REGULAR FEATURE
TC Hi Al,
I have a horse that is pretty far along in reining disciplines. I’m riding him in a Myler bit with a small port which works very well. My problem is that when he canters for awhile, he tends to lower his head to the left and root on the bit. It’s almost like a tic. I’ve worked both reins, warmed the bit, worked one rein, but I cannot completely stop him unless I take hold of him and break him at the poll. He only does it at the lope, no other gait, and only after a distance over 100 yards on a loose rein. He never does it doing circles, stops or any other exer- cises. What should I do? – Reuben; Midland, TX
Al Dunning has owned and oper- ated AlmostaRanch in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1970. His expertise in all facets of equestrian events has elevated him to great success. Al and his students have won 32 world and reserve world titles in AQHA, NRHA, NRCHA, and NCHA. In addition, Al conducts clinics worldwide, manages AD Tack, operates Dunning Consulting LLC, and has recently developed Team AD International, an online train- ing program.
Al has won numerous awards for his contribution to various as- sociations, within the community, and for the books and articles he has authored. He was the recipi- ent of the 1996 AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year and was chosen as the 2003 NCHA Zane Schulte Trainer of the Year.
Over the years, Al has developed his multi-faceted business with a focus on the development of champion horses and riders.
Al married his wife Becky in 1971. Becky is a well-known horse show announcer, and co-founded America’s Horse Cares, a division of the AQHA Foundation, which focuses on therapeutic riding charities.
For more information about Al and his program visit
www.aldunning.com.
A
fter training horses for over 40 years, I am fi rmly convinced that proper collec- tion completely changes the dynamics of
your horse’s performance. I’ll explain this funda- mental aspect of training your horse by answering three key questions: 1. Why is it necessary? Some horses are built to have an automatic physical advantage when it comes to collection. Their conformation lends itself to being more compact and fl exible. Their legs are up under them, they move well, and they have a sense of self-collection. Other horses are loose movers, strung out, and feel like their front feet are forward and clumsy and their rear legs lack power. Either horse must be well broke to respond to a rider’s legs and reins to perform any requested task. The goal of collection is to aid a horse in the ability to understand and more easily be maneuvered by his rider.
Trainer’s Corner
Ask Al: Advice from a Master Horseman
Getting to the “Root” of a Problem and the Importance of Collection by Al Dunning
Hi Reuben,
Your horse’s rooting problem can be for a number of reasons. After you lope for extended periods of time without keeping a horse collected, anything can happen: he may be bored; he might need to be secured with a give-and-take rein to stay in frame; he might have bad teeth. If the bit you are using truly works properly and you have concentrated on softness, fl exion, and collection, this should be easy to correct. It sounds like arena work with two hands, checking your fundamentals, would be benefi cial. – Al
cues. They will turn better as the turning radius is shorter. They will stop better because the head maintains form while the rear end rounds and drives into the ground. Balance is a big aspect of collection. Once you have the chin pulled to the rear and the rear pushed to the head, your horse’s stride is more up and down rather than forward. Proper collection equals control. 3. How do I achieve it? This is not an easy task. We concentrate on collection from the early stages of training. Lateral fl exion is the precursor to vertical fl exion. When we break colts, we bend them with the purpose of inhibiting forward movement and teaching them to “give” to pressure. We give and take to direct, then reward a correct response. During bending, use your inside leg to create roundness and give. Rather than a straight pull, I use offset rein pres- sure, usually picking up one rein and pulling with the other. I have developed a technique of jiggling my hands to ask for a reaction prior to the pull. A constant hold is used sometimes to steady the horse and I wait for a soft response before releasing. The most important factor in this process is the
implementation of your leg. Simply, your hands control the front and your legs control the back. Without both, collection cannot be achieved.
I
2. What does it do? When a horse achieves proper collection, they are round, soft, and in tune with the rider. Because their body is more balanced, stable and compact, they move and respond readily to
22 September 2012 The Northwest Horse Source
concentrate on my horse yielding to leg pressure and basic bending techniques: backing with leg, two-tracking, and side-passing. Concentration with feel and knowing how much to ask in a session, combined with knowing when to release the pres- sure and reward, makes this work well. Having a purpose and a goal is mandatory, as is taking your time and being patient. Start getting collected to achieve greater communication and the perfor- mance results you have always wanted. NWHS
www.nwhorsesource.com
PHOTO: CHARLIE BROOKS
PHOTO: TED PETIT PHOTOGRAPHY
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