Sunday, February 22, 2009

Even "Experienced" Folks Need Buddies

You might have noticed that my two previous posts extoll the virtues of the "buddy system" when working with the horses. At Cevalo, we pair up new students with someone who can show them the ropes, and encourage all of our students to help each other out. Not only can having help make things a whole lot easier, it's often the safest way to do things.

Sometimes, those of us who have more experience have a tendency to try to "go it alone" instead of asking for help. Take me last week trying to blanket my very unhappy mare. I've put a blanket on her countless times, but last week she was cold, miserable, and sick of me messing with her. Although she was giving me all the warning signs, I struggled by myself in the rain and mud to get the blanket on--only to realize when it came time to hook the leg straps that she wasn't just threatening to kick, she was fully-prepared to follow through. Fortunately, someone came to my rescue and together we were able to get the blanket secured without anyone getting hurt.

Fast forward a week to another blanketing episode. Except this time, the other experienced person had the good sense to ask for help up front. Like me, she'd seen the warning signs, but wisely chose not to try to go it alone. Good choice. The two of us were able to quickly and easily blanket the horse, reward him for standing still, and avoid giving him the chance to practice any bad behaviors. Opting to use the buddy system from the beginning was far safer for us, and much better for the horse.

Lesson learned. I feel fortunate to be a part of a community where folks are always willing to step in and lend a hand. We all need help sometimes!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tip of the Day: Catching a Reluctant Horse

We’ve all been there. You go to catch a horse in the pasture, and just as you’re nearly close enough to put the halter on, he turns tail and runs away. Maybe it’s been a while since he’s been out and he’s got a little excess energy and wants to play. Maybe one of the other horses drove him away to steal the attention. Or maybe he’s tired from his last lesson. Whatever the reason, it’s frustrating, tiring, and time consuming to have to chase him down.

Maybe that’s because that’s exactly what you’re doing: CHASING HIM AWAY

Oops. If you approach from the front and glare at him in frustration, you’re just telling him to get moving. Ditto if you approach from the rear—especially if you’re running after him. And if you’re yelling and waving things in the air, well, you’ll soon have the whole herd going.

So how to you invite the horse to come toward you, or at least stand still while you close the gap?

  1. Adopt a passive body language. Avoid eye contact, keep your head down, and have your arms relaxed at your sides. If necessary, face away from the horse.
  2. Approach the from the side and walk slowly toward the horse’s shoulder. If the horse starts to move away, stop. When the horse stops again, continue walking toward him in a zig-zag pattern, gradually closing the gap. Be aware of your surroundings—if the horse is near an exit, busy road, or other hazard approach from the direction you *don’t* want him to go so you don’t accidentally drive the horse into a dangerous situation.
  3. Use any available helpers as “blockers”. Have your buddies position themselves to cut off the escape routes. If the horse starts to move in their direction, they should step calmly and quietly toward the horse. When he stops, they should stop. There's no need to wave and yell to redirect the horse, it will just get him wound up and more difficult to catch. The goal is to get the horse to stand still while you walk up to him to put the halter on.
  4. Quickly loop the lead rope over the horse’s neck so he knows he’s been caught. Get the halter on right away—don’t dilly-dally and give him a chance to have second thoughts about this being caught thing. (If you can’t put a halter on quickly, you need to practice on a cooperative horse!)

Treats such as grain or carrots should only be used as a last resort, especially in pasture where you’re likely to lure the whole herd and get mobbed. They are more effective when offered as a reward after you’ve caught the horse so he learns to associate being caught with good things.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Tip of the Day: Getting a Horse to Move Out of Your Way

I received an email today that brought up a very good question: How do I get the pasture horses away from the gate so I can lead a horse through? The writer knew that just crowding through wasn't safe, but didn't know what to do other than to try to lure the horses away with food.

Now, knowing the horses, I'm pretty sure that her approach worked. Unfortunately, it also rewarded them for exactly the behavior we don't want to encourage--mobbing the gate.

The answer is actually pretty simple--it's exactly what you don't want to do if you want to catch the horse: act like a predator. You should:
  • Look the horse directly in the eye.
  • Make yourself as "big" as possible. (Stand up tall and put your arms up.)
  • March toward him and tell him to "git" like you mean it.
If possible, open the gate into the pasture to help get the horse moving out of your way. Swinging a lead rope in the horse's direction can help encourage him to move, but make absolutely sure you're not in a position where you'll get kicked if he spins away and kicks out. (Watch them interact with each other, this is a very standard response to being driven away.)

The primary concern is creating enough space so you can safely lead your horse through the gate. While a pasture horse might occasionally try to follow your horse out of the pasture, they usually aren't going to make a break for it when you're turning your horse out.

If you're alone, it can be tricky to lead your horse, handle the gate, and move the other horses out of your way. This is one reason we tell our students to use the buddy system--that way, you can focus on your horse while your buddy opens the gate and clears the way.