Breaking the Bond of
Buddy Sour Horses Part 2
By Clinton Anderson
at the barn. L
For horses left behind, safety should be your first concern. You want to avoid letting the horse run up and down a pasture and getting so upset and frantic, that eventually he runs through the fence or tries to jump it and gets caught in it. If you don’t want to take the time to correct your horse’s behavior, then I recommend that you put the horse somewhere safe, like a stall or a round pen, where the fencing is high enough that the horse can’t go through it or over it.
Make your horse hustle his feet
I’ve found the best way to fix this behavior is to make the horse hustle his feet forwards, backwards, left, and right. When a horse moves his feet, he begins to use the thinking side of his brain and will calm down and relax. Before you head out for a ride, set the horse that’s left behind up for success. If he’s in a pasture, chase him around the field making him hustle his feet again. Work him for 10 to 15 minutes and then ride off on the other horse and stand 100 feet away from the pasture.
Let the horse that’s left behind rest and catch his breath for five to six minutes. Then go back in the pasture and move his feet. Repeat those steps seven to eight times in a row, gradually moving farther and farther away from the pasture.
Soon the horse that’s insecure by himself won’t worry about being alone because every time the other horse comes around, he has to move his feet. Horses are basically lazy creatures and would much rather stand still and rest than work hard and sweat. You want the horse left behind to mentally get used to seeing the other horse leave and know that everything is going to be OK.
Rest is the reward part of this exercise. If you don’t let the horse rest when you move him away from the other horse, you’ll defeat the purpose of the exercise. You want the horse to realize that when his 8 March-April 2012 | Honest Horses Magazine
ast issue, I explained what to do when a buddy sour horse has to separate from a group of horses. This issue, I’ll offer advice for what to do when a buddy sour horse is left behind
buddy leaves, life is good because he gets to relax and catch his breath. When his buddy comes around, he has to work hard and sweat.
Consistency is your greatest ally. In order for your horse to not panic and use the reactive side of his brain every time he is separated from his buddy, you’ll have to practice taking him away from the other horse. You might have to practice this exercise every
day for two weeks before the horse doesn’t react to being separated.
When you’re dealing with a buddy sour horse, the most important thing to remember is to get the horse’s feet under control. Move his feet forwards, backwards, left and right and make the right thing easy—being away from his buddies—and the wrong thing difficult.
Practice taking your horse away from the other horses
About the author Clinton apprenticed under top Australian trainers Gordon McKinlay and Ian Francis. In 1996, he moved to America and apprenticed under Al Dunning before starting Downunder Horsemanship. Visit
www.downunderhorsemanship.com.
BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMEN OF CALIFORNIA BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMEN OF CALIFORNIA
Red Bluff CA - Tehama County Fairgrounds
Open to the public- FREE ADMISSION MARCH 30, 31, APRIL 1, 2012
Trail Classes: Enjoy the Backcountry fun!
TRAINERS: JERRY TINDELL BARRY KROHN
• EQUINE CLASSES • TRAIL CLASSES • PACKING CLASSES • GENTLE USE CLASSES • DUTCH OVEN COOKING • COWBOY CHURCH ON SUNDAY • KIDS ACTIVITIES • CONTESTS & TRAIL TRIALS • RAFFLE
• BEER, WINE, CHEESE FUNDRAISER • DINNER, DANCE & AUCTION
Learn what it takes to go into the backcountry or your own back yard and have a safe and enjoyable time with your stock, friends and family.
ENJOYING THE BACKCOUNTRY EXPERIENCE Red Bluff, CA • Tehama County Fairgrounds
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ADMISSION IS FREE• Events Include:
• Kids Activities • Raffle • Beer,
Dinner, Dance & Auction Wine & Cheese Fundraiser
• • Vendors • Cowboy Church on Sunday • Contests • & More! •
FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit
bchcalifornia.org Or contact Larry Shuman at (530) 527-8907 or
MARCH 30, 31 & APRIL 1 •
ENJOYING THE BACKCOUNTRY EXPERIENCE • Trainers: Barry Krohn & Jerry Tindell •
CONTACT: LARRY SHUMAN 530.526.0590
Lshuman62@gmail.com On the Web at HTTP://BCHCAL
IFORNIA.ORG
Red Bluff, CA • Tehama County Fairgrounds Events Include:
MARCH 30, 31 & APRIL 1 • Trainers: Barry Krohn & Jerry Tindell • Dinner, Dance & Auction •
Survival 101 for Kids LNT for Kids
Kids Kostume & Stick Mules Contests Animal Footprints Kids Art Contest Youth Iron Mule Packing
Balancing & Matching Bags & Boxes Wild Animal Encounters Stick Horse Obstacle Course
Dutch Oven Cookoff Odd Load Packing Contest Gentle Use Camp Contest Kids Art Contest
Kids Classes:
Youth Safety with Horses & Mules Leather Working for Kids & Adults Plan & Prepare for the Backcountry Trip with Kids
Gentle Stock Management Gentle Use of Campsites Gentle with Plants & Animals Gentle Concepts
Miscellaneous Classes:
Dutch Oven Cooking Trail Head Horse Camping Wilderness First Aid for People Trailer Safety Leather Working for Adults Miniature Donkey Demo
Contests:
Western Art Show Trail Trials
Gentle Use Classes:
Gentle Users Plan & Prepare Gentle on the Trail
Natural Hoof Care Legs & Leg Issues Colic - What is it? General Equine Health Equine Dentistry Saddle Fitting
Stock Emergency First Aid Animal Trail First Aid & Treatment US Marine Corp Packing Demonstration Predators
Livestock Poisoning Plants Manure Management
Pasture & Paddock Management Barn Yard Economics Livestock Law
Security & the Family Farm Grazing/Fire Suppression Farm Accounting & Tax Filing Environmental Pasture Management Breeding for Mules
Packing Classes: Packing 101
Packing 101 with Stock Advanced Packing Skills Odd Load Packing Highlines and Picketing Packing Knots & Their Uses Pack Saddle Types & Use Pack Stock & Packing Techniques in Wilderness
Equine Classes:
Navigation on Horseback Trail Maintenance & Construction in the Wilderness
Tools for Trail Building & Maintenance Crosscut Saw Use New JHAs for Region 5
Trail Classes:
Navigation Trail Mainte Wilde
Tools for Tr Crosscut S New JHAs
Equine Classe
Natural Hoo Legs & Leg Colic - Wha General Eq Equine Den Saddle Fitti Stock Eme Animal Trai US Marine Predators Livestock P Manure Ma Pasture & P Barn Yard E Livestock L Security & Grazing/Fir Farm Accou Environmen Breeding fo
Packing Class
Packing 10 Packing 10 Advanced P Odd Load P Highlines a Packing Kn Pack Sadd Pack Stock Wilde
Gentle Use Cl
Gentle Use Gentle on t Gentle Stoc Gentle Use Gentle with Gentle Con
Miscellaneous
Dutch Oven Trail Head Wilderness Trailer Safe Leather Wo Miniature D
Contests:
Western Ar Trail Trials Dutch Oven Odd Load P Gentle Use Kids Art Co
Kids Classes:
Youth Safe Leather Wo Plan & Prep with K
Survival 10
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