Ask the Trainer Forum - Horse Questions Answered by Samantha Harvey

Topic_Info:    Excessive & excitable horse
Name_FullName: Kaitlynn
Website_Info: google
Location:   San Diego, CA
Date:    August 20, 2009

Question:
I have a chestnut Thoroughbred gelding who is 12 years old and I am doing the Modified Hunters on him. I have owned him for a year now and we just started feeding him alfalfa because he was looking skinny. Since he is a Thoroughbred, he gets quite high of the alfalfa. So, every morning before my lesson I lunge him and he is pretty good. I practice big releases and nice rhythm. There are times when he gets excited and runs, especially in the show ring. We have tried (during shows) calmer, lunging, and my trainer riding him first, but he still runs during the course. How can I prevent this? Is it just because I get tense?

TEC Answer:
Thanks for writing. The first thing I'd like to present is for you not to get distracted by the symptom, which in this case is his excessive "energy"- but I'm going to refer to it as "fleeing." I do this because most horses that offer rushed and brainless movement is because of some level of insecurity they are feeling. So the best way for them to get beyond that mentally stressful spot, is to physically move faster. So the "fleeing" is the symptom, and not the issue. What his exact issues are may be a combination of factors that are contributing to your horse's actions in the show arena.

Lifestyle-
Depending on his lifestyle (if he is always kept in a stall or if he gets turnout, if he lives in a pasture, there may be times that he needs to "blow off steam." The problem is that when you attempt to lunge a horse to take off a bit of their edge, all that you are really do is trying to physically wear them out, and instead you are not only physically conditioning them to become more fit- which then will force your lunging sessions to become longer to get your horse worn out, but you also usually are missing the issue of what is really causing your horse the need to constantly "flee."

Feed-
Thoroughbreds can be hard keepers, mostly because they extremely emotionally sensitive, the more worry, concern, or possibly even fear they carry, they less they are able to maintain an appropriate weight. You may have to play with a combination of grass and alfalfa, or grass and weight gainers such as beet pulp, which will not make him seem so "high" due to his feed. The other thing is to make sure he is current with his dental work, so that he isn't in pain when he is eating. He also should be on a regular worming schedule.

Jumping-
Not knowing the history of your horse's riding experience and jumping ability I'm going to give you a bit of an over view. You're going to need to honestly assess your horse's experience, your riding ability, and the level at which you are competing. One or all three of these may be affecting the lack of trust between you and your horse.

There are many horses that tolerate being ridden. That is until what is being asked of them becomes too stressful and then they start to "all of a sudden" physically act out in resistance or try to "take over" when being ridden. Many people ride with a "This is what I want" attitude without ever offering clear two-way communication with their horse. Most people never consider where their horse is mentally and emotionally, instead they attempt to control the horse's physical movements ignoring all the times their horse has asked for help.

Just as with people, the horse's physical movement is a reflection of his mental and emotional state. If you put it into people terms and imagined that you were worried or insecure about something being asked of you, your body would be stiff, rigid, uncomfortable, and you probably wouldn't be able to perform whatever was being asked of you as well as if you had been confident and clear. The same goes for your horse.

Many times instead of offering our horses' quality rides, we wind up riding them with a hopeful attitude, rather than"I am taking you for the ride" clarity. So what we begin to do is ride in a patternized routine- offering the same "unclear" communication over and over, until eventually our horse sort of figures out what is being asked of him. Then as soon as we think he understands, we immediately demand more of him. It may be something minor or major, but our horses come away with the feeling that no matter how much they try, we'll always demand more, so this gives them no reason to continue participating "reasonably."

So you'll need to start focusing on one step at a time, literally, and think about what you offer your horse with your aids, how he responds and if they are any "blank spots" in your communication. Your horse needs to have a black and white understanding of what behaviors work and those that do not. The faster he realizes he can "get it right" the faster the unwanted behavior will dissipate on its own.

To take it a step farther- the ride really begins when you catch your horse. Does he come up and greet you at the gate? Is he "draggy" or hovering into your personal space on the lead rope? Does he stand quietly as you groom and tack him up? Does he stand patiently when you mount and dismount? All of his behaviors displayed before you get on tell you about the upcoming ride. It will also help you break down what part of your interaction with him might be causing stress.

You'll need to assess his attitude towards the basics- how clear, sensitive and willing is he in his transitions between and within the gaits, how easy is he to send him forward and bring him back when you are trotting or cantering over trot poles. Does he swish his tail, grind his teeth, have a hard time standing still, try to "rush" the jumps, over jump the fences, etc.

If you ignore achieving quality when working on the basics you already know how the rest of the ride will go. So you'll have to offer him a clean slate- work with him as if you don’t "know him." Slow down in your brain and don't just get focused on the jumping. In my mind jumping is flat work with obstacles in the way. If you don't have quality flat work, good luck in being able to influence the quality of your jumping sessions.

Show-
Not knowing his experience he may get worried on the trailer rides, he might be stressed in the warm up arena, spooked by children and dogs running around, doesn't like the P.A. system, etc. I would say thought if you can't get him relaxed and clear at home, then not to expect much better at the show.

After you attain clear and quality communication at home, you may practice taking him to a few shows, just to ride in the warm up arena, without the pressure of actually have to perform before the judge.

What I have offered is not the easy quick fix solution- anything of that sort may work for a temporary time, but typically the resistance and fear will show up again in your horse, even if it appears in a different form. Take the time to create a real relationship with your horse and you'll start to see him turn to you and ask for help when he is worried, rather than him taking over and acting up with excessive or unnecessary movement. The more effort and clarity you put into working with your horse, the more rewarding your rides will be.

Topic_Info: The Lope
Name_FullName: Page
Website_Info: Google
Location: Oregon
Date: May 03, 2009

Question:
I have an 8 year old Arabian reining stallion that has been in training with several different trainers including a Quarter Horse trainer. He was Top Ten National Champion at US Nationals in 2006 but even then he only seems to have one speed when it comes to the lope (or should I say gallop). He is not out of control I can control him with leg pressure or by placing the inside or outside rein on his neck but it feels like he is constantly going 100 MPH. I just want to be able to slow him down without having to continually hold him back with the reins. If I let him run circles like a race horse, I ride him with an extremely loose rein and he stays collected. As far as his whoa, the minute you say the word you'd better not be standing up in the stirrups. I would love to be able to show him western pleasure but he is just too fast he'd be running laps around all the other horses in the ring. Do you have any tips on getting a nice western pleasure lope?

TEC Answer:
Horses can very easily become patternized. This means that once a certain behavior, manner of interacting with them, or certain expectation of a type of performance is established, they begin to "automatically" respond without really mentally considering what their rider is asking of them. (Have you ever been in the shower and been distracted thinking about something else, when you suddenly stop and have to think if you already shampooed your hair or not?) They wind up going through the motions of a ride without ever thinking. The day you ask something "new" or "different" than what they are used to, is the day you start to find "holes" in their training and education. My goal when I ride, no matter what horse, no matter what background, no matter what the scenario is, I want my horse to ask "What would you like?" This allows me to offer direction, influence their performance, and achieve that ideal quality ride because we are both on the same page.

Horses can easily and quickly establish patternized responses based on past experience and what has been expected of them. Right now I would guess that your horse is pretty sure that he knows what is being asked of him, and instead of being mentally available to understand what you would specifically like (in this case a slow lope)- your horse is mentally unavailable to "hear" your aids, so there is no opportunity for you to offer him an alternative idea- liking loping slow. Think of his mind set as that equivalent to a teenager that is going through the stage of "knowing it all."

So even though your horse has been ridden for years and performed well, you may have to go back to some of the basics and re-evaluate you and your horse. In your case I would gather that there is general lack of clear communication between you and your horse. There are many ways to break down his lack of willingness to lope at various speeds. Because he is currently confident that when asked to lope it must be at a full out speed, that is all he thinks he needs to offer you. You are going to have to be able to influence his brain with alternative ideas, clarify how and what aids you use, and help him start to gain confidence when he mentally addresses you so that he can then offer alternative physical responses, rather than the current conditioned brainless responses.

First look at yourself, you will need to evaluate how you are using what aids, when, why and with how much pressure and then break down exactly when your horse mentally "tunes you out." Remember that a horse can feel a fly land on his skin, if you are creating a lot of "activity" with your aids and not getting a response, your horse is tuning you out.

Many horses are what I call "shut down" (mentally unavailable) due to boredom and routine rides. It will take a lot of creativity to create interest in your horse so that he will begin to enjoy participating in the ride rather than tolerating the ride. You will also have to establish black and white lines that clarify which of his reactions to your aids and what behaviors will be acceptable and those that are not. The faster you can catch an unwanted response, the faster he can "let it go" and try another response.

The faster you acknowledge that he achieved your "ideal" response, (giving him a break, move on to something else, etc.,) the more confidence he will have to increase his level of mental availability and physical performance. As you increase your own awareness and thought process you will begin to be able to pin point where and when you need to do something different in order to get an alternative response from your horse.

Also you need to become aware if your horse only has a hard time slowing at the lope, or perhaps you may not have noticed, but I would guess, that asking him to perform various energy levels within the walk, jog/trot, he probably also has a difficult time doing- this only becomes worse the faster he moves, which is why at a lope he feels slightly out of control.

Many times when working on a repeated exercise, horses try to please us by trying to do what is "right" ahead of when we have asked them. In reining your horse probably has been conditioned to perform the pattern, rather than waiting for specific cues or direction from you. You need to have his mind available at all times to consider what you are asking, even if in the middle of a pattern. If you can influence his mind, then you can change his outward actions. The more he realizes you are helping him throughout the ride, rather than fighting to control his speed, the more sensitive he will be to listening to your aids.

Last but not least. Keep in mind that race horses run their fastest when they are straight... Mentally many horses are way ahead of where there are physically moving, so if your horse is moving too fast, offer him a circle, turn or specific task that will act as something to get his brain to slow down, and tune back in to where he currently is at. You can slowly make the task more specific, until he offers to slow down... then continue on with your ride as if nothing interrupted you... Soon it'll only take one rein about to offer him a circle, turn, etc. and he'll slow down... Again, check your body language... If your weight is forward, similar to that of a jockey, you are offering your horse to run faster... If you weight is back in the saddle you are offering him to slow down...

With patience and clarity you will start in small steps (literally) to begin creating the opportunity for a two way conversation. This will allow both you and your horse to gain confidence in the other which will then lead to a trusting and fulfilling partnership that will allow you to both enjoy a quality ride. Remember, when your horse shows signs of rushing, nervousness, concern, worry or stress he is not trying to act naughty, rather he is asking for your help.

Topic_Info: Over-reaching at the lope
Name_FullName: Brian
Website_Info: search
Location: GA
Date: September 06, 2008

Question:
What causes my horse to hit his front foot with the rear while loping?

TEC Answer:
What you are describing is known as over-reaching, this occurs when the toes of the hind foot "grabs" the heel of the front foot. Over-reaching most often happens when a horse is galloping or jumping in deep, muddy footing. It is common for a horse to pull a shoe off when over-reaching. If a horse has a "high over-reach" the hind foot hits the front leg higher up, such as on the pastern or the tendon which can cause the horse to injure himself. Conformation issues such as having a short back and long legs, long toes, moving on the forehand, and fatigue can also contribute to over-reaching.

Bell boots may be used to help protect a horse's heels from over-reaching, especially in deep or muddy footing. Protective boots such as galloping boots, or exercise bandages can also help protect against high over-reaches. Good shoeing can also influence the horse's movement.

Topic_Info: Adding Horses to Herd
Name_FullName: Bob G
Website_Info: Google
Location: Coldspring, Texas
Date: August 29, 2008

Question:
We are about to add 4 horses to our existing herd of two. An 85 yr old lady has 4 horses and was looking for someone to take all four because they grew up together & she didn't want to split them up. Any Recommendations? I thought to put a fence between herds so they can get used to each other gradually. Could use some help to smooth the transition. Ours are 9yrs and 41/2yrs old, hers are 20yrs, 18yrs, 16yrs and 14 yrs old. Two are Arabian geldings with papers. Thanks.

TEC Answer:
personally think the more socializing horses do, the happier and healthier they are mentally, physically and emotionally. Whenever introducing one herd with another I like to take one leader horse from a herd and one "low man" horse from the other herd and let them get to know each other without the distraction or overconfidence from the rest of their original herds. Once the first two horses get to know each other then I would add another "low man" from either herd. I would keep doing this until eventually you have introduced all horses.

Things to keep in mind before introducing the two herds-

Separating the sexes:

I typically keep my mares and geldings separate so that we don't have any "ego" issues with the geldings when the mares are cycling (which they tend to do at the same time).

Young and older horses:

Generally the older the horse the more confident they are. The young horses are going to be like "little brothers" that are constantly testing the boundaries of where they fit into the herd. Do not be surprised if you see them physically reprimanding the youngsters for a few days until they sort out the pecking order.

Pasture size:

The size of the pasture should be plenty adequate for the number of horses you are planning on having turned out... There will always be one or two horses that typically prefer spending time away from the herd, and you would want to make sure there is plenty of room in their pasture that they can do so without being bothered by the rest of the group.

Fencing:

Depending on the quality and safety of your fencing and how much the horses respect it I would rather not have new horses messing around over the fence trying to meet their new neighbors...

More accidents and injuries have happened with horses kicking or trying to climb over fences when introduced to new horses... Although there are also plenty of horses that show up somewhere new and could care less about their neighbors... Arabians usually are very curious about life and wind up "inspecting" everything and anything new... Remember that even if your horses have been "okay" with mediocre or not horse friendly (such as barbed wire) fencing does not mean that the new horses will be just as okay or safe in it.

Feeding time:

Make sure if you are feeding in the pasture that you space out the piles of feed and always add one more extra pile than the number of horses eating. You don't want to have "warfare" at feeding time because the more confident horses are worried about getting enough feed and are constantly chasing off the less confident or "low man" horses. Battles at feeding time can cause numerous long term issues both physically and emotionally to the insecure horse being chased away.

Change in diet:

Also be sensitive to any sudden changes in diet with the new herd. If they have been kept in stalls all of their life and you suddenly change them to grazing 24/7 if their bodies are sensitive you could have health issues. You mentioned a few of the horses were older, I'd check every body's teeth to make sure they do not need any dental care so that when they transition from their old lifestyle to the new one they at least do not have any physical concerns.

The list can go on on things to keep in mind but above were a few basics.

Topic_Info:    Re-educating a Horse
Name_FullName: Bob
Website_Info: Google
Location:      Texas
Date:          August 27, 2008

Question:
To start training a horse (older horses that haven't had a whole lot of human contact,) but have had training in the past. What would you work on trust first and then dominance?

TEC Answer:
You've asked the biggest question there is in working with horses... If you asked ten different trainers you would get ten different answers... My outlook is that I treat horses emotions and mental stability similar to that of humans. The more I get a horse or person to trust me, the more confidence they gain and the increased "try" they will have when addressing whatever I may present. Their respect will increase as they find that the "risks" they are willing to take in "trying" new things or actions help them wind up in a better place mentally, emotionally and physically.

I personally hate using the word "dominance" because it has a negative canatone. I'd rather you think of your time with your horse as the same balance he would find if he were in a herd. There is only one leader in the herd. So you have the option that either your horse or you can "lead." If your horse leads, his priority will be food. Then his priority will be sticking by or finding other horses. But, if you give your horse clear scenarios presented in a "safe" setting such as a round pen, where he can start to learn what behaviors will work and those that will not when he interacts with you, he will start to mentally learn how to "learn" and "try" to address what you are asking of him.

Remember horses are big and strong animals, but their emotions and mental stability are just as sensitive as it is with people. Also as with people, your horse's actions are a reflection of his mental and emotional status. IF you can get your horse to slow down and "think" his way through something, his body will stay far more relaxed and compliant. But, if you physically try to dominate the horse and push or force him through something you will never change how he feels about what you have asked him to do, and so each time you present the same scenario he will become increasingly resistant. Rather if you change how he feels about what you are presenting, then he will be able to address it and move in with that ideal "warm fuzzy" feeling.

If you try to use force to get your horse to comply, which you may be able to do for a while, over time it will take more and more artificial equipment (open any magazine or go to any tack store and you'll see thousands of "short cut" aids) to get your horse to do what you would like. Although he may not act "huge" or dangerous, there will be an internal resistance and frustration inside of him that will increase every time you interact with him. Finally it may be a month or years later, he will reach the day when he can no longer be "forced" to do what you have asked and will "all of a sudden" freak out or act up.

It will take much more patience, effort, availability and time from you in the beginning to build a quality foundation with your horse, but it will affect his entire outlook of life with humans. Instead of having the teenager perspective of "Why should I?" which is how most horses operate, with trust and respect your horse will offer you a "What would you like me to do?" attitude which will be safer and more rewarding for both of you.

Topic_Info:    Improved Jumping
Name_FullName: Alexandra V
Website_Info: Google
Location:      Texas
Date:          August 24, 2008

Question:
I have an 8 year old American Quarter Horse that has an amazing jump. I plan on eventually competing with him in eventing, except he has a tendency to be lazy with his feet over poles but is fine over solid objects. Is there anything I can do to make him more careful with his feet?

TEC Answer:
If your horse does not have much experience jumping I'd first offer him some free jumping sessions without the distraction of a rider. You'll need to be able to support him on the ground with how much energy he has when he moves around loose, and then when he approaches the jumps. As he begins to sort out his distances on his own, he will gain more confidence as to where and how to take off at the ideal spot.

A few things come to mind with horses with talent but not careful in their jumping. The first is confidence. Even though a horse can go through the motions of jumping or may have natural ability does not mean that he really understands how he is supposed to be doing what has been presented. In a lot of scenarios when a horse is jumping he is still searching for "the right answer" but riders tend to get distracted by if they got over the fence or not, rather than the clarity of their communication with their horse before, during and after the jump.

I would really focus on the quality of your flatwork to improve your jumping. By spending time clarifying how soft of an aid from you to get how much response from your horse will influence the quality of your horse's take-off, jump and balanced landing. The more he is focused and in tune with your energy the more confidence he will have when he approaches the jump because you can be more influential in helping him get to the ideal take-off spot. The better he feels about that, the better quality his jump will be.

This is also a good place to mention your horse's focus. Surprisingly many horses jump without ever focusing on what they are doing, you most likely will need to fine tune how willing and responsive he is to being receptive to your aids when you ask him to literally look for the next jump. The more your horse "knows" the plan ahead of time, the less "rushed" he will feel when jumping, and the more confidence he will show in focusing where he is at and preparing for the next jump.

So let's talk about your aids. When you ride him I would work on a lot of transitions within a gait and between gaits. The more sensitive he is to move forward with increased energy or decrease it should depend on your energy in the saddle. Once he is clear and willing to do what you have asked without any fussing, pulling on you, pushing through your aids, tail swishing, grinding his teeth, etc. you would add trot poles. Once you can ask him to approach with either a longer stride or a shorter stride and he "searches" for his way through the poles without knocking them, then I'd do the same exercises at a canter.

You would asses both you and he to see if you can approach the poles with a very forward canter, or a shortened canter and can he maintain the pace that you have presented. Then I'd work with a small cross rail (remember the size of the jump you present is not important- you're looking for quality in his jump, not just height.) I'd set up a few combinations of cross rails and trot poles, again, the idea is that you can send him forward and bring him back even if a jump is presented.

The more balanced he is in his rhythm the more he can engage his hindquarters to use them properly as he takes-off for a jump. The more he is balance as he leaves the ground, the better his ideal "arc" will be in the air. The better the arc, the more balanced he will be as he lands, which leaves more time and less work to get organized for the next jump.

Topic_Info: Breathing issues when worked
Name_FullName: denis s
Website_Info: google
Location: ireland
Date: July 31, 2008

Question:
The vet had a horse lunged and when horse was breathing heavily when cantering he detected a noise sounding like a saw cutting wood (SLIGHT SOUND) says it most likely congenital and would effect resale if we bought horse. The horse is 6 yrs and to be used for Eventing and hacking and Pony Club. On a scale of 1 to 10 noise would be at 3.Says 30% of horses have this. This is a prospective purchase any thoughts please.

TEC Answer:
You could ask 10 trainers for their opinion and you would get ten different answers. There are multiple factors involved here so I'll put a few ideas out there. Most horses have vision, feet, breathing and other physical issues because of years of humans interfering with their genetics.

Depending on the work you intend for this horse (competing at Novice or trying to make it to the top) is going to affect the "blue sky potential" you are buying with this horse. If you are buying the horse as a project horse for resale- the less health issues the increased opportunity for resale.

With any horse I buy whether it is for myself or to resell, I always ask myself, if this horse were seriously injured or developed a permanent physical hindrance, would this be the horse that I would want to own for the long term?

The most common breathing problem in horses is called "roaring"- with each breath, air is taken in through the nostrils and passes via the nasal passages to the throat (pharynx), which is a dynamic and muscular tube. From here it passes through a cartilaginous valve, the larynx (voice box), before entering the windpipe (trachea) and lungs. During exercise, the nostrils dilate and the horse extends its head and neck, further opening the pharynx and larynx to take in more air. Anything which interferes with the smooth passage of this increased air flow may result in the horse making an audible noise.

There are several other conditions which may cause a horse to make an abnormal inspiratory noise.

Lymphoid hyperplasia is a term used to describe a condition where lymphoid (immune) tissue lining the pharynx becomes inflamed and nodules form. It is a condition affecting young horses and most cases improves with age.

Cysts (fluid-filled sacs) may form beneath the epiglottis. The epiglottis is a triangular cartilage at the base of the larynx. Its job is to prevent food material from going down ‘the wrong way’ i.e. down the windpipe. If a cyst forms under it, the epiglottis is pushed up and it obstructs the opening of the larynx causing a noise. Large cysts require surgical treatment to remove them.

Infections, tumors etc. in the nostrils or nasal passages may result in the horse making an abnormal noise.

Epiglottic entrapment is a term used to describe a condition where the epiglottis is trapped under an abnormal fold of tissue and cannot move normally treatment consists of cutting the abnormal tissue, for which a surgical procedure is required.

Congenital problems are conditions of the pharynx and larynx which are present from birth. In general terms, these conditions cannot be treated.

I have also found minor breathing issues I have found come from diet. Horses can be allergic to numerous feeds, which cause congestive issues that cause their breathing to sound labored. Change the diet, and the breathing issues disappear.

It all comes down to your own instinct. There are plenty of horses that pass vet checks with flying colors but can go dead lame within weeks. There are other horses that have every ailment possible and live wonderful lives never having an off day.

For me, I look at the mental and emotional status of the horse. If the horse is feeling emotionally and mentally stressed, worried about life, insecure about people, etc. their bodies tend to break down. If they have that "warm and fuzzy" feeling inside them, they seem to be game to take on most things presented to them.

Topic_Info: Flying Lead Changes
Name_FullName: Erin
Website_Info: Google search
Location: Louisiana
Date: June 18, 2008

Question:
How do you stop a horse from running through lead changes? My daughter will have him "on the step" to get over the jumps, but he will go faster to change his leads.

TEC Answer:
There are many ways to go about teaching a horse flying changes. The first issue you should address is the quality of the canter without worrying about the changes. In both directions you should be able to shorten and lengthen the horse's stride (to almost a trot and then to almost a hand gallop) without having the horse get stressed, crooked, lose quality in the canter, etc.

The second consideration is that many people are under the impression the faster the horse's pace is at the canter, the better the chance of getting the flying change. Instead, put it into people terms. If you were learning something new that was physically challenging to you and someone kept rushing you, you probably would not be able to achieve to task with ease or comfort. The same goes for horses. The slower the process of teaching, clarifying and asking for the change, the better your horse will feel about trying it and the more comfortable it will feel to him.

The rushing you have mentioned is a common sign of frustration and defensiveness when a horse does not understand what or how to accomplish what is being asked of him. He is trying to tell you he is having a problem, so most likely you will need to go back and refine the basics before you get to the fun activities like flying changes.

Once your horse is comfortable adjusting his canter stride with a happy and willing attitude, you would then start with simple changes (first canter-trot-canter then canter-walk-canter and finally

canter-halt-canter.) You want to offer these simple changes because it will help the horse literally slow his thought process and then help his body to regain balance to pick up the new lead. If you find that he pulls on the reins, drifts or seems stressed by being "hurried" from one lead to the next, you'll want to work on these simple changes before you ever offer a flying change.

Next you will need to make sure that the rider's aids are clear (not just to the rider but to the horse also) and that they are consistent.

Typically if you start to offer the change on a diagonal (on an angle riding from down one long side of the arena across the middle towards the opposite long side as if you were going to change direction.) Some people like to use a physical aid, such as a ground pole, as the designated spot where they will ask their horse to change leads.

As the horse is cantering on let's say the left lead with a soft left bend in his body, as he approaches the pole he should straighten his body for a step of two, then the rider should ask for a right bend right before arriving at the pole so that the horse is "thinking" towards the right while shortening his canter stride so that his weight will be on his hindquarters (the power end of the body) and then as the horse is going over the pole the rider should ask for the right lead.

If the horse will change leads in the front, but not in his rear, if you can give him a moment continuing on a right turn (not sharp) you may be able to sort out his feet and switch completely to the new lead. Most times for an incomplete change is that the horse is unable to have rebalanced his body to coordinate switching his foot fall pattern.

Address the changes a few times and move on to something else, then later in the session go back and address them again. It takes time for horses to process information and confirm that what they are trying is what the rider is really asking. Also even if the changes do not come out clean or as ideal as you would like, give the horse credit for trying. Once he gains confidence that he is on the right track the changes will come in no time.

Topic_Info:    Horse for Novice Rider?
Name: Jerry
Website_Info: search engine
Location:   CA
Date:   June 13, 2008

Question:

My daughter is relatively new to riding (1 year). We have a 12 year old Arabian Gelding that we bought last year.

She has been under a trainer during that year but we brought him home back in January. Since that time he has been a bit ornery. However, as of late he has been a bit more cooperative with her.

Yesterday she was thrown by him and she got back up and rode him some more and tried to correct him.

My question is....should I get rid of this horse? I am not a horse person (my late wife was) and I'm not totally sure what my next step should be. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you!

TEC Answer:
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter and hope that she is okay. First and foremost, as with any sport or activity, but certainly one involving thousand pound animals who have their own feelings and ideas about life, there will be a certain amount of risk and danger involved. Even on the most "reliable" of our horses can we still have freak, unexpected or bizarre accident.

With horses it is not a matter of "if" but rather a matter of "when" you are going to fall off. Even the best riders still take a fall here and there. The real question is if the horse one has or is working with is appropriate for the riders' ability, comfort level and enjoyment.

The horse world is very complicated and can be overwhelming to those who are inexperienced (certainly if you are a parent seeking the best for your child.) Everyone in the "horse world" also has an opinion- whether you ask for it or not. For as little as you may think you may or may not know, always trust that little voice in the back of your head.

As for your current situation there are many factors that come to mind, the most obvious is the breed of horse you are working with. Each horse is an individual and unique and can be an exception to the common "feeling" about certain breeds. Arabians and Thoroughbreds tend be on the more "hot" side, their sensitivity levels and awareness are far more intense and "clear" which may not always work with a novice rider. But again, each horse is an individual and it is mostly the experience and personality of the horse that I am looking at when matching up a rider with them.

In the beginning your daughter is going to need to learn decision making, confidence, balance, and coordination. My ideal for new riders is to have a horse that has the mind set to "offer" to help make the ride go well, rather than challenge the new rider every step of the way.

There are a lot of people who "survive" the ride, but my goal for students is to be stimulated and enjoy the ride without feeling overwhelmed. Again we all have different comfort levels whether we are the rider, trainer or parent. So what one person may deem as an "appropriate" horse may not be a shared feeling by someone else. As I tell everyone I work with I want the ride to be "boring." If I saw them in an arena with forty other horses I would not want them to stand out.

Why your horse threw your daughter at home could be numerous reasons, change in feed, work schedule, lack of exercise, weather conditions, etc. If she feels and you agree that she can learn from things that do not work (and understand what and why she was thrown) and can make a change for the better for the future great. But if you find that her "fun" and confidence is slipping because the horse you have becomes "overwhelming" (even if it is not specifically seen that way) you may want to consider an alternative mount.

Topic_Info:    Tied: Pawing & Striking
Name: Janet
Website: Web search
Location:   Elk River, MN
Date:    June 07, 2008

Question:

My 6 year old Paint gelding sometimes paws at the hitching rail and in situations where he is stressed or agitated will paw into the air. I'm afraid he's going to "get me" one of these times. How do I stop this?

TEC Answer:
Pawing or signs of impatience are the symptom and not the issue at hand. As you said when he is stressed or agitated he takes this action. If you address why or what is causing his stress and change how he feels about whatever is bothering him, then the pawing will disappear without you having to reprimand him for it.

If you can take the time and use some patience you will need to assess and break down his "stress." You will need to learn how to recognize when it first starts to appear, rather than when it has reached the climax and your horse feels that he "has" to act out. Then instead of "getting by" or forcing your horse to have to tolerate what is bothering him, you will need to help him address the issue at hand and help him change how he perceives the problem.

Here are a few examples: If your horse is bothered by leaving his pasture mate, you will need to work on creating a more trusting relationship with your horse so that when you are around him he offers you a mental availability to want to be with you, instead of tolerating being around you. Or if he is inexperienced with being ridden, although he may not have done anything dramatic with you in the saddle, the ride itself may cause him to be bothered. In anticipation he may be showing his worry by pawing as he is tacked up because of the association with being tied, saddled and ridden.

You will need to notice if his pawing is what I call "patternized behavior"- does he always paw in the same way, at the same time when you work with him, or is he inconsistent about it? Most of the time people and horses get stuck in "routines" in how and where we interact with our horses. They easily learn the routine and become aware of "what is coming next." If there is anything that bothers them about the routine, they will start to act out ahead of time, rather than wait until the actual problem or concern has occurred.

Remember that when your horse is bothered about something in life he is not happy and he would much prefer to be in a "happy" place- but horses are not always capable of using "reason" the way people do to realize that his pawing is not going to fix what is really bothering him.

Reality wise, to maintain your safety there needs to be black and white boundaries of "what works" and "what does not" as far as when he is taking an action that may be dangerous to you (even if he is not trying to be aggressive towards you.) The problem is most times people try to correct their horse, but because of their timing (lack of) or the lack of clarity in the manner in which they do so, the horse cannot understand what the person is doing, which then only causes more confusion. The horse must understand that when a person does something, it means something, but many times people are "hopeful" in the way that they interact with their horse, rather than being clear.

It does not matter what action you take show the horse that striking out is inappropriate, but it must be like a hotwire- it only "corrects" the horse as the undesired action is occurring, it does not chase the horse or continue to reprimand him for a past action after the fact.

If the horse is clear on the change you are asking of him, he will "let go" immediately of continuing to try and take the same course of action when he is stressed. Keep in mind though just because you may have stopped the actual pawing, may not mean that you lessened his worry or increased his confidence.

Topic_Info: Flying Changes: Cow kicking
Name_FullName: jon s
Website_Info: yahoo
Location: south florida
Date: June 04, 2008

Question:
My daughter has been working on her Pony's right lead change and he cow kicks when she attempts to get the lead. The left lead is not a problem; the right lead is a mess! Boy is it ugly! What can she do? Any possible health issues with the hocks that we should look into?

The cow kicking you have mentioned is a common sign of frustration and defensiveness when a horse does not understand what or how to accomplish what is being asked of him. He is trying to tell you he is having a problem, so most likely you will need to go back and refine the basics before you get to the fun activities like flying changes.

Once your horse is comfortable adjusting his canter stride with a happy and willing attitude, you would then start with simple changes (first canter-trot-canter then canter-walk-canter and finally canter-halt-canter.) You want to offer these simple changes because it will help the horse literally slow his thought process and then help his body to regain balance to pick up the new lead. If you find that he pulls on the reins, drifts or seems stressed by being "hurried" from one lead to the next, you'll want to work on these simple changes before you ever offer a flying change.

Next you will need to make sure that the rider's aids are clear (not just to the rider but to the horse also) and that they are consistent. Typically if you start to offer the change on a diagonal (on an angle riding from down one long side of the arena across the middle towards the opposite long side as if you were going to change direction.) Some people like to use a physical aid, such as a ground pole, as the designated spot where they will ask their horse to change leads.

A few things to keep in mind, if the basics of clear communication is missing, the more difficult it will be to get your horse to try when presenting more difficult tasks, such as flying changes. Another is to not grill the horse over and over with a new "learning" experience... Address the changes a few times and move on to something else, then later in the session go back and address them again. It takes time for horses to process information and confirm that what they are trying is what the rider is really asking. Also even if the changes do not come out clean or as ideal as you would like, give the horse credit for trying. Once he gains confidence that he is on the right track the changes will come in no time.

Topic_Info: Breed temperament
Name_FullName: Judie
Website_Info: browsing the internet
Location: New Mexico
Date: May 31, 2008

Question:
I have a 5 year old Arabian-quarter horse mix. She seems very gentle, but is untrained. I know a trainer in the area, but have always used quarter horses. Is the Arabian blood going to make her disposition too "hot" for becoming gentle?

TEC Answer:
First I would like to clarify a few things. To me there is a difference between a "hot" horses (one who has a lot more "go" than "whoa") and a "gentle" horse (one who has a very interested personality that enjoys participating with people.) Next all horses are unique whatever the common thought may be of different breed's and their dispositions. I've seen Thoroughbreds that act like Quarter Horses and Quarter Horses that act like Arabians. Each horse is unique as to who they are in personality, experience, confidence and so forth.

People tend to forget how much we influence the horse that we interact with. The best news is that you have a horse with a "clean slate" or no history of bad or frustrating encounters with humans. The Arabians are known for their sensitivity which can be used in a positive way depending on how they are worked with. They wear their emotions on their sleeve; you will never have to guess if they are bothered, worried, stressed, happy or so on. The mentality of the Quarter Horse typically on the other hand is one who "stuffs" their emotions, or keeps them locked up. So a QH may be standing still "looking" quiet, but may be a wreck emotionally on the inside.

Depending on your goals, experience and time you will have to assess who your Arab cross is and if this is a horse that is realistically suitable for your needs and wants. All young horses are quite the time, emotional and financial investment and will need hours of exposure and positive experiences.

If you will be working with a trainer make sure that you watch them work with several different horse personalities and go with your gut instinct as to if you think they will make a good combination with your horse. Many trainers have "one way" of doing things without ever considering the individual horse. Trainers should always welcome you to watch their sessions and any questions- if you find them resistant in wanting to deal with you as a potential client, you may want to take your business elsewhere.

Topic_Info:    Fidgeting
Name_FullName: Lani
Website_Info: Google Search
Location:      Australia
Date:          May 25, 2008

Question:
I have a 16 y/o standard bred gelding (ex-racehorse) who is incredibly reluctant to accept a bit or stand still for any extended period of time. He was trained with a bit but his old owner was using a bit-less bridle and he had become accustomed to that, I don't feel comfortable enough with him yet to leave the bit behind, but he really does not like his bit, is there any way I can get him to accept it easier?

Also, he's patient enough to stand still when I'm mounting or dismounting, but if he has to stand still while being ridden, led or brushed he fidgets, turns full circles and paws at the ground, this starts after just a few minutes. Is it simply boredom, or something more? How would I go about teaching him the patience for it?

TEC Answer:
Keep in mind that a horse's physical movement is a reflection of how he feels mentally and emotionally. If you have an ex-racehorse, the only scenario he has been taught is that movement is good. The faster he moved the better. This means anytime your horse has any concern, because of his "routine" past patternized behavior, he has learned if he moves fast enough, people will eventually leave him alone.

Your horse's movement has nothing to do with the equipment you are using (unless something were pinching him and causing him physical discomfort.) You will need to address working with your horse by offering him a clean slate. You will need to assume he knows nothing and that you are going to show him what behaviors you will accept and those that you will not.

In most horses that have been taught that excessive movement is good, their body tends to get ahead of their brain and they literally stop thinking about what they are physically doing. Then they get lost. Typically this causes a person to move to correct the horse, then the horse reacts by moving, then the person does so, etc. and the whole scenario is another big miscommunication.

Begging from the ground I would start to make assessments of your horse. Is he happy to greet you when you catch him? Does he stay respectfully out of your space as you lead him or does he barge past you? When being groomed or tacked up, does he stand relaxed and still, or is he constantly fidgeting, fussing, and moving side to side? Is there a change in his demeanor when you bring out the tack? Do you wind up working him in the same "routine" (same time of day, ride in the same place, etc.)?

Your focus is going to be on your horse's brain. He will need to learn that when you do something, it means something. The more he focuses on you, the more he will be "open" to hearing what you are offering. This will be the beginning of clear communication. The more he can clearly understand you, the more he will respect your aids when you ask him to think, move or pause.

Most people get distracted by the physical movement of the horse. If you can keep in mind that when you horse is feeling good about life and relaxed, his body will reflect it by standing quietly and relaxed. The same vice versa- if he is stressed, worried, bothered, insecure, etc. about something, his body will reflect it with lots of movement.

Once your horse's brain is with you he will have to learn how to take (literally) one step at a time. Especially racehorses, their brains anticipate what is about to happen, so many times you ask for one small response and they give you an over-the-top reaction. Instead your horse will have to learn to have a sliding scale of energy in his movement (reflective of how much energy you have in your body- whether from the ground or in the saddle.) The more available your horse is to hear what you are offering, left, right, slow, fast, wait, etc. the more he will be able to physically comply with what you are asking AND feel good about it.

As I tell many people, just because you can, does not mean that you should. This means, that although your horse has been ridden or has been exposed to different things in his life, he may have just been tolerating those scenarios all the while they were causing more stress and worry in him. If you have the patience and time to help your horse create a clear foundation with the basics, symptoms such as fidgeting, will dissipate over time as your horse feels better about life in general without you have to addresses each specific issue.

Topic_Info:    Trail Riding: Herd Bound Behavior
Name: Linda
Website: Google search
Location:   Colorado
Date:    April 13, 2008

Question:

My 10 year old gelding generally rides out on trails nicely alone or with another horse. He does not care if he leads or follows and if the other horse gets ahead, he does not care. Today, I rode out alone and two horses passed us at a walk on the trail. The last horse was a mare in season (per owner). We started down the trail and after about 50 yards he smelled the mare's urine, put his head up with his lip thrust out, then continued down the trail. I noticed his walk was a bit quicker but he was not jigging just walking a bit quicker. About 10-15 minutes later another group of horses passed us at a trot. Both times the other horses passed, I had pulled off of the trail and turned and faced the on coming horses. After the trotting horses passed, my gelding was very excited and wanted to quickly follow. I could feel him tense up and start prancing. I did a circle and went down the trail the opposite direction to get his attention back on me. After about 50 yards, we turned around to proceed back down the trail (again going the same direction as the two groups of horses that passed us). My gelding started jigging and acting up by screaming for the other horses, running sideways, and rearing about 1 foot off the group. He was very tense, panicked and wanted to run after the other horses. I did a few circles but he was screaming and running sideways and trying to rear. I took a side path that leads to a parking area with horse trailers and other horses. I thought seeing the other horses would calm him down. When we crested over a little hill he could see the other horses by the trailers. He continued to act up, pawing the ground, snorting, screaming out to the horses, tense and panicked. This really was a surprise to me as he has never reacted to other horses passing him in the past. This is our third ride of the year after a long winter and now I worry if this is the start of a new behavior and if I don't handle it right I know the behavior will get worse. I got him to ride through the parking lot with the trailers and horses. As we proceeded down a different path going a different direction and the horses got further away, he calmed back down and I was able to get his attention. The rest of the ride went fine. Toward the end of the ride (total of 2 hours) we had to pass another parking lot with trailers and there was one horse there. He had no reaction when we passed the other horse at a distance of about 100 yards but I worry about the next time a group of horses passes us on the trail, especially at the trot. Would circles and figure eights be the best way to keep his mind engaged on me. When should I start doing circles, as soon as they pass before he reacts or when I feel him tense? Should I practice the circles every time I ride. What if there is no place on the trail to do circles? What else can I do to get his attention? What is the best way to get and keep his mind on me no matter the situation? Thank you so much for your advice!

TEC Answer:
Thank you for the in depth explanation of the scenario your horse presented on the trail ride. The first thought that comes to mind is that perhaps when life appears to you as "good" for your gelding it may still be lacking a "warm and fuzzy" or confidence building experience.

You mentioned that he normally rides out nicely. Not knowing how you work with your horse I'd ask if there is any possibility of a patternized or routine behavior you and/or he have together when going for a ride. If the location is a familiar spot you ride at do you always mount and dismount in the same place, do you always head down the same trails, if you are riding with another horse do you ever present "unexpected" questions to your horse- such as leaving the other horse to do a "job" and then returning, etc.

Even if your horse has never displayed the extreme signs of stress, frustration and worry that he showed on this particular trail ride, does not mean that he may not be carrying those feelings around with him all of the time. What caused him on this particular ride to have to express himself, I could not say. The first thing I do read from all of this is that when he does reach his "melt down" point he is unable to emotionally, physically or mentally deal with a scenario- and he is not turning to you to ask for help. The second, is that perhaps there are times when you believe your horse is okay and perhaps he is not.

This in turn means that there needs to be a re-established level of clear communication between the two of you so that no matter however minor or major an issue may arise, when your horse has a problem, he should ask you how you would like him to deal with it rather than to make decisions on his own, such as what he displayed with you on the trail.

The other horses passing you on the trail, whether it is geldings or mares in heat, are irrelevant. Whenever we work or ride our horses their brains ought to be with us at all times (which are an attention demanding task on both of our parts.) You may have to go back and assess how quality the relationship is between you and your horse- starting on a "good day" with simple tasks. Below are a few things you might consider:

How sensitive and available is your horse to address and listen to your aids with you do as little as possible and him offering you as much as possible without any stress?

Can you interrupt your horse as he is doing something you asked and "suddenly" present something else? Is he willing to let go of what he thought you wanted to try the new task?

How is his confidence with a scenario that has never been presented to him before? Does he turn to you to help him or does he "take over" trying to figure out the task at hand?

You mentioned that you presented circles which can be an aid, but only if the rider do so in a way that the horse understands it is a task that can "help" the scenario, rather than to just be a physical distraction. Many people say "Control the horse's feet in order to influence the brain." I actually present the opposite, "Influence the horse's mind to get a physical and emotional change." It does not matter what physical task you ask of your horse whether you are doing circles, serpentines, figure eights, backing, transitions, etc. The point of the task is to ask for mental availability and then the follow through with the physical movement.

Let's say you are presenting a circle. The horse should be able to tell the difference when you are asking him to first LOOK towards where you might want him to turn. (So many horses go through the motion of movement without ever thinking or looking about where they are going.) Then if you ask him to step towards that direction, the front leg closest to where you would like him to step should move first. (This is important because it means he has shifted his brain and then his physical balance to prepare to "follow" his thought towards the designated direction.) Next there should be softness in his step and a bend in his body if he feels "good" and is committed as to where his is moving. (If not it will feeling like you are sitting on a board and you will feel him "leaking" out the shoulder opposite from the direction you would like him to move.) If there is a "drag" in his step he is not thinking about moving forward. This is common in horses that are insecure because they become so worried about getting what the rider has asked of them wrong, that they would rather not try anything at all rather than make a wrong movement and get reprimanded for it.

The quality of a physical pattern you present to your horse should be the foremost priority. You may only get three steps of a quality circle until there is clarity between you and your horse and availability in his brain to hear what you are asking of him. If at home or in a "safe" scenario there is any holes in your communication or his mental try, whenever you add stress, such as the above mentioned trail ride, you will only get even less of him to "hear" and address what you are asking of him.

Get the basics as good as possible and then whatever scenario presents itself you will be able to address in small steps (figuratively and literally) with a horse who has the confidence and trust to believe that what you are asking of him will make him feel better. Horses typically "take over" as a self preservation mechanism, not because they are trying to cause havoc and stress to their rider.

Topic_Info:    Bridge Crossing
Name_FullName: Tanner
Website_Info: internet
Location:      Washington
Date:          March 22, 2008

Question:

There is a little bridge in my arena, and I have tried walking my 8 year old Arabian around it and showing it to him from all sides, and I've tried backing him up and leading him forward, I've walked around on it to try and show him that it isn't scary. But when I try to lead him forward, he refuses to go. Is there any way I can help him overcome his fear and get him to walk on it?

TEC Answer:
First before you present any obstacle to your horse you will need to establish clear communication when using the lead rope from the ground. You should be able to ask your horse to think, look and then step in the designated direction (left, right, forward, backwards, sideways, etc.) You should be able to do all of this without having to lead your horse or "drive" him (with a whip, stick, etc.) in order to get an attentive, light, mental and physical response. Remember the goal is for your horse to ask "what would you like?" instead of tolerating being told what to do every step of the way. The more confident he feels that you are listening and helping him when he is having a problem the more he will turn to you rather than coming up with his own way of avoiding what you are presenting.

Once you can ask your horse to first look (to address what you are presenting) and then literally take one step at a time towards whatever you have presented (bridge, tarp, trailer, puddle, etc.) you will then have the tools to help your horse address what you are asking.

For example let's say that you are presenting the bridge in your arena. Before you ever get near the bridge you need to see how focused (mentally) your horse is on you. If you ask him to stop, back up, step forward and so on is there a delay in his response, does he step into your personal space, and is he walking forward but looking somewhere else? These are all things you will need to address and clarify if there is any delay, lack of understanding or resistance from your horse before you present an obstacle.

Remember that the more you can break down crossing the bridge into baby steps (where he may only address several parts of crossing the bridge rather than the entire accomplishment of crossing the entire bridge) the more confidence he will gain in "trying" to address what you are asking. The more he believes he can "get it" (it being whatever you are asking of him) right, the more he will try when you present new things.

By the time you present the bridge you will have enough tools in just using your lead rope, if you can ask your horse to walk up to the bridge and stop and address it (smell it, look at, etc.) Then you would imagine that you are presenting an imaginary line that you would like your horse to follow as he crosses the bridge. First he has to be looking at this "line." In most cases if he is worried or insecure about the bridge he'll try and avoid it by looking at everything EXCEPT the bridge. So you'll need to address helping him focus using the aid of your lead rope by being able to establish looking specifically at the bridge. He will not cross the bridge with a "warm fuzzy feeling" until he decides to literally look at the bridge.

Once he looks at the "line" you want him to walk on, you increase your energy (probably using the excess of your lead rope - but NOT driving him or chasing him) across the bridge, literally one step at a time. You do not want your horse to "survive" crossing the bridge, rather you want him to think and feel confident with each step he is taking as he crosses the bridge. As he is on the bridge you want to feel that you could stop his movement or pick a specific place that you would like to have go.

After you successfully help him address and cross the bridge from both directions (with plenty of breaks and rests in between) you might ask him to focus on something else and then present the bridge again later in the session. The slower you can have him think about what you are asking, the better the quality of his performance will be.

Topic_Info: Horse raising up front legs
Name_FullName: blonde bmbr
Website_Info: Through Vayhoo
Location: Nebraska
Date: April 05, 2008

Question:
Why does a horse raise its front legs in the air at you and paw in the air, is he trying to attack you ?

TEC Answer:
There can be numerous reasons a horse will rear and strike with his front legs; it depends on the scenario and situation presented and when and how he does so.

If he is with a pasture mate and they have been playing, this is a non-aggressive act. Many times you will see young, emotionally immature or horses lacking in socialization that are "trying out" rearing, bucking, bolting, kicking and trying to establish themselves within the hierarchy of the herd. It is a great way for them to mentally, physically and emotionally "let down."

If your horse is rearing in response to something asked of him by a human, it most likely is an act of defensiveness. There are only so many ways a horse can "tell" a person that he is having a problem, and many times when his ways of communicating are "quiet" his actions are ignored until he starts to evolve his way of showing worry, concern, stress, agitation, etc. by taking a course of action that cannot be ignored, such as rearing. Also if he has realized that if he acts "big" and the issue that was bothering him is removed (such as the human causing him to be stressed,) he will learn to act more defensively faster in order to eliminate any opportunity for a human to stress him.

In many cases the horse will show signs of insecurity or worry before he gets to the rearing stage in his actions. You will need to literally slow down how and with what energy, thought, intention and focus you interact with your horse. This will help you to raise your level of awareness in order to break down into stages when your horse first shows signs of being bothered (ears back, tail swishing, agitated physical movement, etc.) In my experience the rearing is "after the fact" of whatever is causing a horse discomfort or frustration, so do not get distracted by his act of rearing, rather try to focus on how many ways and times does he try to tell you his is having a problem and that he is ignored. If you clear up those areas that are lacking clear communication, trust and respect, the rearing will "cure itself" and start to disappear as your horse feels more confident in you.

If you try to address the sole act of rearing, you will only be shutting down your horse's uneasy feelings, as oppose to changing how he feels about what is causing him to rear, and they will soon appear in a new way of him "acting out."

Always keep your safety a priority, you may need to consult a local trainer whose goal it is to help the horse develop confidence when feeling stressed, rather than "stuffing" his emotions until he blows a fuse one day.

Topic_Info: Round pen resistance
Name_FullName: Daniel Dasher
Website_Info: search engine
Location: Lyons, Ga
Date: April 08, 2008

Question:
I have a 3 y/o quarter horse who does not work well in the round pen. When you put her in the round pen and ask her to move she doesn't. All the articles I have read talk about working the horse in both directions and I have had a trainer come to my house and show me how with my other horse. However, what do you do when the horse will not run the pen so you can establish dominance over that horse? She paws the ground and challenges the fence. If you put pressure on her rear to move she bucks and kicks. A time or two she has charged me and ran me out of the pen. This is the same horse that is the first to meet you at the fence when I walk up. She is not timid or shy but she seems scared of the round pen. You can halter this horse without any problem and lead this horse but with some resistance when leading at times, but overall she is a sweet horse until you try to work her in the round pen. She is very buddy-sour but so is my older horse but she does well once she gets her attention on me in the round pen and off the other horses. I have been kicked once and I do not want to be hurt trying to train my horse. Her kicks are incredibly powerful, much more powerful than my older horse. How can I safely approach this problem with her and not be trampled or kicked in the process?

TEC Answer:
Thank you for writing and I am sorry to hear of your situation. First I am glad that you are searching for help. Second, there are so many variables that could affect what you are seeing/experiencing, what your horse is seeing/experiencing and what may actually be happening so my answers will be more to offer you ideas and perspective rather than a "fix it" solution.

First I'd like to address your initial statement of working the horse both directions and having the pen be a controlled setting for "dominance." If you ask a million trainers you will get a million different answers, so bear in mind when I work with people and horses, I'm looking for availability of the mind, rather than accomplishing physical results. If the horse's mind is "open"

to "hearing" what you are asking or suggesting, you then will see your horse physically perform what you are asking. Instead, a more common train of thought when working with horses is to physical control, direct or micromanage them, in order to get a change in their brain. All I can do is put it into people terms, if you are physically resistant to doing a task because that task causes you emotional or mental stress, until you change how you FEEL about the task, you will never be able to accomplish to task to your full abilities. The same goes for horses.

So I will disagree that the round is a place to create dominance. In my mind, the round pen is a controlled and "safe" setting to work with your horse. As for working both directions, well yes ideally we would like to accomplish that. But you are jumping "ahead" in your desires from your horse. You mentioned that when you ask her to move she bucks and kicks. You need to first get her "thinking" forward, then her body will physically move forward, THEN you can become more specific as to where you would like her to move to. It would be the same as turning your steering wheel as hard as you can, but if you don't have the car engine on and are not using gas, the wheel does you no good. Until she can be soft in how she thinks and moves forward, I would not worry as to which direction she may or may not be going.

As for your horse's actions of either bucking, kicking or charging, she is trying her options. If she is resistant to go forward, most likely she is worried about what exactly it is that you want from her. Her way of not "getting IT wrong" ("it" being whatever you are asking) is to not move.

But if you "force" her with enough pressure, her alternative is to eliminate what is causing the pressure and discomfort, in this case, you. So therefore she will charge you, if that gets you literally out of the pen, then the act of charging has accomplished eliminating a source of discomfort. The more that behavior works, the more she will resort to it.

Not knowing your horse's full history, she may really have either bad feelings associated with the round pen, or because of a lack of clarity from a person, find that the pen causes her stress.

Either way, her physical actions and resistance are a reflection of her mental and emotional status.

As for haltering and leading her with "some resistance" is the beginning stages of a LOT of resistance. Horses rarely "out of the blue" take drastic measures towards a person. Her resistance in leading if she is a buddy sour mare most likely has to do with the fact that her buddy is somewhere opposite from where you would like to take her. She needs to understand that when you are working with her, her brain needs to be with YOU.

There needs to be a clarity of physical communication (because when leading her you are using a lead rope, so this a physical way of influencing her,) that when you do something with the rope, it needs to mean something to your horse. She should be able to think left, right, forward, backwards, sideways, etc. all by how you use your rope. She needs to understand your energy and literally match that, if you want to move out in a big walk, she needs to too, or if you would like to "creep" along, she needs to make that adjustment to remain "with you." When you stop she needs to respect your personal space and stop immediately, rather than to "fall" into a stop.

Your mare needs to understand when her different thoughts of work or if they do not. Most times when people catch a horse the horse goes "brainless" on the end of the lead and is literally drug around. They horse may be physically complying but is mentally resistant. The day will come that if there is enough stress presented, if the person working with the horse does not have enough "tools" in how they use their lead rope and a clarity of communication in how they use their rope, the horse will get just as "big" on the rope as if they are loose.

So it sounds like you may need to seek the help of a trainer who can appreciate and respect working with the horse's brain in order to get a change in mental and emotionally availability. The more you are able to see and experience just how little of an action can create a positive change in how your horse trusts and respects you will be the beginning of you working WITH your horse, rather than each of you tolerating one another. Timing, awareness, energy, sensitivity and clarity are all things you will need to establish in order to start seeing positive results with your mare.

Remember, your safety is a number one priority, if you hear that little voice in the back of your head telling you not to do something, listen to it. Too many horse related accidents occur because people are "hopeful" that it will all work out.

Topic_Info:    Trailer Loading Problems
Name_FullName: Kate
Website_Info: Randomly searching the internet.
Location:      Canada
Date:          February 21, 2008

Question:
Hi my name is Kate. I have a 6 year old gelding that refuses to get into the trailer. Before I tell you about his problem I'm just going to fill you in on what he used to be like. Ok so when he was born he was afraid of everything. It took me at least a month to be able to walk into the fence and pet him. After that he got better and better but if I ever missed more than a day of visiting him he would be scared of me again. About when he was 4 he started getting more confidence and I could do whatever I wanted with him. About at that age I really started working on getting him to load and do other stuff. For everything we did he would do it willingly because he did not like getting punished but he still would not get into the trailer. So I finally figured that I would put him in my round pen and put all his feed in the trailer. After 1 night he would get into the trailer whenever I would ask and do it willingly. So this past year he has decided that he does not want to get into the trailer no matter what. At first I thought that he was scared of it because that is what his problem used to be but if you just look at his body language you can tell that he is just being stubborn. So I really would welcome any tips to loading him as it literally takes me 3 hours to load him. Thanks again.

TEC Answer:
Hello and thank you for writing. I know trailer loading can be one of those situations that really challenge patience in both horse and person. It sounds like you have a generally insecure horse. Many times horses with insecurities can gain what we interpret as "confidence" in scenarios that are repeated numerous times. The problem arises when a scenario is slightly changed (i.e. moving the tarp from the normal spot to a new spot,) and then you feel like you are starting all over again with your horse.

In your particular history of trailer loading it sounds like for your horse to load he had to pick the lesser of two undesirable options. Motivating a horse by feed, fear, or annoyance will not have a long term affect on the horse. So I am going to ask you to back up a few steps in your thinking and approach to trailer loading.

First whenever we work with our horses we are searching for a mental availability. Only once our horse is willing to mentally "try" to address what we are asking of them will they physically accomplish what we would like with the results long lasting. So you may have to revisit the basics and assess the level of clarity you have between you and your horse. Ideally through your ability to "send a feel" down a lead rope (if you're working on the ground) you will be able to ask anything of your horse WITHOUT the "need" to drive (with whips, sticks, or other "scary" items) your horse to do what you would like.

When you pick up the lead rope, can you direct your horse's thought in a specific direction or towards a specific object? Can you intercept your horse's thought if he gets distracted or has too much or too little movement? Until you have the basics of getting your horse to first just look (literally and without his feet moving) left and right, then follow that look with ONE step, then eventually movement (forwards, backwards, sideways, etc.) without you having to LEAD him, you will not have the necessary tools to use for presenting complicated things such as trailer loading.

If you do not have clarity in the "aids" you can use from the ground to communicate with your horse, then your horse will become defensive towards you (especially if he is naturally insecure) and then it becomes a "battle of the wills," and yes he may eventually give up after a few hours and do what you would like, but there will be no change in the future when you present the same or similar scenario.

For whatever you may ask of your horse, the communication must be clear, the respect must be present and his mind must be available. If you do not have these three tools, you will NEVER be able to have the ideal "try" from your horse and you will constantly be presented with a fight every time something that bothers him comes up.

In your case after fine tuning your communication with him you will need to start with small scenarios where your horse can feel that he can be successful when he tries to address what you are asking of him. This can be anything from how he walks out of his stall, steps over a pole, moves his body out of your away... You can use any "real life" situation and turn it into a fun and confidence building scenario. Until you have his trust and respect in calm scenarios, I would not present a stressful one.

This is not your "quick and easy" fix, but the solution presented above can be used in any and everything you will ever ask of your horse. Every time he realizes that he is acknowledged for trying and can understand what you are asking, he will become increasingly available to address more complicated scenarios. You will have created the trusting relationship we are all looking to build with our horses.

Topic_Info: Lameness
Name_FullName: Jennifer
Website_Info: google
Location: England
Date: January 30, 2008

Question:
I have a horse who had to be out of work for a couple of months, getting worked every now and again not much though, his time off was not due to an injury. Now coming back to work he appears lame (as if dropping on a front leg) even though he does not appear to be in pain and is happy to gallop in the field and happy to be ridden. It has been getting better each time I ride, could it be something more serious due to lack of work?

TEC Answer:
As with people, when horses are not worked in a consistent manner they lose both their cardiovascular conditioning and muscles fitness. Even if a horse has the freedom to move around a pasture, he will not maintain the same endurance that he would have if he was being worked on a regular basis.

There could be numerous reasons why your horse is showing signs of lameness. I would recommend first ruling out any physical issues whether you consult a veterinarian, chiropractor, masseuse, etc. who would be able to evaluate the ENTIRE horse and not just focus on the "injured" area. Once you get the go ahead that the horse is physically well, I would create a conditioning schedule to slowly build up his endurance to your desired point.

The lame movement you are currently seeing could be a result if he pulled or hurt something in pasture just coincidentally as to when you wanted to start riding again. Remember that even though horses are strong animals, their bodies are also very sensitive. Even if he may not have hurt himself with some long term injury, he could still be sore or show signs of inconsistent movement for a while. (This is no different from when we sleep wrong and wake up with a stiff neck, and then feel the soreness for several days after it initially happened. Plus keep in mind how a stiff neck in a person would affect how they moved their entire body, this is the same with a horse.)

Horses do not use the same line of reason as people, "I am hurt, so I should not move." So do not believe that just because your horse is galloping around the pasture that he is feeling 100% physically.

I do not know the focus or length of work outs you asked of your horse when you started him back up

working. Let's say he's been loose to move freely in a large pasture and then you suddenly put

him to work on a lot of 20 meter trot and canter circles, you would most likely see signs of stiffness in his movement the next day. Again, just because the horse is a large and strong animal does not mean that he should be rushed into demanding training sessions.

Topic_Info: Bits
Website_Info: Google
Location: United Kingdom
Date: January 25, 2008

Question:
My horse can be stubborn at times, but other times she can be quite forward going. But she just won't listen to the bit. eg. Sometimes she will pull in to the center of the arena and the more I try to steer her onto the track, the more she tries to pull the other way. And I was riding in the field once and I went a walk with her in the opposite direction of my friends on their horses and when we were quite far away she started galloping full speed towards them and I had absolutely no control over her. I tried pulling left, right, and backwards but nothing worked!

So could you please suggest a bit that might help with this problem as soon as possible?

TEC Answer:
Thank you for writing and I am sorry to hear the all too common story of "the bit not stopping the horse." The problem is that the bit does not ever stop your horse, your horse's brain, when it is her idea to stop, is what stops her physical movement. If you have the average size horse and imagine that a small metal device can actually control that horse's movement, then you need to pause for a moment and perhaps reassess the rest of your interaction with your horse.

It sounds like your horse is running out of fear, and because each time she gets bothered she runs, and however you may eventually get her to stop, you most likely will have not addressed nor helped your horse "feel" better about whatever she was initially fearful of that caused her to run. So each time she gets scared, she resorts to what I called "patternized behavior." This behavior is something that horses and people suffer from. Typically under a stress induced scenario, we resort to trying the same option over and over again, rather than changing what or how we are doing something, in order to get a different outcome.

In your particular case, the more your horse believes she has to run, which is instinctive in her prey animal behavior, she will. The more she realizes you as her rider and partner are not aware, supportive or acknowledging when she STARTS to feel fear or bad about a scenario, the more she loses trust and respect for you and has less MENTAL AVAILABILITY in being able to "hear" or respond to your aids (i.e. like pulling on the reins to stop her movement.) Her "tuning you out" is what causes the bit to become ineffective during moments of duress and trauma. The bit itself is not the issue.

You will need to step back and assess where the clarity or lack of between you and horse begins.

Remember the ride begins when you go to catch your horse, not once you are mounted. If there are little "issues" as you are grooming her, tacking her, leading her, or overall handling her, and you ignore any feelings of concern, stress, worry or fear she may be carrying around mentally and emotionally, then by the time you get in the saddle those same feelings are going to affect and influence the quality of the ride you have.

You will probably need to enlist the help of someone who recognizes that the horse's physical movement is a reflection of her emotionally and mental state, the happier she is on the inside, the more willing, soft and fluid she will be physically when you ride her.

If you attempt to "fix" her current running away with a more severe bit, you are only prolonging a problem that will continue to get worse until either one or both of you end up hurt. Your horse is not happy when she is running away, she needs your help, she does not have the ability to 'reason'

through her stress. Your riding has become a game of tug of war, and in any case of a challenge of physical strength in a human vs. horse, the horse will always win.

Topic_Info: Always Crossfiring
Name_FullName: Rachel
Website_Info: google
Location: Oregon
Date: January 14, 2008

Question:
Hi, I have a 10 year old Arabian gelding that wasn't started until I got him recently. He doesn't know where to put his hind feet when he canters and is always crossfiring. He gets confused with his legs and then cow-hops. What can I do to stop this problem?
Thanks,
Rachel

TEC Answer:
There are many things that can cause a horse to be crossfiring when trying to canter. First you would always want to rule out any possible physical issues that could be interfering with his coordination. Next I am not sure if he crossfires only when mounted or when he is worked from the ground too. I would also ask if the crossfiring happens when he is in a smaller space rather than bigger space- remember circles and small areas are not "natural" for a horse to move within.

You would always want to make sure that your horse has his coordination and balance in both small and large areas (such as being worked in a round pen) before you would ever hope to have him be balanced when ridden.

If his crossfiring only happens when ridden, notice if he is consistent when tracking both directions at the canter. Most likely the direction in which he feels more relaxed moving, will be the direction he is more coordinated in and less likely to crossfire.

Remember by the time you are cantering you should have clear and effective communication with your horse at the walk and trot. If there is any lack of clarity at the two slower gaits, you will need to address those areas first. If you only have a mediocre walk or trot, the faster you ask your horse to move out, the more unclear your communication will become causing more worry and insecurity in a green or inexperienced horse.

The actual act of crossfiring is when the shoulders are cantering on one lead, and the hindquarters are cantering on the other lead. The horse's movement is a reflection of what he is thinking. If your horse is completely committed to the right, he will naturally pick up the right lead in both his front and hind end. The problem with most horses is that while they are being ridden and physically going through the "movements" they are usually mentally somewhere else, whether it be thinking about their buddy in the pasture or that it's feeding time, or watching the mail carrier coming down the road.

You will need to raise your level of awareness in keeping your horse's attention, focus and thought "straight ahead" (even if it's on a circle, he can still think straight,) AS you are about to transition into the canter, this will help him find his correct lead.

Another point is how you ask your horse to canter. Especially with green horses, I like the act of cantering to be fun and "their" idea. This means if we're trotting out in a big field and I'm increasing my energy gradually in the trot until we are totting so "big" (not fast like a sewing machine, but forward, light and intentional movement) that I start to feel the horse "think" about the canter, I just continue forward with my energy in the saddle, and the horse will "roll" softly into the canter.

BUT if I were to find a nice floating trot, relaxed and forward thinking, with my energy in the saddle encouraging the horse to think and move forward, and then because I wanted to canter, I "suddenly" sat (in the "old school" way of asking for the canter) all of my energy would have decreased by me sitting, causing my forward thinking horse to feel me "drag" in the saddle, he would then in turn slow his rhythm to match mine, and then we would have lost all forward thought and movement. If on top of this I then "drove" him with my outside leg attempting to get the canter, he would "fall apart" and even if we made it to the canter, the quality would be lacking.

You will need to spend time just addressing the quality of the trot-canter transition, once that becomes smooth and clear, then too will the canter.

My 3 year old gelding has developed a habit of dipping his neck down, then shaking his head at me at feeding time. He didn't do this over summer, of the two youngsters he was the most respectful. I assume his attitude says he is more important than I am, and wonder how to correct him. He is second to the mare in herd status, she is just 4 but very dominant over him, but accepts me as lead mare. Why has my lovely Chinook taken such a turn? Had him since he was a baby, and the only difference is, its Alaska and its winter so I don't spend as much time with them.

TEC Answer:
Thanks for writing. There could always be a million reasons why a horse "suddenly" starts to behave in a certain manner. I would guess he did not start this over night, but perhaps he did more subtle mannerisms that you may have not noticed. As for his attitude towards you, take a look at another Ask the Trainer article I have posted about young horse behavior. Trust

Instead of being distracted by his head tossing (which is a symptom and not the issue itself) you may have to investigate and "break down" the big picture to understand why your horse is doing what he is. Head tossing is typically a mixed sign of frustration and a bit of a challenge. The challenge masks the insecurity he is feeling (if he is more offensive rather than defensive he may be able to protect himself better.)

If he is second man on the totem pole, perhaps he sees you as lower than he, and takes out any frustration he is feeling towards the lead mare on you. If there is any worry as to accessibility to feed he may be impatient at feeding time to get as much as he can before he gets run off by the lead mare. You may ask yourself a few simple questions- any change in diet, feeding times, feeding locations, herd setup (pasture vs. stall) that may be attributing to the change in his behavior.

Many people work with their horses in a challenging manner, "Let's see if they can get this right or tolerate this." Rather than with a "Let me see how I can HELP my horse get this right," type of attitude. The time to address his head shaking, worry and/or anxiety is not when he is feeling it at it's peak (currently at feeding time,) rather to start to communicate and interact with him during a less stressful time. If you have access to a round pen or small and safe area to work with him at liberty (because a lot of times horses "keep in" bad feelings when they are on a line as this is what they have been taught to do.)

When he is loose in the pen does he acknowledge you, seek your help for leadership, look for guidance, show the same aggressive or frustrated signs towards you as at feeding time, etc.? You will need to find a mental availability (do not get distracted by what he is physically doing- this is only a reflection of what he is feeling on the inside) for him to learn to ask you for help when he is having a problem (even if it is during feeding time.) The more he trusts and has confidence in you, the more his aggressive behavior will dissipate. Horses act aggressively because they are feeling BAD on the inside, not because they enjoy acting out towards people.

While at liberty we do not just want your horse physically near you, rather we would like him to feel relaxed (in posture, stance, breathing, thoughts, etc.) and have "warm and fuzzy" feelings in being "with" you mentally rather than physically "tolerating" your presence. There are many ways you can play with him in the pen and you may need to seek the guidance of local trainer who prioritizes working with the horse's brain rather than his movements. Many times when working at liberty people get distracted by setting their sights on having their horse accomplish a specific task, rather than remaining clear and focused on HOW the horse feels when addressing a task. If he is having a problem, the task is no longer important, rather changing how he feels about what he is being asked to do is. If he can start to see you addressing his feelings and worries, he will start to trust you and change how he outwardly is acting towards you and the other horses.

He is also young and just as with people, he is exploring the boundaries of what works and what does not both in how he addresses horses and people. He needs to understand that just because you like or care for you horse, does not mean that he gets to delegate how the two of you interact with one another.

Feedback
I had written to your website regarding my young Chinook and his aggressive behavior. Made some changes in feeding arrangements, and in less than a week, he was no longer challenging me. Until I can permanently separate him from the mare, in spring, he now eats shut in his stall, where she cannot get at him or his feed. I use that time to groom him, handle his feet etc. and he is his old sweet self again. Such a simple solution, and it worked wonders.
Elizabeth

Topic_Info: Horse panicked
Name_FullName: Linda A
Website_Info: Internet searching
Location: Fairfax, VA
Date: April 07, 2007

While I was riding in the ring another horse spooked, unseating his rider. When he got loose he came towards my horse and I, my horse started to panic, hitting me in the face with her head. She had a standing martingale, thank God. What should I have done? I got somebody to grab my horse so I could dismount quickly. I want to know what I should do if it happens again. I am an older rider so not as flexible as I used to be. Please advise.

TEC Answer:
There are several parts in answering your question, the "emotional"

aspect of your scenario and the physical. Typically when a horse is throwing their head, showing an emotional stress, (for whatever reason is stressing them) they will follow with getting "light" on their front end, which could eventually lead to rearing... If in this specific case your horse was panicked because of the loose horse coming towards her- she had two ways of protecting herself. She could both turn and run (which would be the most natural defense,) or she could act outwardly aggressive towards the loose horse by getting "bigger" (rearing) in order to keep the horse away from her. Perhaps because she had the martingale or because you might have grabbed the reins- you might have defused her head tossing from evolving into a rear.

The problem with most riders is that they are unaware of lacking areas with their horse such as: clarity in communication, trust, respect, responsiveness, etc. until an unforeseen or uncontrollable situation arises where the rider suddenly needs their horse to follow their leadership and guidance. When the horse has other ideas, the rider suddenly realizes how much of a "passenger" they have been when working with their mount.

Keep in mind that many times horses cannot find the "right" or ideal answer on their own and look to us for help, but because of whatever stress or distraction the stressful moment causes, the rider's brain vacates for the "out of control" moment. So now the horse has asked for help, the rider is worried about helping the rider and not the horse, and it becomes "the blind leading the blind" scenario.

I do not want people to ride with a constant paranoia of "what might happen," but I highly encourage riders to begin to raise their level of awareness and sensitivity on "good days" so that if an unforeseen event arises (and it's only a matter of "when" it will) the horse can ask the rider "What would you like?" and be mentally available to physically do what their rider asks.

The quality and clarity of your communication will affect how much your horse CHOOSES to "hear" during a stressful time. If you only get 50%awareness from your horse on "most days" then do not expect anything more, and most likely a whole lot less, when there is stress involved.

Physically if a horse is tossing their head or getting light on their front end they will be tight (because their muscles engaged) in their jaw, neck, topline, and back. Most people panic and tend to "hold on" which creates a pulling feel down the reins to the horse's mouth. This only multiplies the horse's panic and so the horse resists even more severely physically which can cause the horse to accidentally loose it's balance (this happens a lot of time when an inexperienced horse/rider combination is using severe equipment such as draw reins) and the horse can actually fall causing both harm to himself and his rider.

During a stressful time, in order to get a physical change, you will need to interrupt their physical resistance by offering a mental alternative, such as a circle, a turn, or forward movement. If your horse is committed to a circle, there will be a softness in his body starting at his jaw and ending at his tail. If he is "relaxed" all four feet will consistently and quietly touch the ground. The time to practice finding the "softness" is every time and all the time that you ride, that way, the day you need it the most as an aid to help your horse relax, it will be "natural' for both of you.

Hi, I have a 10-year-old Arabian mare. When I take her out in the field to do cross country she puts her head straight up and takes off. I've now put a running martingale on but she still takes off and has now started going sideways she loves to jump and is very good at it. Please help me! Thanks

TEC Answer:
Most "run away" horses do so because something is scaring them or making them emotionally uncomfortable and therefore they respond by physically trying to get "away." The only way they can protect themselves is to run. The stronger and more severe equipment you put on your horse will only create more stress and worry in her. It is a quick fix that will force her to contain her frustrated or worried feelings until the day she explodes. The equipment's effectiveness will only delay her lack of controllability for a short period (like putting a band-aid on a wound that requires stitches.) I would say you need to go back and address the basics.

Break her "running away" down into steps. You might ask yourself these questions: When does she start to get strong when you ride? What kind of bit and other equipment do you use on her and why? Does it fit her correctly and is it effective? How soft and responsive is she towards your aids during your flatwork sessions? How effective are your aids?

Does she respond worried if she is distracted, leaving her barn mates, riding in a group, etc.?

My guess is that she probably shows you signs of panic before she actually takes off. If you try to address her bolting while it's happening, you are merely responding to her panicked reaction. You need to be able to recognize her behavior before or even when she STARTS to get panicked and be able to intercept her thoughts of running by offering her a better alternative. Keep in mind she will not listen to your aids unless they are both clear and effective.

Many times horses can jump or accomplish major tasks but have insecure feelings of doing so, until one day those feelings overwhelm them and they act out, in your mare's case, by running away. I'd go back to the basics. Until you and your horse can work together as a team focusing on those, I would not present jumps.

Topic_Info: Thoroughbred Trail Horse
Name_FullName: Brandi C
Website_Info: browsing the web
Location: Chilhowie, Virginia
Date: October 12, 2007

I have never owned a thoroughbred and I wanted to know if you can ride one on a trail? I was told that she came off the track 4 years ago and I have rode her in a round pen but not outside of the round pen. Can you tell me some stuff about thoroughbred?

TEC Answer:
Every horse is an individual and based on their experiences, education level and interaction with humans can influence how they behave.

Typically thoroughbreds are not thought of as "trail" horses because they are much clearer in communicating how they are feeling. If they are worried, scared, insecure, fearful, etc. their physical behavior is a perfect reflection of what they are emotionally or mentally feeling on the inside. The rider will have absolutely no question in recognizing what they are feeling because the thoroughbred will show you.

Other breeds such as Quarter horses are thought of as being more versatile because they tend to not known to physically react as "big" or dramatic as the more "hot" thoroughbreds. This does not mean that they may be any happier or feeling any better about a situation, they just tend to keep their feelings masked. Keep in mind there are always exceptions to the "rule." I've seen totally laid back thoroughbreds that look and act like a Quarter horses and vice versa.

The problem with any breed horse that has raced is that they have been taught to run no matter what. There are plenty of ex-races horses that with patience, time and training have found other careers after the track. But there are also plenty of ex-race horses that can never get beyond resorting to "running" or getting, "big" when they endure a problem or stress.

Depending on your goals, experience level and finances, it is the person's responsibility to buy an appropriately suited horse. Many of these "worried" ex-racers are bought and sold numerous times because their "price is right" and people end up eventually realizing buying a "cheap" horse has neither saved them money or time, nor does it suit most "average rider" needs.

The problem with the high turnover of a horse is that it is the horse that winds up paying the price for people's bad judgment. Many potential horse buyers are "hopeful" and tend to let their emotions affect their judgment. People also tend to have the "I can help the horse" syndrome, without realizing it could take years to reach the ideal relationship with your horse.

Be a responsible buyer and if you do not have much experience with horses, for both your and the horse's sake, find an experienced, patient horse that can help you learn in a fun and safe way.

Topic_Info: Desensitizing- Plastic Bag
Name_FullName: debi g
Website_Info: put in the subject
Location: internet
Date: October 14, 2007

I have been riding for 42 years. Have shown many horses. I placed 5th in the Nation in 1985 A system in Appaloosa Trail Sr Amateur Rider. My only reason for sharing that is so you know I am not a beginner at this. I train with a patient, persistent and a firm but kind hand.

My question is regarding my daughter's Quarter horse gelding and plastic. We can dress him in it, rub him down, throw it over him etc... without a care. We have been doing this for over a year. But each new day is like the movie Ground Hogs Day. He will go over after a couple minutes, but the next day he acts as if he has never seen it before. This does not work in the show ring.

I have tried taking him to different arenas and areas all over the farm. It always starts out the same way absolute shock and fear. Can you suggest something else? I know he could do very well in trail classes. He will do all object now except this one and if it's at the beginning of the class the class is blown. I would love to hear your advice. Thank you,

TEC Answer:
Thank you for writing. The behavior you describe in your horse is quite common and I will attempt to offer you some thoughts on why your horse is doing what he is. Because I am unable to see you work with him I will try to explain the "whole" picture and not just addressing his particular issue.

Horses are incredibly adaptable creatures. Take a horse that has never seen a cow, leave him in a pen next to the cows overnight, and the next morning he and the cows will be standing side by side. But if you take that same horse, after that same night, and ask him to move the cows around, the horse might become rather insecure, worried or panicked. So as long as you allow the horse on his terms to address the cows he did, but when you asked something specific, his brain was unavailable to "hear" what you were offering, and so his reaction was worry.

Most people are satisfied if their horse tolerates what the person is offering, but many never "ask" or "hear" how the horse feels about it.

We recognize when our horses are having problems, but rarely do we do anything to influence changing how our horse "feels" about what is being asked of them.

Take the infamous tarp- leave it in one spot, take the worried horse and walk him past the tarp numerous times until he "tolerates" the tarp.

You feel like you are starting all over. Why? Because you only asked your horse initially to "deal with" the tarp in one particular spot, and as long as he "survived" getting past it, you left him alone. Instead, why not ask him to change how he feels about the tarp. If he feels better or more secure or confident about the tarp, then it will not matter where you place it nor when, where or how you ask him to address it. So, how would I do to help my horse accomplish this?

First when we come near the tarp and he starts or as SOON as he shows signs of distress, I would ask him to stop and address the tarp.

Horses' natural defense mechanism and instinct is to flee when they are worried. So let's have him actually stop and look at the tarp. (You will be amazed at how many horses are worried about something but never look [literally] at what is bothering them.) Then depending on your background with ground work, you would ask your horse to address the tarp without being "led" you could either do this loose working him at liberty in a round pen (which I prefer) or with a lead rope (but not using it in a "dragging" manner.)

What you would like to assess is if you can you direct his brain, (as oppose to his movement,) to focus on the tarp. When he "tunes in" to the tarp, his curiosity will get the best of him and he will probably display the "suddenly" over confident (and lean in towards it) and then the "suddenly" insecure (wanting to turn and bolt away) behavior. Your goal is to build his confidence the more he addresses his fear. The more reasonable and "try" that he offers, the more you want to make him feel like he had done a great job. The best reward for horses that I have found is to give them a moment to just stand, relax and take it all in. Then they usually take a deep breath and let all of their feelings of stress out in a calm and quiet manner. They can learn that this is a better way to "diffuse" any worry, panic or fear, rather than resorting to their natural "brainless" reaction of running.

As you work with your horse and the tarp you will imagine that you can slow down time, so that nothing "suddenly" occurs. You will be watching for signs from his body that will tell you how he is feeling and what he is thinking.

Where are his ears? (They are indicators as to his thoughts towards the right and left.)

Where are his eyes? (Keep in mind each eye sees independently of one another and we want both eyes focused.)

How is his stance and weight distributed? (Is he standing square or with all four feet heading in four different directions in case he needed to "bolt"?)

How is the tension in his topline? (Is his neck and back shortened like an accordion?)

How are his lips? (Are they pinched and tight, moving like he is mumbling, or relaxed?)

How are his eyes? (Are there worry lines that look like "peaks" on the lid of they eye?)

How is his tail? (Tight, held at an angle, clamped to his hindquarters, or relaxed?)

How is his breathing? (Does he sound consistent, heavy, and tight in his stomach?)

Even if you think it may only be a "slight" concern, I would stop and continue to present my horse focusing on the tarp. You will feel like when you start he is going to consider EVERYTHING but the tarp.

Eventually you will help him narrow down his options until the only thing he focuses in on is the tarp. (This is where you will hear a huge sigh of relief from the horse. Many times they need us to "help" them find the right answer, not challenge them to it.)

Horse can be incredible at the lengths they will go to try and make something "work." The problem is people get greedy, the more a horse offers, the more the people want from the horse. This starts to create anticipation where the horse associates that if he "gives" or "tries" what the person wants, instead of feeling better about his effort, only more will be demanded of him.

But if he recognizes that the person's level of awareness and sensitivity towards his feelings is raised and that there is now a two way communication occurring, his respect, trust and level of try will increase. The more a horse's brain thinks about something and commits to it, the more relaxed his body will be when he actually physically accomplishes or addresses the task at hand.

This manner of working WITH the horse can be applied to any situation once it is clearly established that he needs to mentally try before he physically moves. Everything else will start to "fall into place".

There should be no difference in our goal or asking a horse to step into a tire, trailer, water, over a bridge, stand on a bag, chase a cow, jump a fence, or ground tie. If his brain is available to consider and try what you are asking, he will accomplish the task at hand.

My goal in working with a horse is for the long term, rather than instant gratification, so that no matter what, at any time, anywhere, my horse's attitude towards me is "What would you like?" This will make both of us feel confident in our relationship AND avoid the all too common "surviving the ride" syndrome.

Topic_Info: Slowing The Lope
Location: Oregon

TEC Answer:
Horses can very easily become patternized. This means that once a certain behavior, manner of interacting with them, or certain expectation of a type of performance is established, they begin to "automatically" respond without really mentally considering what their rider is asking of them. (Have you ever been in the shower and been distracted thinking about something else, when you suddenly stop and have to think if you already shampooed your hair or not?) They wind up going through the motions of a ride without ever thinking. The day you ask something "new" or "different" than what they are used to, is the day you start to find "holes" in their training and education. My goal when I ride, no matter what horse, no matter what background, no matter what the scenario is, I want my horse to ask "What would you like" This allows me to offer direction, influence their performance, and achieve that ideal quality ride because we are both on the same page.

Name: Terrie
Subject: Starting a Young Horse

Question: I have a 16 month old Paint that I have bounded with very well she
accepted the bridle and now saddle, but what age can I actually get on her
back.

TEC Answer:
Hello and thanks for writing. Horses tend to look big and strong at
a young age, but it takes a LONG time before they are physically mature
enough to ride. Each horse should be assessed as an individual as to where
their maturity is and when they are ready to ride. Also keep in mind that
educating a horse is a long term project.

In too many cases a person will "steal" the first few rides on their young horse. Then you
hear stories that the next time they went to get on "all of a sudden" the horse started to act
up. People tend to get distracted by the physical action of getting on
instead of focusing on where their horse's brain is. Your horse's
physical actions are a reflection of her mental and emotional state. Part
of the horse's maturity process is waiting for her to mentally grow up.Your horse
needs to be mentally and emotionally available AND participative
for you to get on. You want the experience to be a positive one so that she
has those "warm and fuzzy" feelings towards you and wants to participate

There is a LOT of preparation that should go into educating your horse
before you get on her for the first time. A few things to consider include:
having her stand quietly while you "fuss" around her, being respectful of
pressure, accepting your weight in one stirrup as you "hop" simulating the
beginning of mounting up, etc. She'll need to be desensitized to movement
above where the saddle would sit, around her head, sides, stomach, etc.
She'll need to understand how to respond to aids you present from the ground
which would be used to communicate when you ride her. You need to think
of getting on her for the first few times separate from what you might term
"riding her."

The first few times you may just get on and off a few times,
walk and turn a bit and then put her up for the day. A successful ride
should be "BORING." No stress, no worry, etc. Always stop on a positive
note. As she gets more comfortable and balanced with you sitting on her,
she'll tell you when she's ready to learn more. The "common" age for most
horses's knees to be closed and to be started is around three years old.
Typically they are ridden a few times, then turned back out until they are
about four years old. For me personally I'd rather take my time when
starting my horses rather than force a lot of them early on and then have
them become bitter and frustrated from being overwhelmed causing them to
break down mentally and physically later.

Name: Lyndsey
Subject: Head Shy Horse

Question: I have a 19 year old thoroughbred x who has become head shy since
I've got him which was about 4 months ago. Originally it was just his bridle
he didn't like, but now he won't let me halter him either. I have had his teeth
checked etc by a vet and all is ok. Just wondered if you could give me any
advice as everytime I go to halter or bridle him, he now puts his nose to the
ground and swings his head around to the side out of my reach. It was
actually easier when he threw his head up as I could hold his head down. I
would be really grateful of any help you could give me. Thanks ,Lyndsey

TEC Answer:
Thanks for writing. There could always be a million reasons why a
horse "suddenly" starts to behave in a certain manner. I would guess he did
not start this over night, but perhaps he showed more subtle mannerisms that
you may have not noticed. Instead of being distracted by his head tossing
(which is a symptom and not the issue itself) you may have to investigate
and "break down" the big picture to understand why your horse is doing what
he is.

Head tossing is typically a mixed sign of frustration and a bit of a
challenge. The challenge masks the insecurity he is feeling (if he is more
offensive rather than defensive he may be able to protect himself better.)
Because I have not seen you and your horse interact, I can only offer you
some thoughts and perhaps an alternative perspective in viewing your horse's
behavior.

The seemingly drastic "sudden change" in your horse's behavior is
a common occurrence between horses and humans. Many times we create a
relationship with our horse that is so attentive it can be on the verge of
overbearing in a horse's mind. The horse may appear calm and quiet and
interested on the outside but may be stressed internally with feelings of
doubt or insecurity. Were you ever able to work your horse at liberty or
was he only worked while restrained with a halter and lead rope or while
being ridden? If you were able to work him both loose and while on the
lead, was there a difference in his stress levels, attitude, willingness,
availability in his mind and how much "try" did he offer you? How much
interaction and what kind of relationship do you have with your horse?

Horses are wonderfully adaptable creatures and can rather quickly "get used
to" or learn to "tolerate" situations without acting aggressively or in an
ill manner despite their internal feelings. Their true feelings about
situations do not surface until they are "allowed" an opportunity and
freedom to communicate with a person. You'll need to create scenarios where
your wants to participate rather than tolerating you. At 19 he's pretty
confident in his opinions about people. You may have to learn how to
present things in a new and interesting way that will encourage him to trust
you. Right now may be the only opportunity that your horse has to convey to
you (by remaining physically distant) that he may not be feeling as warm and
fuzzy inside about his relationship with people.

Most people do not notice a horse attempting to tell them that he is having a mental
or emotional problem until the horse does something physically obvious, disruptive or
unmanageable. I suggest each day that you work with him, you approach him
as having a blank slate. This can be disheartening after all the "progress"
he made with his training. In my mind, I would rather have a horse that can
convey his honest feelings regarding his attitude towards me and work with
him towards making him "feel good," rather than force him to tolerate
whatever it is that I'm asking of him with no regard as to how he feels
about it until the day he can no longer "deal" with me and acts out
dangerously, reactively, or aggressively.

So how to proceed from here? Ask 20 people and you will get 20 different answers.
I would say you would need to get you and your horse into a "safe" place such as a round pen
(even if it's a bit ugly to catch him to get him there) and then start with a clean
slate. Assume he knows nothing (do not worry, his "training" will not be
lost or forgotten) but with the guidance of someone who can help you and
your horse work together, you will need to start talking "with" your horse
rather than "at" him focusing on the basic understanding of pressure:
spatial, physical and vocal. Under guidance someone can help point out his
body language so that you will begin to understand that there is a reason
why your horse does every single thing he does. You can then learn in a
calm, quiet and clear manner, how to influence your horse emotionally and
mentally, which then influences his outward behavior and attitude towards
you.

Name: Claudia
Subject: Anti-Social towards other horses

Question: Hi Samantha, I hope you have some helpful advice! I've read
books, talked to many, observed, studied, watched RFD TV, DVDs, attended a
clinic, etc., yet can't find an answer anywhere to what seems to be a unique
problem ... HELP! I bought an orphaned 3 day old Palomino filly in 2/05. I
cared for her and loved her like a Momma, feeding her mares match around the
clock until she was old enough to be introduced to solid food. From there I
taught her ground manners, and worked our way up to breaking her myself.
I've been riding her for the past 2 years, Western pleasure and on Trail
Rides.

My now, four and a half year old filly is a smart, willing, good
partner for me, particularly considering she's still young - - however she
is extremely territorial on trail rides and very anti-social to all other
horses. If any other horses come near us, along side of us or behind us on
a trail ride, (reasonable distances), then my horse pins her ears back, acts
extremely territorial, agitated, and anti-social to the other horses. My
horse has jolted as though in fear, and acts nervous when horses come up
from behind, or even beside us. She's not relaxed in any normal horse
traffic on rides, and has also kicked another horse once.

At first I thought she might be acting like this due to fear of the other horses on
rides. I thought this as a possibility because she was the only foal on our
ranch without a mare the spring she was born and ultimately pastured with
our brood mares and their foals. This placed her as the low man on the totem
pole in the pecking order, thus I've regretted since the possibility that
this may have been a factor in her social skills and development with
horses. Also keeping in mind she spent great amounts of time with me as a
foal vs horses as well. Maybe her early years retarded her social skills
with other horses, or maybe it's her fear of the other horses that might be
playing itself out.

I'm not certain, as I'm not a horse psychologist. I've also thought of the
possibility that she was being overly protective of ME, her "Momma-rider".
To my amazement, my Farrier suggested the sameconcept in his
thinking. Now what??? How do I break her anti-social, mad,
pinned back ears, overly territorial, protective attitude and negative
behavior to other horses on rides? I would like to enjoy the rides, and not
have to be concerned about a potentially dangerous situation?! Any advice,
suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated! Seeking Happy Trails,
Claudia

TEC Answer:
The first concept I'd like to introduce is that your horse's actions
are a reflection of her mental and emotional status. Most horses that have
a hard time interacting with others, whether a person is around them or not,
has to do with their own insecurities. Although your horse may respect and
accept you as the "leader" of her herd, she still has worries that have not
been addressed.

There are two parts to your question- the first is what is
she insecure about, and the second is even if she is insecure she needs to
learn how to deal with it in a "reasonable" manner. The reasoning behind
her worries are probably a combination of issues. She probably is a bit
anti social because of how she was raised, but it's pretty hard to "take the
horse out of the horse." You may have to try different horses with her to
find an "accepting" or less threatening buddy horse that she can interact
with. Also, even if she's been a "quiet ride," there is still a lack of
trust towards you when other horses are present. You would like that your
horse asks "What can I do?"

If she's worried she should feel confident to ask you for help. Instead
her nasty attitude and aggressive actions are a
reflection of emotional and mental frustration and she is using them as an
"outlet." The first thought that comes to mind is that perhaps when life
appears to you as "good" for your horse it may still be lacking a "warm and
fuzzy" or confidence building experience. You mentioned that she normally
rides out nicely. Not knowing how you work with your horse I'd ask if there
is any possibility of a patternized or routine behavior you and/or she have
together when going for a ride. If the location is a familiar spot you ride
at do you always mount and dismount in the same place, do you always head
down the same trails, if you are riding with another horse do you ever
present "unexpected" questions to your horse?

People and horses easily fall into comfortable riding behaviors
especially on a trail ride where most
people are looking to "let down and relax." Our horses may appear to be
well behaved and having fun until we change what they are used to, and then
we "suddenly" find a problem in our partnership. Even if your horse has
never displayed the extreme signs of stress, frustration and worry that she
showed when you uncountered other horses on the trail ride, does not mean
that she may not be carrying those feelings around with her all of the time.
The first thing I do read from all of this is that when she does reach his
"melt down" point she is unable to emotionally, physically or mentally deal
with a scenario- and she is not turning to you to ask for help. The second,
is that perhaps there are times when you believe your horse is okay and
perhaps she is not. This in turn means that there needs to be a
re-established level of clear communication between the two of you so that
no matter however minor or major an issue may arise, when your horse has a
problem, she should ask you how you would like her to deal with it rather
than to make decisions on her own, such as what she showed on the trail.