✪
When introducing any type of new equipment to your horse, use in- cremental and easy to understand lessons.
✪
Having the right equipment for the job is important, such as these hobbles with real sheepskin lining to prevent the horse’s skin from being rubbed. Hobble training is a lesson of its own in physical and mental restraint and self- control and will be benefi cial in veterinary restraint and in teaching patience.
individuality of each horse; in other words, know your horse and his learn- ing capabilities, including his emo- tional capacity!
CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE INTRODUCING HOBBLES ✪
School the horse in the same loca- tion until his response pattern is consistent.
PREPARATION IS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS Use only well-made hobbles that
are lined with sheepskin or thick felt. Manmade sheepskin lining on hobbles is really not adequate and neither are unlined hobbles. Provide leg protection for the horse, including several polo wraps for each leg and soft footing. Start the polo wrap above the knee, use a crisscross pattern with the polo wraps over the knee and complete the wrapping below the knee on the cannon bone. Use at least two wraps on each leg. You cannot be too careful with your horse’s legs! Deep shavings are a good footing for
If a horse has basic fears or be- havioral issues, it is best to solve these before moving on to hobble training or Tricks of Compliance.
teaching a horse about hobbles. Even if deep, sand is generally harsh and abrasive to the horse’s skin and can stick to the sheepskin on the hobbles and grind away hair and fl esh. We used
sand for our photo shoot, but not to train in! You will also need a 20-foot rope with a small snap on one end. The rope should be rather slick so that it will slide easily in the D-rings of the surcingle bellyband and not stick. Many tack stores and catalogs carry
an adequate grade of leather surcin- gles. If they don’t come with the proper bellyband, most saddle and leather shops can make one for you. The belly- band needs to have three D-rings sewn into it and it should also be lined with sheepskin. If you would like to order them from our maker, Beverly McCord, email us at
suesmonet@aol.com
HOW TO TEACH THE HORSE ABOUT HOBBLES Introduce hobbles by placing one
on the horse’s front leg and lead him around or if he is quiet, let him stand tied with it on. Don’t leave him unat- tended while introducing new equip- ment. It is a good idea to teach the horse to pick up each foot when cued before going on to ask him to give it with the rope rigging on. With the surcingle in place, snap the
12- to 14-foot slide rope to the middle D-ring in the belly band, run it down and through the left hobble ring, then back up and through the ring on the D-ring on the belly band and lastly, to your hand. Ask the horse to lift the left leg as you cue him with the tap of a guider whip and add a verbal cue such as “Give me your foot”. When he lifts the leg, hold it up with the rope for only a second or two before letting him put it down. Some horses don’t mind at all when the leg is lifted while others need multiple
continued page 72
T e bellyband for the
training surcingle needs to have three large
D-rings as shown. T e rigging supports the
horse while he is learning the balance required for moves such as the Bow.
70 June | July 2010 •
WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US
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 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92