The Rider May 2012

50/ MAY 2012 THE RIDER Who is Training Whom? By Faith Meredith

Director of Riding, Mered- ith Manor International Equestrian Centre

WAVERLY, WV—In a perfect world, every green rider would have a school- master horse to help them learn, step by step, how to stay relaxed at every gait, sit in balance at every gait, follow the horse’s motion at every gait, understand the correct aids, and, ulti- mately, coordinate those aids to influence the horse’s rhythm, pace, direction, etc. This “independent seat” is the ultimate goal of the rid- ing tree we use to build skill upon skill. The nice thing about a logical rider training system like the rid- ing tree is that it enables most riders to develop an independent seat. Their rid- ing skills progress to that point that they can influ- ence most horses at least some of the time.

In our perfect world, every green horse would have a trainer with an inde- pendent seat and the knowl- edge of how to introduce

skills horse-logically one by one. Whether you are on the ground or mounted, you are training your horse at some level any time you work with him. The nice thing about following a log- ical training system like the training tree (see http://www.meredith- manor.edu/) is that you work with your horse in a purposeful way. You groom, lead, go to the arena, mount, ride or what- ever you do with purpose. You may be showing the horse something he does not yet know, asking him to repeat something he is in the process of learning, or enforcing something you are sure the horse already knows.

We live, however, in an imperfect world. Green rid- ers fall in love with green horses. Budget limitations may restrict a rider’s choic- es. Things may start out well, and then a horse that seemed to be progressing well may hit a plateau or even regress.

rienced horse to keep in mind:

Break everything down into the smallest baby steps you can.

Remember that correct groundwork carries over into your mounted work. Every time you work with your horse, work on proper “heeding” and that relation- ship will carry over into your mounted work.

Teach your horse to longe. When the horse is comfortable working in a circle on a longe line, you always have a “comfort zone” where you can try new things.

groundwork. Go back to the last place where things were working correctly and start again there. Remem- ber to take things in baby steps.

Going faster does not mean you are accomplish- ing more. If you can only influence your horse with an independent seat and accurately applied aids at the walk, then stick to the walk for a while.

Understanding the logi- cal progression of skills that rider and horse must each master as they move up their respective training trees can help the green rider on a green horse fig- ure out the next logical step. Key to making the sit- uation work is that the rider should never ask the horse for more than she or he is capable of riding. Here are some things for the inexpe- rienced rider on an inexpe-

Anything the horse learns correctly and thor- oughly at the walk will carry over to the trot, etc. If you have a friend who knows how to longe horses, ask that person to longe you on your horse to help you develop an independent seat at every gait.

An inexperienced horse and rider combination may be able to progress suffi- ciently on their own to enjoy trail riding or show- ing at lower levels. Howev- er, to progress to higher levels, they will need pro- fessional help. Sometimes a green rider may find herself in a training predicament that is frustrating at best or dangerous at worst. Finding the right trainer to help you takes careful research. Inquire about the train- er’s philosophy. Look for someone with a logical, systematic program that takes horses through clearly identifiable levels. For example, do they start a horse with groundwork? Do they work horses on a longe line? How do they begin mounted work? How does training progress? Ask to

watch the trainer working with several horses at vari- ous training levels to be sure you can understand and follow the logic of the trainer’s system. Do not just take your horse to a trainer to “fix” a specific problem. Look for someone with a program that “fixes problems” by building a solid foundation of horse- logical skills that not only addresses the issue but also helps you both get to the next level.

be able to evaluate what skills you need to ride your horse effectively and to help you set appropriate goals.

When your budget is limited, a trainer who also wears an instructor’s hat can help you get the most out of your horse’s training. Just as a good trainer has a systematic plan for devel- oping horses, a good instructor has a systematic plan for developing riders. The trainer/instructor should discuss both short- term goals (like getting accurate canter departs) and long-term goals (such as competing in specific activ- ities). An instructor should

Again, watch a few lessons. Look for clear les- son plans and a “safety first” mentality. The stu- dent should have a clear picture of where she is in her skill development and what the goal is for that day’s lesson. The instruc- tor’s directions should be logical and clear to the stu- dent. Any directions should be appropriate to the rider’s skills.

Any time you work with your horse, either you are training the horse or the horse is training you. If nei- ther you nor your horse knows enough to train the other, get help. If you do not know how to build your riding skills logically in order to develop an inde- pendent seat, get help. If you do not know how to develop your horse’s skills logically baby step by baby

step, get help. If you do not know how to match your skills safely to those of your horse, get help. Safety should always be the first consideration whenever an inexperienced rider partners with an inexperience horse. __________

© 2007 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. Faith Meredith has successfully trained and competed through FEI lev- els of dressage during her more than 30 years as a horse professional. She cur- rently coaches riders in dressage, reining, and eventing in her capacity as the Director of Meredith Manor International Eques- trian Centre (147 Saddle Lane, Waverly, WV 26184; 800-679-2603; www.meredithmanor.edu), an ACCET accredited equestrian educational institution.

If you run into a prob- lem, back up. If you cannot maintain rhythm, relax- ation, and balance at the canter, go back to the trot. If your horse does not turn well at the trot, go back to the walk until you can turn accurately and correctly each time. Go back to the walk, longe work, even

Equine Guelph News - Report on Research Video & News Story Biosecurity with Researcher Dr.Weese How Can Horse Farms Practice Biosecurity?

Biosecurity in the horse industry can be a difficult concept to comprehend, and put into practice, especially when the average horse frequently travels off property or encounters horses that have been off the farm. However, lack of infection control procedures can leave a barn vulnerable to all kinds of diseases. Indeed it is an important topic to discuss with your veterinarian. This can include subjects such as: cleaning, disinfection, considerations to make when moving horses around and testing of horses when they become sick. According to University of Guelph Researcher and author of the “Worms and Germs” blog, Dr. Scott Weese, “Having a basic infection control plan in place is probably the biggest thing someone can do to reduce the risk of disease.” Weese goes on to stress, “It does not matter what you do with your horse(s), or whether you have only one horse, or a herd of 100, as an owner you should have a general idea of the measures you are going to take in order to reduce the risk of infection.” Weese has been working in the area of biosecurity and infection control for over 15 years trying to find better ways to prevent and treat infectious dis- eases with a strong emphasis on prevention including giving talks at Equine Guelph’s new biosecurity workshops and two week e-Session.

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Weese studies a wide range of dis- eases, one of which includes current dis- eases where the virus may change, like the Equine Herpes virus. He also men- tions diseases that spring up out of nowhere, like West Nile virus, and cau- tions even though the disease may first appear on another continent we are always at risk for new and emerging dis- eases.

Weese and Dr. Maureen Anderson of the Ontario Veterinary College’s Cen- tre for Public Health and Zoonoses have been tracking diseases and infections all over the world. For the last three years they have been posting helpful informa- tion for horse and pet owners, first with “equIDblog” and now via the “Worms and Germs blog.” Keeping tabs on emerging diseases in the area is valuable information when discussing the impor- tance and timing of a vaccination pro- gram with your veterinarian. This will help ensure the program is a good fit for the needs of your horse. Weese cautions that vaccination should not be the only biosecurity practice horse owners engage in.

Any time a horse goes off the farm and encounters other horses it has a chance of contracting an infectious dis- ease. A few ways to lower those risks include: avoiding nose to nose contact, not sharing water buckets and grooming equipment and avoid having people that are handling other horses handle your own horses.

This brings us to the topic of what to do when returning from a trip off the farm. Ideally a horse that leaves the farm and is exposed to other horses should come home to a quarantine protocol to reduce the chances of spreading infec- tions to the entire herd. Although this is not always possible, due consideration should be given to keeping the housing separate for horses that travel frequently especially if you also keep horses at greater risk of infection such as brood- mares or foals.

Weese was the first speaker at the launch of Equine Guelph’s “Beat the Bugs” biosecurity workshops and says, “These workshops are great for getting people thinking in a broader context when it comes to infection control and putting into practice the easy day to day steps which can reduce outbreaks of dis- ease.”

To view the Report on Research video on Biosecurity for Horse Owners go to:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL 9ACE18F9180735B1&feature=plcp

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