Page 32 midwest horse digest February 09
Issues from the Saddle
them but that advanced riders will be
very demanding and they have learned
New Horse that Turned
to prefer the beginners. It is not a good
thing when a horse learns that he can
act one way with one type of rider and
into an Outlaw
totally different with another. Ideally, a
horse would never learn to discriminate
by Julie Goodnight
between different riders, but the smart
ones often do.
When selecting an appropriate
close to his belly and dropped.
horse, the rider’s age, ability level, size and
Question:
I saw the day by day increase in is
personality should be matched with the
I recently
attitude. This horse began to nip at me when
horse’s age, training level, size and tempera-
purchased a
brushing him. What are your thoughts about
ment. Judging the training and temperament of
seven year old
new horses, abilities, age, breed, and
a horse is best done by an experienced hand;
black paint gelding with a quarter Tennessee
resources to help me become a better rider.
someone that has worked with literally hun-
Walker in his blood. This horse has many great
Freddie
dreds of different horses and can suss out a
qualities that include: loading, haltering, trim- Answer: Freddie, You always have to consid-
horse’s temperament and training with minimal
ming, shoeing, and standing still. When I first er a physical problem when there is a change
exposure to the horse. A lot about tempera-
purchased this horse, I felt like a bought a of behavior in the horse. You should have the
ment can be judged by a horse’s facial charac-
great horse. This horse has never shown signs horse thoroughly examined by a vet and check
teristics and breed or body type and an expe-
of bucking, or aggression. The more I rode this for saddle fit and physical or medical causes.
rienced hand with a keen eye can judge a
horse the more the horse became aggressive Once you have ruled out a physical
horse’s temperament in short order.
in trying to control me. This horse is incredibly cause, you have to look to the horse’s training.
I agree that it doesn’t sound like this
smart as most horses are and sought-out my It sounds like your horse has little or no
horse is going to work for you and it will have
weaknesses. I controlled this horse to the best respect for your authority. From the beginning,
to go to a very strong rider, which means you
of my abilities, but felt like everyday was a he has been challenging and testing your
may have to take a loss on the horse since the
challenge verses enjoyment. I realize I'm still a authority and has probably been having a
potential buyers are limited. Chances are, in
beginner and need training, but I never knew great deal of success. Even though a horse
the right hands, this horse will be good for
what was to happen next. has very good training, the temperament of the
someone. As you consider a new horse, find
Recently I rode the horse in a pas- horse must always be matched up with the
someone to help you evaluate any prospect
ture with my brother, another inexperienced temperament and skill level of the rider. The
and make sure you buy from highly reliable
rider. Everything went smoothly, until the ride easiest way to determine if it is a training prob-
sources. Try to get a trial period or a guaran-
back to the barn. This horse at the blink of an lem or not would be to have a strong rider ride
tee of some sort.
eye, darted like a bat from the south and was him and see how quickly he reverts back to the
We specialize in selling well-trained,
unstoppable. The horse was in a full speed trained horse that you knew in the beginning.
good tempered and highly reliable horses, and
run, and bucking with all his might. I was able Temperament and dominance are
we look long and hard to find mature, push
to hold on for about three bucks, until I decid- not really a factor of breed type, although
button geldings with stellar temperaments for
ed I was not going to be able to hold on too some breeds are much more compliant than
novice riders. These horses are worth their
much longer. I slid over his right side until I was others. Not all horses will tolerate beginners
weight in gold (literally) and we sell them pret-
and the mistakes they
ty easily. If you are diligent and patient, you
routinely make. A more
can find them for less money, but you’d better
domineering horse will
be ready to pounce on them because they sell
require a strong and
quickly.
authoritative rider.
The good news is that you know
Some horses will never
better now what you are looking for in a horse.
learn that there is a dif-
Move this one on to another rider and try to
ference between a
find something that you can start right away on
beginner rider and a
building your confidence, improving your skills
more experienced
and having fun, rather than a fight or worse,
hand, while others will
every time you ride.
learn that they can take
This is a long journey you are on
advantage of a less
and even with good advice, you are bound to
competent rider. Some
make mistakes along the way. Hopefully, you’ll
horses, by virtue of
make a better choice next time. Good luck and
their temperaments,
enjoy the ride!
will be downright dirty
outlaws when they can
Julie Goodnight has more than a quarter-cen-
get away with it while
tury of horse training experience. Her
others will always
varied background ranges from dressage
watch out for the rider.
and jumping to racing, reining, colt-starting,
Incidentally,
and wilderness riding. She communicates
there are also some
clearly with horses and riders in
horses that will take
any discipline and travels coast-to-coast and
good care of beginner
beyond to film her television show, Horse
riders, but run a more
Master, and to appear at horse expos, confer-
advanced rider through
ences and clinics.publications and websites.
the ringer. These are
Visit
www.JulieGoodnight.com.
horses that have
Julie Goodnight Natural Horsemanship
learned to appreciate
Training
TM
Goodnight Training Stables, Inc.
TM
that beginner riders
PO Box 397, Poncha Springs, Colorado 81242
won’t require much of
Phone: 719-530-0531 • 800-225-8827
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44