16
Nov. 19, 2009
HORSETRADER Miniature
Patience, perfect practice fix leads
By RAY ARISS /Horsetrader columnist
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0908B
804
H
EY RAY!: My horse only has a left lead.
Hey RaRay!
Whenever I ride him, it doesn’t matter
whether I go left or right—it’s the left lead
that keeps coming up! I’d like to show, so I need
Trainer Ray Ariss
to know what to do to get him to pick up his right
shares insight into
lead. How can I fix this problem?
— Marcia Hirschi, Claremont, Calif.
our “horse-human”
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relationships
HEY MARCIA: This is one of those things
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that you hope is not an issue, especially if
flying changes are in his future. You need to
for a lead under saddle (putting “meaning
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know that there are horses that, when you
to sensation”). There are numerous ways to
point their nose in a certain direction, will
manipulate your horse into a correct lead,
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pick up that lead cleanly, without question.
especially if you are handy and experienced
These horses are “hard-wired” to do it.
with horses. If you are not, take this next
It’s always nice when you can start with a
step. If you are looking for an easy and
horse like this, because all you need to do is
smooth transition for horse and rider, simply
associate an aid or cue with something that
add a rider to the mix while lunging. Allow
they do naturally. Unfortunately, this is not
the handler to ask the horse to produce the
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your case. Because I can’t see exactly what
correct leads without the aid of the rider.
your horse is doing, we will have to start at
Once that is not an issue, ask the rider to
the very beginning:
apply the appropriate aids immediately
after the canter. Later, the aids should be
First, turn your horse out into a small
applied simultaneously with the transition.
pen—small enough to chase but big enough
Finally, the rider should attempt to precede
to canter in. What you are looking for here
the aids or cues of the lunger, with his own.
is whether or not can change leads on his
r This should be practiced and rewarded until
u
o own when he changes direction. Make sure
the horse begins to respond to the rider’s Y
M
A
N
E
he changes in the back as well, otherwise he
suggestions without help from the ground.
is “cross-firing.” You can help him do so by
This technique doesn’t require great talent
chasing and kissing him up assertively from
or experience —you just need to stick to the
Insurance Source
behind. All we are trying to do here is to help
steps.
• Equine Mortality
him exercise and coordinate his weak lead.
You need to free lunge him this way until he
Sixth, now that we’ve (1) “set him up”
• Surgical/Major Medical looks comfortable and adequate at it.
to produce the correct lead, (2) labeled
it with an aid or cue, and (3) allowed the
• Loss of Use - Trainer’s Liability
Second, pick a corner in the arena to lunge
horse to succeed, we are ready to move on.
him in. It’s important that you work on his
• Care, Custody & Control
Remember: If you ask your horse something
weak side only, because he may need all the
before the horse has a clear picture of what
• Worker’s Compensation
energy he can afford. Transitions into the
is being asked, then you risk making him
canter or lope should be from the trot. It
• Farm/Ranch Packages
anxious—and you desensitize the aids!
may take a few attempts before you land that
1A
first lucky right lead. Once you do, try to
Next comes the Five Final Steps (A
• Liability and More!
keep it going as best as you can. Remember
through E). You can find these online at
• Home & Autos
we’re not trying to teach him to canter, we’re
http://bit.ly/HeyRay11!
809149-091
just trying to strengthen and coordinate the
Remember, practice DOES NOT make
muscles in his bad lead.
perfect. PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES
Third, you are now ready to do transitions.
PERFECT. Practice the wrong thing and
All this means is that we will give him
you will get really good at doing it wrong. 1-800-700-MANE
many chances to pick up the lead from the
Consistent, perfect practice only exists when
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trot correctly. We have moved from trying
you visualize, except during those occasional
to work and strengthen the lead physically
times when we get lucky. When this happens,
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to mentally clarifying how he needs to
that is the time to put him away with the
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think through this transition. This is no
hopes that he will think about it.
877 Noyes Rd. - Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
different than trying to compare gifted
His biggest break-through will evolve in
dancers to those who trip over their own
his stall, on his own. You’ll know how well
feet. The gifted dancer just dances correctly
your session went by how much better he is
without thinking, while the klutz needs to
at the beginning of the following session. Do
C
TRIPLE consciously connect a clear picture to his
this and you will both win.
ROWNARENAS
feet. Once he has this experience, we can now Marcia, many things are important, but
mentally practice this into second nature. how you prioritize is key. Having your horse
Specializing in:
Fourth, we’ll now hopefully have arrived,
feel you are on his side should be at the top
at least on the ground, to a place where we
of your list.
• New Arena • Round Pen Pads can simply rehearse what some horses do
Trust your instincts and stay safe,
Construction • Hot Walker Pads
without thinking. This process will take as
• Existing Arena • Drainage Control
~Ray
long as it takes. By this, I mean that unless
Reconditioning • DG Base & Footing
your horse is cantering comfortably without
Horsetrader columnist Ray Ariss, husband to
• Barn Pads Installations
an issue like any other normal, lunging
Pippa Ariss and father of six, shares his insight into
horse, you should not attempt to move it up the relationship of horse-and-human twice each
FREE ESTIMATES
into the saddle. Doing so will just put you month, in print and on
www.horsetrader.com. He
call Ron Johnson
straight back where you started. lives and trains in “Horsetown USA”, Norco, Calif.,
at his bustling Starbrite Riding Academy. Does
619/659-8318
Fifth, let’s assume your horse is capable
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of picking up both leads now, but doesn’t
your “horse-human” relationship leave you with a
788388-0901A
(Required by law on contracts over $500)
understand what you want when you ask
question for Ray? Just go to
www.horsetrader.com
http://directory.horsetrader.com/triplecrown ~ Serving California since 1990 ~
and click on the “Hey Ray!” section, then submit it!
horsetrader.com
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