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| Proverbs 15:3
(NKJ) The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the
evil and the good. "The Spartans do not enquire how many the enemy are, but where they are." Agis II, 427 B.C. |
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| Tim j Todd Cutting Horses |
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Don't ask for too much at one time It is sometimes very easy to ask too much too quickly from your horse. Take for example, backing. When teaching your horse to back up it is tempting to ask and expect them to take three or four steps back the very first time. Instead you need to start very simple. First just ask them to tuck their nose by applying light but steady pressure to the bit. You will want to keep your hands low when doing this. When you get the tuck, or even a slight giving in to the bit, release pressure and reward. When your horse will tuck with very little pressure then move on to the next step. Ask your horse to back by getting them to tuck and then by shifting your weight back and down in the saddle. (An added cue is to squeeze with your upper thighs at the same time that you shift your weight down and back) When you feel your horses weight shift back release pressure and reward. Again do this until they respond with very little pressure. At this point you can then ask for just one step. Once they are solid at taking that one step ask for two and so on. Remember throughout this process to take a little break from time to time by asking or letting your horse move out, this gives them a chance to relax and think about what they have just learned. This same principle applies to everything you ask of your horse. Start with the small things, reward for them, and build upon that. Your horse will retain what you have taught them much better and will be more accepting when asked to do new things. Reward instantly
The goal of all horse people is, or should be to have a horse that responds with as little pressure or cueing as possible. This makes it much more enjoyable for both horse and rider. The way to get this kind of responsiveness is to be quick and consistent in rewarding your horse when they do what you have asked of them. Usually the reward is simply the release of pressure or the stopping of the cue. Additional rewards could be reaching down an rubbing your horse or talking to them or whatever lets them know they have done what you wanted. In the above example of teaching a horse to back the reward for tucking would be the release of pressure on the bit. As soon as the horse gives to the bit you would release pressure. At first your rewards might be slightly exaggerated for the benefit of both yourself and the horse. As you and your horse progress though the reward may become smaller in appearance and sometimes even imperceptible to observers, but the horse will still be very aware. You also want the reward to come as close as possible to the desired response. This is called timing. The better your timing gets the more responsive your horse will become and the quicker you will be able to teach them new things. Once again, this principle applies to whatever you are teaching your horse. It should also be applied to things that you and your horse already know. In addition to this you should use as little pressure as you can to get the response you want. With less pressure and quick rewards both horse and rider will end the training session a lot less stressed and the next time you get together you will both be looking forward to it. Try it out and you will find new levels of responsiveness in your horse. Just go riding
once in a while
This is a small thing to do but I believe it is one of the most important. At least once a week you should take your horse out and just go riding. Taking time off from training is much needed for both trainer and the horse. If at all possible, and your horse is ready for it try to go for a ride outside of an arena or training pen. I know this may not be possible for some but the principle still applies even if you have to ride in the arena. The purpose of this ride is to just let your horse relax and not have the pressures of trying to learn new things or perfect others. Cover some country at an easy lope, or a high trot. This will free your horse up and the next training session you have will be much more productive. I think this is the problem with many of todays performance horses. The only time they get ridden is either training for their specialty or competing in it. And I believe it shows. These are the horses that have to be ponied into the arena or are rearing up in the roping box. They are sick and tired of what they are doing and they need a break. Give it a try, just go for a ride and you will both feel better. |
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