Tip of the Week

Know what makes a saddle fit your horse and he will thank you for many trails to come.

Small saddle-fitting problems become major when the horse is jumping or doing other athletic maneuvers.

If you answered yes to any of our quick-test questions on this page, you may have a poorly fitted saddle.

Perhaps you’re riding in the saddle that came with your horse or one that was purchased for another horse. If you’ve never determined if it’s appropriate for your horse, you could be surprised at what you find. Your dream saddle could be your horse’s worst nightmare.

It’s easy to become enthused about a saddle’s brand, seat, color or decoration and forget that you’re not the only one who’s going to “use” this saddle. Your horse doesn’t care if you choose black or brown leather or how much silver it has on it, but he does care if it’s comfortable on his back or not.

It hurts
When you begin to saddle your horse, does he often swish his tail or grind his teeth? Is he unwilling to stand quietly for mounting? Is he merely curious about the cinch as you pull it up, or does he try to bite you, in effect saying “Ouch!” Can he move out willing? Does he stumble often?

A saddle that doesn’t fit your horse can cause of all these things. Worse, it can even eventually cripple a horse. So it’s crucial to know what makes a saddle work well for your horse, how to achieve that, and how to recognize your horse’s clues that he’s either comfortable and or not.

Remember, a saddle can look just fine when the horse stands. The key to success, however, is finding the right saddle that offers your horse room between his back and the solid parts of the saddle so that he can lift and widen his back when you ride him, enabling him to engage his hindquarters.

In fact, when we talk about “fitting” saddles, we’re not trying to match the saddle to the width and contours of the horse’s back when he’s standing still. “Fitting” may actually be a bit of a misnomer. Think instead in terms of whether the saddle “works” or “doesn’t work” when he’s moving.

This distinction highlights a saddle’s true function, allowing a horse to move naturally, without restriction, while bearing weight. Think of it this way: If you were hiking, you wouldn’t want to wear a backpack that prevented you from bending down to tie your boot or made it hard to scramble over a rock outcropping if you had to.

The saddle doesn’t work
The saddle’s shape isn’t the only reason a saddle is comfortable for a horse. An unfit rider will affect how the saddle feels to the horse and he may carry himself differently to compensate. His back may hollow and become sore as he constantly attempts to protect it from a rider bouncing while trying to sit a trot. He may experience too much pressure on one side of the saddle or another if the rider is always unbalanced.

Sometimes, it’s the horse’s conformation that creates the problem. He may be obese, so the saddle perches on his back, or too thin so that even with plenty of padding, you can’t take up the space enough to avoid creating pressure points on his back and withers.

But let’s assume both you and your horse are relatively fit and don’t have conformation shortcomings and your horse has a well-muscled back that looks like you could ride him bareback without feeling his bones.

Simply put, a saddle works for the horse if it evenly distributes the weight of the rider and saddle while allowing the moving horse to use his back.

Problems occur when the distance between the tree’s bars, or points in an English saddle, are too narrow or too wide, or their angle, which is called the “flare,” doesn’t conform to the contours of the horse’s back as he moves.

Read the signs
Horses are naturally expressive animals, and as we said earlier, they can tell us if their saddle is uncomfortable. But we have to be able to correctly read the signs. Here are a few ways a horse might be trying to tell you that his saddle is uncomfortable or he has back pain that came from a poor-fitting saddle:

• Objects to saddling (tries to bite, dances around).
• Difficult to shoe.
• Cold-backed during mounting.
• Slow to warm up or relax.
• Resists moving out.
• Difficulty changing leads, collecting, maintaining impulsion.
• Swishes tail, pins ears, grinds teeth, tosses head.
• Undue sensitivity to being touched or brushed in his withers, back and shoulders.
• Inability to travel straight or use his back/hindquarters properly.
• Drops and hollows out his back.
• Reluctance to bend.
• Shortened stride.
• Dry spots on hair coat.
• White hair on pressure points, typically withers.
• Trips or knocks down rails when he’s jumping.
• Abnormal sounding breathing
• Apparent nervousness
• Reluctance to go forward

Uneven muscular development combined with poor saddle fit can cause problems in your horse’s back and movement.

The wrong shape, fit or placement of a saddle can create numerous back problems for horses. These often show up in their shoulders and withers (saddle placed too far forward, tree too narrow or too wide a tree); in their back behind the shoulder blade and along the spine from recessed and rocking stirrup bars; in the back down into the top of the barrel along side the spine halfway down the rib cage from narrow panels, a short tree, narrow gullet, or saddle too far forward.

Damage that occurs when the horse tries to compensate by changing how he moves naturally can include:

• Muscle mass loss or lack of along the back and top of neck due loss of circulation, a result of saddle pressure exceeding blood pressure and the capillaries’ structural strength.

• Unnaturally defined withers and shoulder blades, due to muscle loss around these bony structures.

• Tendon contraction, a result of loss of elasticity in muscles around the top of the foreleg and shoulders.

The saddle does work
Horses will also tell you when their saddle works. An appropriate saddle stays out of the horse’s way during his natural range of motion as he carries the rider. It should not interfere with the rider’s efforts to stay in balance with the horse.

• Even distribution and centering of the weights of both rider and saddle along the contours of the horse’s back muscles when the horse is in motion.

• The shape and width of the tree and panels provide clearance both above and to the sides of the bony area along the back, including the withers. The gullet is wide enough (a minimum of 2.5 inches), even under the back of the saddle.

• Panels that give, are smooth and have a large enough surface area to sufficiently spread the rider’s weight.

• The seat profile and stirrup alignment allow and encourage the rider balance when sitting as well as riding.

• A cinch or girth arrangement that doesn’t pull down from the front of the saddle.

Does your saddle work?
Stand your saddle on the horn or pommel and examine the panels (English, Australian) and underside of the skirt (Western) for uneven wear, size and shape. The panels should be even in size and shape and the skirts should show even wear on the sheepskin.

First, see if your horse already hurts: Check your horse’s back for tender spots. Stand beside your horse’s shoulder at the withers and press your four fingertips in a continuous line, exerting medium pressure along the long back muscles from his withers to the top of his hip.

Note the asymmetry of this saddle — one side is fat and the other skinny — caused by poor fit and uneven wear.

There should be some response from the horse’s natural reflex points along the back. But true pain reactions could be anything from mild contracting or flinching, muscle twitching, to severe sinking away from the pressure. Some horses brace their back muscles so they won’t move. That’s something to look for especially since it can be misinterpreted when the horse doesn’t move away from the stimulation.

Some horses will also flatten their ears, turn toward you, or try to bite. Check for bruising or tension that could be saddle-related. The key is to get to know your individual horse’s normal response to palpation, in order to spot when something is not right.

Bottom line
If you suspect your horse shows symptoms that his saddle may not be comfortable, try some detective work using these steps to confirm your hunch:

2. Check the saddle’s underside for structural problems, such as unevenly shaped panels or bars. Also check for signs of uneven wear, a sure-fire indicator the saddle isn’t working.

3. Is the saddle correctly positioned on the horse’s back? Typically, a saddle will settle to the correct spot on his back if you saddle him and walk or jog him a bit on a lunge line.

Measure your horse’s back over the top of the withers and down the spine with a flexible ruler (available at many stationery stores). Transfer the outline of those measurements to cardboard and compare the angles and widths to those of your saddle.

Posted 11-14-03

Safety During Deer Season

A hunter's wife insisted on going along one hunting season despite her husband's misgivings at her lack of experience. "I'll be fine!" she snapped impatiently, "I can hunt as good as you can!" So he takes her to the woods and sets her on a deer stand some distance from his. He no more than sits down when he hears a shot from her direction. He goes back to where he left her and as he approaches he sees his wife arguing with a man. "It's my deer!" she insists. "No it's not!" he insists. They go back and forth, it is, it isn't, and the woman is getting more and more insistent that it's her deer. Finally the guy throws his hands up in the air and says, "Okay, it's your deer. Just help me get my saddle off it."

This old joke illustrates a serious situation. Fall is the time of the year when hunters and horses often take to the woods at the same time. The news media tends to focus on the dangers posed by hunters to themselves and other people who use the woods with them. Hardly a season goes by without accounts of hunting accidents. Every year, we hear of farmers who lose livestock senselessly to hunters. The news media has done an excellent job of spreading the bad news because the usual reply to a fall woods trail ride invite is a quick "What about the hunters?"

When we look at the situation objectively and consider the number of hunters that take to the woods in any given season and compare that to the accidents that occur, we find that as a rule, hunters are as safe a group as most. In Michigan, my home state and a mecca for deer hunters 1/4 of the year, approximately 800,000 hunters buy hunting licenses. During the years I was an avid hunter, if memory serves me correctly, the number of accidents (not necessarily fatal but serious enough for news coverage) averaged about 17. This works out to about 1 in 47,000 which is better odds than you'll get working at a Speedy In-Out Mart next to an expressway in Anytown USA.

The bad reputations of hunters in general are caused by the actions of a few. Just as there are those who drive cars or ride horses carelessly, there are those who hunt carelessly with no regard to safety. They are the ones who'll combine alcohol with guns, just like those who combine alcohol with motor vehicles. They are the ones who say things like, "Didn't see anything, but I got two sound shots!". The results of these and similar actions by an irresponsible few are called accidents, when in reality they should be called intendents.

There are also those who see deer when actually they're looking at something else. If you want to see something bad enough you'll see it, and the intense desire to have a successful hunt makes a few hunters mistake other things for deer. A flash of white, a patch of brown, an arrangement of sticks, clumps of grass, and practically everything else have been mistaken for deer at times. Most hunters are aware of this "buck fever" phenomenon and will take care to be sure their target is what they think it is.

Now we come down to the basic question, would I ride my Chestnut, Palomino, or Buckskin horse in the woods during deer season?

Yes. But only after taking every precaution to prevent my horse (and myself) from being mistaken for game. Common sense tells me not to ride any color horse, like a Buckskin or Palomino, through an area where there are hunters behind every tree or where gunfire tells me there are hunters. Deer hunters can be found almost anywhere deer are found. Many deer are harvested in residential areas. During the fall of the year, unless you want to give up trail riding till spring, you may come across hunters on your favorite trail. Besides exercising regular good sense, there are a number of things that can be done to minimize the danger.

First and foremost, make your horse look as un-deerlike as possible by making him as visible as you can. Hunter's Orange has been shown to have the highest degree of visibility under the widest range of conditions. Some states actually go so far as to require hunters to wear this color. Get as much fluorescent hunter's orange on him as you can. At a distance, through brush and branches, horse ears can easily be mistaken for deer ears so get the orange as close to them as you can. Do that by heavily decorating your tack by tying orange ribbons to it. Hang the ribbons from every place you can find, browband, curb, stirrups. You can even braid orange ribbons through the mane and tail. You can convert a pair of orange colored fabric dog leashes for hunting season trail riding reins. If your horse resembles an orange colored clown, so much the better.

Make your horse sound as un-deerlike as possible. The reason farmers, wranglers, and other herders use bells on their animals is to make it easier to locate their stock. Sleigh bells serve to tell the sleigh's location to other sleighers in low visibility snow swirls. Hang a few bells from your horse. Bells on the stirrups, hanging from your cinch, horse's tail, bit shanks, or reins turn all the horses movements into tinkling, presence announcing, tones. Even the most inexperienced hunters know deer don't wear bells. Also, you'll want to talk to your horse, to the trees, your riding companions or even yourself. The human voice carries surprisingly well in the woods. After all, even the most inexperienced hunters know deer don't talk human.

Make your horse travel as un-deerlike as possible. Keep to the open as much as possible, if you have a choice between moving through a clump of brush or through an open area off the trail, choose the open area. Choose the harder packed and leafier portions of the trail instead of the cleaner softer portions. The resulting noise is greater, and since horses walk different than deer, their noise patterns differ, and the message you're spreading through the woods is "I'm too noisy to be a deer!"

The only deer habit you want to adopt is that of looking. Be on the lookout for things that don't belong in nature or are out of place. Locating these things will help you spot where hunters are waiting. Look for straight lines while riding, straight lines are not common in nature, these could be rifle barrels. Watch for metallic glints or other shiny spots, smoke from cigarettes, vapor from coffee cups and warm breath on cold days, anything that can betray a hunter's location. Don't depend on the fact that hunters may be required to wear orange to tell you where they are. The law may say they have to wear it, but they don't have to stay in plain sight while they're doing it.

Adopting a few hunting season trail riding tactics will go a long way toward insuring your fall trail riding safety and enjoyment.

One spring I was riding quietly in a nearby canyon when I came upon a herd of about a half dozen deer. My horse and I ambled quietly and within a few seconds we found ourselves surrounded by the deer who were nibbling on the brush, and who approached nearly close enough to touch. For several surreal minutes I enjoyed this unusual companionship until it was time to quietly ride away.

It's fun to be out in the bush "at one" in with nature. In other times of the year I might have been more anxious about blending in with a herd of deer. Fortunately in this instance it was not deer season and I was in fairly open territory and visible.

Every year riders and hikers are accidentally shot by hunters who mistake them for game. Most hunters are skilled enthusiasts who take pride in their mastery of the hunting arts. But in virtually every category of people there are those who don't possess good skill and judgement, are impaired by alcohol or other intoxicants, or simply don't care.

As a result, every rider needs to be aware of hunters whenever riding out in hunting areas, particularly during hunting season. One must also remember that when game is out of season, poachers may still be out there looking for something to bag.

The obvious first consideration in this situation is to be unmistakably identified as a horse and rider. As a rider, you should dress as hunters do; in bright clothes. A bright cover on your helmet or a bright hunter's cap (if you don't wear a helmet) is a good start. A bright shirt, wind breaker or vest can fill out your ensemble. Bright orange or lime yellow are good colors. Red also works in broad daylight, but many deeper shades of red can appear dark brown or black when in deep shadows and after dusk.

Your local hardware store should have orange flagging tape from which you can fashion bright "fly swishers" to attach to your horse's headstall. A couple of bright streamers attached to your cantle rings or rear saddle strings, and even a bright ribbon around your horse's tail can help some distant hunter distinguish you from that deer or bear he is searching for.

If you don't have a bright shirt, jacket or vest, you can fashion arm bands out of flagging tape and tie streamers to your pack or Camel Back.

Your dog will need a bright bandanna, or better yet, be left at home if the area is expected to be thick with hunters. If you will be out after dusk, wear something reflective and carry a flashlight.

Stick to designated trails. Most hunters should be aware of them and would rather be off in the bush. If you are riding in an organized event, don't wander off course on your own. Hunters will be expecting riders to be where they belong... with the group!

Hunters tend to be less active at midday and during this time the light is generally best to facilitate recognition of your bright colors.

If you trailer into or pass by a trailhead which is full of pickup trucks with empty gun racks, consider going somewhere else if you can, especially if you don't have bright attire.

Check with a local hunting supply or hardware store to find out what hunting seasons are currently open, where hunters tend to be most active and where there are areas where hunters are not allowed.

Some locales prohibit hunting on Sundays and holidays. If this is true for your area, these may be the best riding days for you. Don't assume that no hunting is allowed until after you have checked.

When riding in a state or national park or forest, hunting information is usually available from the appropriate headquarters.

Don't forget that bullets don't stop at park boundaries and poachers don't care where they are, so even when riding in protected areas, still do your best not to look like a moving target!

Proper preparation for adventures in deep bush country should include a call or letter to the appropriate agency responsible for managing the land. Even a good state road map should indicate if the area in which you intend to ride is a local, state or federal park, forest or preserve. In addition to requesting the usual information, trail map, etc., inquire about local hunting activities and see if the person giving you this information will note popular hunting areas on the map for you. This information should help you plan the safest routes, estimate riding times, etc. long before you arrive and will help prevent your stalling out in getting your ride started while you debate these issues.

As you enter the region of your ride and it appears that hunters are busy in the area, find out which season is open and where hunters are active. (Duck season shouldn't pose as much of a problem as bear season.) Good sources of information include forestry headquarters, fire stations, police stations, hardware stores, farm suppliers and any businesses that appear to cater to hunters. If the people at one of these specific locations don't have accurate information, they should be able to point you toward someone who does.

If you are concerned about your visibility and pass a hardware store, farm supply or lumber yard, consider shopping and making a purchase. Useful items include orange flagging tape, reflective sticky tape (for your helmet), a reflective orange safety vest, a cow bell and a flashlight. While checking out you can also inquire about local hunting regulations and where you are most likely to encounter hunters. You might also get some useful tips about some great places to ride!

It’s natural for your horse’s water intake to drop in cold weather when he doesn’t sweat as often, but his good health and digestion demands that he take in an adequate amount of water. Dehydration and, worse yet, intestinal impactions are common in winter.

As a general rule, your horse needs to drink at least one quart of water for every pound of hay or grain he eats. Most horses need to consume about 2% of their body weight in feed per day to hold their weight. For a 1,000-pound horse, this works out to be 20 pounds of feed and an estimated water consumption of 20 quarts or five gallons.

Water should always be available close to feeding locations, especially for lame horses and those who are more timid and less likely to fight for a spot at the water tank. Slippery ground conditions also tend to make the horses not want to move around as much, meaning a water tank placed in the vicinity of the barn is optimal. Horses having difficulty getting around or competing for water should be kept in an area where they can be fed and watered separately.

Hold the ice, please
Overly cold water and ice-covered water are unappealing in frigid weather, especially if your horse is fighting any gum or tooth problems. If you can keep your horse’s water heated, great. Perhaps you can add hot water to the horse’s bucket several times a day to keep it at a more appetizing temperature. If that’s not possible either, at least make sure the horse’s water supply is in a location where it won’t freeze over or, if it does, where the ice will be chopped through at regular intervals. Placing tubs in direct sunlight can help.

Encouraging an extra drink
A horse can begin to show colic as soon as 24 hours after a significant drop in water consumption. Adding an ounce of plain table salt (1 oz. = 2 tablespoons) per day to the horse’s feed will encourage good water consumption and is a good routine during the winter.

You can also get a little extra water into the horse, and give both of you a warm, fuzzy feeling, by feeding mashes. Beet pulp is the best choice because it holds the most water, soaking up to as much as four times its original volume. It’s also easier on the digestive tract than straight bran mashes. A mash made by mixing 2 oz. of rice bran or 3 oz .of wheat bran with every pound of beet pulp (dry weight of the ingredients) will be tasty, have a balanced-mineral profile and provides as many calories pound per pound as oats. Add warm water to cover the dry feed, and let it sit until the water is soaked up by the bran or pulp. This should take 10 to 15 minutes. Feed when it’s at a lukewarm temperature.

Exercises for leg strength and flexibility

Start Sensibly
Talk to your physician, tell him the level of riding activity that you hope to enjoy and get his opinion. Ask him for a conditioning routine for you if you have any health problems that may come into consideration with increased activity. LSD (long slow distance) is as good for human conditioning, as it is for your mount. Take it easy and gradually build up the time or distance you perform any conditioning activity.

Exercise 1 - Hamstring Stretch
Stand on a step, with the ball of your foot on the step and your heel extended over the edge. Hold onto a rail or wall for stability. Push your heels down slowly, below the level of the step. SLOWLY bring them up to level and continue until you are standing on your toes. Repeat for 5 repetitions as often as possible.

Exercise 2 - Hip Flex
Lie on the floor, belly up, with hands under your hips to support your lower back. Raise your legs a few inches off the floor, pause, lower to just above the floor without letting your heels touch, until you have completed at least 5 reps. Work your way up to 50 repetitions. Beginners may prefer to raise one leg at a time as this puts less stress on your lower back.

Exercise 3 - Extension Step-Ups
As simple as “Step up, step down”. All you need is a stair, step-stool or sturdy box and you are in business. For more effect, add ankle weights for gravity resistance. Start with 5 reps per leg and move up to 100 or more.

Exercise 4 - Squats
Stand with feet pointed out at about 45 degrees at shoulder width, squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Don't let your knees project beyond your toes - to avoid excessive force on your knees, which can lead to injury - they should be over your ankles. Keep your back vertical / your weight supported by your hips, not your back. Extend your arms, or lean back against a wall, as you slide up/and/down, to help maintain balance. As you straighten up (extend), push from the heels. Don't do squats with your heels raised, as that pretty much insures an improper knee position.

Exercise 5 - "Thigh Master" Ball
This one requires a piece of equipment / a beach ball. Put it between your knees, and try to pop it. You can do this while sitting, standing or laying down. Hold for the count of 10, repeating for 5 reps in the beginning, on up to 50 reps.

Exercise 6 -Astride jumps
Stand with feet together - knees slightly bent. Bounce on your toes to move your feet out to each side, to about shoulder width apart. Then, bounce on the toes and bring the feet together again, repeat 5 times, working up to 50 reps.

We tend to think of stopping the horse as a single action. But it’s really a byproduct.

Rest periods after a stop allow the horse to stand and relax and to recognize that a stop cue is a good thing.

No question about it. When we pull back on the reins, we want our horse’s feet to stop. But often, they don’t. So then what are we to do? We can try pulling harder, but that has limited success. And we can try a harsher bit, but we don’t like causing our horse pain.

The good news is that there’s more than one way to get a horse to stop his feet. In fact, there are at least five ways. They take a little practice to be able to coordinate, but by the time you have the technique down pat, you’ll find that your horse’s braking response time has also improved.

Let’s establish this fact up front: There is no mechanical brake that you can apply. The horse has to stop his own feet. So your rein is just a signal that tells him to stop. But if the horse is excited or has a lot of momentum, it’s really hard for him to stop. So you have to make it easier for him to stop, and you have to convince him that stopping is worth the effort.

Imagine yourself in the dentist’s chair. If you think that something’s going to hurt, do you automatically relax? I don’t think so. In fact, you tense up. If you were running and the dentist was chasing you, telling you that “this won’t hurt” (use your imagination), would you run faster or slow down? You’d get out of Dodge, and fast.

When our horse is going faster than we want, his mind has a lot of static that makes it hard for him to “hear” us. So being able to control the horse even when his instincts are to run requires several things:

We can’t just meet his speed with force and get the response we want. That’s why jerking on the reins and yelling at the horse gets poor results. The horse gets upset.

Pain is a motivator, but it’s a poor one. When we cause the horse’s mouth to hurt, he has a hard time thinking about his feet. If he’s experienced relief from his pain after he’s stopped his feet in the past, then harsh use of a bit might be effective in an isolated situation. But it might also cause the horse to raise his head so high that he can’t see where he’s going, or to panic and become totally uncontrollable. It takes a tremendous decision on the horse’s part to stop in spite of his excitement, fear and pain. Everything inside him tells him to flee, but he recognizes somehow that running won’t help.

We don’t want to ever put our horse in that position. Not only do we never want to hurt him, we don’t want to train on that basis. And we don’t want to endanger ourselves or him. The first rule of training is that we can’t get hurt. The second is that the horse can’t get hurt. And the third is that the horse must be calmer (not exhausted or defeated) at the end of the lesson than at the beginning. So the severe bit or harsh use of a milder bit gets ruled out on all three counts.

So what’s our option? If you clocked a car driving 60 mph come to a stop, you’d see that there were stages. It would slow to 50, then 40, then 30 and so forth. Eventually the car would stop. How many seconds that process took might depend on the driver, the condition of the brakes and the road. It’s that way with our horses, too. We have to recognize that slowdown is a part of stop. So if we can get our horse to slow his feet, we can also get him to stop.

1.) Change Direction
If you’re riding north and then turn 180 degrees to head south, you are no longer riding north. That sounds obvious, but when you’re talking about figuring out how to control your horse and his speed, sometimes obvious solutions escape us. Your horse can’t turn at the same speed he runs. Imagine speed swimmers. They have to work at not losing speed when they turn to do the next lap.

Notice that as Zip prepares to turn, one hind foot stops.

As you pick up one rein and get the horse to turn, he’ll automatically slow his feet. Even if he speeds up again when he straightens out, you’ve had a momentary slowdown. You can develop that.

You may have been told to ride the horse in a circle to slow him down. Sometimes that works, but it’s not usually effective because he never gets a release of the reins. Not only that, he doesn’t have to slow his feet to circle, and nothing actually interrupts his momentum. He often gets more and more off balance, usually leaning against the reins at the same time. It’s better than letting him run in a totally straight line, but no where as effective as making a direction change.

2.) Move the Hip
The horse’s power is really in his hindquarters. As long as he’s relatively straight, his hindquarters can push his front end along. But if you can offset his hindquarters, it will feel as if you took your foot off the gas. The horse can still move forward, but he’s lost a lot of the push.

Try the same exercises you see me doing in the photos. When your hands are in front of your shoulders, you have lots more pushing power than when they’re offset. When the horse’s hind feet line up behind his front ones, he can push harder than when his hind feet are offset.

Here’s something that very few people recognize. There are many ways to turn a horse, but few people think about turning the horse from the back end. If you can get the horse to step one hind foot in front of the other, the whole horse is going to turn. The front feet take care of themselves.

So you can use “move the hip” to help you make the turn that we talked about earlier. Moving the hip sets the horse up to be much easier to turn. And let’s face it, it isn’t always easy to turn a speedy horse.

It’s easy to teach the horse to move his hip. With a snaffle bridle, ride the horse at the walk and let both reins droop. Then take the slack out of the left rein. Hold pressure on it until the horse takes a big step to the right with his hindquarters. Release the rein immediately. As soon as you figure out how to coordinate your hands, then hold that left rein until you feel the horse cross his left hind foot in front of his right (you might want to have someone watch and tell you the first time or two). It will feel like a big step. Immediately let go of the left rein. The quicker you release the rein when the horse moves his hip, the quicker he’ll learn the lesson.

Now do the same thing using the right rein. Alternate right and left, then mix it up until you feel the horse’s response becoming more automatic. When you have it down pat at the walk, then try the trot, and eventually the canter. Realize that this is strenuous work for the horse, so don’t practice too long at one time, especially if he has hock or stifle problems.

3.) Use Diagonal Movements
You can automatically sense when a horse might buck. You feel the power concentrate as his hindquarters engage. That’s the same kind of push he uses to run. Now imagine the same horse sidepassing. It would be hard for him to run and sidepass at the same time.

You can modify the “hips over” lesson to teach “shoulder over.” Walk, take slack out of the left rein. Hold light tension on it until the horse moves his left shoulder to the right, then release the rein.

Ideally, you’d have taught the horse to give to the bit and to carry his head in a balanced, softened position (see Head Position, Sept. ’03), but it’s not absolutely necessary.

The horse can’t go as fast when he’s moving diagonally according to your cues as he can straight ahead. A little sideways action reduces his forward speed. So practicing diagonals or sidepassing is also like practicing a slowing-down exercise.

4.) Ride Specifically
At first thought, this doesn’t seem like an exercise on the way to “Whoa,” but it is. If you condition yourself to ride specifically, you’ll also condition your horse to respond in a definite, not vague way. Specific implies that you isolate a single goal. So, for instance, if you ride between two cones, you will consciously steer the horse, not just go along with his decisions.

When you use visual markers, you tend to give clearer signals to your horse.

Take that thinking one step farther and you’ll begin asking the horse to stop in specific locations, like between the two cones. If you ask your horse to stop, it may take him 10 feet or 40 feet to stop fully. Without visual markers you don’t have a way to know if you and he are improving. But by setting yourself specific goals, you can see that it takes him 40 feet to stop from the lope and 20 feet from a trot. Add distance for excitement when you’re on the trail and you know how much stopping power you have.

So if you practice and get his stopping distance down to 30 feet, you’ll have made a major improvement. Remember in all of these things, the quicker you can let the horse know when he’s doing what you want, the faster he’ll learn the lesson.

5.) Practice Varying Speeds
Slamming your horse to a stop won’t teach him to stop (but it will, in fact, cause him to be afraid of the bit). But teaching him to speed up and slow down will allow you to regulate his speed.

Last month we learned that we can’t hold our horse at a steady speed. Getting a smooth, steady trot requires being able to adjust speed up or down, like the cruise control on your vehicle.

To teach the lesson, we ask our horse to walk, then to walk a little faster for about 30 steps. By then, he’ll appreciate being allowed to slow down to a normal walk, so he’s eager to reply to our rein request to slow down. If you can condition him to go from a fast walk to a slow walk on cue, then you can eventually teach him to go from a gallop to a walk, then stop.

So we ask him to trot, then trot a little faster for 30 steps, then trot slower for 10 steps, then faster for 20, then slower for 20, and so forth. As you practice, your horse will get more responsive to both your “speed up’ cue and your “slow down” signals.

Putting It All Together
By now you realize training a horse to stop on cue isn’t a matter of just one demand and that “stop” is really byproduct of “slow down.” It involves using exercises to help the horse understand what you want. Once you can move the horse’s hips, you can change direction, then change direction, then change direction and before long, you’re stopped.

The quickest way to achieve a confident slow down or stop is to master the “hips over” exercise. As you practice this, you’ll find that when you reach for the rein, your horse will automatically slow his feet. The stop “just happens.” In fact, if you work on this for too long, you’ll have to put another quarter in the slot, because keeping him going will become the challenge.

Many people teach “pull back with both reins” as the stop cue. That’s OK. But it’s more effective to teach each rein separately. That way you have multiple ways to slow the horse. If you’ve done all these exercises thoroughly, you’ll be amazed to find that using two reins to stop is like having power brakes.

Being specific can speed up the learning time for your horse and make training safer and more enjoyable for you.

If you want a beautiful result like Josh has with Taz, you have to put it together one piece at a time.

Who of us has all the time we’d like to have with our horses? Certainly not me, and not you, judging from your letters to Perfect Horse. But I have a secret that I’m glad to share with you: Training goes fastest when you go slowly.

I know that doesn’t seem to make sense at first. But consider that instead of training your horse you’re building a house. You want to get it finished so you can quit paying rent, so instead of waiting for the contractor that had been recommended, you hire the first guy who says he can do it right now. You’re in a hurry, so you don’t bother checking out his references or go to see any homes he’s built.

You have in mind a two-story house, with a fireplace in the den. You know that you want two bedrooms upstairs and a kitchen, living room, den, bedroom and bath downstairs. You also want a good-sized mudroom so you have a place for your boots and wet coats. You’re in luck. Your contractor says that he has that kind of house in his head and you don’t need to waste time or money on an architect.

The next morning, you visit your home site only to find the big beautiful trees that you loved in the front yard have been bulldozed down. Your contractor thought it would make building the house faster if there was only dirt between the house and the road. Shaken, you go along with him, feeling he probably knows best and that in 10 years or so, you’ll have big trees again.

The Result’s not Good
We don’t have to tell you the rest of the story blow by blow. Suffice to say that the contractor didn’t do the job you had in mind. He used whatever materials he found at the local home-improvement store, without regard to building codes. That put you in a big bind when it came to the electrical, plumbing and building-code requirements. He didn’t measure before he cut, so there was a huge amount of waste. When all was said and done, you had an unsafe, expensive house-like building, with no bathroom upstairs. You were still paying rent. You’d put out a fortune in materials, and now you have to go back to square one, waiting for a good contractor to try to fix the mess.

No one would really make a mistake like that in building a home, but they might make a similar mistake when it comes to training their horse. When you’re in a hurry, you cut corners. When corners are cut, the foundation is shaky and you end up having to re-train your horse, which takes longer. And all that assumes that you haven’t gotten hurt and you still want to ride.

What do you Expect?
The first thing a good contractor would have done was to sit down with the owners and ask them what they want to do in that house. Do they want to sleep a lot of people or have open entertainment areas? Do they want lots of closets or would they rather an extra bedroom? In nearly everything, there’s a trade-off. The same thing applies with horses. You have to figure out what you want your horse to do. Then you can begin to train him. If you only want him to hang out and eat grass, such as you might with an old retiree, then you might only need to consider leading manners. But if you want him to be a good trail horse, then you’ll want to train him both on the ground and from the saddle and in calm and exciting situations.

Most important in the training is establishing how you want the horse to respond to you. In that, you have to be specific. A “good-sized mudroom” might mean 12' x 16' to some people, because they’d planned to put a sink and the washer and dryer in there, too. To others, 4' x 6' might be all the room they need for boots and a wall rack for coats. So, too, some people are content to go out to catch their horse in the field; others expect him to come when they call. Some want their horse to respond to subtle leg and weight cues, while others are happy with basic steering. The point is that you have to be precise about your expectations, then you have to train the horse to meet those expectations. It won’t just happen.

Why Specific Matters
There’s an old question people ask, “How much money do you want?” The answer is “more than I have now.” It doesn’t matter how rich or poor the person.

Expectations matter. Think “polite,” and teach your horse to wait for a signal before going through any doorway.

It’s that way with training, too. We want just a little better response from our horse – maybe to keep up with our friends better on the trail, or to not jig so we can drop our reins and relax on the trail. Maybe we want him to go into a canter more easily, or we want him to stop quicker.

Whatever our “druthers,” it won’t happen unless we make it a priority. So, when you are specific about what you want, then you can focus on making it happen.

When I’m working in the round pen, I use the panels as markers. I not only want my horse to give me an inside turn from the left, for instance. I want him to do it at the corner of the second panel past the gate.

So how can I get that? I begin by getting the inside turn, then giving him the signal for the inside turn about five panels before he gets to the turning point.

Being specific lets you make adjustments in your plan. If the horse didn’t turn at the spot I chose, then either he didn’t understand the cue or maybe he was going too fast to make the turn within five panels. So I can adjust my plan. Because I won’t have backed off from the request when he passed the fifth panel, he turned at the seventh panel.

Being specific saves you energy. I slow myself down and I slow him down, too. By asking him to turn from the walk instead of the trot, I can get more turns without tiring either of us out. The more times he’s responded correctly to my cue, the better he recognizes it and the faster he’s going to be able to respond to it.

Being specific lets you reward the horse often. Here’s the key to having a responsive horse: Reward him frequently. That builds his confidence and attitude of cooperation. If you showed up for class and the teacher gave you $5 for being on time, you’d be on time. If you earned another $5 for sitting in the right seat, you’d sit where you belonged. If you earned $5 for each time you answered a question in class, you’d pay attention in class and answer lots of questions. We all want our horses to be enthusiastic about working with us.

Being specific helps the horse learn faster. I used to think that I was being lenient with a horse by giving him a general signal. But I’ve learned that instead of being easy on the horse, I was making his job harder. The opposite of specific is vague. No wonder he didn’t know what I wanted. I wasn’t clear. By knowing exactly what I want the horse to do and zeroing in on one command at a time, I’m able to tell him “That’s it!” the instant he’s on the right track. The more times I can tell him “That’s it!” the quicker he’ll learn.

Being specific helps keep you safe. No one sets out to get in a wreck — neither horses nor owners. But when something happens to upset the horse, he’s naturally harder to control. The more specific your style of training, the easier it is to find something you can ask the horse to do and thus regain control. Control doesn’t happen in one sudden movement. When a horse has been upset, multiple little requests help him get calm quicker.

Being specific reduces fear — both in your horse and in you. Horses get scared when they don’t know what’s happening or they don’t know what you want of them. They react as frightened horses, which is never what the trainer wanted. People worry that they’re ruining the horse. By being specific and following a plan, you’re able to recognize a change before it becomes a crisis.

Being specific saves you time. Imagine trying to find an office in a big building. If you don’t know what floor it’s on, it’s going to take you quite a while. So, too, if your training plan isn’t detailed enough, you’ll be flying by the seat of your pants, so to speak. Instead, think through your objective, then plan step-by-step how to get there. You’ll realize that you have to teach your horse to drop his head, open his mouth and allow his ears to be handled long before you bring out the bridle. If you’ve done the pre-steps, bridling will be quick and easy.

Being specific prevents boredom and frustration in training. I’m never bored when I’m training, because I’m looking for little improvements. When that horse in the round pen turns at panel six instead of seven, I know that the horse better understands what I want. I don’t have to feel like it’s five or nothing. If I plan to ask the horse to “give” to the bit 75 times, then I’ll be less frustrated with myself or him if he didn’t do it nicely a time or two.

Kitchen Table Planning
Once you’ve determined your objective and made up your mind to be specific in your training, you then have to develop a plan. Make it detailed. Throw in every little step you can think of. Don’t presume anything.

Don’t overlook the value of groundwork. A soft response to the lead rope is a step toward a soft response to the bridle.

I use a few basic rules to help me: Get the horse’s feet moving, then moving consistently, then in the direction I want, then consistently in the direction I want. I see those are four separate steps. The neat thing is that by the time you check one off on your list, the horse is already doing the next step. So the training speeds up. You’ll find that the more steps in your plan, the faster the horse goes through them. The fewer steps, the longer it takes to get to the same place.

If you’ve read this far, you’re either thinking that this will take too much time (despite reading to the contrary) or too much work. Challenge yourself. This will be fun. Take just one little behavior and work through it. Don’t take your horse’s biggest problem to practice with.

Take the lesson earlier in this issue, for instance, and teach your horse to drop his head. Within a few minutes, you’ll be able to focus on your horse’s ear, take the slack out of the rein and have him drop his head a couple of inches — at least at the walk.

Or when you next get in the saddle, think about speed and steering as two separate things. Instead of asking your horse to walk and in his first step picking up your rein to correct his direction, allow him to walk a couple of steps, then steer him.

Make a game of asking him to stop. Allow yourself six panels of the arena at first, then try to slow your hands and get him to stop in three panels. Find ways to reward your horse often and you’ll find that training will go lots faster and be more fun.

Shorter days don’t have to crimp your horse time. You just need to be prepared.

A little turnout every day will help make the horse feel better and be a lot easier to manage.

Something seems to happen about the time we turn our clocks forward. It might be only an hour change, but factor in the earlier setting sun and time seems to get compressed. Now, if you’re like most horse people, heading into winter means a getting a lot of work done during dwindling daylight hours. With that situation in mind, we’ve collected a variety of tips to help you save time and sail through the cooler season with fewer headaches.

Prepare for the Wet
Even if you’re not in the snow belt, winter often means more water — or at least mud — to deal with. In most of the country, it also means ice. Now’s the time to optimize the paths you trek most often — from the barn to the house, from the pasture to the barn. What can you do to improve the drainage and make the footing safer? An hour’s effort with a shovel may be all it takes to reroute the runoff or to build up areas that have been compacted, such as at the pasture gate.

Remember that leak in the barn roof? Or how about the lean of the lean-to? Get your buildings ready for the change in seasons, which brings wind and maybe snow loads. Barns don’t have to seal up tight — in fact, you want them to have good ventilation — but watch for things that may be a hassle once they get wet or laden with ice. For instance, fix the hinge on the door you have to lift out of the dirt to swing open. No sense fighting it up out of the frozen muck if it could hang better with a little work.

Generally speaking, it’s easy to handle horses on turnout in the summer when the biggest problem may be catching them to bring them in. But that’s not the case when the wind whips up or the rain/ snow/sleet threatens. A cool wind often revs their motors, and whatever leading manners you’ve taught get a good test when going to and from the barn.

With that in mind, now’s the time to bone up on your horse’s leading manners. Be specific about having him wait for your signal to move, and teach him to be extra obedient to your cues to stop or turn. Figure that on a brisk day you’ll only have about half the responsiveness that you do on a calm one. Think of it in terms of your truck brakes. Can you live with half the braking power you have now? If not, better tune up your horse.

You need to be ready for your horse’s bouts of cabin fever, too. Being able to see other horses or at least activity around the barn, helps immensely. Sometimes you can just remove a board in the stall wall (up high, so he can’t get a foot in it) so he’s not in solitary confinement. Consider using doors that allow your horse to put his head into the barn aisle, or out the back door so he can see the dogs in the yard.

Prepare for the Cold
You usually don’t have to worry about keeping a barn warm. Horses do fine in the cold, as long as they can get out of the wet and wind. But if you’re going to blanket them, buy your blankets now — while there’s still a good selection of quality blankets. Cheap blankets usually cost you more in the long run than good ones do. If you already own blankets, get them out and clean or patch them so they’re ready for action (see Blanket Washes, Jan. ’03). You may also want to purchase a cooler to help your horse cool out safely in cold weather.

Make arrangements to keep your horse’s drinking water from freezing.

And there’s the matter of keeping water warm — or at least preventing it from freezing. This is a big deal, not so much for convenience, but because horses don’t usually drink enough water if it’s ice cold. Without adequate water, they’re at serious risk of colic or other health problems. Now’s the time to decide if you’re going to tote hot water from the house, add an on-demand heater at the barn, wrap your pipes or find some other solution to the icing problem (see Warm Water Wonders, September ’02).

Prepare for the Unexpected
Chances are if the power goes out in summer, you can haul water to your faithful equine pals with only a minimum of grumbling on your part. You can run a hose from the house or put trash cans in the back of your pickup and get water at the neighbor’s. But what happens in winter? You don’t want to find yourself sloshing a five-gallon bucket by your side. A simple 50-gallon plastic drum placed inside the barn may be all you need to insure that your two horses are taken care of.

But think beyond water. How about lights? Keep a flashlight by the back door at your house, and right inside one of the barn doors. That way you can grab it any time without even looking.

How about a feed shortage? If you’re snowed in or the feed store is low on hay, what are you going to do? Try to stay ahead of the need for feed. That way, if you have to substitute one hay for another or you have to use beet pulp to augment your horse’s hay, he won’t have a radical change. If you’re on a tight budget and normally buy hay by the bale, add one bale a week to your order until you’ve built up a little reserve. Then feed the oldest hay first.

Have you started keeping all your horse’s medical records on your computer? Great — unless you don’t have power to boot up. Print those records out now, so if you had an emergency vet call, you’d have your data handy.

Prepare for the Dark
Consider improving the lighting around your barn. There are some ways to do that without robbing the bank, and a large floodlight up high on a pole may do wonders for you this winter. (See Lighting Your Arena, February ’00.)

Of course, winter is darker than summer, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up riding. Be creative in finding ways to maximize time with your horse during daylight hours. Perhaps you could go to work an hour early for a few months (we cringe to think how dark it is then), in order to get off an hour earlier to have a little playtime at the barn. We’ve heard of some folks who work a later schedule so they have mornings free. If that’s not possible, maybe you could arrange for a friend to have your horse ready for you when you get home to ride. Save mucking the barn and other chores for after dinner.

Wear reflective clothing and something reflective on your horse. Even if you’re just riding around your backyard, it’s really hard to see a dark horse and rider, and you don’t want someone coming up to startle you. Horses see well in the dark, so riding in poor light (as long as the footing’s OK) isn’t terrible for them.

Prepare for Limited Training Time
Just because you don’t have big stretches of time, you don’t have to give up on your horse’s training program. Just modify it so you can accomplish your goals in bite-sized chunks. Nearly any lesson can be broken into small steps.

Teach your horses to be caught easily, and practice leading manners now.

Instead of thinking about teaching your horse new things, how about improving what he already knows? That has to do with raising your expectation levels.

If you want to pick up his foot by the ankle, that’s OK. But how about teaching him to pick up his own foot, on cue? Or if he normally leads acceptably when you go through the stall door, how about teaching him to be extra polite — to wait for your signal to step through.

Maybe you don’t mind digging your finger into his gum to get him to accept the bit, but how about using winter training sessions to teach him to open his mouth more willingly? When you invest in improving your horse’s responsiveness to any cue, you’re also training him to be more cooperative with you in general.

Then consider the situation of horses being antsy in the barn, crabby because they’re on reduced exercise. Do what you can to get them moving. A good grooming session takes care of the “itchies.” Asking them to stretch for a carrot on the left and right will move muscles that they wouldn’t move ordinarily. Even picking up their feet and stretching the leg gently in various directions can be helpful.

Also try a few little lead-line exercises right in the stall or just outside the barn. The WESN (direction control) or hips-over lesson is ideal for that. Basically, you’d put the horse on a lunge line and, standing only two feet from him, ask him to walk in a circle around you to the left. After one circle, bring your right hand out to the right and step in front of him, asking him to circle around you to the left. The more changes you make, the more responsive your horse will become to your lead line and body cues. If the footing permits, you can make the circle bigger or allow the horse to trot.

Bottom line
When you think about it, winter limitations aren’t bad. In fact, they can be good because they offer us a chance to do things differently, to figure out what’s really important and to make provisions for that. And, when we’ve done all we can and our horses are snug in their barns on a crisp night, we can settle down to watch a video and clean our tack — just what we’ve been waiting all year to do.

Ring work doesn’t fully prepare you for riding in mountainous or remote areas.

You and your horse are a good team. Maybe you’ve even won some classes. But all your riding has been in an arena or on a trail close to home, under controlled — aka “artificial” — conditions. Now you’d like to venture out into the “real world” of forests or sagebrush, mountains or prairies, but you’re not experienced in rugged, unpredictable situations you may encounter. No problem. A little preparation can stop a lot of problems and help prevent a serious accident.

Necessary Equipment
Riding in mountainous areas is nothing like riding in an arena, so you don’t want to go out in your show finery where trees and brush can scratch your tack. However, you can’t grab the old junk, either. You need comfortable, well-fitting tack, in good repair.

Select adequate saddle pads that will provide even weight distribution and cushioning on a long ride. Your thin show pad won’t cut it. You need something thicker, more rugged, and breathable for riding all day that won’t affect your saddle fit or trap heat.

If you use a rear cinch, make sure it’s got holes so it can fit snugly — so the horse will never get a hind foot in it, nor have a tree branch run between it and his belly when going through woods or down timber.

You’ll likely need a breast collar to keep your saddle in place on steep uphill climbs, but make sure it’s not tight or it can inhibit the horse’s breathing, especially when he lowers his head and neck. You may have to take it off or loosen it when he puts his head down to drink or to graze if you stop for a rest or for lunch. Be sure the strap that goes between the front legs to the cinch isn’t loose enough that a horse could get a front foot in it, such as can happen when he’s scrambling on bad footing. If there’s too much droop when it’s snapped to the front ring of the cinch, snap it to the back ring.

Take a halter along. Most folks who ride in big country leave a sturdy halter on under the bridle or use a halter-bridle combination. Have a lead rope neatly coiled and tied to the saddle or leave it attached to the halter, looped around the neck and neatly tied back to itself or the halter, cavalry-style. Then you always have a quick, safe way to tie your horse if you stop along the way.

Be sure you also pack a coat or slicker for yourself, especially if the ride will be longer than an hour or two. A pleasant morning may change to bad weather by afternoon. On a long ride, take a lunch and a bottle of water. In a cold thundershower you may want a sweatshirt.

Obviously, you’ll need a saddle that’s functional for tying on a coat, halter, and anything else you need to take along. Most items can be rolled up tightly and neatly behind your saddle if it has saddle strings. Tie everything securely. Many a rider has lost a lunch or a camera due to poor tying skills.

We’re not big fans of saddlebags or cantle bags, but if you need them, make sure these are securely fastened to the saddle. The weight should be equally distributed on both sides and the bags secured so they won’t bounce when the horse trots. If your horse has never worn saddlebags before, practice at home to get him accustomed to the feel and movement of them, especially when trotting. Consider wearing a hunter’s or photographer’s vest so you can keep what you need on your person, rather than on the horse where it can move around.

If you use any protective equipment on your horse (bell boots, splint boots, leg supports, Easyboots), check the closures. Hook-and-loop closures, aka Velcro, can come undone if they snag on something. You may want to add duct tape around the fastenings. Check your gear often during the ride.

Safety Tips
Keep close track of your saddle position. You may be surprised to find your saddle slides forward or back in steep country. Check your cinch before going up or down a steep hill, especially if you’ve been riding awhile.

Equipment, such as a breastcollar designed for endurance riding works well in the backcountry.

In steep country, mount and dismount from the uphill side, even if it’s the off side. Trying to get on or off from the downhill side can sometimes be dangerous as well as awkward, so be sure you’ve trained your horse to be handled from either side before you set out on the ride.

When faced with a thunderstorm, don’t get under a tree, as lightning often strikes the highest objects. If you’re on a ridge or high point, get to lower terrain as swiftly as is safe. Stay away from wire fences. If lightning strikes the fence on a ridge, the electric current may travel through the wires, especially on wood posts.

It’s Hard Work
If your horse is not conditioned for hill climbing, go easy. A horse fit for flat work may not have the wind and muscle for climbing. If he breathes hard or sweats profusely, give him a rest. Don’t continue on until his respiration rate comes back toward normal (see Use P&R for Safe Workout, Mar. ’03 to learn to take respiration rates).

Even if he seems to be handling the hills, remember he’s using muscles differently than he did on the flat. You don’t want him to have sore muscles tomorrow or tie-up before you get to the end of today’s ride. Take it slow on the hills, both up and down. If he’s not used to climbing, he may try to lunge up a hill, but don’t let him, lest he strain a muscle or tendon.

If he’s exerting and sweating, he’ll dehydrate, especially if on a longer ride. Dehydration is the biggest danger for a hardworking horse. Many riders unaccustomed to long rides inadvertently overwork their horses. Pace your horse, and let him drink at every opportunity. You can let him drink all he wants, as long as you’ll be continuing on after he drinks. Be cautious about letting him drink from large irrigation ditches, as a chemical might have been added to the water to kill moss.

If he’s hot and sweaty when you stop, he’ll also be itchy and may try to rub his head. Don’t let him rub or he may snag his bridle, then panic and pull back. This may injure him — or you if you are in his way, or still on him and he falls down — or break your bridle.

He may also want to roll. If you stop to rest and he starts pawing, pay attention. He may do this when halted in soft footing or even when crossing a stream. If he paws and splashes at the water, move him on out of the stream so he won’t try to lie down.

If you tie him during a rest stop, don’t tie to something so low he’ll get a foot over the rope. Tie to a good, sound tree, at head level or higher. A dead tree won’t hold him. A spooked running horse is bad; it’s a disaster if he’s dragging a tree behind him.

Be sure to secure the rope so it won’t slide down the tree (see Picket Lines, July ’03). You don’t want him to set back on a low-tied rope or he may injure his neck. Be sure there are no protrusions that could injure an eye. And, of course, teach him to stand tied at home.

If there are no trees for safe tying, hold him. If you stop for lunch or a rest stop, don’t let him nibble strange plants, as some wildflowers are poisonous (larkspur, death camus, locoweed).

Riding The Terrain
When you go uphill, lean forward in the saddle. When headed downhill, stay balanced, leaning back just slightly if necessary. The more you work with your horse’s balance, the better he will travel. But let him have his head, as it’s his most-important balancer.

Collapsible buckets (www.sportack.com) are a good idea if your horse is unable to drink from a stream.

If a hill is slippery or steep, make him go straight down or straight up it, not sideways, as his feet could slip out from under him. He has much better traction going straight and is less apt to fall. Even if he ends up sliding down on his haunches, it’s safer than if he falls flat on his side with your leg underneath him.

If it’s a gentle grade with good footing, you can switchback up or down it so he won’t have to climb so hard or work his joints so hard going down, but on bad footing, you’re safer going straight up or down.

Don’t get off and lead him on a steep slope; he’s apt to inadvertently step on you, especially if he has to make a big move or slips. You’re usually safer on his back, since he’s more surefooted than you are. If you slip and fall in front of him you’re at serious risk of being hurt.

Avoid traveling through shale rock, thick or downed timber, bogs or cactus patches, as these footings put your horse at risk. Look for wildlife or cattle trails through the debris to follow. Cattle will have found the best route and easiest grade through obstacles and mountain slopes. The main cattle trails will also help you find the gates in fences (always close any gates you open).

If you come to a gully that looks difficult to cross, go along it to look for a trail. Again, cattle usually find the best places to cross. If it’s still steep, don’t let your horse lunge up the other side. Make him pause in the bottom and walk up the other bank.

When crossing a small stream or gully, he may try to jump it. However, if there’s brush, trees or rocks on the other side, this might not be safe. Instead, aim him across at an angle, keeping him under control and collected, so he won’t jump.

If the ground is boggy, choose the driest, most shallow spot, and keep the horse well collected so he won’t struggle, possibly stepping on himself in the mud and pulling off a shoe. If he balks at water crossings, don’t get off and lead him, even if there are rocks you can step on to keep your feet dry. He may jump right onto the same rock with you.

An inexperienced horse may spook if branches or sagebrush tickle him under his belly or he’s never heard the sound of brush hitting your stirrup or hat. Always look for a clear path. If you’re with other riders, leave enough space between horses that no branches will be flipped back at a horse’s or rider’s face. Don’t let your horse rush through brush. Keep safe spacing, but don’t let the last horse get too far behind.

Encountering Wildlife
Be prepared for spooky reactions when your horse sees wildlife. A grouse exploding out of tall grass in front of his nose or a deer bounding out of the woods may cause him to leap, whirl or bolt. In many areas, you’ll encounter rattlesnakes, and the sound of the rattle may startle the horse. If you see or hear a snake, detour around him so your horse’s legs won’t be within striking distance.

If you ride through big ranch pastures or range country where there are cattle, your horse may be uneasy about them, too. If you plan to ride near cattle, especially in unpredictable situations out on the range, acquaint your horse with cattle ahead of time, under controlled conditions. (See Cattle Smart, Sept. ’03.)

In some areas you may also encounter bikers, hikers, llamas, four-wheelers or other travelers. Before you venture out, give your horse some lessons in control and also know how to make an emergency stop (reach forward to take a hard, quick pull on one rein to move his hips over 90 degrees) if he ever should try to bolt.

Finally, always ride with someone else on these outings and let people know where you’re going and when you plan to be back. Some recreational riders take cell phones along, but there may be spots out of range. GPS units or walkie-talkies can be helpful, but carry them on your person, not your horse. If your horse runs off, you won’t have it.

Reflection. "Training Outside The Box - Common Problems Continued"
We are continuing our newsletter series on "training outside the box." To review, we have discussed important steps to prepare for training on the trail, including reading the horse to recognize his inner energy level and working with him to release it, preparing the rider through warm up and stretching exercises, and building safety and confidence on the trail. We covered training tips for dealing with two of three common trail training issues: the horse that wants to always be in the lead and the horse that wants to run up from behind. This week I'll give you some suggestions for dealing with a horse that is a spooky horse and cover tips for the "hot" horse in next week's newsletter.

When dealing with a spooky horse, go back to the routine we suggested before to prepare him for his first trail ride (see Palm Partnership TrainingT Newsletters #90-93). If he is spooky on a trail, it is better to work on overcoming spookiness issues there rather than moving on to a different trail.

If he has been on a trail before and he has spooked or resisted, stop and figure out the reason why this happened. Was he reacting to something permanent that cannot be changed along the trail like a tree stump or a water crossing? Or did he spooked at something temporary, like a gush of wind, a grouse that flushed in front of him, or a sound in the bushes?

If it was something permanent, to improve his training on the next ride get off his back and on the ground before reaching the object he spooked at. One key to controlling a spooky horse is that you must stop him before he decides to stop and spook. In this way you keep control so the horse can address the offending obstacle before he stops and spooks in fright.

How do you do that? By being alert to the horse's body language. Watch for these cues that tell you he is getting ready to spook. His ears are alert. His eyes get bigger. His breathing gets stronger. As soon as you hear stronger breathing than normal, this is the point where you want to stop and dismount.

While on the ground be sure to give the horse his head to let him study the obstacle and swing his head to see it with both his left and right eye. After he studies it and seems to ignore the obstacle, take a few steps toward it. Stop and let the horse study it again. When he appears to ignore it again, continue the process until you reach the spooky spot. Allow him to smell it. This will really give him confidence.

Once he seems to accept it, the lesson is not over yet. He must learn to accept the obstacle when 1) it is behind him, and 2) when approaching it from the opposite direction. In the first situation the scary obstacle that he accepted and walked past is now behind him. Horses sometimes show more spookiness when an obstacle is behind him. This is because a horse is a flight animal. His reaction once he has passed a spooky spot may be to flee or overreact to spook away from it.

In the second situation, a horse may be spooky approaching an obstacle he has already accepted when he comes at it from the opposite direction. This is because a horse sees things differently from each direction. If you get him accustomed to the scary obstacle coming at it only from one direction, when he approaches it from the opposite direction he may ignore it, spook with the same level of concern as before, or spook even worse. Be sure to accustom the horse to obstacles from both directions!

As you start to leave spooky spot, such as walking past a scary stump, take a step or two and stop. Let him look and swing his head and let him look at the spot with each eye. If he moves and does not stand still, reposition him exactly where he was standing. Do not circle to reposition him. If he moves to the right, reposition him to the left. If he moves left, reposition him to the right. If he moves forward, back him and vice versa until he is positioned right back to where he was originally standing. This is very important to do to keep his respect and keep you in charge of the situation. Get him accustomed to approaching the scary spot from the opposite direction.

Remember, when on the ground, be ready to use the "move away from me" commands. The horse's first instinct will be to herd or get close to you. This is dangerous, and puts him in control of the situation. Do not let him move on top of you! Make him move away and respect your space as he learns to accept the obstacle.

When you are between 15 to 20 feet away from the obstacle you can remount and move on to whatever you were doing prior to the spookiness. Continue with the same short segments if his spookiness returns. Take a few steps, stop, study the obstacle, etc. The more time you take time to let him study an obstacle, the shorter time it will take him to accept it. On the other hand, if you rush this process or force him, it will take you longer to get him to accept it.

The way to handle spooky behavior while mounted is basically the same as on the ground. Stop before getting to the spooky object and allow the horse his head so he can see it with both eyes. Once he seems to ignore it, take a few steps towards it, stop, and let him look again. If he does not stop, but starts "dancing" around, reposition him to the exact point where you asked him to stop. Instead of using the "move away from me" command, use your seat, leg, and hand aids to put him back in position. If he goes to the right, use your aids to make him come back to the left and vice versa. If he backs up, send him forward to the spot where you asked him to stop.

What to do when a horse spooks? Turn him with the inside rein quickly and just as quickly loosen the outside rein. Keep him turning in as tight a circle as possible until you get control. Be very careful not to keep a tight outside rein. The horse may react to this by rearing. Do not pull on both reins either. The horse will only "run" through the reins. Don't look down at whatever the horse is reacting to, instead look up and away from it. Hold the saddle horn with the same hand that is holding the outside rein.

For example, if the horse spooks and moves to the left, quickly shorten the inside left rein to turn him tightly to the left while loosening the outside right rein held in the right hand. Look over your left shoulder as you turn him to the left. Grasp the saddle horn with the right hand. Keep the horse in as tight a circle or turn as possible until he submits to you and control is regained. Then go back and address the obstacle again.

If you have a horse that tends to be spooky, go with a rider with a gentle horse who can give your horse confidence. Or teach your horse how to pony on a longe line next to a calmer horse that will give him confidence while he is training outside the box.

Make a note that the next time you plan to go out on the trail, exercise the spooky horse by longeing him before riding more than may have been done prior to past rides. The goal should be not to get him tired out, but just to make him more humble to accept his new surroundings while on the trail. If possible make arrangements to out on the trail ride with another rider mounted on a quiet horse or try ponying your horse with a calmer partner.

Repeat the same trail, but hike it before going out with your horse. Analyze spots where you may need to stop to allow him enough time to accept areas he might be unsure about. By doing this, you will be prepared to help your horse accept spooky obstacles while staying in control of the situation.

Riders must understand that when a horse is taken into a new environment, his level of sensitivity and tendency to overreact will tend to increase. He is being placed in a new situation or being asked to do something he has never done before. Often riders who are surprised at their horse's spooky reactions will say to me "my horse has never done this before." Chances are that is exactly what is causing the spooky behavior. Because the horse has no experience with the situation, he becomes overly sensitive and reactive. It is the rider's responsibility to anticipate that these situations may happen, and be prepared to handle them effectively.

Your Next Step.
Here are some tips for the rider when dealing with a spooky horse.

1. Don't look down at the spooky areas. Always look over and beyond obstacles that could have the potential to spook your horse. Why? Because when you look down and have negative thoughts about the obstacle, the horse picks up these negative feelings. He knows what you are thinking. Give him positive thoughts instead. Say to yourself: "I am going over to the other side of this water crossing." "I am going to keep my horse responding to my aids and commands." Be confident and build your horse's sense of security.

2. If you are hesitant about dealing with issues of spooking, or if you are inexperienced, trail ride in a western saddle. The security of a western saddle, with its easy-to-grab horn, will give you more confidence than an English saddle.

3. Take every negative or nervous thought and turn it around to a positive statement. It is important that the rider has positive thoughts for the horse to be positive, too.

4. When riding away from the barn or trailer, make sure you and your horse are well exercised and warmed up. The horse should be walking quietly. Schedule "forward" work when going away from the barn or trailer. Forward work includes walk to trot, trot to lengthening trot, trot to canter, and yielding at the trot both to the left and right. The more often you change gaits, and speed within gaits (transitions), the more it will improve the horse's concentration on you rather than being worried about the outside surroundings.

5. When coming back to the barn, trailer, or turning around on the trail to return "home," do "slow down" work to keep his focus on you rather than mindlessly rushing back, and possibly discovering something to spook at. Slow down work includes slow trot to walk, walk to stop, yielding at the walk both right and left, stopping, turn on the haunches and forehand, mounting and dismounting.

6. Don't get frustrated if a horse continues to spook over an object or situation. Some horses simply take longer to get over these issues than others. The longer it takes and the more patient you are, the more you are building a foundation for advancing his training outdoors.

The key to solving the issue of a spooking horse is not allowing the horse to take charge of his rider. If he does, the horse is being allowed to go out on the trail prematurely. Both horse and rider need to go back to work in a big field or arena until they gain more confidence and skill together.

We are continuing our newsletter series on "training outside the box." To review, we have discussed important steps to prepare for training on the trail, including reading the horse to recognize his inner energy level and working with him to release it, preparing the rider through warm up and stretching exercises, and building safety and confidence on the trail. Last week I covered training tips for dealing with the first of three common trail training issues: the horse who wants to always be in the lead.

Let's look at another common trail training problem: the horse who wants to run up from behind. If you are on the trail with one or more horses, your horse's herding instinct will become evident when he cannot see the horse in front of him. This can happen when the horse in front of him turns a corner, rounds a bend, or goes down a hill. A horse may just go "nuts" when he cannot see his buddy up ahead. He may get extremely insecure as his herding instinct comes out strong. He will want to hurry and run to catch up to the other horse or horses in front. He may get extremely nervous. He may throw his head, buck or even rear in frustration if he cannot see his buddies or is held back from rejoining them.

You need to realize that this situation can happen to any rider. I have experienced it myself. It is important to learn how to avoid this problem and understand what to do if it happens.

Avoiding this problem depends on your level of riding and the level of your horse's training whether outside or on the trail. When riding with others, the first step in preventing it is to discuss the importance of keeping the riding group together. Whether there is one other rider or a group of 50, everyone needs to be conscientious about not getting too far from the rider in front and behind her. Prevent problems before the group goes out by deciding on a certain word or phrase that will be used when on the trail to communicate if there is a spacing issue.

If you experience this problem and it feels like your horse is getting out of control-get off him and on the ground. He will be easier to control. If the riders in front of you want to go on or are too far in front to realize there is a problem, let them keep going. Get off your horse. Give him time to chill out and stop fretting. Wait for other horses that are behind you to catch up. When they join you, your horse will have some buddies. Let him get acclimated to his new friends before continuing on the ride.

If possible, your horse should have at least one buddy to accompany him on trail rides. If you are riding with large group trail ride, try to have 3-4 people who will stay close to you. By doing this, you will be respecting your horse's natural herding instincts.

Your Next Step.
A horse should have at least one buddy when going out on a trail ride. The "buddy system" provides extra safety for the rider and satisfies the horse's natural herding instinct. Here are two tips to help retrain a horse when running to catch up to the horses in front becomes a problem.

#1: Practice the Single File Trail Training technique I mentioned in Palm Partnership TrainingT Newsletter #94. Set up a trail ride training scenario where you and your horse are among several horse/rider combinations in head-to-tail formation. Start with your horse in the lead position for a short time, about 2-3 minutes. Then shift positions in the line-up so he is the second horse. Stay in this position for a short time, then move him back to the lead. Continue leading for another short interval, then shift to be the third in line. Hold here for a while, then take him back up to the second position. From second position, rotate into fourth position for another short segment, then back to third, and so on. Keep switching places so the horse learns to concentrate on his rider and the environment, rather than other horses.

#2: In a big field, practice doing large figures with a group. Start with one other rider, then add two, three, and four more riders. Ride figures in groups of 2, 3, and 4 riders, then separately. Mix up the combination of riders, then go back to working alone. As long as the horse has a vision of the other horses, he will not experience the trauma of being separated. The more you work him with a group, then away from them while still within sight of his buddies, the more he will develop his own individuality and a stronger independency.

Even when trail riding, a rider should have goals in mind for the time he or she will be spending with their horses. I believe 5 major goals should be included on every trail ride. They are:

1. Maintaining safety and confidence
2. Providing a fitness workout for the rider
3. Training the horse on the trail
4. Socializing with other riders and having fun
5. Managing pre- and post-trail ride logistics such as trailering, ponying, etc.

Maintaining safety and horse and rider confidence on the trail must be the first priority of these goals. Without these, the other trail riding goals cannot be achieved. Here are some general safety tips to help you and your horse have a safe, confidence-building experience on the trail.

If you have never been on the trail before. it is a good idea to scout out the trail a day ahead of your ride. Your first trip on the trail should be hiking it so you won't have any surprises that you or your horse may not be ready to handle.

If you are inexperienced, do not go alone on any trail. Scout it out first. Then ask an experienced trail riding horse and rider team to go with you and your horse for at least the first ride on the trail. The third trip down the trail, you and your horse should have enough confidence to either go solo or feel comfortable with a group of riders coming along.

Remember to take a halter and longe line. keep the halter on underneath the bridle, and keep the longe line either hooked to the saddle where it can be safety carried or else stashed in a saddle bag. If you get into any situation on the trail where you are unsure of the horse's reactions: get off, attached the longe line to the halter, and work the horse if he needs to get out his inner energy or nervousness.

Evaluate your last ride before you go out on the trail. Was there anything you encountered during the previous trail ride that caused an issue? What goal do you want to achieve on this ride that will help solve that issue? Always have a plan in mind before setting off down the trail!

Unlike arena riding, most trails offer a variety of challenges for horse and rider. The varying terrain is great for conditioning the horse and adds interest to the ride. Here are some tips for handling common trail terrain challenges while maintaining safety and confidence.

Hills: Unlike arena riding, most trails have some up and downhill terrain. It is important to practice the correct position for riding uphill and downhill that will help you and your horse stay balanced.

When riding uphill, move your shoulders forward. This will help you stay centered over the horse's center of gravity as he shifts it forward going uphill. Be careful not to let your legs swing back and out of position as you move the shoulders forward.

Going downhill is harder. Bring your shoulders back and your feet in front of the girth. Encourage the horse to keep his head up by bringing your hands straight up over the crest of his neck in time with his stride. If he increases his speed or pulls on the reins, he is balancing too much on his forehand. Make sure you are in the correct position and bring his head up to help him shift his balance off his forehand.

Obstacles: If you have scouted out the trail ahead of time, you know if obstacles such as water or ditches will be encountered. Evaluate the obstacle and decide if you can safely negotiate it. If you have to get off to cross an obstacle, dismount and negotiate the obstacle safely from the ground rather than trying to ride through it.

Strategies for leaving "home:": "Home" when trail riding may be the barn if you are going for a ride from the horse's stable, or it may be his trailer if you have driven to a trail. A horse's instinct will always cause him to be more sluggish traveling away from home and more anxious when going back towards it. You will not be able to change this basic instinct, so plan how to use it to your advantage.

When leaving "home," ask the horse for more forward movement. Ask him to travel at a jog to get him thinking forward. The outbound, away-from-home part of the trip is also the best time to practice maneuvers requiring the horse to stop and stand. When coming back toward "home" when he wants to be quick and anxious, ask him to do controlled, but slow, actions.

A note about trailering to a trail ride: If you or your horse are not familiar with trailering, give yourself plenty of time to practice this skill well before the trail ride date. Too often, riders think they can just "throw" a horse that is inexperienced into a trailer and drive off to meet their friends at the trail. This is a recipe for safety problems and loss of confidence for both horse and rider. Learn how to safely load, unload, and trailer your horse. I recommend my Longevity Training Video #2 - Advancing Basic Ground Training tape which includes a large segment on teaching a horse how to trailer and pointers for safely driving a trailer. When you know how to safely trailer a horse, access to many more trails and more fun will open to you.

Cream rinse. "Set and Hold" mousse. Moisturizing shampoo. At first glance, you might think you're in a beauty salon. But alas, it's just a tack room -- a well-prepared tack room fully stocked with many surprise show supplies.......

The most common cause of dehydration is loss of fluid from extensive sweating during hard work or a long ride. The rider should be aware of subtle signs of dehydration and this article can help you recognize those signs.

If you have owned a horse for any length of time, you have probably already begun the infamous bit collection found occupying almost every tack room. Please read this article for more information.

Quality dental care is one of the most important--yet, strangely enough, one of the most neglected--aspects of a good stable management program. In this article, will be explain why your horse needs to see the dentist regularly, and what's involved in a basic dental exam.

Whether it is the increased stress of daily life or the baby-boomer generation wanting to experience the roots of their pioneer forefathers, more and more people are setting out to see the country from horseback. As a result, equestrian campgrounds have multiplied throughout the country and the design of horse trailers has changed drastically to cater to the comfort of weekend or week-long campers. Please read this article for more information on camping with your horse.

The reason horses benefit from this type of scheduled, routine health care is to help keep a healthy horse healthy and to catch minor problems before they become major problems. Think of it in terms of preventive maintenance: Be sure and read the article for more information.

The last of the melting snowdrifts unveiled your gardens, your pastures, and something rather less attractive--that old two-horse trailer of yours, sitting forlornly in a corner of your field. Chances are, it's been there since November, and now, as your thoughts turn to getting out to the shows or the trails with your horse, you figure it's probably time for an inspection of the winter damage.

At first blush, a discussion of trailer safety and emergencies seems quite uncomplicated and straightforward. However, it really isn't all that simple because there are so many facets involved in traveling down the highways and byways safely while pulling a trailer with a horse or horses aboard.

Infectious diseases can be devastating to your horse and your pocketbook, but there are steps you can take to protect your horse.

You can feel it. You can smell it. Spring is in the air. Oh, to be sure, we aren't finished with cold weather in many parts of the country, but it won't be long before we will be ready to head out trail riding or be off on the spring horse show circuit.

It's time to take a good look at our equine companion or companions and find out if they are as ready as we are for another riding season. Please read this article for more information on this subject.

Many horse breeders handle newborn foals to make them easier to train later, using a method called imprint training. The most common mistake is rushing the first training session. Be sure and read the article for more details.

Despite all of your training, when your inexperienced horse arrives at his first competition, he may just simply fall apart. Here are some tips to help make your horse's first show a successful one.

Depending on the animal’s breeding, health, age, size and ability, a recreational riding horse can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to many thousands. Check out the article for more details.

The biggest challenge for a rider in winter is staying warm. This article has some tested tips that can help make your winter riding more comfortable and enjoyable.

Article discusses daily exercise, and how it is essential for the overall health of your horse year round, and this includes winter.

Posted 12-12-03

Posted 11-14-03

Safety During Deer Season

Make It Clear You're No Deer.

"Moving Target"
How to avoid becoming some hunter's trophy
By Willis Lamm

Exercises for leg strength and flexibility

Posted 12-12-03

Posted 11-14-03

Safety During Deer Season

~~ Make It Clear You're No Deer. ~~

"Moving Target" How to avoid becoming some hunter's trophy By Willis Lamm

Exercises for leg strength and flexibility

Make It Clear You're No Deer.

"Moving Target"
How to avoid becoming some hunter's trophy
By Willis Lamm