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Discussion on 2001 Tips | |
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 8, 2001 - 1:12 pm: While I know the fundamental objective is to stay on, there are times when we part company with a horse unexpectedly. Recently I saw a book regarding "what to do if" and the scenarios were rather extreme - i.e. you have to land an airplane, fall from a great height, etc.This tip is a "what to do if" your horse and you both take a fall and you are not able to fall free. I've had a horse fall with me mounted 4 times in my lifetime of riding - one very dangerous fall was when my mare caught a hoof and flipped herself on her side while refusing a solid jump - it was sudden and I was not free. As we went down, my mind went in to "slo mo" where I could analyze the entire situation. My left leg was going to be pinned over her back under her left side, my body was going to be off to the right side, near the hooves. My mental image was getting dragged or getting stomped on when she got up. A guardian angel whispered in my mind to lay my body on her neck. I did so, felt her whole body stiffen, exhale and relax as she was unable to move her neck. I'm sure this scenario met "the wolves got me" to every instinct my horse had. Luckily, my horse could not leap up and tear off - giving me the time to disentangle and separate. Both of us were dazed, fairly ok (I had a smushed leg) and able to pull ourselves together. So, this tip is - a horse needs the balance of its neck to regain its footing after laying or falling down. You may never need to keep a horse down, but an an emergency situaation, now you can. Cheers. |
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Posted on Friday, Feb 9, 2001 - 9:38 am: I'm going to submit a really obvious and simple training tip, but it's something that bears repeating:Teach every horse, rider and horse handler to lead, handle, mount, and work just as well from the off (right) side as they do from the near (left) side. I'll bet that the more experienced you are at handling a horse on the "correct" or conventional near-side, the more awkward you'll be when you absolutely have to work from the off side. Some examples . . . -- If you're trailering a single horse in a two-horse trailer, you should load the horse on the left so his weight is carried on the crown of the road to better balance the load. You may have to lead from the right to load him. -- When horses are stiff, won't bend, or fall over the shoulder when ridden clockwise, or difficult to longe to the right, it's usually because we've made them that way by handling, leading, longing to the left. -- Have you ever been on a trail ride where the only place to stand and mount meant you absolutely had to get on from the right? Boy is that tough for a long-time rider! -- If you've ever ridden one horse while leading another, and you're right-handed, you're probably more comfortable holding the reins in your left hand and the leaDrOpe in your right, with the led horse's head close to your right knee. What do you do when it's time to dismount, maneuver the led horse around to the other side so you can handle both from the ground? The easiest thing is to dismount on the right, so you're in clear control of both horses. Simple -- but lots of people don't do it. -- We reinforce the left-side habit for our horses and ourselves by tacking up and mounting from the left. (It all goes back to the days of right-handed cavalry troops who carried their swords on the left hip and mounted from the left so they didn't have to swing a sword up over the horse's back.) So train both sides of every horse and rider equally! (But remind them which is the "correct" side when you go to a show . . . ) Sarah |
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 14, 2001 - 8:51 am: Absolutely so Sarah - well said. I've always led my mare from both sides, have out of necessity mounted from the off-side on more than one occasion, frequently dismount on that side anyway. She is a smart girl who goes to my left side automatically when being led on the road (UK rules)and swaps sides as we go through the gate into the yard! What I'd also like to see more of is horses who are trained to stay where you put them!! Mine can safely be left in her stable with the door open having been told to "wait" until I give her the command to follow me out. Likewise I can leave her standing in places while I fetch her headcollar. It also comes in useful to stop them running off as soon as you try to turn them out. She will stand absolutely quietly with me even if all her friends are galloping into the distance. As a result I can safely take her for long walks in hand which is great fun and highly recommended for strengthening the bond between horse and owner.Going back to the subject of doing everything from the left side, my saddle fitter told me about a 2 year old show horse he'd been asked to find a saddle for. It had always been shown in hand (convention here means right rein circles only in the ring) and as a result the muscles on the left side of the back were massively overdeveloped to the extent that the saddle had to have a special panel made which was an inch thicker than on the right side. One the horse was broken to ride and had developed its muscles evenly the panel had to be removed and the original one put back on - all this cost alot of money!! |
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 17, 2001 - 1:00 pm: Training and Show Record KeepingDoes anybody have advise or useful tips for keeping training records and show records. I purchased a young horse and am ready to start serious training for the up-coming show season. My instructor said I should keep a binder and jot down pertinent training information, like schedules, preformance, etc. Has anyone else done this. What kind of information should I keep, and what's the best way to do it? My instructor will be riding the horse twice per week and said she will jot down how the work goes so I know what was done and how well. - Vicki |
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 17, 2001 - 3:35 pm: Victoria - get one of the little "cheap" day-timer type binders that come with non-dated pages and dividers. You can make your own divider headings (show, training, farrier, vet, worming, etc), and because they aren't dated you can date them as necessary. Refills are readily available as well. Places around here that have those things are Office Max, Staples, Sam's Club (equivalent to Costco), and places like that. |
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Posted on Friday, Mar 23, 2001 - 12:33 am: Someone asked a while back about teaching a horse to kneel down to allow the rider to mount. I don't know about that, but when I had foot surgery and couldn't "bounce" up from the ground, I taught my horse to automatically sidepass over to me whenever I climb up onto anything - be it a stump, a fence or the back of the truck - and kiss.Doug Mills showed me how to simply jiggle the reins, annoying my horse, until she happened to take a step towards me. Immediately I stopped jiggling, stroked her neck and praised her. We repeated this - when she did anything other than step towards me I just kept up the jiggling - and in 10 minutes or so, she had it. Now I almost always mount this way because I think it's easier on her and because at my age, I never know when I'm going to need it! |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 20, 2001 - 2:34 pm: Last year I purchased a 4 year old quarterhorse gelding of Skipper W lineage. He seemed very quiet and a perfect candidate for a trail horse. A month or two into moving to my stable, he began to try to bite me at every grooming session, or when I approached his stall to take him out. I used humane methods for quite some time, using my voice and showing him a crop in my hand. At one point I had to "spank" him with the crop when he got me. Riding him was no problem; once bitted he behaved properly. Finally, after becoming so annoyed at this behavior, and knowing that smacking some horses in the face, they can become headshy, I decided to try to give him a good smack in the nose when he tried to bite again. Believe it or not, it took one good smack in the nose and he hasn't tried to bite me since. He isn't afraid of me rubbing his head and ears. I've put a lot of time into this horse from the ground and he seems to have really bonded with me. It was a difficult decision whether to keep this horse after the first 6 months, since I had lost my mare the year before after 21 years of great trail riding and togetherness. My message is, if you have a horse that bites, don't be afraid to try my method. It might work. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 20, 2001 - 6:26 pm: Glad you found something that made your horse a safer horse to be around. I have rarely had to use John Lyons' tips on curing a horse from nipping or biting, but it works, as you found your smack worked. After giving folks at the symposiums the opportunity to share personal stories and the stories of friends and acquaintances who have lost major parts of their anatomy to horse bites (breats, biceps muscles, bottom lips from playing "kissy,kissy") he suggests using the three seconds after a bite or nip to make the horse think he's going to die. The rules are that you may not have anything sharp in your hands or hit around the face or eyes, but "go ballistic" with hollering or whatever to make the horse think, "I'll never, ever do that again!"What he said years ago at a clinic I attended, I'll never forget -- "You cannot hit your horse harder than his buddy in the pasture can kick him." After three seconds, just go back to the status quo and pet the horse and treat him as if nothing happened. If it's a choice between losing a body part or scaring my horse for three seconds, I'll opt for the scaring my horse. Holly |
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 3, 2001 - 3:22 pm: Show season, or not....most of us need to pull the mane at one point. Try this to save your fingers...wrap each finger joint with a small band of Duct tape. No more blisters and you still have the tips of your fingers free in order to "feel" what is going on. I learned this trick when laying a brick patio. |
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 3, 2001 - 3:28 pm: This really works.....if you have a noisy barn at feeding time..get yourself a waterblaster from WalMart and keep it filled. Once or twice down the aisleway with the gun held beneath a flake of hay or by your side when you approach with the scoop of feed. Tell the offender firmly to GET BACK....I give them the warning about three times as I get near the stall. If he has not stepped back by the time I reach the stall, he gets a good squirting by (to him) an unknown source. As soon an he jumps back, I praise him and dump in the feed. With quiet repetition, you will have a quiet, mannerly herd in a matter of days.This also works for the ones that want to paw the stall or at the fence. Just hold the supersoaker near your leg, approach and warn (again, I give the warning three times) then squirt. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 1, 2001 - 1:19 pm: Re: using duct tape to protect fingers while mane-pulling - we've used the principle for years, but use masking tape instead. You need to make a few extra wraparounds for thickness; but it's easier to get off your fingers when you're done & doesn't leave that horrid sticky residue all over your hands. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 1, 2001 - 5:52 pm: I have a tip about keeping turned-out horses cool in this stagnant humidity we have here in the Midwest in July and August. Quite by accident, but most fortuitously, I have recently discovered that my horses love the garden sprinkler. One day I noticed that the overspray from the victory garden was inadvertently landing on them and that they had both gathered by that corner of the pasture to enjoy the good of the light mist of water. The flies were virtually non existent and they went about their grazing happily. I moved the sprinkler just a tad further into the pasture and they absolutely love it. They will stand under the cool mist all day while avoiding flies and munching grass joyfully. Now that I have learned this little trick I think the girls are much happier. |
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Posted on Monday, Aug 13, 2001 - 5:19 pm: For anyone out there who hasn't tried Healthy Haircare Moisturizer on their horse's coat, mane and tail, try it. It is a concentrate and needs to be diluted with water. And, it smells good too. I've been using it for several years and love it. Your horse will not have dandruff or a dry coat with this product. |
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Posted on Monday, Aug 13, 2001 - 5:34 pm: Here's a training equipment tip.If you need "cones" for defining a ring or circle perimeter, or helping you to work deeply in the corners, or to lay out the "triangle" for a breed show - you can buy a set of 4 small orange soccer cones in the sports department of Wal-Mart for less than $4! Buy several sets and some stick on plastic letters from the office section and you can set up your dressage letters! Cheers. |
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2001 - 1:41 pm: Chris, funny you should post that (per a conversation with my trainer last night). Are they the soft type cones (like the ones used on the roads) that if stepped on will return to shape or will they break? She is looking for the soft ones.Carol |
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2001 - 12:11 pm: Hi Carol,The ones I got are labeled "safety" cones and seem pretty flexible. I think the soccer coaches don't want to lose players, either. Look in the sporting goods area, near all the different balls. Cheers. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2001 - 12:13 pm: oops, double post |
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 16, 2001 - 8:37 am: I bought my cones at Loews, they were in the plumbing department.....They are great. I like to expose my yearlings to different things. One will be showing in hand next week so I use them to make a triangle. I even picked them up and used them like a mega phone....to get him used to the loud speaker at the show. I am sure my neighbors think I am nuts playing announcer. ~Barbara |
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 18, 2001 - 11:33 am: God, I love that water pistol idea! I would like to know if anyone's tried it in a field in winter though... My problem is trying to feed grain in bad weather without getting stomped while pouring out the separate piles from the bucket.I'm afraid I find a noisy, whippy dressage cane is your only man... I will not put up with being pushed over in a muddy field and I find a quick wave without needing to actually make contact usually works. The water pistol would be a brilliant alternative though, with no risk of injury to horse or human... All the best Imogen |
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 21, 2001 - 12:57 pm: For those of you into Parelli Natural Horsemanship my suggestion is to keep a daily record of your progress as you "Play" the games.I have a Compaq iPAQ 3630 Pocket PC & the $20 program HanDBase. I wrote a database with this that includes 15 subdatabases for the Level 1 tasks that need to be completed. Each day, I keep my iPAQ with me & write on the screen right there with my horse. I keep track of the date, horse name, any problems, progress, attitude, plans for the horse & myself. This program works on any Palm Pilot or any Pocket PC if you have the program HanDBase. Best of all its FREE (I won't charge for it, just give me credit). If Dr "O" allows it, I could upload it here. |
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 21, 2001 - 5:08 pm: Hello Penner,You would be more than welcome. DrO |
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 21, 2001 - 7:11 pm: How would I upload to the site?Or should I sent it in an email as either a series of files, or (if I can get it) a 'WinZip' utility, & then the site administrator can post the file? |
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 21, 2001 - 8:05 pm: Ah HA! Figured it out (how to upload!) |
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Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2001 - 1:48 pm: Do you think the SuperSoaker idea would work to halt cribbing and weaving? Or, are those hopeless vices.... |
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2001 - 12:09 pm: This may be the long way to accomplish bitting a yearling but seemed to be very stress free for all.I bought a $16 nylon halter/bridle combo. This way I could put everything on their head and then slip the bit into their mouth. The bit is attached to the halter/bridle by a clip (like on the cheek peice of a halter). So it is very easy to put in and out of their mouth. I would attach the bit to the right side of the bridle and then put the bit in the mouth and attach the left side. With the clips it was a snap. See pic below. Now I am using a regular bridle as they have mastered the art of being bridled. ~Barbara |
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2001 - 12:32 pm: This is my yearling Perch/TB, Kabub, I rescued last year. This is his seconf time with the bit in his mouth.~B |
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 2, 2001 - 7:43 am: Training Tip- The "Silent Treatment"I read something recently that really struck me and I began to use it in my training with great success. When you ask for a response from your horse (while riding) and your horse responds favorably, stop what you're doing and stand quietly for a few moments. This not only rewards your horse, it also allows them the opportunity to process what just occured. Please note that you must stop pretty quickly, not after your horse has been doing something positive for 15 minutes. For example- if I want a softer lope departure, I will stop my horse only a few strides after I get it and let him sit and ponder what just happened. We have all figured out by now that our horses are thinking creatures as well as responsive ones. They absolutely will decide on their own what they will do and won't do. The trick in training (in my opinion) is to make it their choice to do what we want from them. The "Silent Treatment" encourages them to choose what we want by giving them the chance to "think it over." I have started this program about 6 weeks ago and while it seems like my horse and I spend a lot of time just "sitting around," we are getting a lot accomplished, and very happily too. |
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Posted on Friday, Oct 5, 2001 - 11:05 am: Does you horse know when she is doing good?I'd like people to consider this in their riding and training. Choose moments in your ride when your horse is working very well and responsively and offer her breaks. They need not be long, just a minute or two of stretch at a walk. Reward good efforts during your work with a momentary release of your "inside" rein and a small scritch rub of the withers and then continue. While a voice can be over used, too chatty and consequently "tuned out", a coo or "soft good horse" now and then can be music to your horse's ears. There is an old people management adage to "catch your employees doing something good" - I believe your horse would like to caught and told she is doing things right. Cheers. |
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 6, 2001 - 7:56 am: Dear Christine,I whole heartedly agree with your post. It took me a long while, but I figured out that most horses respond mightily when shown what it is that they can do to make things happy/easy for everyone (especially them). Punishment can do this, but causes stress in your relationship, as well as stress in their movements. Rewards work just as well without any side effects. Then couple the rewards with a firm insistence that the horse always tries. The only time I "punish" my horse is when I feel he's not trying or has generally "checked out," and even then the punishment is just enough to get his attention. On cooing to horses, what I do is use "that certain voice" when I'm grooming & massaging my horse and then replicate it when he shows me something positive while riding. I'm very careful to use the exact voice. His ears pop right around when he hears it and he maintains a nice soft feel. |
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Posted on Monday, Oct 15, 2001 - 5:06 pm: Hi Penner,What a great idea!! I have an iPAQ and would like to download the HanDBase program you mentioned. Will you please let me know where you uploaded it? Thanks, Julie www.geocities.com/cuttinquarters |
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Posted on Friday, Nov 2, 2001 - 4:04 pm: We recently went to a 2 day show - here are the things I took along to make us comfortable:Hay Hay net Grain, each meal & supplements measured out into ziploc baggies and labeled with horse's name, mealtime 2 water buckets per horse Bucket hook per bucket Stall guard Lots of screw eyes - used to hold buckets with bucket hooks and stall guard Small tool kit - includes large screw driver (can insert in screw eyes and turn them in existing stall holes), string, thumbtacks, 3x5 cards for posting emergency information on stall, bungie cords, double end snaps, WD 40, flashlight, vaseline (for greasing trailer hitch ball), hammer, nails, adjustable wrench, Feed dish Stall picker Muck bucket Fan in summer Blanket in winter Sweat sheet or cooler in winter Hose and nozzle 2 folding chairs cell phone walkie talkies to turn to show's channel or stay in touch with helper 2 leads 2 halters Saddle holder that hangs off a screw eye Bridle/halter holder that hangs on stall door Horse treats Lunging gear Riding gear - saddle, bridle, girth, pad, whip, etc. Show clothes Rain Gear Cold weather gear (we needed this!) Grooming gear (this could be its own list, but includes braiding stuff and fly spray) Sponge and wash bucket - damp sponge is GREAT for taking dust off horse's coat Saddle/boot cleaning gear for touch ups Helmet Hairnets, hair clips, mirror Checkbook and charge card for emergency purchases Snacks and water for human Change of clothes for long ride home Towels and soap if showers are available Wheel chocks for trailer if disconnecting Proof of memberships - copies of GMO and USDF cards for horse and rider, AHSA/USA Equestrian card for rider, USA Equestrian horse recording document, coggins Dressage tests |
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Posted on Friday, Dec 21, 2001 - 1:25 pm: This is a bit of a strange training tip - But here goes. People are often amazed beacause I have "potty" trained my horses to urinate in a bucket, and therefore I save a lot of money in bedding. It is relitively easy, to do. Most horses will want to pee when they are first put into the stable, so I start by approaching him and holding the bucket under his belly, I then whistle. Some horses are a little shy at first, but soon get the hang of it. I then take the bucket in every time I go to the yard to feed, after exercising etc, always whistling, and find that after a while, the horse gets used to it, and will choose to use the potty rather than pee on the bedding. They still obviously go in the night when necessary, but quite often, they hang on until the morning !. This is also a useful skill for when you are at shows, and you know how horses tend to be bursting for a pee, but will not go ?, once whistle trained, you can get the bucket out and whistle, and he will "go" for you. One note - I have not been able to train my mare to do this, only the boys (5 up to date have been trained). I think mares are a bit more shy about these things !!. Sorry if I sound a bit wierd !!! |
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Posted on Saturday, Dec 22, 2001 - 12:42 pm: Just a bit weird.I have two OTT's and they pee on command. So when I go to bring them in I whistle and make them pee outside. The other 2 horses have caught on so I have four horses peeing in unison..... I feel a little strange but I think it saves on the bedding/clean-up. ~Barbara |
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Posted on Saturday, Dec 22, 2001 - 1:03 pm: Now I feel like a dummy because I have never thought of training mine to pee before coming into the stalls at night. My TWH mare pees on command when I'm trail riding. Will have to see if I can get her to do it before coming into the stall - Would save a bundle on both bedding and stall clean up time.Cheryl |
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Posted on Friday, Dec 28, 2001 - 4:04 pm: Here is a useful tip for this time of year when your horse trailer may not be getting used on a regular basis. It is particularly good if you use your trailer to store extra tack and other horse necessities....To avoid mildew and humidity problems, I keep a container of Damp-Rid in both the dressing room and in the back tack area of my horse trailer. This product can be found at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc and comes in a blue and yellow plastic bucket. The product has a plastic seive which you fill with white beads which soak up extra moisture in the air. The water drains down into the bucket where is can be emptied. These kits are very inexpensive. Mine fills up and needs to be emptied every few weeks, but keeps mold and mildew out of the trailer very well. |
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