Walking Down A Horse

Walking down a horse in pasture or a large turnout can be a real challenge, and there are several methods. Certainly the best method is to convince the horse in a smaller area (using round pen training or other handling methods) that you are the herd boss, but sometimes the horse also needs to be convinced of that human status when turned out on pasture. Much depends on their motivation to avoid you on pasture, but IMO driving a horse away – one who should know better! – until they tire of the keep-away game is not the quickest method in a large area … particularly if the human is on foot!

The method I have found most effective is to pay close attention to my approach angle, and know when to vary my speed or stop. By angle, I mean (example) not approaching from the rear / toward the hind because that will usually drive the horse away. Same general concepts as round pen free lunging positioning.

BTW – the same general concepts and method described below I also apply to catching a loose horse who has gotten untied or somehow wondered from his confined area. So this might be handy at the next horse show or at the barn when someone’s horse gets loose … and the most important thing to remember is “don’t run after him!” <g> Anyone who has learned that much from experience already has a good foundation for walking down a horse on pasture.

My objective is to get the loose horse initially to slow down and stand still for me to approach, then later learn to come to me, so I’ll describe the entire process I use. My method is based on various herd behaviors to control the situation and better communicate with the horse. And in case it isn’t obvious below … remaining calm and patient will reduce the time it takes to walk down that loose horse.

Since the horse is loose, I need to control him by using mostly body language, watching his body language to see what my next move should be to influence his behavior. Rather than my playing his game of keep-away I will insist he plays by my rules, and in the process he’ll understand that I am the boss. An important note is that while on the surface the horse seems to be playing keep-away, the underlying behavioral message is that he doesn’t consider the human alpha, so he sees no reason to stop and be caught simply because the human is on pasture with him. There is also potential for that horse to feel a degree of fear of that human based on prior contact, so the “stand and be caught” lesson should always be a positive experience. The human needs to be careful about what is expressed in body language in order to be successful, and learning from the herd makes it easier.

“Herding” to teach a horse to stand still and pay attention to the boss exists in herd behavior, and the horse will recognize the quiet movement of the alpha … learned initially as a foal from his dam. Horses will respond to other horses (and humans) differently depending on the direction, speed, and likely intent of the approach. An example of “intent” is seen in other common herd behavior … to stay out of the way when an alpha horse is moving with a more aggressive body language. Self preservation. <g> Yet that alpha horse can also express an invitation to come closer … and herd members will respond to that invitation to buddy up with the boss. So the walking down process should have the human in the role of the alpha while avoiding the aggressive looking movement that would keep a horse more distant, with the process indicating you want the horse to stand still, then ultimately expressing the invitation to come closer. But first the horse needs to learn to pay attention and recognize the human as the boss.

I’ve found the best “approach the loose horse” quadrant to encourage him to stand and pay attention to me is angled from the front, staying ahead of the shoulder. (I imagine a box around the horse, with diagonal lines to the corners to create 4 quadrants, then extend those imaginary quadrant lines into the pasture or surrounding area.) My presence in a quadrant can be used for directional control on that horse, according to how close I am. If that horse pivots / moves off, I veer off (away from the rear quadrant) and keep my distance while along his side, not getting closer than 25+ ft. until I’m again in the front. Distance varies depending on the horse’s response. If he moves to the side while I’m in a side quadrant, I’m too close … unless I’m intentionally turning him, in which case I’d adjust my distance according to how quickly he is making the turn. So in general, the human position in the front is to stop the horse, from the side is to turn the horse, and from the rear is to drive the horse forward. Distance from the horse can be neutral, or can apply a degree of pressure / send a command to that horse. All subject to modification depending on how that horse is responding.

Often I will parallel the new horse, gradually closing the gap, or even circle around the horse from a non-threatening distance to improve my position. I say non-threatening because a relaxed, more quietly moving horse is less likely to run off. The closer I am, the more pressure is on the horse that I am claiming alpha, and he has an excuse to move off again if he isn’t ready to yield. If the pasture is large, I might plan ahead with my positioning to turn that horse so he’s headed back toward the gate … so I have a shorter hike when I’m done.

If the horse is doing serious “I’m outta here” moves, I position my angle at a less threatening distance to slow the horse’s retreat. If the horse slows, I slow, and maybe stop. When the horse stops to look, I stop. Depending on how that horse is responding (read the body language!) I might slowly approach, or even use my same round pen language to call the horse to come to me.

If the horse has been taught to face you in the round pen, and by your shifting around out in front of the horse he’ll move with you to stay facing, you know you have his attention. Sometimes I back several steps away at that point, and maybe the horse will follow up on that invitation. But more importantly, I want him focused on me. After the horse has committed a few steps in my direction, I know the “catch” part will be soon. Depending on the horse and situation I will either slowly finish the approach from the front quadrant, ask the horse to come closer, or a combination. I’ll usually stop again at @ 10 feet in front, then move forward a step or two at a time depending on how the horse is responding. If he hasn’t moved toward me with a few steps, or at least fully turned to face me, my approach to him will be slower, still suspicious that he may move off again.

Once I’m standing next to the horse I give plenty of verbal praise, along with the reward of scratching that favorite spot with the horse is standing quietly (with or without the halter) for me. During the walk-down process I also use his name, to help him recognize it in the future.

Timing will vary, but I find repetition of a few successive days helps reinforce the “horse will stand still for the alpha human” training. Typically the first 2 times I’d spend 5-10 minutes just petting and praising the horse, then leave. 3rd day I’d carry a halter over my shoulder, and may or may not actually put the halter on, but would again leave the horse on pasture. By now, the horse would usually follow me back to the gate, where more petting and praise is given before I leave. Repeat daily as required, until the horse will at least stand still to approach and halter. Later – often as little as a few days – the horse will see me coming and start in to meet me. Over time, I can just stand at the gate, call his name to get his attention, and wait for the horse. And I don’t leave or lead the horse off without praise and reward to reinforce that good behavior.

BTW – I also make a point of giving each horse a nice “favorite scratch” while standing in the pasture or before actually turning them loose after riding or working. That way their last memory of being around me is a pleasant one, and they’ll be more eager to repeat the experience.

You need to stay relaxed for this method to work, or the horse will pick up the more aggressive body language generated by your frustration. Sometimes you will want to project a more aggressive image, but only long enough to get the horse’s attention. This might be a single aggressive stride or sharp sound that will startle him into looking at you, but hopefully not aggressive enough to drive him off … unless that is your intention. (Much like the training used in round pen work.)

Our own horses are accustomed to my cues, and I can often stop them with a strong negative “eh!” sound if they start to walk off, followed by praise when they stop. If the horse is trained to the verbal “whoa” (recommended!) I’ll sometimes use that command firmly if he looks like he’s about to stop, or thinking about moving on again. Picking the right moment would also reinforce the “whoa”.

Another key is that when walking down a horse, I do not start immediately moving when the horse does. If I remain standing still, sometimes that horse will take a few steps, then stop. When he stops and turns back to face me, he has finally admitted that the game will be played by my rules. I never move faster than a casual walk when remotely close to the loose horse, because human speed simply encourages the horse to move. Any indication of tension and urgency will just convince the horse to move faster. With some horses it helps to have body language where you’re almost slouching along, watching the ground (no eye contact). This human posture is not screaming “I’m gonna kill you when I finally catch you!”, indicates a lack of urgency or tension, and will be far less threatening to the horse. Sometimes the casually strolling human can also influence a horse to slow down, particularly if you’ve been timing your stride with the horse’s hind feet. Some will even slow down to match your decreasing pace, then will stop when you do.

The hardest part is reading the horse’s body language – this comes with practice – and figuring out how that horse will respond to which of your own moves. Be calmly relentless – you can not let the horse win! – but also know when to switch into a different mode, or even back off to make the horse more comfortable / release the pressure. Also, as you read the horse better, you can anticipate! It’ll save a bunch of hiking if you stop your approach just before that horse is going to move away again. Once he is stopped, take it slow and easy so he doesn’t have another excuse to start off again. Remember that in the herd, when an alpha horse moves with more aggressive body language, the rest of the herd just tries to stay out of the way.

But if this method doesn’t work, try taking a book into the pasture. Have a seat – by his water or feed adds additional incentive for him to approach – and ignore him. Most horses will get curious enough to wander over and see why you’re not playing their fun game of keep-away … if you have the patience to wait long enough.

by Jorene Downs
www.CEOates.com

Body Type and Proper Movement

The horse world, like many other industries, has its own language that the uninitiated often find mystifying. Unfortunately many people involved with horses still make mistakes with terms, perpetuating confusion and misunderstandings between people. It is very difficult to convey ideas and conditions to another when uncertainty of the language exists.

One of the most common areas where people err with the terminology is with conformation and movement. Not only is one term mistaken for another, but misconceptions abound over what is actually the proper word for the situation. An understanding is essential to speak knowledgeably about horses and comprehend how professionals handle faults and accentuate virtues in conformation and movement.

Many faults related to conformation are not necessarily problematic in themselves, but become so when paired with another defect. Base-narrow and base-wide are two of the basic forelimb problems. A base-narrow horse is one in which the center line of the hooves on the ground is closer together than at the origin of the limbs at the chest. Horses with wide chests and well-developed pectoral muscles most often show this stance. The distribution of weight falls then to the outside of the foot causing the outside to land first; consequently, the outside of the foot and limb bear more strain. Base-wide is simply the opposite – the legs are further apart at the hoof than the chest. This condition is most commonly found in narrow chested horses such as the Saddlebred and Tennessee Walker. More weight is borne on the inside of the foot and limb.

Toed-in is the position in which the feet point toward one another, also called pigeon-toed. Generally this condition arises from deviations in the bone column higher on the leg, not from the hoof. The affected horse usually paddles when moving. This is an outward deviation of the foot during flight; the breakover point is on the outside toe and landing is on the outside wall.

With the toed-out or splay-footed horse the feet point away from one another. This condition usually results from limbs that are crooked from the origin down. A horse that toes-out will often wing, a foot movement where the hoof follows an inner arc.

Another conformation fault of the forelimb is bench or offset knees. The cannon bone is offset to the outside and does not follow a straight line from the forearm. This definitely causes weakness, with the inside splint bone particularly under stress. Splints are a common result.

In the hindlimb a common fault is cow-hocks. The horse stands base-narrow to the hock and base-wide from the hock to the feet. The hocks point toward one another, and the feet are widely separated. Along with being a common conformation defect it is also one of the worst. There is excessive stress on the inside of the hock joint and many times bone spavin a result.

Gait abnormalities may arise from many different sources. Conformation defects will affect the horse’s ability to move in a smooth regular gait because the footfalls are affected. Age of the horse is also an incriminating factor when problems develop in movement. Young horses need time to develop their bodies and learn how to carry the tack and rider. As they grow, they will go through periods of clumsiness that must be tolerated and understood by the trainer until he once again rebalances. Older horses will experience changes in their joints and muscles that may alter his way of going. Arthritis may start causing pain that affects the gait. Again the rider must be understanding of what the horse is experiencing. A third culprit of gait problems is rider error. An unbalanced seat, heavy hands or insecure leg could interfere with how the horse moves. A lack of communication may also cause the horse to take missteps, as he does not understand what the rider is asking. In this situation it is critical for the rider to evaluate his own ability in the saddle and take the lessons necessary to polish his skills.

Forging and over-reaching are common complaints during gait analysis. They are often confused and are similar in overview, but closer examination shows a distinct difference. Horses that forge hit the toe of the hind foot against the sole of the fore on the same side. Usually owners of shod horses complain of this most since the colliding shoes make a sharp clicking noise. Barefoot horses can forge too, it just isn’t so obvious to the ear. Over-reaching occurs when the toe of the hind foot extends forward and strikes the heel, coronary band, fetlock or flexor tendon of the forefoot on the same side. Usually the repeated knocking will leave open sores on the back the leg. Forging and over-reaching are indications that the horse is moving out of balance, either in the foot specifically or in the entire body. If the medial/lateral (inside/outside) balance of the hoof is off or that from heel to toe, the footfalls and breakover will be altered. When the hind leg is longer than the fore or the stride is extended behind the back foot may hit the front. this also may occur with “downhill” horses, those that are taller at the hip than at the withers. Laziness, tiredness and inexperience may also result in forging or over-reaching. A conscientious rider will evaluate the horse’s movement and responses to determine the most likely cause of the problem and begin finding a solution if possible.

Interfering, or brushing, is a lateral gait defect. The limb swings sideways and connects with the opposite leg. The speed and energy level of the horse affects the tendency to interfere. For example, one horse may interfere at the jog, but not the extended trot; another may move with clearance at the jog but not an energetic trot. On the front limbs interference may occur from the knee to the hoof, on the hind usually from the fetlock to the hoof. Pain, heat or swelling are normally the first signs and may continue to hair loss on the affected area, cuts and perhaps underlying bone damage. Interfering is generally a result of poor conformation, frequently animals with narrow chests, and/or toed-out horses. Care should be taken when using the horse that he is worked in activities that will keep injury at a minimum.

Plaiting or rope-walking is a gait abnormality that may occur with the front or hind limbs. This is a bad fault in which the front or hind feet travel in an inward arc and land more or less directly in front of the opposite front or hind foot. The horse that plaits has a very distinctive movement and has a high possibility for injury. Not only may the horse knock himself, but there is also a good chance of stumbling or tripping, thereby injuring the rider also. This type of movement is often associated with base-narrow, toe-out conformation.

Problems with movement can almost always be related to a defect in conformation. With proper riding and training these problems can often be overcome. It is also essential to employ a qualified farrier who is experienced in dealing with gait abnormalities and can keep the feet properly balanced. Finally, the owner must realize the limitations that conformation or movement place on the horse’s ability to perform certain activities. Find those events that the animal is comfortable with and hold limited risk of injury.

By Carla Huston BES

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 If your still confused, check out the Horse Conformation Handbook  

Quiet Leadership in the Herd

“Act like a Horse” and your horse will understand you better.

More correctly, learn the nuances of horse behavior so you can better understand the horse, pay attention to what the horse is telling you, and communicate in a way the horse can understand. Yes, this will resemble “acting like a horse” but you want to be careful which horse behavior you choose to try and emulate or you’ll send the wrong kind of messages to the horse.

You don’t “act” like the lead horse – if you’re doing this right you are the established lead horse 24/7.

But squealing is a more aggressive audible in the herd that is often a step from a more physical discussion. If you’re at a “squealing” level you didn’t see a problem coming and anticipate or prevent the escalation. Better to see a problem coming, and head it off at the pass … but the objective is to keep the situation calm rather than aggravate it. So choose the appropriate “lead horse behavior” for the situation.

The horse will normally read your “No” body language before you accompany it with an audible. The audible – in most situations – is more like reinforcement of the visual message you’re sending. The two audibles I have a habit of using are “Quit!” or a sharp sounding “Eh!” … and the tone of voice reinforces the “don’t do that” body language. Prior to that point often offering a calm distraction will prevent the incident, and with calm repetition of prevention the horse learns “don’t do that” as a consistent behavior boundary established by the boss, while as handler you reduce the potential for a situation requiring direct confrontation with an animal substantially larger and stronger.

Horses in the herd are often challenging and fighting, what you aren’t seeing is the less obvious leader role in the herd, the quiet leadership with the subtle communication where the other horse willingly complies.

When there are two horses, one is the leader, the other is subordinate. Always. There is no “equal” relationship in the horse world … horses by nature will quickly establish who is the boss and sometimes that discussion results in the kicking or biting you have observed. Other times there is simply posturing for discussion regarding who is the boss, and one horse may yield leadership to the other without a real challenge or even a discussion.

Throughout the herd you’ll find individual relationships established between each two horse combination – a hierarchical herd environment – and some examples of leadership you’ll want to avoid, like the herd bully who seems to be aggressive with every other horse in the herd.

The leadership example you’re looking for is the two horses standing relaxed next to each other. They are herd buddies, but one horse is the quiet leader and the subordinate horse is comfortable around him … a willing follower who trusts the calm consistency of the boss instead of being wary he’s about to get kicked or bitten.

That quiet leadership status is the role you want as the human in the herd. Often simply moving with confidence is sufficient to establish your leader status. The person who has a more volatile personality or is quick to show impatience will find it far more difficult to achieve this kind of quiet leader status because the subordinate horse will be more relaxed around consistency in leadership. The horse is good at reading body language, and if you’re tense, the horse will be tense and wary wondering why you’re tense. If you’re calm and relaxed, the horse will more likely be calm and relaxed. So sending the right message is critical for good leadership.

In the herd a “warning” communication might be a swishing tail, a shift in body weight, a change in posture angling the neck or head, a flick of an ear without necessarily pinning the ears yet, etc. And with this subtle action one horse sends a warning communication to another horse. Often the warning is space / distance related … like “you’re too close” … and the other [subordinate] horse will simply move off until the warning messages stop. The bite or kick occurs when the subordinate horse fails to respond appropriately to more subtle communication … and often the bite or kick isn’t even intended to connect but is a next level of escalation. Next level up might be contact. Some horses will escalate faster than others or give little warning, and these are the less trusted leaders within the herd … not the right role model for the human.

A slight change in your body language sends a quiet message as a request, another slight change makes that message more insistent, another adjustment presents the message as a demand. This is all degrees of pressure, and different horses will respond differently so you need to adapt. Your body language is talking for you, and essentially you can turn up the volume or turn it down. The average horse will easily understand the “normal volume” communication and provide feedback, some horses need a bit more clarity, a hint more volume, additional cues, etc., to open lines of communication, but the goal is to reduce the volume to a clearly understood whisper of communication between horse and human.

To put it another way … if the alpha horse in the herd consistently uses aggressive pressure with little warning, the subordinate horse will be wary around that alpha horse. The warning posture of the quiet leader is a form of soft pressure, and the subordinate horse calmly responds / yields until the pressure is removed. So how the pressure is presented and perceived is an important issue in your status as subtle herd leader. Slower movement is less threatening than sudden movement, your posture can make a polite request or shout an order, etc., so choose the right message to send. Your horse will be communicating messages back to you, simply adjust what/how you’re communicating according to what the horse is telling you. How the horse perceives and responds to your communication is the measure for success regarding how well you’re communicating and the quality of your relationship with your horse.

Horses aren’t particularly complicated, so building fundamentals in a quality relationship isn’t as difficult as it appears once you get a handle on things. Until the human figures out and applies the quiet leader role, odds are there is some fear and confusion down at the barn because the horse is getting mixed messages instead of calm consistency.

by Jorene Downs
www.CEOates.com

Lunging With Purpose

Lunging-with-purpose involves teaching the horse a set of cues that will then transfer to the mounted level later on. It also involves lunging with LONG sidereins and allowing the horse to “self-teach” giving to the pressure on their mouth that they themselves create. I usually start, and restart horses for my clients, using my lightweight western cordura saddle or my close contact huntseat saddle, a full cheek medium thickness snaffle or fullcheek frenchlink snaffle and the sidereins for lunging purposes only. I favor the fullcheek bit because if the horse decides to caper about on the end of the line, if they pull, the bit won’t be pulled through the horse’s mouth because the full cheek pieces prevent it from doing so.

I also balance the bit in the horses mouth, and set it up so that the horse will apply poll pressure from the lungeline if they pull, by running the lungeline through the ring on the snaffle, up over their poll and then down to snap on to the top of the snaffle ring on the opposite side. This way, the contact from me to the horses mouth isn’t just working from whatever side I’m on. The line going through the ring and over to the other ring on the opposite side creates more balance and even contact between me and the horse. It will also apply poll pressure on the horse’s poll if they pull because the lungeline will tighten as they pull, but release and
loosen from pressure if they don’t pull.

I don’t use sidereins after I have a horse going under saddle. I find that by putting the long sidereins on the green horses that are just getting their start under saddle, and also on the horses that I am restarting because of manmade problems and big holes in their training, it allows them to work through some issues in a way in which they are the ones deciding on where their comfort zone is and how they want to feel. The sidereins are adjusted very long so that the horse has to really overextend up, down or out with their neck and head before they come into contact with the end of the sidereins, and thus, the bit. As the
horse tests the boundaries, they discover where they are most comfortable and they also learn that by yielding in their jaw and their poll and rounding their neck and back slightly, instead of trying to run through the pressure they are creating, they find relief and a comfortable spot because the sidereins go back to contact (I use sidereins that have the elastic insert, rather then the rubber donuts. At the trot, I feel the rubber donuts create too much bounce on the bit in the horses mouth), or even slack, when the horse relaxes their poll and jaw. If a horse wants to overextend their neck and head in any direction, that’s fine with me. If they don’t mind the discomfort of tension and pressure on their mouth that they themselves are applying with over-extension in any direction, then they can carry themselves that way. Most horses however choose a comfort zone and seek to create contact or slack sidereins, rather then dealing with tension on their mouths. By putting the sidereins on very long, they are in no way being restricted or pulled-back into a “frame”, they really have to overextend to come to the end of
the sidereins. Every, single horse that I’ve ever started this way (numbering in the hundreds) has made the choice, or decision, to loosen their jaw and “give” at the poll, thus going to contact or slack reins. The purpose or goal is not the horse coming into “frame”, the purpose is for the horse to learn to go forward and then “give” to the pressure they are creating if they are trying to “run through the pressure” and not fight it instead. Unlike humans, who may make errors in their timing of when to “give” or release when the horse “gives” at their poll and jaw, sidereins are either there in pressure (tension), or they are not (when they are just in contact or are slack). “On the bit” is not my goal, the horse learning to go forward, loosen their jaw, “give” to pressure on their mouths, relax at the poll and round their topline slightly is the goal.

The other positive aspect of doing it this way is that there is no conflict or combat between horse and human. The person isn’t put in the position of being the villain atop the horse if they accidentally don’t “lighten” or release with their hands at the precise moment the horse “gives”. The horse has a chance to think things through, find the comfortable parameters depending on the length of the sidereins, and decide how they wish to feel.

Once the horse has learned these basics and also understands the various sound cues for walk, trot, canter (going forward) and then the sound cues for the transitions back down through the gaits, then we are ready to add the rider, but without the sidereins. I’m able to act as ground support for the rider (the owner) who is usually the first person to ever ride the horse in the case of the young horses. With the full understanding of lunging, the horses most always progress very smoothly and positively in whatever direction their riding careers are headed-in. This also holds true for most horses that I econdition/restart too. There is a lot more education in place before we ever get on the horse.

A key issue here is that I never progress to the riding until the ground training is correctly in place. We are building a foundation that will last the horse’s lifetime, so we are in no hurry and we don’t skip steps or move-on until each level of the training is in place and flowing seamlessly. Lunging sessions are usually about 25 minutes long, tops. I’m working on the mental aspects more then the physical with my method of lungeing. I also rarely use lunging to “work a horse down” or to “take the edge off” before riding. The only times I put a horse on the line “naked”, or with just a saddle and bridle, is for a few minutes at the horses first shows if they are a bit over-excited in their new surroundings or for a pre-purchase or lameness exam. Otherwise, once we do the “lunging with purpose” in the beginnings of under saddle training, or during restarts on older horses, we won’t be using it very often after that, maybe just as a refresher course if the horse has been off work a long time due to broodmare duties or having been turned out and not ridden for a long, long while. Its a great foundation training method and makes the whole starting or restarting process a lot more simple and positive, and with no confusion in the

mind of the horse and no danger to the human because of the horses maybe dangerous evasions such as rearing, flipping themselves over backwards, bucking, etc.

To start the horse off, I use “walk-walk” and a few soft clucks. To move up to trot, clucking and “show” the horse the whip. I utilize the whip in a sweeping motion a few feet off the ground. When lunging, the lunge line simulates the reins and the whip simulates the legs motivating the horse forward, moving from back to front. I place the horse between the “legs” (whip) and “hands” (lungeline) by forming a V-shape with me at the point, with the line going out to the horses head and the whip pointed toward right behind the horses haunches and me facing the horses flank and staying slightly behind the horse. I walk a smaller circle within the horses larger circle so that the horse is not stressing themselves physically and/or losing their balance on too small of a circle. I also never snap or crack the whip. Snapping or cracking the whip continuously will cause the horse to become unresponsive to those sounds. Similar to when a person continuously clucks when they are riding. After a while, the horse no longer pays attention to the sound, it means nothing to them anymore because it is so continuous. To canter, I kiss and slightly raise my line hand. Downward transitions are: from canter to trot I say “terottt”-softly, drawn out word “trot”, and then “waallk”-softly drawn out word “walk” and then soft whoa for halt.

I also do things a little differently when I stop the horse and prepare to go the other direction in that I don’t allow my horses to face me when I stop them.
Three reasons for this:

Safety–If I allow a horse to stop and face me, as I reel in my line and walk toward them preparing to make adjustments and turn them the other way, if they hear a noise or perceive movement behind them (even if there isn’t even anything there) if they spook or bolt, they will usually just run in whatever direction they are pointed or facing, maybe mowing me down in the process.

Psychological–some horses use facing the handler on the lunge-line as an evasion to not wanting to lunge anymore. They’ll continuously get the handler reeling them in, pointing them the correct direction again, getting them going again and then will face up and the handler starts all over trying to get them going the correct direction. Some horses will even face-up, challenge the handler to get them going again and then take the evasion farther if the handler pressures them to go and will either come into the handler (perhaps charging them), or they might turn and run the wrong way. So now there are more issues to deal with then we originally started with. If we teach the horse right from the beginning that facing-up is not allowed, then they will not use the evasion of facing-up, and/or charging the handler, or turning and running the incorrect direction on the lunge-line because they know it’s not allowed.

Adjustments– I have to make adjustments to my lunge-line and maybe even my sidereins, so I have to go to their head anyway and can’t just reverse them out on the lunge-line anyway. Since I rarely lunge a horse “naked” (with no tack except the halter and lunge-line) reversing a horse out on the end of the lunge-line is not even a consideration.

This methodology and approach for starting young horses, or re-training older horses, has proven to be very successful for me for over 20 years and produces well-adjusting, physically and mentally relaxed and comfortable horses.

Article By:

Laura Phelps-Bell
www.starwoodfarm.com
Standing at Stud:
Chilled Champagne and BellStars Majestic

Sacking Out A Horse

“Sacking out a horse” is another term for desensitizing. This is typically performed with a green horse as an early part of the “breaking to saddle” process, and is popular training for youngsters prior to saddle age. It can also be applied to “spooky” horses who require a more thorough desensitization than what was initially received in basic training. The process can be slow and tedious with some horses, but well worth the time invested in the long run!

Have you ever watched a loose horse investigating something new that may be a horse-eating-monster? The horse typically faces the object and approaches with caution, possibly snorting, poised for flight. Once close enough the horse will usually sniff and paw. There might even be a “taste test.” He might retreat and check it out from another angle until he is satisfied that it is harmless. Once deemed harmless, some horses might even consider the object a potential toy.

I think the primary objection to the “sacking out while restrained” is that too many people neglect the introduction part of the process, and sometimes forget the real objectives. The intent should be to demonstrate that the object is harmless to the horse, not generate fear and flight. Start with small steps toward that new object with a speed that the horse can accept, and graduate gradually. If the horse backs off quickly, follow instead of attempting to restrain (which might teach the horse to pull back.) And then convince that horse to whoa, return to you, and relax.

This process shouldn’t happen until after that horse has learned to trust and respond to the handler (typically accomplished in prior round pen training), and the end result of the sacking out should be building on the trust. One big benefit is that a horse can learn to “spook in place” based on trusting the handler / rider who is also established as the alpha … and when the alpha says there is no reason to spook, that horse should listen.

The introduction phase of sacking out should encourage the green horse to “check out” that object using a similar “natural to the horse” process. This is done with patient handling, gently insisting rather than blatantly forcing the horse to face the object. It might take many minutes to convince the horse – one step at a time – to even get within sniffing distance. If you’re reading the horse correctly, the handler should stop advancing toward the “bogeyman” just before that horse spooks. Stand quietly, offer praise, and don’t proceed until the horse is relaxed. When you’re closer, give that horse plenty of opportunity to sniff, paw, etc. Once the horse is comfortable with that object you should be able to gradually expand the situation to include the object touching the horse, moving near the horse, etc.

I use patience, reading the horse, anticipating, etc., and allowing the horse the equine method of determining bogeyman or harmless … while still retaining control. This approach is similar in concept to teaching a horse to load in a trailer … one step at a time. You certainly don’t want the horse fleeing – you want that green horse to trust, be relaxed and willing before proceeding to the next step.

IMO using a halter and lead effectively during sacking out teaches the horse that the flight instinct can be self-controlled, the alpha human is reinforced as the determiner of what is safe or spooky, and the horse learns that the spook isn’t desired behavior. The horse also learns that the human will be persistent, and as the horse grows more experienced the human may request far more brief “introductions” to new objects … and expect the hesitant horse to respond with trust and willingness when cued to proceed.

Sacking out is great training for any horse who has not “been there, done that” in a relaxed manner. There is a bunch you can do in the round pen (or small corral) on the ground, typically done with only halter and lead rope on the horse. The handler might plan ahead and wear gloves. Sometimes the “basic” sacking out / desensitizing needs to get real creative!

Here are some examples:

• Aluminum cans rattling in a burlap sack (rope ties it closed, and allow you to      toss the sack in any direction) 
• Same concept, using rocks & cans in a bucket or closed container like a milk     carton 
• Toss a rope / line around the horse, on the horse, under the horse, around his legs, etc. 
• Flap a sheet around (make it snap!), drape it over him everywhere, hoist it on a broom to emulate a waving flag 
• Clanging metal noise, like 2 trash can lids pretending to be cymbals, or honking horn or car alarm right next to the fence 
• Plan to have a friend handy – perhaps attach a long rope to an object and have the friend (from outside & across the pen) pull on that rope to make that object move.
• Gradually drag it across the round pen.
• Or toss an object in from outside the pen. 
• Drag your noisy rain slicker all over him, flap it around, etc., or perhaps a noisy plastic tarp 
• Roll a barrel around,
• wheel a trash can 
• Drape something “scary” on a fence post or jump standard 
• Rattle rocks in a coffee can 
• Create a mud bog and ask him to walk through 
• Put him in a pen with cattle for several hours at a time (assuming cattle are “spooky”) 
• Have someone walk, then ride, around on a bicycle 
• Push a baby stroller around 

Let your imagination soar while your feet remain on the ground. Always allow the horse to “check out” whatever object you’re using – get creative! – and give him a chance to get comfortable with it before tossing it around, etc. Then start that object moving. When the horse shies, bring that object back to him and re-introduce, or lead him over to look at it. It is kinda symbolic to return that horse to the location where he started the spook, to remind him that he should have stayed there without fussing. Continue until the horse looks rather bored with it all. But until then, be careful to position yourself so that you aren’t in the horse’s flight path!

Next session, introduce a new object. Do a periodic refresher course with old objects to reinforce. If certain locations (above, behind, etc.) seem to impact the horse most, spend extra time working those areas. But once started with any object, you can’t stop until you have serious progress in reducing the shying. Preferably, don’t stop until the horse simply stands there. Be heavy with the verbal communication for “relax, it isn’t gonna eat you”, and praise openly when he believes you. Recall also that your body language will be speaking to that horse, so make sure you’re sending him the right message.

IMO basic sacking out is mandatory when first training a youngster to saddle … as part of the ground work prior to the actual introduction of the saddle. And then the saddle (and rest of the tack) becomes part of the sacking out process by flapping stirrups around, etc. Some horses require very little desensitization training, and others would benefit from a few serious weeks of focused sacking out. Depends on the horse.

Patience, patience, and more patience is required. Besides desensitizing the horse, you’re also building a trust relationship so when you tell the horse later that some object or obstacle is safe, he’ll believe you. He’ll rely on you as the herd boss.

If a horse has a tough time accepting object X, some people will then leave that object in the horse’s stall. Typically this is near / at / on / over the feeder, so the horse must deal with the object and learn to accept it. But beware that in some stall situations for desensitizing that horse should not be left unsupervised. Graduation is to lead him through an obstacle course set up with several objects / situations that originally seemed to set him off.

Next step from there is to tack up the horse and attach different things for him to “wear” … like a slicker, tarp, saddle bags, dragging rope, etc. … then lead him around, then lunge-line him (both directions) walk/trot/canter/whoa. Always pause and re-introduce the object as required to give him a chance to realize it isn’t going to eat him.

Last step in the round pen is mounted. Mount / dismount from both sides. Flap those stirrups around. In the saddle do various things like flapping your arms, have objects handed to you, slapping the saddle or various parts of the horse, flick the reins around, mess with his ears, put on the slicker and off with much ado and flapping, etc. Ride to an object, collect it, carry it away with you (or drag it with a rope attached.) Toss things to the ground in various directions (hat, slicker, rope).

Once again, get creative, adjusting according to what the horse seems to need. Much of this is intended to desensitize his rear and peripheral vision, as well as to remain relaxed during any mounted rider activity. This includes putting yourself in off-balance positions on that horse’s back. Or neck. Or … ? ;-/ Then ride him through a devious obstacle course of items he didn’t originally ignore as a graduation exercise.

Once all this is accomplished successfully, outside the round pen set up some potentially “spooky” situations in the form of obstacles. Much depends on what has set off the horse in the past, but again get creative with this learning experience! This might be anything from a trash can in a new location to jump / fence rails painted different colors. Go through the “new object” introduction and exposure, maybe starting on the ground, but eventually all under saddle. Use the verbal encouragement and praise that you’ve already established in the round pen. Make sure the horse approaches the obstacle from all directions, and continue inching him up to / past / through / over that obstacle until he is performing this in a relaxed manner.

Then move out on the trail. Perhaps pony him with a seasoned horse, or ride right behind a horse he knows and is comfortable with. Pick a lead horse that is quite reliable at staying calm and relaxed, as this will help your own horse’s confidence. Don’t require that your horse take the lead. But once he has taken a trail several times without incident, do a trial section with him going first. Evaluate, and continue according to the messages you’re getting from your horse. Lots of patience required!

Also take him places. Frequently. Build your way up to more chaotic situations. Lead him around. Leave him tied to the trailer with a buddy, then alone. Ride him around. But insist on his best manners.

Bottom line is, the more the horse is exposed to in a controlled situation / environment, the more likely he’ll be more accepting of new things out on the trail, off at shows, etc. And having you work through this all with him will establish a new alpha position for you with the horse. He’ll learn to trust you to know when something is safe, and any future “spooky” behavior can be greatly reduced by calm rider / handler control.

I like having a single word / command to tell the horse to stop the “I’m being spooky” routine. Years ago I got into the habit of saying “Quit!” when I know that horse knows better.

The key is to try and make the exposure to new things ultimately rather boring to the horse. Keeping him as relaxed as possible – requiring that you must stay relaxed – will help him learn that he needn’t fear everything that is new to him. You’re just providing “at home” seasoning for him where it is safer for both of you … then taking him to other locations to prove that what applies at home also applies away from home.

BTW – I’ve just described what I consider fundamentals for the desensitizing of any young / green broke horse, adjusted per that horse’s basic training needs according to disposition and prior experience. The same concepts apply to any “spooky” horse … which I just figure means that horse doesn’t have the right kind of seasoning … yet.

Also, the entire horse situation should be taken into consideration. Perhaps some of the “spooky” behavior is caused by inadvertent rider error, like tensing up at an inappropriate moment. Another problem to watch out for is tack that fits – or is used – incorrectly. There may be a physical / health reason influencing the horse’s behavior. Or it could be something in the horse’s diet encouraging “hot” behavior. All worth investigating in addition to the desensitizing process.

Hope you now have a better idea of what is meant by sacking out / desensitizing a horse. It is a very useful step in training that can be applied at essentially any age.

This article is printed with the permission of by Jorene Downs at  www.CEOates.com