I want you to pick 4, 6, or 8 strides to work with and stick with that same number the whole time you do this in both directions. So if you pick 6, use only six. Also use the higher number if your horse is greener and work your way down to the lower ones as you master the exercise at each number. So when you have it good at 8, go down to 6 and so on.
The first stage is to work on walk to halt at the stride number you have selected. So from halt you would count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 halt again and repeat on whatever pattern you have chosen to ride. I'm not going to tell you what this will do because I want you to discover it and report back in the comments what you found. All I will say is to do it until it is relaxed and as effortless as possible. Make mental notes of how it feels in the beginning attempts, and then notice changes until it's easy and relaxed. Make sure and stay in the halt on a slack but not loose rein for at least 5 seconds and that the horse will maintain the halt on the slack rein. If he doesn't, remind him of your request patiently until he does.
The number up repetitions is not as important as the moment you get relaxation and the feeling of little or no effort. When you get that, Let the horse stand and relax on a loose rein or free walk on a loose rein for at least 30 seconds before resuming and or changing directions. This can be progressed to trot to walk when it is good in walk to halt. This exercise can also be introduced at liberty and online first and I encourage this whenever introducing a new exercise or pattern before doing it mounted.
Pay attention to little changes good or bad leading up to it being good. If your horse is stopping crooked or sideways from where you planned to halt, Guide them calmly back to the spot you meant to stop. Let me know what you discovered in the comments!
http://fdhorsetraining.com/
What a great exercise. I plan on incorporating it in my young horse training.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Kaye! Let me know your findings and progress!
ReplyDeleteToday Dodger and I tried this at liberty. It took several trot/walk cycles with me trotting then walking beside him, and a rather constant bit of cajoling to keep his attention, but once he began to understand the routine of the exercise, he seemed to realize he wasn't being asked for too much of his precious energy, and he started to anticipate what was next. His curiosity and gamesmanship kicked in and he became fully engaged and eager to listen and respond. Of course, once I realized how well it was going counter-clockwise, I tried turning him and doing it clockwise--and I lost him. He just drifted off in the arena and looked for something else more interesting. That's SO like our routine---he gives me a beautiful inch and I ask for what I think is just another inch, but it's a mile for him. So we went back to counter clockwise; his interest kicked back in, and we ended the session on a good note.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the exercise, Farah! It worked wonders with a horse that's stingy with energy. I'd be interested in knowing how it works with a horse that is more extroverted with energy!
Hey Michelle thanks for sharing your experience and yes what you experienced is right on. The horse starts to thinks with you and offer more because he recognizes the pattern. My horse is quite extroverted and I work with several who are and it is similar in that they learn to slow down and wait and it helps to teach a "whoa" and balance to more go then whoa horses on the ground and then in the saddle. It works wonders for getting any horse to "think" with you which in turn allows you to use less cues and get more a more engaged try from your horse.
ReplyDeleteHello, nice exercise! I found 3 things:
ReplyDelete1. I was much more aware where my horses feet were.
2. He began to round up really nicely.
3. He quickly understood the exercise and was much more alert and sensitive to 'go'(he is already very sensitive to 'stop' - all it takes is a thought and a breath).
This is working with a 9 yr old Andalusian I took on as a rescue, no education but intelligent and willing!
Thanks, Abigail Morris
Yes Abigail! These are all the things that will happen often with this exercise. Excellent work on your part and your horses! :)
ReplyDelete