A wonderful opportunity presents itself to us each time we are given the opportunity to introduce the horse, perhaps for the first time or in the early stages, to one we can see has that passion or interest. Suddenly, we become beginners all over again, and in seeing things anew, perceive things more clearly, more defined than perhaps we have in a while. The process of instruction brings learning to both student and teacher.For years, I was lucky enough to have such opportunities with children at camp, eager and open to do it all, as long as horses were part of the package. Over the years, here too I have such opportunities; not with children but with the open mind of a new beginner adult, on a weekly basis throughout the summer.
Each of these opportunities were limited in time and therefore in scope. At best, at camp, you can only teach/learn so much in a week or two. And likewise, here at our guest ranch, I can almost assure a beginner a safe, comfortable and enjoyable ride. I take great pride in this and truly enjoy sharing the time well spent with horse and rider on these awesome mountain trails. However in just a couple hours, and without a “follow up visit”, we end it there, and hope for the best next year, or in a few years when that person returns and wants to ride again.
This year, I have an exciting opportunity present itself to me in the form of an enthusiastic and athletic young woman here to spend the summer with us. She’s not a horse person… yet. We’ve got the whole summer to work on it, and with her energy and interest, I think it’s going to be fun for us both. I tease her that she’ll also learn to be one heck of a cabin cleaner, which isn’t exactly the brightest side of the position, but it is part of the package deal. (And really not that bad, I promise her.)
And so, I find myself given the opportunity to see horses and learn their handling all over again as I present it all to my summer helper, Beka, who comes with limited horse experience but great ability and interest. I tend to find the latter two so much more essential than the former. The bottom line is you have a clean slate waiting to be filled with poetry. In this case, poetry in motion. Horsemanship.
The first thing we went over is something you can spend a lifetime perfecting, yet it is so remarkably simple you may laugh that I give it such importance. Getting the horse in from pasture.
To begin with, it’s all about body language. I explain how I don’t try to sneak up on my horses. I don’t try to be the predator and chase them in to the corral where it’s easier to “catch” them. (I did have to re-teach the old dogs this new trick, as this is the way it was done here for years.) I approach the horse directly, with respect, but not like the human/hunter that they fear us to be. Firm but fair, remember? You can see their reaction to you from a quarter mile away. If they are scared from way back there, you better slow down, approach and retreat, and turn down the human/hunter in you.
When you come near the horse, I’d like him or her to turn towards me, and better yet, take a few steps towards me. You can “reward” them with treats. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with that, though I prefer to give a kind word and a gentle rub.
Then and only then do I halter the horse, followed by another kind word and gentle rub. And then we proceed to practice leading.
Here again that body language thing comes in to play (doesn’t it always?). I want my horses’ shoulder in line with mine. He or she should not be any further in front of me, so that if I stop abruptly, so will my horse, and be no further ahead of me. Should he or she push the boundaries and step ahead of me, I take control of his or her feet, and then ask my horse to walk completely around me until we’re lined back up, shoulder to shoulder.
There is no pressure on the lead rope unless I need to up the pressure. Otherwise, I’d like to have my horse expect the light touch.
While walking up through the pasture, I’ll make a few sudden stops just to keep my horse alert and paying attention to me. Perhaps even stop, then take a few steps back. I’ll expect my horse to step back in line with me. If just my walking back is not enough to signal to my horse to walk backwards with me, I’ll flap my elbows and act bigger. That usually does it. But if that’s not enough, I’ll raise my whole arms and swing the lead rope and make sure my horse understands I’m backing up and I expect him to as well.
As always, start soft. Assume your horse will not need more than a light touch or gentle signal. But up the pressure if need be, never to the point of pain, but only to the point of getting the results you want.
Be careful here though. More often than not a horse doesn’t do what we are asking because we are not being clear in our request. Perhaps we need to stop and take a look at our own body language and movements and see what we can do to improve our communications with the horse before we quickly blame him or her for “not getting it.”
Leading a horse in from pasture is something we do almost daily. Seems to me it’s an opportunity each time to advance with your communication skills, fine tune the effectiveness of your body language, and constantly improve your relationship with your horse.
Opportunities present themselves in the simplest ways at times. I hope I don’t overlook too many in my rush to just get it done or get there.
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