There are three examples ... a horse that
won't stand still for the farrier, a horse that no matter what pace the
rider sets, as soon as a trailmate picks up a canter, he's off like a
rocket, and a pleasure horse that spooks in the show ring at the ringside
distractions.
Despite the different circumstances, they all are horses that are not
responsive to the handlers signal or "cue." They are not disobedient, they
simply don't understand what is being asked of them; there's something
missing in their training. Once the handlers understand that this is a
communication gap, they can see the situation not as a problem but as a
opportunity to train their horses to a higher level.
1. FOCUS ON TRAINING, NOT TROUBLE
Start any training session by understanding that you are constantly
teaching your horse - every time you are around him, he is learning from
you. Your attitude and approach to handling any given situation make all
the difference in the world.
Unfortunately, the habit of focusing on problems rather than solutions is
deeply ingrained in human nature. If you see something as a problem, you
will be confrontational, and you and your horse will work against each
other as foes. With this attitude, any action you take will be
counterproductive and may do more damage than good. When you see a
challenging situation as an opportunity, you become nonconfrontational, and
you and your horse no longer oppose each other; you partner up.
When you concentrate on what you want your horse to do, you'll discover
that he does less of what you don't want him to do. You are no longer
trying to untrain bad habits, but are now improving on good habits.
2. UNDERSTAND YOUR HORSE
When a horse becomes distracted, he's exhibiting a perfectly normal and
honest equine reaction. He's not trying to get out of work, nor has he
launched a personal attack on you. He is simply uncomfortable with the
situation at hand. The horse on the trail being left behind is concerned
that he might not see his buddy again (herd instinct). We can't expect our
horses not to have these natural instincts, but we can teach our horses to
perform despite them.
Inflicting pain on a horse as punishment may stop what he's doing this
moment, but it does not contribute to his greater understanding. My method
is based on what the horse is really looking for and can understand - the
release from pressure. That is the principle of every cue I give him. By
my definition, the work "cue" means a signal-taught through a specific
training process, and given by the rider to the horse-to which the horse
responds immediately with a specific behavior, on time and 100 percent of
the time. The basic idea of a cue is that it is a mild aggravation rather
than a pain or a punishment.
3. IDENTIFY THE TRAINING GAP
Through incomplete teaching, the horses in the examples have learned not to
pay attention to the cues when more interesting or frightening things are
taking place. To identify the gap in your horse's training, start by
analyzing his actions, as well as your own, to see where communication
broke down. What were you asking him to do when he got distracted? Your
answer to that question identifies the incomplete or inconsistent cue. Now
you must work on improving it.
4. COMMUNICATE CLEARLY
Find a point where your horse will listen to your cue. Have a simple goal
"my horse's performance will improve, even if it's just to a small degree."
You'll see steady progress while preventing burnout. Once your horse
begins responding in a small way, increase the "excitement" - distance for
the trail horse, distractions in the show ring, etc. Practice these at
home.
5. CREATE A WIN-WIN SITUATION
When horses response correctly to a cue they are are experiencing release
from tension and pressure. There is no confrontation, no anxiety or
apprehension. Handler and horse commmunicate perfectly. Their partnership
blossoms, and everyone wins.
TEACHING THE CALM-DOWN CUE
There is nothing more dangerous (or harder to handle) than an excited,
out-of-control equine. Yet most riders' bag of training techniques doesn't
inclue a fast, easy way to relax a hyped-up horse. Many trainers recommend
circling, but it is not a universally successful method, and it leaves
plenty of time to get hurt. There is only one calming method I know that
works consistently-the cue for your horse to lower his head.
When a horse is excited, his head and neck come up and his muscles get
tense. But when his head is down by his knees, he can't jig or rear and
his whole body relaxes; it's a physiological response. When you teach your
horse to put his head down on cue, he learns that the world looks better
from that vantage point. This makes such an impact that some horses
actually learn to calm themselves by lowering their own heads when they
feel excitied or nervous.
To teach the basic calm-down cue, you'll need a mild snaffle bit and a
controlled environment (such as a round pen) in which to practice. Start
on horseback, with your horse relaxed and standing still, and then follow
these steps:
1. APPLY PRESSURE AND RELEASE
Take up one rein only, applying light pressure on the bit. Expect your
horse to raise his head (a natural response), but maintain your light
contact when he does. Seeking release from the pressure, he'll soon drop
his head. When he does, even if it's just by a half-inch, reward him by
releasing the rein pressure and patting him.
2. REPREAT THE REQUEST
When you release the rein pressure, expect your horse to raise his head
again. That's OK. At this stage, you just want him to drop his head in
response to pressure. To teach him to do this consistently, repeat Step 1
until your horse responds immediately to your lifted rein by lowering his
head that first half-inch.
3. KEEP HIS HEAD DOWN
Once your horse has mastered the initial drop, teach him to keep his head
down. Start by asking him to lower his head. But this time, when he
brings it up, immediately apply pressure on the rein, releasing it only
when he lowers his head again. Repeat this step until he learns to leave
his head in the dropped position, even after you release the pressure.
4. TAKE HIS HEAD LOWER
Now you can teach your horse to drop his head to progressively lower
levels. Starting from his original dropped position, apply rein pressure,
asking him to drop his head another half-inch or so. Repeat until he
consistenly drops his head to the new, lower level. Then start again,
asking him to lower his head another notch. Continue this step, working in
approximately one-half inch increments until his nose is near the ground.
(Note: The last six inches are the hardest.)
5. PERFECT THE MOVE
Practice at the halt until your horse drops his head to the ground as soon
as you lift a rein. When you feel him actively pull his head down those
last few inches, you'll know that you've changed his mind-set. He now
thinks that he wants his head down, not up, when you put pressure on the
bit.
6. TEACH THE OPPOSITE REIN
Once your horse has learned the cue with one rein, start the process over
again with the opposite rein, until he responds readily to your command,
regardless of which rein you lift.
Once your horse is responsive to the calm-down cue from either rein, raise
the distraction level. Teach him to respond to the cue at the walk, the
jog, and, ultimately, the lope. Get him excited (which you can do by
adding speed to any gait), and then calm him down, using this cue. By
practicing at home, in a controlled environment, you can safely prepare for
the raised adrenaline and distraction levels you and your horse will fact
on the trail, in the showring, or in any other high-stress situation.
MORE CALM-DOWN APLICATIONS
The calm-down cue has uses beyond its safety-valve function. For example,
you can adjust your horse's headset by putting the process in reverse -
teaching him to bring his head back up when you apply pressure.
With his head lowered, just pick up your rein and hold it. Your horse will
put his head down farther, looking for the release, but when there is no
release, he'll bring his head up. That's when you give him his reward and
release the pressure. Although it might sound confusing to us, it makes
sense to the horse. He learns to go toward the release- and you can change
the direction of that release in seconds.
By controlling headset, you can better control your horse's balance and
frame as well.
You can also improve your horse's ground manners by teaching him to respond
to the calm-down cue from the ground, using either reins or a lead rope and
following the steps above. The only difference is that you apply downward
pressure to the reins or leadline while you're standing. This is a very
important technique for training your horse not to rear, or teaching him
how to stand tied. It's also helpful in teaching your horse to put his
head down for bridling, clipping or bathing.
