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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
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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“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
