THE HORSE GAZETTE
training
imagine a horse
25 miles East of San Antonio off IH-10 • Seguin, Texas
A Steady Mount
By Suzanne De Laurentis and Allen Pogue, Imagine A Horse © 2009
BOARDING:
On the trail, if you willingly and obediently re- *until he responds with a small
respond to the flight instinct
• Stalls with 40-foot runs • 2-acre turn-outs with sheds face an emergency, a case of sponds to our requests- A horse movement or a step. Work to
may save not only your day but
• 800 acres of land available for range riding
tight quarters or jittery nerves that has been taught to use his achieve a reliable small step-
your life. We would like to note
(horse or human) a horse that reasoning powers and respond ping movement from each
that we don’t regularly mount a
stands quietly for mounting consistently to the highest of foot. We use the verbal cue of
horse in the Park Out position
Lessons: Training:
can save the day. Predictabil- his ability within the context of “Step” as we touch the leg with
but it IS nice to be able to.
Teach the side pass
• Riding • Roping
ity, adaptability and willing his nature and his education. the guider. Each horse learns at
• Horses Started obedience are traits that can be A horse learns trust, an individual pace so be patient
to the mounting block-Posi-
• Horses Available • Tune-Ups
developed in most trail horse builds his confidence and de- as well as clear in the requests.
tion the horse a few steps to the
prospects through Enlightened velops mental as well as physi-
Sales:
Trick Training. At Imagine cal dexterity in even the most
A Horse, we love to explore elementary pedestal training.
• Buyer’s Agent • Seller’s Agent
unique methods and opportuni- The building of a pedestal
ties presented in Trick Training or two is a small investment
as a fresh and fun approach to compared to the huge benefits
teaching useful behaviors-in of Pedestal Training your horse.
this case a steady mount. Specifications for pedestal
Pedestal Training is construction and ready made
a logical first step in using pieces are available on our
Enlightened Trick Training to web sites.
mold the ultimate companion Ground training that
Call Kyle Kelso at 830-481-7519
horse. By ultimate companion incorporates obstacles such as
horse we mean a horse that is cavalletti, jumps and pedestals
Credentials & Additional Information Available on Request.
trustworthy as a mount and a offers learning experiences to
well-educated individual that a horse that makes sense to
him both individually and as
a species. Riding patterns and
performing esoteric requests
have little meaning from a
horse’s perspective but nego-
tiating obstacles, especially
pedestals, speeds the learning
process because it is easier for
him to understand.
Linda Tellington
Jones developed early on in her
work a whole system of training Soliciting a move from each
side of the mounting block. It
patterns that horses were led leg separately is the founda-
is easiest at first if the horse is
through by the handlers rather tion that we use to teach the
facing a barrier such as a fence
than being ridden through. Park Out.
or wall. We always teach the
‘Relieved of the physical and Pedestal training can
horse a position from each side
World Champion with Jim Young in Amateur Aged Stallions
psychological pressure that include mounting a pedestal
and you may begin with work-
often comes with bearing the from any direction as cued, to
ing on the side that you prefer.
weight of a rider, the horse was go to a particular pedestal and
You may use either a knotted
Ryan Henderson, Reserve World Champion, Open Aged Stallions
better able to learn. The differ- stay (ground tie) until released.
halter or a snaffle bit and reins.
ence this made in speed and To be compliant in being sent
These instructions will be to
willingness to learn was phe- to a position or location and
ask the horse to step to his left
JMK Mega Fella, Owned by Jim Young & Cindy Garrett of Cuero, Tx
nomenal. Suddenly as humans then be obedient in staying
toward the block. Stand near
learned to teach by encouraging until released is extremely
the horse’s head on the oppo-
Terry or Ryan Henderson • P. O. Box 115 • Stockdale, Texas 78160
rather than dominating, train- important for a Trick Horse
site side that you want him to
ing sessions were turning from AND a Trail Horse. “Step
move to. Put the lead or reins
confrontation to fun’.* Up” or “Step Over”, “Step
in your right hand and tip his
830-996-3185 (Ranch) • 210-387-7115 (Cell)
The understanding Around”, “Stand”,” Park Out”
nose slightly toward you or to
of ground work exercises can and “Come Here” are a few of
the right. Be sure to restrict his
be maximized with Pedestal the commands that a polished
forward movement so that a step
E-mail: thts@the-cia.net
Training as a horse learns very companion horse should re-
or two to the side (his left) is
easily what is expected of him spond to.
the easiest for him. Put a guider
and also what is allowed of him. Our subject horse,
whip* in your left hand and tap
We often accept variations of Deano learned traditional ped-
him lightly and rhythmically at
Pedestal work that a horse may estal work easily and eagerly.
the middle of his rib cage and
Paddocks
offer and we will then go on With his feet on a pedestal, a
ask him to step over. A step or
to shape and develop the new place that he felt comfortable
two at a time to the side is good
Horse Barns
move. Pedestals give a horse with, it was an easy matter to
progress in a single session. Re-
a view and stance that is head teach him to ground tie and
ward your horse with stroking or
and shoulders above his normal remain until he was given a
a treat when he moves as you
Covered Arenas
height, which horses seem release cue. As a matter of
ask. As your horse progresses
to enjoy. Pedestal work also convenience (ok, the wow fac-
in his understanding of your
imparts a sense of accomplish- tor too!) we taught him to side
request, delay the reward for a
ment that can be developed into pass to either a mounting block
second or two before moving
the can do attitude that turns or his handler and stand for
to the next step which could
into a want to do work ethic. mounting. To target or side pass
be for you to mount or to give
Pedestal training appeals to to a rider on a narrow trail may
the release cue. The release cue
most horses because the pro- not always be possible or safe
that we use is to ask the horse
gression is clear cut to them. so in addition we taught him
to walk forward with us with a
Variations of basic to side pass to his handler and
verbal cue of “Walk with Me”.
pedestals that we especially then Park Out. Consequently
Even a few steps of forward
like are a multi-level Agility on a narrow or steep trail, we
movement serve as a reward in
Platform and also a two-tiered use only the Park Out request.
a schooling session. In Deano’s
pedestal set. As a horse learns to Most horses think this is a short
case we have conditioned him
negotiate complex stances on a cut to the usual sequence and
to Park Out to be mounted im-
pedestal, the handler may need are quick to comply. Parking
mediately after he side passes to
to help him position and reposi- Out is a standard and accept-
the mounting block. We delay
tion his feet. Most horses seem able pose for horses of many
his reward or praise until he has
to understand that the handler breeds. It is easy to teach and
completed the Park Out or in
is helping them. The simple in this case is used as a Default
this case the Default Behavior.
and passive act of a horse trust- Behavior. Default Behavior as
The linking together of several
ing his handler to help him to applied to trail riding would
moves in this manner is called
reposition his feet could be life mean a learned behavior or
a Behavior Chain-this creates a
saving on the trail. position that a horse could be
starting point and an end point.
When a horse is asked to assume either for our
A definite end point is impor-
“parked” on a pedestal is a safety or convenience or as a
tant as it lets the horse see the
Build Trust & Have Fun!
good time to teach him to move control measure for the horse.
proverbial light at the end of
or step each foot forward on Horses only respond to one
the tunnel.
cue. We lightly touch each stimulus at a time so teaching
A horse that is a steady
leg (both front and back) one a default behavior that a horse
mount helps to make trail riding
at a time with a guider whip will execute easily rather than
pleasurable. The Pedestal Train-
Allen’s training is
ing we use as a foundation helps
to mold the precision, obedience
fun for both you Portable Panels
and desire to interact as a true
Companion Horse. That’s what
Taking Tricks to the Trail is
and your horse...
Strong and Durable Panels
all about!!
*Guider whips are
available on our web site. They
and a terrific way to
do not sting yet enable the han-
For Cattle & Horses! dler to be direct with his touch
• Real Steel Pipe
build trust with your
without scaring the horse.
• No Rolled Steel *from the Tellington
Conduit
Touch by Penguin Books
equine partner!
• No Lightweight
Note- Instructional
articles for the moves contained
Tubing Conduit
in Trail Blazer magazine and
• No Conduit - Period!
on the entire education of the
20 pages of NEW articles!
• Near 100 lbs. each Trick Horse are available on
DVD and for download at www.
imagineahorse.com and www.
LEWIS FARM EQUIPMENT
redhorseranch.net.
You can contact Allen
$29 plus $5 shipping
Just 10 miles S. of San Antonio, Exit 131 off IH-35 Across IH-35 from HEB, Lytle, Texas
and Sue at the above websites or
www.imagineahorse.com
(830) 772-4300
call 512-264-0442

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