42/ DECEMBER 2013 THE RIDER 20 Steps In


The Round Pen - step 13


By Russ Krachun Hello again my


friends, Russ Krachun once again to share with you my next couple of steps in my Discover “20 Steps in the Round Pen”. Before I start to explain our next step, I would like to talk to you about how some horses have been started or for that matter are still being started these days. Horses are started many different ways, some are started in the round pen with a whip to teach the horse to move forward, or started on a lunge line with whip in the round pen or may even be started with two people; one person hold- ing the horse on a lunge line and another person driving the horse forward with a buggy whip to move the horse to go for- ward. There are many other ways as well. I have also done some


of these things with my horses in the past, it is no secret my friends. One day I started to think about what I was doing with my horse and real- ized that this was not horsemanship at all, but I call it torchmanship or torturing my horse, just simply using tools to sat- isfy my desire and to please myself in order to succeed.


I have asked


myself what about the horse? What results or what satisfaction did the horse get when I tried to


teach him this way? Did the horse learn or was the horse just simply afraid? Why do we even use a buggy whip when we are teaching our horse to lunge? My answer is that it is fear of the horse. I often say as a joke


in my clinics, that the buggy whip is so long that you can fly fish in Montana. It is fear of the horse that causes people to use these whips and when they crack the whip to make the horse afraid and move forward and if that does not work then


of him. In another situation, I


have watched a movie of how people “break” a race horse. In this movie it showed three people holding the lunge line, another five people hold- ing whips and whipping them behind the horse to make the horse go for- ward. The poor horse was just trying to get away from these monsters by flipping backwards, falling down, rearing up and pulling back just to survive this ordeal. This stuff still hap-


ling the animal the hard way with no explanation and again with no com- munication. Please let’s stop this madness and open our minds and find easy and safe steps for both the horse and our- selves so that we can safely communicate and understand each other. I believe that we can


build a partnership with our horses and with peo- ple by working step by step. My idea with my “Kozak Horsemanship” is working step by step so the horse will understand


crack the whip on the hind quarters of the horse. The reaction of the horse is usually to kick out, and then he pulls the person around the round pen in order to escape from the pressure and becomes afraid of us. So in this brave situation the han- dler feels that he has suc- ceeded by making the horse to do what is asked


pens even up to today. Or you could also teach the horse to give to the pres- sure the old cowboy way by using the lasso in the round pen. The cowboy used a wooden post in the middle of the round pen and tied the horse to the post, so that the horse could not pull the person around and not escape. But this again, is control-


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and be calm and learn what we are teaching him in all of my steps, even if it takes longer. Taking the time is the key when I work with my horses. When the horse and I work in a calm manor, he learns what I am teaching and I will get the desired results that I am working toward. My Discover “20 Steps in the Round Pen” is the recipe and is the foundation to get these desired results that we want from our horses. Our next step is Step


# 13 First Pressure from the Left and Right Direc- tion. Remember before you start this next step that it is very important that you have finished each previous step suc- cessfully before we begin our next step. If you have not finished the previous steps completely your horse may react by pulling you around, or may jump on top of you, or rear up, attempt to kick you and not understand your body language. It is important not to create more mistakes and cause issues with your horse and make sure to com- plete our steps so that our horse understands the les- son in each step. You may ask why is it


important for us to teach our horse to give to the pressure from the left and right directions. When our horse learns to give to the pressure, you will have a horse that is soft and does not pull you around when you are leading him. A horse that gives to the pressure is better prepared for trailer loading when he is asked to go forward or when the horse is tied and does not pull back. The horse gives to the pressure when working on exercis- es on the lunge line or with confidence building exercises with flag, or bull whip, plastic bags, tarp, balloons, bells and more. This step, giving to the pressure will also pre- pare your horse when you teach him not to be afraid of gun shots working on the ground and under sad- dle. You can also use this step when asking your horse to lie down for you, by lowering his head, picking up his front foot and asking the horse to lie down for you. Also giv- ing to the poll and asking your horse to be soft and supple is also related to giving to the pressure exercises. We would not be able to work on fixing problems with our horses such as when the horse rears up or flipping back- wards or helping a horse that is not soft and supple in the neck or hind quar- ters without teaching our horse to give to the pres- sure. So let’s start to take our time and have patience and we will get the results that we want from our horses. What previous steps


of the “20 Steps in the Round Pen” will help us to succeed with this step # 13? It is step # 1, # 2, # 3 and step # 12. So, we do not have to crack a whip or throw a lasso in order to make our horse to go forward, or we do not have to lasso our horse and fight with our horse in the round pen. We have prepared our horse to go forward just by using our body and our voice language. We have taught our horse to stay still and not to run away and to respect our space, again by using our body and our voice. We have also taught our horse to stand still when we walk around the horse and


throw the lasso on him from different angles, and our horse does not run away. We have also built confidence and trust with our lasso. We can also walk up to our horse touch him with the lasso and tap our horse with the lasso from the muzzle to the shoulders. So, now let us put this puzzle together and get the desired results that we want from step # 13. It is very important to use a good quality lasso, not one that could choke or damage the health of our horse because the lasso will be around his neck. A high quality lasso will never become too tight and will allow you to release the pressure if needed, remember safety is important for both yourself and your horse. Start by opening the


loop of the lasso, walk to our horse, put the opened loop over his head, step back to the middle of the round pen and ask our horse to go forward. This is very easy you may say, it is because you have completed your previous steps completely by using our cues and our steps that we have taught to our horse previously. At this point, I usually ask my students or clients what they are actually doing and have learned in my Discover “20 Steps in the Round Pen” right now? My students reply to me smiling and without being upset and answer to me, we are lunging our horse. I also ask them, where is the buggy or lunge whip? And again they smile, and answer we do not need one. Unbelievable! This to me is my satisfaction! And you can only imag- ine my feeling in my heart that I have delivered my message to one more person who will under- stand these animals and have also reached into their hearts. So how will we teach


our horse to give to the pressure for the first time? My answer is very easy. When the horse is travelling forward, you will slide your opposite hand from the hand that you are holding onto the lasso and apply pressure by stepping one step back. Why do we have to step back? This is the pre


cue, remember the turn inside step. The horse will look at you and give to the pressure. You will eventually practice this by standing still and you will also practice this step at different speeds. You can also work at this when working with obstacles or out on the trails and more. Why do we have to


slide our hands? Again, we are telling our horse that we are coming and that something is about to happen and eventually our horse will understand. Please finish this step consistently and remem- ber to take your time. This is a huge step in the foundation for your horsemanship. Many people have been injured or even killed by horses that have reared up, or have run through the bri- dle, and have flipped backwards. This is not necessary, as we do not need to have these things happen in our lives, my friends. I feel that it is my


responsibility to teach you and send you my message through my “Kozak” Horsemanship and my Discover “20 Steps in the Round Pen” and to help us to build relationships with our horses. Enjoy working through this step and help to make your horse safe for both yourself and for your horse. Build Part- nerships – Step by Step Please visit our web-


site for more information about my Russ Krachun “Kozak” Horsemanship and please also join and like my face book page. Discover “20 Steps in


the Round Pen” complete 7 hour DVD set with actual footage is available for purchase through our web store at www.koza- khorsemanship.com Thank you, to my


readers and for following my Discover “20 Steps in the Round Pen”. Please share with me


your comments! Thank you Russ


Krachun www.koza- khorsemanship.com


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