The Horse Logic Blog
Saturday, September 1, 2007
How to Safely Introduce Your Horse to Leading Part 2
How to Safely Introduce Your Horse to Leading:
Part 2: Teaching Your Horse to Walk With You
By Sara McKiness of Horse Logic
Before we get started I want to refresh your memory as to the necessary equipment.
Here is a list of the necessary equipment:
1. A halter in good condition and correctly fitted to your horse.
2. A sturdy lead rope in good condition.
3. A dressage whip.
4. A riding helmet ASTM/ SEI certified.
5. An indoor or outdoor arena (not a round pen, you need a "flat" wall).
6. Gloves (optional, but good protection for your hands).
Okay, we have our equipment check, the halter is on, our helmet in place, lead rope attached and whip in hand, and we are now ready to take the horse into the arena. Walk the horse in a quiet and relaxed manner when handling the horse, because horses communicate via body language. Close the gate behind you and choose a spot that has the fewest distractions, so your horse will have an easier time paying attention to you. Be at least 20 feet away from a wall in case your horse gets spooked and reacts in a dangerous manner. You will have somewhere to run and you won't be trapped by a wall.
Teaching your horse to lead starts with grooming as this lays the foundation for future training. So start grooming with your fingertips at the shoulder while loosely holding on to the lead. Once you and the horse are comfortable, move on to scratching the belly and hips. Give your horse scratches and try to find those itchy spots they want scratched. If you see their lips quiver or they lean into your scratching, you know you've found an itchy spot. You may also notice your horse turning his head towards you and even trying to bite you. Don't worry, he's not mad at you, he's just trying to return the favor by scratching you with his teeth. Calmly, but firmly, turn him down by pushing his head away. You can push on his cheek or even put a little pressure under his jowls. Don't get him excited though; keep him calm but show him you are the leader. Keep scratching all around his body especially those places he can't reach himself like his withers. This grooming session should last about 10 or 15 minutes, and is also a good start for any training session as it will help your horse relax.
By taking the time to get to know your horse through grooming you will establish and reinforce a positive relationship. This positive relationship will carry over to all of the training that you and your horse will accomplish. Grooming builds trust and allows training to happen very quietly. You want your horse to view you as a safe person and a member of your two horse herd. He should view you as the herd leader. If you mistreat and bully your horse into submission the relationship will not build trust, which will hinder any future training. Your horse will not view you as a safety zone if you are acting aggressive and creating a negative excitement. You need to show your horse that a leader equals trust and safety. Remember good horse training is very "un-exciting".
Now you're ready to begin teaching your horse the shapes that are involved with basic leading. These shapes are: halt, stepping when you step, backing up, turning away, turning with you, and trotting with you.
Begin with the horse between you and the wall, and begin by standing at your horse's shoulder. (The purpose of the wall is to keep the horse straight.) Have the lead rope in your right hand and the whip in your left hand and stand with your right hand closest to the horse. Take a step forward and wait several seconds for your horse to follow you. If he doesn't take a step forward, reach behind you give him a slight tap on his haunches with your whip. Start out with the softest tap possible. If this does not give you a response, you can add slightly firmer taps until your horse gives the correct response by moving forward.
After your horse gives you the correct response of taking a step when you step, and moving forward you can ask for a halt. The first step in asking for halt is for you to stop. Next face your horse with the whip in your right hand, ready to create a wall if you need to. The way to create a wall with the whip is to press the handle into the horse's chest lightly at first. This creates enough pressure that your horse should stop. By using the whip in this fashion you are also not creating excitement in your horse. If your horse keeps trying to walk through your "wall" of pressure (the whip handle), then you can add a small amount of jiggling the lead rope. This is used to get the horse's attention focused back on you. That way he can better understand what you are asking of him. You now want to repeat asking your horse to walk, and every five to seven strides asking for a halt. By repeating this for around 20 minutes each day your horse will really understand the concept of leading after about a week.
Now that you have practiced these steps for a couple of days, your horse should be paying attention to you and listening very well. We can now move onto teaching your horse to back up. The same principle applies with teaching your horse to back as the first two steps. First of all when you are starting to teach your horse to back up, make sure that you have warmed him up for about 10 minutes performing walk and halt transitions. This helps to get his attention completely on you. Start by asking for a halt, now you take a step backwards, and see if your horse follows. If he does not follow you, turn and face him (like when you were teaching him to halt), now you can apply a small amount of pressure with the handle of the whip. When teaching a horse to back you want a pressure that presses on his chest until he starts to back. The pressure should also start soft and gradually get firmer. You only want to make the pressure firmer only if your horse is not responding to the quiet pressure. As soon as your horse shows any movement backwards take the pressure away, and praise him. Now repeat by taking a step back, and waiting several seconds for your horse to follow. Repeat the previous steps if your horse does not follow you with taking a step backwards.
Once your horse has mastered moving forward in step with you, halting and backing up, you are ready to move on to slightly more difficult shapes. The first shape that I start to teach a horse after backing up is turn on the haunches. This is where your horse will yield to your body pressure and move away from you, while maintaining his weight on the haunches, and pivoting on a hind leg. First to teach your horse this shape you need to move to the center of the arena. Now you ask your horse for a halt, and then while facing your horse take a step towards their shoulders. If they are really paying attention to you they should start to move away from the pressure of your body. If they do not start to move away from your body pressure, take the handle of the whip and press it gently into your horse neck. As stated above only apply more pressure if your horse does not move away. As soon as your horse takes the slightest step away from the pressure release it. This will help to reinforce that the horse is to move away from the pressure. A very common problem that occurs when asking for the turn on the haunches is the horse will not want to stay and pivot on their haunches. You can correct this by stopping the forward motion at the same time as asking your horse to step away. To stop the forward motion you can apply pressure with the handle of the whip on their chest or you can jiggle the lead rope slightly. After your horse takes a small step away from you let him halt, and praise him. Now you can ask your horse to take another step away from you. You should repeat the steps discussed above until your horse can do a 180 degree turn.
The final shape in leading is the turning with you. Your horse should also be able to pivot on his haunches towards you the same as in turn away you horse pivots on his haunches. This shape should also be taught in the center of the arena, as to not be stuck in a dangerous position. The first step in teaching your horse this shape is to have your horse halt. Now take a small step away from their shoulders. Again if your horse is paying attention to you he should follow you. If your horse does not follow you (which after learning all of the above shapes he should understand that you want him to follow with you while maintaining his position with you at his shoulders.) give a small pull on the lead rope. By giving a small pull on the lead rope it should give him enough of an indication that you want him to follow you. Again do not increase the pressure unless your horse is not responding to the quiet pressure. You can also give your horse a very slight tap on his haunches that will encourage him to follow you. Just make sure that your horse does NOT take forward steps, or try to get away from you. If your horse does try to get away from you interrupt him by jiggling the lead rope, and go back to working him with the halt and walk transitions. This will get his attention back on you, and also will help reinforce that you want your horse to follow you and also to yield to your body pressure. Once he is paying attention to you once again, you can go to center to ask him for the turn with you. This should now be fresh in his mind that he should be following with you every step.
The last shape to teach your horse in leading is to follow you while trotting. To ask for this shape, take your horse back out to the rail. Make sure that your horse is between you and the rail (the rail helps to keep your horse straight). Ask your horse for a step forward, after several steps of forward ask for a halt. Repeat this until your horse is completely paying attention to you. Now you can ask your horse for a forward step, once he has stepped forward ask for the trot. To ask for the trot, first you jog in place, and cluck to him. If he does not respond to this lightly tap him on his haunches. You can tap until your horse starts to trot, then immediately stop tapping, as this is a reward for trotting is to release the pressure. After your horse has trotted several steps with you ask for a walk. To ask for the walk you start to walk, and your horse should follow your lead, but if he does not jiggle the lead rope as to get his attention. Once you have his attention and he is walking ask for a halt. Once again you ask your horse for walk, and walk with him for several steps, then ask for trot. Keep practicing these steps until your horse does them without resistance, and also with his attention completely focused on you. Once you have achieved this you and your horse will communicate on the ground almost effortlessly. Your horse will just follow your every step, and also pay attention to everything you will do. This is very beneficial to any further training, as it carries over to lunging and under saddle work.
I recommend practicing the lead shapes at least 15 minutes per day, for at least 4 days per week. Horses need consistency in order to really understand what we are trying to teach them.
When teaching your horse anything new it should always only be a small baby step from what you have just taught your horse. That way if your horse is having trouble learning any of the new pieces of training you can go back to what he already knows.
By following these simple steps, you and horse will have the beginnings of a rewarding relationship. Your horse will also learn respectful ground manners. This makes it easy to work with your horse in many different situations.
***If you feel uncomfortable during any time of training your horse, stop and consult with a professional trainer. Especially if you are having a hard time teaching your horse any of these steps, please seek a professional trainer. It is better to teach your horse correctly the first time, than to go and “undo” any bad training. This will save both you and your horse any frustration that could negatively impact your relationship. ***
You can visit my blog for the previous article which explains halter fit with a diagram. My Blog’s address is: http://www.horselogic.net/blog.html .
Learn something new every month from Horse Logic. A new article will be featured every month in From the Horse’s Mouth by: Sara McKiness from Horse Logic.
©Horse Logic 2007
Sara McKiness
Horse Logic
Saint Charles, IL
630-631-2746
sara@horselogic.net
www.horselogic.net
Part 2: Teaching Your Horse to Walk With You
By Sara McKiness of Horse Logic
Before we get started I want to refresh your memory as to the necessary equipment.
Here is a list of the necessary equipment:
1. A halter in good condition and correctly fitted to your horse.
2. A sturdy lead rope in good condition.
3. A dressage whip.
4. A riding helmet ASTM/ SEI certified.
5. An indoor or outdoor arena (not a round pen, you need a "flat" wall).
6. Gloves (optional, but good protection for your hands).
Okay, we have our equipment check, the halter is on, our helmet in place, lead rope attached and whip in hand, and we are now ready to take the horse into the arena. Walk the horse in a quiet and relaxed manner when handling the horse, because horses communicate via body language. Close the gate behind you and choose a spot that has the fewest distractions, so your horse will have an easier time paying attention to you. Be at least 20 feet away from a wall in case your horse gets spooked and reacts in a dangerous manner. You will have somewhere to run and you won't be trapped by a wall.
Teaching your horse to lead starts with grooming as this lays the foundation for future training. So start grooming with your fingertips at the shoulder while loosely holding on to the lead. Once you and the horse are comfortable, move on to scratching the belly and hips. Give your horse scratches and try to find those itchy spots they want scratched. If you see their lips quiver or they lean into your scratching, you know you've found an itchy spot. You may also notice your horse turning his head towards you and even trying to bite you. Don't worry, he's not mad at you, he's just trying to return the favor by scratching you with his teeth. Calmly, but firmly, turn him down by pushing his head away. You can push on his cheek or even put a little pressure under his jowls. Don't get him excited though; keep him calm but show him you are the leader. Keep scratching all around his body especially those places he can't reach himself like his withers. This grooming session should last about 10 or 15 minutes, and is also a good start for any training session as it will help your horse relax.
By taking the time to get to know your horse through grooming you will establish and reinforce a positive relationship. This positive relationship will carry over to all of the training that you and your horse will accomplish. Grooming builds trust and allows training to happen very quietly. You want your horse to view you as a safe person and a member of your two horse herd. He should view you as the herd leader. If you mistreat and bully your horse into submission the relationship will not build trust, which will hinder any future training. Your horse will not view you as a safety zone if you are acting aggressive and creating a negative excitement. You need to show your horse that a leader equals trust and safety. Remember good horse training is very "un-exciting".
Now you're ready to begin teaching your horse the shapes that are involved with basic leading. These shapes are: halt, stepping when you step, backing up, turning away, turning with you, and trotting with you.
Begin with the horse between you and the wall, and begin by standing at your horse's shoulder. (The purpose of the wall is to keep the horse straight.) Have the lead rope in your right hand and the whip in your left hand and stand with your right hand closest to the horse. Take a step forward and wait several seconds for your horse to follow you. If he doesn't take a step forward, reach behind you give him a slight tap on his haunches with your whip. Start out with the softest tap possible. If this does not give you a response, you can add slightly firmer taps until your horse gives the correct response by moving forward.
After your horse gives you the correct response of taking a step when you step, and moving forward you can ask for a halt. The first step in asking for halt is for you to stop. Next face your horse with the whip in your right hand, ready to create a wall if you need to. The way to create a wall with the whip is to press the handle into the horse's chest lightly at first. This creates enough pressure that your horse should stop. By using the whip in this fashion you are also not creating excitement in your horse. If your horse keeps trying to walk through your "wall" of pressure (the whip handle), then you can add a small amount of jiggling the lead rope. This is used to get the horse's attention focused back on you. That way he can better understand what you are asking of him. You now want to repeat asking your horse to walk, and every five to seven strides asking for a halt. By repeating this for around 20 minutes each day your horse will really understand the concept of leading after about a week.
Now that you have practiced these steps for a couple of days, your horse should be paying attention to you and listening very well. We can now move onto teaching your horse to back up. The same principle applies with teaching your horse to back as the first two steps. First of all when you are starting to teach your horse to back up, make sure that you have warmed him up for about 10 minutes performing walk and halt transitions. This helps to get his attention completely on you. Start by asking for a halt, now you take a step backwards, and see if your horse follows. If he does not follow you, turn and face him (like when you were teaching him to halt), now you can apply a small amount of pressure with the handle of the whip. When teaching a horse to back you want a pressure that presses on his chest until he starts to back. The pressure should also start soft and gradually get firmer. You only want to make the pressure firmer only if your horse is not responding to the quiet pressure. As soon as your horse shows any movement backwards take the pressure away, and praise him. Now repeat by taking a step back, and waiting several seconds for your horse to follow. Repeat the previous steps if your horse does not follow you with taking a step backwards.
Once your horse has mastered moving forward in step with you, halting and backing up, you are ready to move on to slightly more difficult shapes. The first shape that I start to teach a horse after backing up is turn on the haunches. This is where your horse will yield to your body pressure and move away from you, while maintaining his weight on the haunches, and pivoting on a hind leg. First to teach your horse this shape you need to move to the center of the arena. Now you ask your horse for a halt, and then while facing your horse take a step towards their shoulders. If they are really paying attention to you they should start to move away from the pressure of your body. If they do not start to move away from your body pressure, take the handle of the whip and press it gently into your horse neck. As stated above only apply more pressure if your horse does not move away. As soon as your horse takes the slightest step away from the pressure release it. This will help to reinforce that the horse is to move away from the pressure. A very common problem that occurs when asking for the turn on the haunches is the horse will not want to stay and pivot on their haunches. You can correct this by stopping the forward motion at the same time as asking your horse to step away. To stop the forward motion you can apply pressure with the handle of the whip on their chest or you can jiggle the lead rope slightly. After your horse takes a small step away from you let him halt, and praise him. Now you can ask your horse to take another step away from you. You should repeat the steps discussed above until your horse can do a 180 degree turn.
The final shape in leading is the turning with you. Your horse should also be able to pivot on his haunches towards you the same as in turn away you horse pivots on his haunches. This shape should also be taught in the center of the arena, as to not be stuck in a dangerous position. The first step in teaching your horse this shape is to have your horse halt. Now take a small step away from their shoulders. Again if your horse is paying attention to you he should follow you. If your horse does not follow you (which after learning all of the above shapes he should understand that you want him to follow with you while maintaining his position with you at his shoulders.) give a small pull on the lead rope. By giving a small pull on the lead rope it should give him enough of an indication that you want him to follow you. Again do not increase the pressure unless your horse is not responding to the quiet pressure. You can also give your horse a very slight tap on his haunches that will encourage him to follow you. Just make sure that your horse does NOT take forward steps, or try to get away from you. If your horse does try to get away from you interrupt him by jiggling the lead rope, and go back to working him with the halt and walk transitions. This will get his attention back on you, and also will help reinforce that you want your horse to follow you and also to yield to your body pressure. Once he is paying attention to you once again, you can go to center to ask him for the turn with you. This should now be fresh in his mind that he should be following with you every step.
The last shape to teach your horse in leading is to follow you while trotting. To ask for this shape, take your horse back out to the rail. Make sure that your horse is between you and the rail (the rail helps to keep your horse straight). Ask your horse for a step forward, after several steps of forward ask for a halt. Repeat this until your horse is completely paying attention to you. Now you can ask your horse for a forward step, once he has stepped forward ask for the trot. To ask for the trot, first you jog in place, and cluck to him. If he does not respond to this lightly tap him on his haunches. You can tap until your horse starts to trot, then immediately stop tapping, as this is a reward for trotting is to release the pressure. After your horse has trotted several steps with you ask for a walk. To ask for the walk you start to walk, and your horse should follow your lead, but if he does not jiggle the lead rope as to get his attention. Once you have his attention and he is walking ask for a halt. Once again you ask your horse for walk, and walk with him for several steps, then ask for trot. Keep practicing these steps until your horse does them without resistance, and also with his attention completely focused on you. Once you have achieved this you and your horse will communicate on the ground almost effortlessly. Your horse will just follow your every step, and also pay attention to everything you will do. This is very beneficial to any further training, as it carries over to lunging and under saddle work.
I recommend practicing the lead shapes at least 15 minutes per day, for at least 4 days per week. Horses need consistency in order to really understand what we are trying to teach them.
When teaching your horse anything new it should always only be a small baby step from what you have just taught your horse. That way if your horse is having trouble learning any of the new pieces of training you can go back to what he already knows.
By following these simple steps, you and horse will have the beginnings of a rewarding relationship. Your horse will also learn respectful ground manners. This makes it easy to work with your horse in many different situations.
***If you feel uncomfortable during any time of training your horse, stop and consult with a professional trainer. Especially if you are having a hard time teaching your horse any of these steps, please seek a professional trainer. It is better to teach your horse correctly the first time, than to go and “undo” any bad training. This will save both you and your horse any frustration that could negatively impact your relationship. ***
You can visit my blog for the previous article which explains halter fit with a diagram. My Blog’s address is: http://www.horselogic.net/blog.html .
Learn something new every month from Horse Logic. A new article will be featured every month in From the Horse’s Mouth by: Sara McKiness from Horse Logic.
©Horse Logic 2007
Sara McKiness
Horse Logic
Saint Charles, IL
630-631-2746
sara@horselogic.net
www.horselogic.net
posted by Sara at 5:57 AM |
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