has taken 4 years to be able to ride the horse somewhat, the be in the barn without going crazy.  It think it would be easier to get rid of the person that did that to these horses.

Warming up and Cooling Down and More

Warm up and Cool Down and more

Warm up

In the old days a person was to walk the first mile from home and  the last mile to home.  This walking is very important for the horse and rider.  It gradually warms up the horse for work (this is especially important if the horse has been in a small paddock or stall where walking was restricted.  Joints and muscles need to gradually become accustomed to work.  The brain of the horse, importantly, needs to change into work mode.  The worst horse to ride is a horse the is ready to run as soon as you are seated (or before).  This horse is a menace to his body.  There is no warming up period.  Some riders like this but is shows inexperience on the rider’s part.  

Calmness also known as relaxation is necessary for a horse to work intelligently.  A calm horse can learn.  A calm horse does not injury itself.  

Prior to mounting groom your horse.  Take you time.  Enjoy the feel of his coat.  The shine in his coat.  Even if you are in a hurry.  Notice your horse’s demeanour:  standing, attention, coat, ears, eyes, legs.  They will all tell you something.  Your subconcious will record this. 

Tack up gently.  Place the saddle on your horse’s back.  Slowly do up the girth just touching the skin the first time. Then gradually tighten it one hole as you finish preparing to ride.  The last tighten will be just before you mount. After trotting and cantering, check your girth again.  How you do up the girth matters to the horse.  A big tensioning of the barrel will mean a very loose girth at some point.  

Walk your horse to your mounting area.  If your horse does  not stand for you to mount that is your first lesson of the day.  Don’t expect the horse to stand long, but the horse should be still before you put your foot in the stirrup.  gently sit in the saddle by catching your weight with your other hand and easing into the saddle.  Dropping in the saddle is not a good idea.  That could be one reason why your horse does not stand for mounting.  Another would be a sore back.

Once mounted, get your stirrups, adjust your position without bouncing on the horse’s back, and sit.  Loose or long rein.  It doesn’t matter.  Halt your horse when you feel he is going to move.  stroke his neck to reward.  If your horse is quite anxious (not still). Reward that second when he is still.  Give a food treat if you can (something else to work on).  Then walk on after the horse is finished chewing.  

The rein length depends on the horse and the surroundings.  You do want control.  If your horse is skittering around then a loose or very long rein is not a good idea ((half halt, flex to inside, sit quiet, keep your legs on the horse, walk on bending lines to keep the horse focussed on you).  

Walk around the arena, the yard, the fields.  Two point up and down hills or slight inclines (if will help you loosen up your legs, too).  Enjoy being outside.  The rain, the wind, the sun.  Its all fine. 

The walk should be a forward marching type walk.  You should feel the horse is going someplace.

If you have areas where you can trot then  do some trot work.  Long slow steps.  Trot downhill once the horse is balanced in two point.  All trot work is in rising trot.  

Canter as well. circles, spirals, al in  a long, slow canter.  Don’t canter down hill unless you are very balanced.  

Go over cavalletti as part of this warm up.

A formal warm up would consist of 20m circles, turns, inclines (diagonals) on both reins then repeating at trot, then at canter.  Gradually as the horse collects and rounds up shorten your reins.  

If your horse cannot trot quietly, softly then trot work becomes part of the schooling, not part of the warm up.  Do rising trot until you can include trotting in the warm up (which should always be in  rising trot)

If your horse is not able to canter quietly then that is not part of the warm up.  It becomes part of the schooling portion of the ride.  

If your horse is inattentive (tourist is calm, alert and looking for something is different) then the rider must regain the horse’s attention.  A turn or circle is easy.  If the horse is alert in one particular spot avoid this area.  When the horse is working and focussed on you it will not be an issue.  There is no point at this time teaching your horse to be suspicious of things by making the horse go near it or worse to it.

Bend your horse to the inside as you go on the circles.  See the inside eye/nostril.  Not the side of the face.  The top of the neck will flip when the horse is bending correctly.  If the horse cannot bend his neck as it is very stiff then do some head and neck bending. (bend the head to see the side of the face and release immediately).  Your horse will turn so do not worry about that.  Be sure your hands are not holding the horse (this will cause the horse to be rigid in the neck).  Loosen your reins.  Ride without contact, even.

After the warm up walk on a loose rein.  Praise your horse by stroking his neck from the poll to the withers, from the saddle to the tail.  (this will also stretch you).

For the rider warm up drop your stirrups and ride with your toes down.  Lift your toes as if they were in stirrups and you will notice a tension in your hips.  That is why toes down.  roll your shoulders, wiggle your fingers and toes, breathe deeply in and slowly out.  If your horse is quiet this can also be part of the horse’s warm up.

A more advanced horse would do lateral work now for loosening up:  turn on the forehand (horse either responds to the leg aid or doesn’t.  Be sure horse is not turning because you are turning his head), leg yield and on through the progression of difficulty.

The schooling portions is what you have decided what you are working on during the warm up.  It can be a continuation of something done the last day if the warm up has been uneventful.  Or jumping, galloping, focus on your position, etc.  Repeat what you are schooling three times and move on to something different.  (eg if schooling walk pirouette, then change to lengthening and shortening of the stride).

It is better to introduce something totally new to the horse at the end of the session, just before the cooling off.  It is a very short time.  Introduce it, reward a response (don’t expect a perfect response) walk, rest.  Then cool down ending with walking on a loose rein just as you started.  Even go outside if it was not possible for the warm  up.  This is a good time to introduce the great wide outdoors.

Gradually do down the paces:  jumping to a canter, to trot, to walk to loose rein walking.  Stand before dismounting. For minutes at a time.  Stop and stand during the session.  If you have a horse that does not stand there you have something else to work on that you can do without help.  In the beginning when the feet are still reward and walk on.  Gradually expect a longer stand.  Treats help relax your horse and keep him standing longer.  Pair the treat with verbal praise and your horse will associate “good” with a treat (clicker training without the click).

If you finish on a good note then the next ride will continue on from there.

Problems and Solutions

Horse is too fast

• your position:  are you pushing (hips when walking, leaning back with feet forward) or following with hips and back
• tack:  saddle tilted back (too narrow)
• is horse getting grain (feed more hay, no grain)
• off the track, gymkhana horse,  (need to retrain to obtain calmness.  Start with lungeing (big circles, walk, then trot, then canter.  Only ask for trot when horse is pretty calm in the walk, think trot rather than asking for it. When the horse breaks into the trot then say “Good boy, trot”,  the same with canter.  Because at some point you will be asking for a trot or canter and it is easier if you haven’t been stopping it.  Reward what you want.  Ignore what you don’t want and make the circle smaller until the horse has to walk, then praise for walking.  Keep sessions short.  10 minutes is long enough.  

Once your horse is walking on the lunge you can get on and cool out.  Repeat at trot and canter.  Extend your cooling out area as your horse is calm.  Circle,  turns will slow the horse down nicely.  Add trot to cooling out area.  Add sidereins to lunging or a neck stretcher (both long) so the horse is uncomfortable being inverted and bends to the inside on the circle.  It is best not to walk in sidereins or neck stretcher so you don't interfere with the nod of the horse’s head.

Horse too slow

• your position: thighs gripping, legs clamped on, leaning forward, saddle tight in  front
• close leg, release pressure, but leg not off.  tap, tap, tap with leg if horse reactive, tap with whip behind girth 
• beside you are following the movement of the horse your hips and back will undulate

Jigging or short quick walk steps

• lunge to regain walk
• when leading expect horse to walk (turn around and walk back until horse walks, then turn around.  Repeat until you get to where you were going)  
• Leg yield, lateral work can be done but loosen the reins is easier
• walk on loose rein (about 12” from he buckle) after a period of time the horse will stretch to the contact.  Stay on bending lines.  Good time to introduce ground work:  L, over things, on things.  Flex and release.  and keep doing it until the horse walks.  Shorter reins if your horse is shorter.
• walk over cavallettis on loose/long reins

Looking

• looking is not the same as spooking.  That is ok.  During warmup let the horse look around.  On trails let the horse look.  I like a tourist.
• When is work the horse does not look around.  flex to inside.  

Spooking

• No big deal.
• Stay away from the scary area until horse is working then the horse will go by because the horse is focused on you.
• Gradually go nearer, just enough to almost get a reaction.  
• No praise no treats.  You do not want this behaviour so don’t reward it.
• Horses spook because they are alive.

Nappy

• refuses to go
• use a whip to encourage horse to go someplace (rather than using legs stronger)
• Do something different someplace else
• Persist quietly.  The more effort you use, the bigger the answer from the horse.  
• Eventually the horse will stop refusing to work.  Check tack, position, previous history
• If you cannot ride the horse then lunge the horse.  
• No rewards no treats because you do  not want to have this behaviour
• Circles help (riding outside and horse won’t go further)

Inverted:  Stargazing

• keep your hands low, reins long/loose
• flex neck and give
• cavalletti work
• lunge with neck stretcher, lauffer reins
• back drops when head is up so sit light, two point, rising trot
• ride the horse forward rather than slower
• hillwork 
• low grids at trot

Leaving town for horsey things

Getting out of town is a must.  I must do it more often.   This year I have been to the Horse Conference in Alberta (new name, new location).  I have been attending since 1977 or about then.  Wonderful lectures by very qualified horse people.  Frequently the person is someone whose book I have read or video I have watched.  The topics are usually a vet related (lameness), feeding, feet, horse welfare.

This year I went to the AVA Education Vaulting Conference in Las Vegas.  My first trip to Las Vegas. got to experience 80º heat without dying.  An amazing experience.
I also attended lecture/demonstrations by vaulters that seemed to more comfortable doing amazing things  like handstands.

I have just returned from Equitana, Essen Germany.  I learned to read a train schedule (I have to relearn every trip out of town because I mainly cannot believe that there is a train leaving every 30 minutes).  I managed to learn how to get to Equitana by the third trip.
What is new?  bright, bright colours for saddle pads, rich colours for saddle pads.

I saw the Hop Top Show which is an evening performance that the people cannot tell me how long it would last because it is like being with the performer at home.  Hard to describe because it is a performance but if something happens then the action stops, the performer goes to the horses that has not done what supposed to do.  It is interesting to see it.  The horses are individuals.  One horse stopped and went to sniff a photographers camera, then ran and rejoined the group (the horse was loose).

One performance was a lady on a beautiful Baroque type horse doing dressage.  Beside her was a mini with a doll tied on doing (theorectically) the same moves.  It took a while sometimes for the mini to do some of the moves.  Its extended trot was not spectacular but neat to see.  It took a while for it to piaffe.

Lorenzo was there again.  He has a huge fan base in the crowd.  He is amazing.  You have to see him to believe it.  His horses are all individuals and freethinkers (at times).  I didn't count the number of horses he was working with. (Too many to say off hand).

I loved the driven pony quadrille.  I think that would be fun to do with Lola.

There were 12 of them.  6 chestnuts, 6 leopard spotted.  They walk, trotted and cantered.

Next trip is to Vancouver for the EC Coaching Conference.  Dr. Andrew McLean will be there so I can tell him about the interesting people I met at Equitana with a device that records horse movements.  I thought that would be perfect for the Equitation Science people.  Imagine all the data they will aquire inexpensively.  (the first protype was an Iphone)