I strongly advise all beginner horse folk to get some groundwork coaching laid in well before they even think of putting on the saddle. Smooth groundwork is the precursor for smooth riding, and if I had my way, I would make it compulsory for noobies to coach their horses in the round pen.
The secret to success in pony coaching is repetition. Regardless of how much it strains your schedules, you should stick to your groundwork coaching until it is completed acceptabe. Whatever form the coaching is taking: sensitizing a horse to the subtleties of pressure by continually getting it to obey or desensitizing it to ropes by repeatedly exposing it to the rope, the only possible way to get the task well done is to repeat and repeat again.
If the horse is at the present new to a saddle on its back, it may be a great idea to do the groundwork training with a saddle on your horse? Without sitting on that saddle. Get the horse used to the saddle, its weight and its handling. This will be of significant help to you when it is time to get into the saddle, because you'll have already achieved one desensitization process.
Try to keep the saddle tight enough to avoid slipping, but loose enough to let the pony feel at ease. As long as you aren't actually going to be riding the horse, you don't need to cinch up firmly. One way to check if the saddle is just right is to determine if there's a snug fit of your hand between the horse's girth and the strap. If there is you have done it right.
Once you have gone thru all the initial preparations, your first exercise in groundwork is to hook on with the pony.
Hooking on
By getting your horse to hook on, you are solidifying your rapport with the horse, while simultaneously gaining more respect from it. While steering your horse around the pen, stick to the outside. When you need your horse to come to a stop, step out in front of him and indicate that he should stop. If things have worked out how they should, your pony should follow you when you turn and walk off. This is what is referred to by 'hooking on'. If the horse didn't stop when you stepped in front him and commanded him to, it indicates that you've not been forceful enough when facing the horse.
You will have to keep repeating the exercise until your horse responds with perfection.
Body language
Just about exclusively, you use body cues when handling your horse. Since this type of communication calls for great consistency to avoid confusion, you should have mastered physical communication skills, and you should additionally be adept at reading your horse's body language.
As a beginner, you shouldn't attempt to command your pony with any cue aside from physical. Whether or not it is a matter of getting your pony to change direction or execute inside turns, you need to communicate using special body language strategies.
The horse's power generating plant is in its hind quarters, so keep that under consideration. Move towards him, clicking as you do to get him moving forward. Pay constant attention to the horse's physical centers of power when releasing body signals. When you and your pony have become adept, you will manage wonderful mutual coordination.
The secret to success in pony coaching is repetition. Regardless of how much it strains your schedules, you should stick to your groundwork coaching until it is completed acceptabe. Whatever form the coaching is taking: sensitizing a horse to the subtleties of pressure by continually getting it to obey or desensitizing it to ropes by repeatedly exposing it to the rope, the only possible way to get the task well done is to repeat and repeat again.
If the horse is at the present new to a saddle on its back, it may be a great idea to do the groundwork training with a saddle on your horse? Without sitting on that saddle. Get the horse used to the saddle, its weight and its handling. This will be of significant help to you when it is time to get into the saddle, because you'll have already achieved one desensitization process.
Try to keep the saddle tight enough to avoid slipping, but loose enough to let the pony feel at ease. As long as you aren't actually going to be riding the horse, you don't need to cinch up firmly. One way to check if the saddle is just right is to determine if there's a snug fit of your hand between the horse's girth and the strap. If there is you have done it right.
Once you have gone thru all the initial preparations, your first exercise in groundwork is to hook on with the pony.
Hooking on
By getting your horse to hook on, you are solidifying your rapport with the horse, while simultaneously gaining more respect from it. While steering your horse around the pen, stick to the outside. When you need your horse to come to a stop, step out in front of him and indicate that he should stop. If things have worked out how they should, your pony should follow you when you turn and walk off. This is what is referred to by 'hooking on'. If the horse didn't stop when you stepped in front him and commanded him to, it indicates that you've not been forceful enough when facing the horse.
You will have to keep repeating the exercise until your horse responds with perfection.
Body language
Just about exclusively, you use body cues when handling your horse. Since this type of communication calls for great consistency to avoid confusion, you should have mastered physical communication skills, and you should additionally be adept at reading your horse's body language.
As a beginner, you shouldn't attempt to command your pony with any cue aside from physical. Whether or not it is a matter of getting your pony to change direction or execute inside turns, you need to communicate using special body language strategies.
The horse's power generating plant is in its hind quarters, so keep that under consideration. Move towards him, clicking as you do to get him moving forward. Pay constant attention to the horse's physical centers of power when releasing body signals. When you and your pony have become adept, you will manage wonderful mutual coordination.
About the Author:
Horses are Heather Toms
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers go here
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers go here
No comments:
Post a Comment