Feeling If you fi nd yourself on an uncontrollable
horse, and you have passed your lead buddy horse, take one rein and disengage his hips until you stop. T e “correct” response from the rider will depend on the exact circum- stance, but bending him to a stop with the hind legs crossing over seems to be the best advice here.
GAIN CONTROL BY LETTING GO
One of the most diffi cult things to do
with a young horse out on the trail is to let go of the reins. I mean really let go. It’s counter-intuitive. As a horse tenses up, takes a misguided step or surges forward, a natural response by the rider is to pick up the reins to “control” him. You reinforce responses through releases,
and show peace by allowing him comfort. So, use your reins smoothly, fairly and get what you are looking for, but then allow him to ride “open”—without bit contact. You might have to pick the reins back up to guide his nose, but the duration of time without pressure on the mouth gave him the answer and is the equivalent of you saying “Yes!” Have faith in the teaching process. Know
Here, Moonshine startles from a move- ment in the forest. My initial reaction is to stay soſt and show him everything is fi ne. I avoid overreacting myself by not tensing up or yanking on a rein.
that releasing pressure is one of the most important moments a horse experiences. It shows him what to do, and how to do it. Constant pressures that accomplish nothing desensitize the horse to clear instruction and cause unnecessary anxiety. To improve your hands, practice various exercises such as serpentines and circles in the arena with soſt , open hands and teach yourself to let go. T ink of it this way: clutching the mouth is “muscling” him, while releasing when cor- rect is “teaching” him. Are you ready to take your prospect out?
Work on building that solid foundation of responses, where his mind is relaxed and he looks to you for guidance. Keep showing him that life with humans is fun and safe. Find a horse like Mr. Carter that doesn’t mind
Moonshine was ready, I ask him to trot for a few
hundred yards before set ling back down to a walk. He’s a
lit le forward, but comes back to me with ease.
T is is a result of transition
work done in the arena.
his tail being chewed a bit and follow him around. Pony the youngster until you are both feeling like a trail ride is a good thing. It’s an important “fi rst,” so prepare, prepare and then prepare some more. Safe riding!
As a professional horse- man, Sean Patrick spent much of his career in British Columbia as a mountain guide and packer. Sean continues
to use his backcountry knowledge and experience while training in Florida with his wife Alisha at Pioneer Trail Reserve. Sean’s book and DVD set, “T e Modern Horseman’s Count- down to Broke,” is available from
horseandriderbooks.com. Visit Sean on the web at
www.seanpatricktraining.com
16 | December 2011 •
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