Saucy Pet

Posts Tagged ‘stables’

Groundwork exercises are important but mostly straightforward and can be used when training either your own horse or a horse you are training. It is important to get these exercises right first, as this is how you and the horse will become familiar with each other and build a trusting relationship. All future training depends on first performing good groundwork exercises. It is important for your safety that your new ton-sized friend is taught to respect your personal space bubble.

The key to success in horse training is to be patient, persistent and to employ positive reinforcement techniques in every exercise you perform together. These are the 3 P’s of basic horse training that will serve you well no matter what level you are training or what you might be training for in the future.

1. Groom your horse. When grooming your horse you are actually performing an important exercise in groundwork training. You’ll get to know each other. Standing beside your horse, brush his back and neck. At this time it is common for horses to come around with their teeth and give you a little love bite. While horses do this to each other all the time, naturally they cannot do it to humans. Just wave your hand or push the head back to straight ahead position to discourage this. Horses have enormous teeth so it is important for your safety that you let him know that this is unacceptable. It’s important to stay calm and be patient. It will not take long for him to cooperate once he gets the idea. It will do you no good to panic, stress, smack your horse or get otherwise agitated. This will only set you back with your trust levels.

2. Lead your horse. With the lead rope in your right hand, walk beside your horse on his left side while holding the rope just below his chin. Step forward and walk slowly. He should not try to go ahead of you but should remain at your right side. If he tries to go ahead just walk around him to your left in a circle. Do this as many times as necessary. Be persistent. Use the circular movement to stay just ahead of him, where you should be. If, on the other hand, your horse doesn’t want to walk with you, stand slightly behind at his shoulder facing the same direction. Hold the rope close to his chin and push forward. Once he takes a step, praise him and use your positive reinforcement skills. When he starts to walk willingly, take your place slightly ahead of him and walk on. Never wrap the lead rope around any part of yourself – this is for your own safety. If the horse decides to bolt you’ll be going along and it will not be pretty.

3. Lunge your horse.This is a fantastic exercise which the vast majority of horse owners and certainly all horse trainers will use to teach their horse about what is expected. Lunging will teach many of the skills and commands, or cues, your horse will need to know when you’re ready to work him under saddle.

In a large open area (an arena works, too, if you don’t have a round enclosure) clip your horse to a lunge lead specifically for lunging. This will be 30 ft long (approximately 10m), much longer than the short lead rope you use for the lead exercise. Clip the lead to the horse’s left halter side and hold the lead in your left hand. Face your horse’s left side to begin, whilst holding the lunge rope. In your right hand hold a lunge whip; this is to guide him along. Now step to your right sideways toward the rear of the horse while holding the whip out behind him. The natural reaction will be for the horse to step forward. Make a kissing sound as you let out the lunge lead and follow him just behind and to the left. He’ll begin to associate that sound with “move forward”. As you’re turning and the horse moves in a circle around you, hold the whip slightly behind his hindquarters. You do not use the whip for hitting. You only need to wave it just a little to get his attention.

Move yourself slowly backwards to the centre as the horse is moving forwards. As the horse walks around you in a circle, stand in the middle with the lunge rope fully extended. Watch your horse’s hip area as he’s going round.

This is the perfect time to teach your horse to understand “whoa”. In a low, calm voice, say the word “whoooaa”. At the same time, step toward your horse’s head and repeat the word. Be sure to give him a neck rub with lots of praise when he stops. You will help him remember what to do through this positive reinforcement.

You can now change position so that you are lunging your horse anti-clockwise. It’s done in the same way, but with the lead clipped to the right side of the halter and the lunge whip in the left hand.

These exercises are simple ways to get you started when traiing your horse. Remember always how big and powerful a horse actually is. This alone should be enough to remind you to have adequate horse insurance in place should either you or your equine be injured. Safety and trust is crucial to your success in training ventures and in all future activities. As well as a loyal friend, your horse is also an investment, so remember to protect that investment against theft, accident or misadventure by making sure you compare horse insurance policies to ensure you are getting the best level of cover for both of your needs.

Horses are incredibly sensitive and it is important that they get the care and attention they deserve. It’s not enough to only provide the bare necessities like food, shelter and whatever healthcare your horse insurance policy will cover. Like humans, it is those little extras that they need to be truly at peace with their place in the world.

It’s best to keep your horse among other ponies or horses, as they are herd animals in nature and will need to have company. Your horse should see you, as his owner, as part of the herd, and preferably as herd leader. Your horse may give you signs – such as chewing or licking – that he sumbits to your leadership. The development of trust and a lasting emotional bond with your horse relies on you spending quality time with your horse. When this is achieved, it will have a positive effect on all areas in the horse’s handling and riding.

Horses are clean animals, so ensure that their stable/stalls are clean and warm, with deep bedding. A deep bed will ease the strain on their legs and joints, and of course, if they wish to lie down, they can in comfort, ensuring that they feel safe and secure.

It’s important to get the feeding right with horses. As they will be grazing outside during the day, horses should be fed little and often. Incorporate a variety of appropriate foods into your horse’s diet in order to provide a balance. Your horse needs lots of fibre for his digestive system, so lots of fresh grass or hay is essential. Grain is excellent too, but be careful of overfeeding this as it can cause an upset stomach. Water should be freely available to your horse. Water allows the food to ferment so it doesn’t become solid and hard in the horse’s rear gut. Regularity of feeding times is important for horses, as they do best when in a routine. They need to be fed at the same time every day.

Grooming your horse daily will show the horse that they are loved – they will enjoy extra attention from you which grooming brings. Make sure you do lots of rubbing, scratching and brushing. This is such an enjoyable part of the day for both of you. Grooming will also help to keep their coat in good condition and free from pests. Also on a daily basis you need to pick your horse’s hooves. They must feel comfortable on their hooves or they will become grumpy, not to mention that failing to take care of your horse’s feet will put him at risk of injury or infection which could cost you a claim on your equine insurance.

The happiness of any equine relies largely on exercise. Horses need plenty of daily exercise. Varied exercise will stop your horse becoming bored; you could include jumping and cross-country elements, for instance. On the other hand, also let your horse have play time. Turn your horse out so he can run free for a while in the paddock. They can then mix with other horses, play, and also have some quiet time to themselves. It is essential that horses are allowed to relax as well as perform training tasks, otherwise their behaviour can become erratic.

The above tips are just a few pieces of advice which can help you look after the physical and pscychological needs of your horse. For more information and to become part of a horse-lovers’ community on the world-wide web, please visit AFI Horse Insurance where you can read and contribute to our brand-new equine blog.

Training a horse can only start after you have first caught him. When you first attempt this you may be surprised at how frustrating it can in fact be. This step is of primary importance when training your horse. The foundations of trust are laid in this step. During each stage of horse training remember the importance of using the three P's - patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. Each step of horse training will involve the use of these three elements.

You will be more efficient in approaching your horse if the enclosure you use is of a manageable size. A round pen is ideal, but if you don't have one a paddock or other large fenced enclosure will work.

To begin with, use a casual demeanour to approach the enclosure. You should try hard to relax and remain calm. Don't allow your stress to enter the pen with you. Any stress or aggression will intimidate a horse easily, as in nature they are prey animals. This represents a possible threat and the last thing you want is for your horse to see you as a threat. Trust needs to be built between you and the horse.

Go in with the horse but not to catch him yet. This will happen in good time. Your aim for now is to familiarize yourself with the horse and more importantly, for the horse to become familiar with you. Walk inside and just stand around for a couple of minutes. Don't look straight at the horse. Predators eyeball their prey and stare into their eyes to intimidate them. A predator you are not, and your horse must know this. You must be seen as part of the herd.

Take a fork or rake into the enclosure next time and just tidy up a little. Check the gate to see it's in tact. Do anything but approach the horse at this point. The horse will approach you eventually and will want to see what you are doing. Horses are curious animals by nature. When the horse realises it's you again, he will come to check you out with a good sniff.

This first step can take a long time if the horse is unfamiliar with human contact. There are some horses who will not feel too shy and approach immediately. Either way is acceptable. The trust is built when you allow the horse to become accustomed to you in his own time, whatever time that may be. Patience!

Don't see this as an opportunity to grab the horse. Bear in mind that patience here is the key. It can take a long time to build this foundation for training and a lasting bond with your horse. Rushing this step simply will not work.

When the horse at last approaches you, turn your back and walk away. Make sure that you walk away before your horse does. By walking away first, you will indicate that he is not in charge of you.

Once you feel that you and your horse are comfortable in each other's presence you can approach your horse from the side. Walking slowly, remember to also have a loose and relaxed posture. Stepping sideways can be a good approach for a skittish equine. Go toward the side and don't stare. Glancing sideways, move towards your new friend. Never sneak up on or surprise your horse with the halter. What will you do to hang on to the horse once you "catch" it if it's frightened? Your mutual trust will be breached and you'll have to start all over again. You could also be seriously hurt. Have both patience and persistence.

When the horse allows you to come close, it's time for positive reinforcement. You should try to forget about training at this point. This step is about bonding. Simple grooming, brushing, scratching behind the ears, conversation, stroking along the neck area are positive reinforcement tools. This first interaction should be enjoyed by your horse. The two of you will now be ready for training.

A note on safety around horses:
Never approach a horse from behind unless you are very familiar and the horse knows you. A swift kick can connect long before you can contemplate moving away. Horses are much faster than humans, particularly if they feel threatened or surprised. Always approach where you can be seen.

Whether it is your own horse, or you are training the horse on somebody else’s behalf, it is always advisable to ensure that there is adequate equine insurance in place to protect you both should an accident occur during training. Horses, while very beautiful animals, are strong and powerful with the capability of delivering an incredibly debilitating kick. A good horse insurance policy will include third party liability, and it is definitely worth checking this before you begin with your training.

Horse riders need to remember the three p's - patience, persistence and positive reinforcement - when beginning to train a new horse. It is necessary to understand these basics before attempting to teach your horse to do what you would like. Following these basic tips will provide the foundations of a great relationship between horse and rider.

Let's start with patience, as that may be the most important quality in a good trainer. Teaching your horse anything new will always require patience. Horses in nature are prey animals and they are aware of this. Watch horses in pasture or pens as the sun is setting. If there are a few horses together - a herd - you will notice them group for safety. You may see them standing tail to head and side by side. This allows them to see from all directions as a team, lest a predator be lurking. A rider could be thrown if a horse unfamiliar with water were to rear up. At worst, fatal injuries could occur to both horse and rider. Your horse needs to learn the trust that he will not be put in danger, and thus it is important to use patience in training.

Horse and rider can develop a mutual trust and a confident partnership when due patience has been employed in training. It can come as a surprise to some that it is possible to reduce a horse's fear when presented with alien objects or situations. It may sound crazy, but to a horse the simple flapping of a shirt on a washing line could be enough to scare him. If you can gain your horse's trust through patient training, he will respond to your relaxed approach to the evil flapping laundry and will walk by without incident.

Great rewards may be reaped in horse training by displaying persistence. Repetition when practicing your exercises helps to build trust and confidence between horse and trainer. The ground work that professional trainers use when they begin training for horses and their riders may seem tedious at first look. Groundwork isn't really getting up there and actually riding, after all. But trainers understand that horses are no different than children learning to walk. A horse is like a baby and must learn the basics before he is ready to start being ridden.

For your horse to understand what is expected of him, you will need to be persistent and practice tasks together many times. Your horse will need to know just what is expected. When you bring out the tack, for example, he needs to know that he must always stand still for you. For your horse this is not natural. It needs to be taught, which requires persistence. Ensure that you are more persistent than your horse. You need to remain persistent, or else he will think that he can get away with resisting or avoiding you. Persistence could also be referred to as consistence.

The powerful tool of positive reinforcement should be used often when training your horse. Horses generally love to please; they should see you as the herd leader. Lifelong friendships can be developed between horse and rider where each understands their role in the relationship.

Positive reinforcement can be very simple gestures or words of approval, of making your horse feel appreciated. Horses are extremely perceptive creatures who can pick up on emotions. If you are happy with the way a training exercise is going, exude that attitude.

As a word of warning, it is unwise to try to train your horse when you are in a bad mood or stressed out. Your horse will sense your mood and may decide not to cooperate. This is usually more down to the horse's fear than to rebellion. The horse may not know you well enough yet to predict your behaviour when upset and could be wary of you because of this.

No matter what type of riding or event you wish to persue, it is the ultimate goal of the horse trainer to build a bond of trust between horse and rider. The basics are the same regardless of whether you choose English or Western style, or whether you will be riding for pleasure or competition. The 3 p’s principles – patience, persistence, and positive reinforcement – can be applied to any breed of horse for a successful training experience.