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March 2007 |
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Greetings from the Dear Friends: We have decided to dedicate this month's newsletter to the fine folks who run horse rescue and equine welfare organizations throughout the United States and the world. It's time they received the applause they so well deserve! And our help. Over the past several months, whenever I have had downtime, I've been working to add a new section to my web site to help everyone to find a horse rescue/horse welfare organization nearest you. I'm happy to say that new, very comprehensive section is completed and uploaded to my web site now. You can check it out here: www.naturalhorsetraining.com/HorseRescues.html Click on a state in the U.S. there to find a rescue nearest you in the U.S. Or click on this link to find a rescue organization outside of the United States: www.naturalhorsetraining.com/HorseRescuesOutsideUS.html This time of year, especially in this part of the world, still in winter or just coming out of winter, rescue supplies can be very depleted, like food/hay. But also across the globe, like in Australia, where drought is a very serious factor there lately, I'm hearing from a lot of rescues located there that they could use a lot of help from all of us horse lovers out there. And it doesn't take much, if we all band to work together. Think about combing through your tack room and doing a "spring cleaning," pulling aside all those items you just don't need anymore -- unneeded tack, grooming supplies, buckets, you name it. Gather them together and drop them by a horse rescue/horse welfare organization nearest you, using that list on my site. Grab some of your feed and hay supply and drop that by as well. No offering is ever too small for horse rescues, rest assured! Locate via my web site rescue list the rescue closest to you, and click on the link to their web site (to be listed on my web site rescue list, the organizations are required to have a current, working web site for people to turn to for further information). Most rescues list on their web sites what they individually need most, often in the categories of feed, supplies, medicines, manpower volunteers and other special needs. Take the time to see what the rescue nearest you might need and see what you can do to help. As Rabiah Seminole, of the Blue Horse Mukwa Equine Retirement & Rescue Center in Chase City, Virginia, said recently (and I know she speaks for so many of the other equine rescues I hear from regularly as well), "If you can find it in your heart to help us in any way that you can, we would be so grateful. Remember that whatever you send is welcomed. The horses are the ones benefiting from your kindness. It does not matter if it is $1.00 or $10 million, it all helps. We also need tack for our tack shop. Dig into the tack box and whatever you are not using, WE CAN!!! Thanks for all you do, we look forward to hearing from you." Horse rescues and horse welfare organizations serve a very positive and immensely valuable role in our communities. Let's all take this month to see what we can offer to every horse rescue nearest us. And together we'll make a positive difference! First Internet Horse Rescue Benefit! To further the rescue cause mission this month, we here at the Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center, LLC, are also taking this month of March to set up a First Internet Horse Rescue Benefit for our newsletter subscribers. For every order that you place with us this month of March 2007, purchasing our products/videos, etc., we will donate 10% of each order proceeds to the Horse Rescue or Horse Welfare Organization of your choice from our list of rescue organizations on my web site It's very simple. Here's how it works: Place your order on our web site store and in the Comments Section, when placing your order, simply state the name of the rescue organization you would like the 10% donation to go to from our web site rescue list, as well as give the exact location (city/state/country) of that rescue organization, and at the end of the month, we will tally up the donations and donate those proceeds to the rescues you have chosen yourselves! If you are a horse rescue/horse welfare organization receiving this newsletter, please feel free to pass this newsletter along to your supporters and have them pass the word! We want to help as many horse rescue organizations out there as we can this month! Sylvia Scott Natural Horsemanship Products We are getting a lot of positive feedback on our Sylvia Scott Whispering Way™ 12-Step Total Training System DVD set. I'd like to share a couple with you here now: Hi Sylvia. I just completed your Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD's, along with 9 pages of notes I made. I found your DVD set exceptionally helpful and inspiring. For instance, your leadership and gentle techniques truly flowed into the horse you were working with. At no time did I feel rushed or a sense of pushiness from you that I have seen in so many other trainer’s videos. As a trainer myself, I now have added many additional techniques to my repertoire, directly inspired from your 12-Step Total Training System DVD's (9 pages worth!). Like backing up on the tarp and backing over poles under saddle; great methods to build confidence and the brain to hoof connection. The Q & A on your web site is such a great resource, but actually viewing your methods and techniques brought so much into focus for me. What I like most about your 12-Step System is you are teaching a logical, safer approach to handling a horse that ultimately translates under saddle. In a relatively short period of time the rider is under saddle with confidence and the horse trusting in the rider’s leadership. Getting to ride is what it’s all about and you have presented it in a way that makes sense while maintaining gentleness and patience. I will surely be a better trainer for watching your 12-Step DVD set. Thank you so much for putting it together! Sincerely, Missy Axton-Wryn, WNHP Sylvia Scott's new Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set should have priority placement in the library of every horse owner serious about developing a solid, respectful, working relationship with their horse. From the beginner to the seasoned horse person, there is something to gain for every equine enthusiast in this set. Sylvia's ease with both horse and human communication makes her a natural, effective and enthusiastic teacher. Don't wait to order this series! Tess Vanattia Dear Sylvia, I certainly enjoyed your new Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set. You present excellent fundamental training methods in a very logical, easy-to-follow format. Even someone who is new to horses should be able to safely and easily apply the techniques you teach in this video to work towards developing a mutually respectful relationship with their horse. Keep up the good work! Ed Dabney Check out and order today the Sylvia Scott Whispering Way™ 12-Step Total Training System! Or think about getting my Complete Package, which contains: my Round Pen Leadership DVD, my Whispering Way™ 12-Step Total Training System 3-DVD set, and all the tools (natural horsemanship halter/12' lead, extendable-retractable training wand, training string, and the handy pocket card that lists the 12 steps) that you need to train your horse yourself, the natural horsemanship Whispering Way!
We all can learn from each other! Sylvia Scott
Check
These Out! Equine Herpes Virus-1 In Virginia, additional facilities quarantined as a precaution - Darlene Jacobson, Editor in Chief of the Virginia Horse Journal asked me to pass along the following to our newsletter subscribers: The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is taking precautionary measures and quarantining additional farms in Virginia due to an outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1). Previously, VDACS quarantined the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg and one farm in Loudoun County. In the hours following discovery of a horse possibly infected with EHV-1 at the EMC, both Virginia and Maryland learned of additional horses that may have had contact with that animal. Both states are conducting investigations and doing trace-backs on at-risk horses. Virginia is placing more quarantines today. By Friday evening, February 23, 2007, the following localities will have quarantines in place: Culpeper County 1 Premises 6 Horses This represents a total of approximately 175 horses under quarantine, only three of which have shown neurological signs of EHV-1. One of those horses resides in Fauquier County and two in Loudoun County. EHV1 in a highly contagious disease that presents no known health threat to humans, but humans can spread it from farm to farm on their clothing, shoes, tires, or equipment. To enhance bio-security, VDACS has cancelled the Casanova Hunt Club Point-to-Point and the Casanova Hunter Pace events this weekend because of their proximity to a quarantined premises. Dr. Richard Wilkes, Virginia State Veterinarian, said, “We are being very conservative in our approach and are quarantining farms that have horses on the premises that were at the equine center during the possible contagious period. The quarantines are precautionary measures and do not mean there are sick horses on the premises. No horse on a Virginia premises outside the equine center has been confirmed to have EHV1, but we have tested some horses on contact farms that have fevers and no other signs and one horse that has neurological signs. We expect to receive test results early next week. This aggressive approach is to try and contain any possible exposure while we assess the risk that this event holds for our horse industry. Virginia horse-owners need to understand that we are being proactive and pre-emptive at this time to protect our state’s horse industry. We have cancelled a couple of equine events to add another measure of protection.” Wilkes added, “We are working with faculty at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at their Blacksburg and Marion duPont Scott facilities, the Virginia Association of Equine Practitioners, USDA, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to be sure that we take responsible, effective action to control EHV-1.” Wilkes encourages activity planners to consider upcoming events in Northern Virginia carefully and to postpone all non-essential ones to minimize the occasions where horses co-mingle. The mixing and mingling of horses has the potential to compromise bio-security as they move from area to area. The VDACS Web site has bio-security information at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/pdf/ehv-infosheet.pdf and the University of Florida site has bio-security guidelines at http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu/Agriculture/PDF/Equine%20 Herpesvirus%20UF%20Web%20Biosecurity.pdf. Quarantines will restrict movement on and off the affected facilities. In addition, veterinarians are urging horse owners to observe strict hygiene control procedures to avoid spreading the disease in the environment. This includes a thorough cleaning and disinfecting routine using a proven disinfectant/cleaner. For more information, see the VDACS Web site at www.vdacs.virginia.gov and click on “Read More” in the “What’s New: Equine Herpes Virus 1” box. This site contains press releases, a fact sheet, and information on bio-security. The vet school here has asked me to post this announcement in this newsletter to help all of you have the opportunity to come learn more about the recent outbreaks of Equine Herpes Virus Type-1: You are cordially invited to attend the Virginia – Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and Virginia Cooperative Extension's For more information, call Dr. Scott Pleasant, 540-231-9042, or email rpleasan@vt.edu If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Anne Cinsavich, VMRCVM at 540-231-5261 during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is (800) 828-1120. Safety Break-Away Stirrups - An interesting product was called to my attention recently and I wanted to pass the information along. Horse Safety Stirrups are break-away stirrups designed by Saddle Technology Incorporated (S.T.I.) Here's more information about this product: S.T.I.’s safety breakaway stirrup is designed to “breakaway” from the saddle when the rider is in danger of getting “hung up” in their stirrup, and being dragged by their horse. As a rider falls to the ground, their bottom drops below their heel and their toe will come up, this will rotate the stirrup around the stirrup leather, releasing the mechanism. The release mechanism is a precision-engineered safety device, designed to release itself from the stirrup leather when it reaches a 72° backward angle, or a 45° forward angle. The forward angle can be activated if a rider falls off the horse or gets thrown and hangs their foot up in the stirrup. The backward angle is generally activated when a horse falls and a rider’s foot goes through the stirrup. Whether your foot is all the way through or if your toe is wedged in the stirrup, the stirrup will break away. You can get thrown over the horses head, straight in the air, off the back or out to the side; whether it’s the near side stirrup or the far side stirrup, the stirrup will always rotate before you hit the end of your stirrup leather. These angles of release were scientifically predetermined to be reached only in a dragging situation. In a normal riding situation, a rider’s stirrup won’t generally rotate more than 5°. But even if you're spurring a horse from their shoulder to their hip, with your toes out and down, your stirrups won’t rotate much more than 35°. For the mechanism to release, the rider has to be in a dragging position, or in the process of falling off. You can check out the S.T.I. Safety Breakaway Stirrup on their web site here: http://www.breakawaystirrups.com/ Exercise Balls to Get You in Better Riding Shape - Wondering how to get into better shape for spring riding after a winter layoff? Want to avoid first-ride sore muscles? My good friend and natural horsemanship trainer/clinician colleague, Julie Goodnight, has put together some great exercises you can do, inside your home, with her exercise balls, to build up the key muscles you need for riding. You can watch a clip of some of her exercises online here: CLICK HERE. You can order Julie's exercise balls, with instructions, on Julie's web site here. Trevor Scott Update and Another Little Boy Named "Trevor Scott" - Many of you have emailed me and asked how our son, Trevor Scott, is doing after his return from his year deployment in Ramadi, Iraq, with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne. He's doing great, is back on base now at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, and is now being put in charge of training new, green troops there. He loves his job and enjoys greatly serving our country. I wanted to share something with all of you in this regard. I received the most amazing and very moving email recently from the family of another little boy, who just happens to share the same name as our son, Trevor Scott. I'll share that email with you here now: Hi Sylvia, I was searching the web for information on my son, who is also named Trevor Scott, and my son and I came across your web page on your son, Trevor. My son and I would like to thank your son,Trevor, for serving in the military. My Trevor also wanted me to share this link with you. My Trevor had a liver transplant last year and got a chance to sing "American Soldier" with [country/western star] Toby Keith. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdPR8q-Jt4M Thank you again, Billy, Heather and Trevor Scott Click on that above link and listen to this little boy's amazing song (who just happens to have the same name as our son, Trevor Scott). The "Make a Wish Foundation" granted his wish to sing that song with Toby Keith. Well…I immediately forwarded that email to my son, Trevor Scott, at Ft. Campbell/101st Airborne, and within the hour, without saying a word to me beforehand, my son Trevor had copied me on a letter he wrote back to this little boy. I'd like to share that letter with you now. Hi Billy, My name is Trevor Scott, I am Sylvia Scott's son. I am in the Army and have actually just recently returned from a year-long tour in Ramadi, Iraq. My mom forwarded me the link to the video of your Trevor Scott singing American Soldier with Toby Keith. I was blown away! I just wanted to thank Trevor for showing his support in a more profound way than I have ever seen! I couldn't believe how confident he was and how he just got out there and sang his heart out. Thank you, Trevor! That took guts! I have had to overcome a lot of obstacles in the Military, but, Trevor, it seems you have overcome your obstacles as strongly as any soldier. Thank you for what you have done. You are truly a soldier in my book! Curahee!! <--That's my unit's motto. It's a Native American word that means "Stands Alone." It represents strength and courage, and Trevor, you truly embody the Curahee spirit! Sincerely, SPC Scott, Trevor Take a moment to visit "little" Trevor Scott's foundation web site, the "Trevor Scott Recovery Fund," and think about donating to this fund for a very special (and very brave, selfless!) little boy: http://trevorscottrecoveryfund.com/ -- what an amazing child he is! He's my new "American Idol!" He touched my son's heart deeply, as well, and we'd like to pass that along in the hopes that more people will donate to this worthy fund! Horse
Problem Questions From You & Question - Catching a horse that has not been trained to halter yet: Dear Sylvia: What would your comment be to someone trying to catch a 4- or 5-year-old horse that has not been trained to halter? I have heard about using a round pen and then roping the horse to get some direct contact in order to place a halter on. I would sure appreciate your comments and suggestions. K. W. - Neville, Saskatchewan, Canada Sylvia's Answer: Hi K. The method I teach for natural horsemanship round penning is the perfect solution, I find, for teaching a hard-to-catch-horse how to catch you and follow you, then allow for the desensitization needed to be haltered. I've got a real handy step-by-step tutorial up on my web site for all that -- in fact this section I want to direct you to on my web site: 1) that's indeed a wild untouchable-initially horse you'll see in that section --- had never been handled by humans before, and 2) towards the end of that round penning tutorial, you'll see how to then desensitize them to human touch/haltering (no need for traumatic roping or anything) -- here's the section: http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/RoundPenning.html I also have a round penning DVD that teaches all of this visually, and that might help you as well: CLICK HERE I've started many a wild/untouchable/formerly abused horse using this/these methods and it works every time. Holler if you have questions as you go along there! Question - Wintertime hoof picking question: With the winter weather here in Pennsylvania, some days the ground is frozen, other days it is a muddy mess. I worry about my horse's hooves getting caked with mud. Should I be diligent about cleaning them daily even though they'll get packed with mud immediately after? I've only owned my horse since June, so I'm new to this, but I want to keep his feet healthy. B. M. - Morgantown, Pennsylvania Sylvia's Answer: Hi B. Don't worry too much about that. It's pretty pointless to try to keep all mud out of their hooves daily this time of year. An impossibility actually. Far more important to make sure your horse sees the farrier for trims at least every six weeks and that the horse has lots of turnout freedom. A moving-around-constantly horse has far healthier hooves all around. And make sure the horse has full access to hay & fresh water this time of year. I also daily supplement feed my horses during the dead of winter/the coldest time of year. I feed them Triple Crown (can get at Southern States). And I add the supplement "Grand Complete" into that feed. Those nutrients they get there also serve to grow healthy hooves, and keeps them healthy all around. So...don't sweat the hoof picking too much when it's so muddy out. If/when you do groom your horse there now & then, go ahead and hoof pick, but don't feel you have to be fanatical about it. They're going to get muddy again in a nano second and that's normal, so don't worry about it. Question - At wits end over pony that is not child-safe: Sylvia: I am hoping you can give me some guidance with one VERY STRONG WILLED 12 hands high pony. I've had her now for almost two years during which time my daughter has had fall after fall after fall because the pony either drops her head after jumping a fence or simply bucks her off. I have had numerous health checks for the pony – in general nothing is out of place, but she can have sensitivity over the ovary area – so she is on and off ‘Moody Mare’ herbal supplements. We have done natural horsemanship – groundwork which has helped re-establish the pecking order and she is very sweet on the ground and even when ridden she can be as good as gold --- when the activity suits her!!! My daughter has recently gotten a new pony, and so my son has begun to ride her more often. All was going very well, but yesterday she dumped my 8-year-old son three times. I put my 9-year-old daughter on her (she has been riding her up to recently) and while she can try the same antics, she gives up quickly when she realises it's not so easy to throw her! While I have organised to get her back checked again, I am beginning to think she is a strong willed biddy!!! I have been advised by the riding instructor to use a stronger bit (snaffle – but not full cheek, don’t really know what it is) to ‘put some manners on her’ and if this doesn't work, to sell her – how could I?!! I couldn't sell her to any family with small children given her current behaviour!!! While I am at my wits end I am altogether happy using a stronger bit – I am really worried it will make her buck more, but all the NH groundwork disappears when the children sit in the saddle! Any guidance would be appreciated. Kindest regards, L. W. - Ireland Sylvia's Answer: Hi L. I'm going to shoot real straight here, but hear it kindly please. No, a stronger bit is not the answer, it never is. It is my opinion that this pony is not child safe and may never be. And as a mother myself (of 3 now-grown children) I want to say...do not put your children at risk there. One "wrong fall" can cripple your child for life, and no one horse is worth that. Put your children first. Sell this pony, my advice, and turn in the direction of getting/having a far safer kid-safe horse. Not every pony is child safe and that's the truth. Especially the more alpha types, which this one sounds like. Cut your losses and sell this horse as is. And don't let your children ride her. You may never find what the problem is there (and it may very well be a physiological problem that's not fixable). But since all riding endeavors MUST have safety as our primary focus/concern at all times, #1 priority, this horse is too dangerous to have young children riding her. You would greatly kick yourself later, as a mother, if one of your children were permanently injured by this horse. It's just not worth it. No one loves horses more than I, but children and their well being always comes first. That's my advice, but again, hear it kindly please, and with strong support. Here's a link on my web site about selling a horse that is not working out for you: Question - Horse squeals when being mounted/dismounted: Hi. I bought a horse 2 years ago, and he's always been a little touchy when being mounted. He is now 20 years old and in excellent health. Generally, he stands fine, but will softly squeal if you don't get on quickly and gently enough. He'll also squeal, but usually louder, as you try to dismount. I also noticed that he doesn't easily get his right lead--he WILL pick it up occasionally if you ask correctly, but only about 20% of the time. I honestly haven't been working on it, so I haven't expected it, either. The reason I am e-mailing you about it is because last week, I had a young person riding him, and he was being very good for them...he gave the usual soft noise when he was mounted, but rode beautifully. When they dismounted, he squealed very loudly and cow-kicked! I was shocked, as this has never happened before. I am concerned that I hadn't taken his pain seriously enough, and I would like to know why he is in such apparent discomfort...and if there is anything I can do to alleviate his problem. Thank you so much, R. C. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: I think most definitely there is a very strong possibility that you are dealing with pain there in your horse. Back pain, or somewhere. I would suggest for a start calling in a good, qualified equine chiropractor to locate the pain source and see if they can fix it. They do remarkable work sometimes! Even our vet school here (the Virginia/Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine) has on staff vet chiropractors and I've heard marvelous results from their work. Call your vet and they probably have one they could recommend. By the way...here's a really good article about equine chiropractors on Mark Rashid's web site here: http://www.markrashid.com/Equine%20Chiropractic.htm
Question - Biting Horse, Respect Problem: I just bought a beautiful 3-year-old mare. She is my first horse for me to start from the very beginning. I have been doing a lot of good ground work and I feel she is doing great. Now I have only had her about one week and I want to come across as the leader and from the start and show her that I am the boss. To let you know her routine, here is a little bit of info you might find useful. I let her out in the morning on about an acre all to herself at the moment with the other horses divided by a fence. Then I put her in a large stall/paddock at night. She is getting fed safe&sound feed and only about a pound twice a day with unlimited good quality hay. When the attempt to bite first happened was when we unloaded her from the trailer and she tried to bite my 8-year-old sister. She hadn't attempted again until today. Before I feed in the morning I have been getting her out on a rope halter and a 12 ft lead (tied not clipped) and doing some ground exercises. Well, today when I went to retrieve her, she nipped at me and I popped her on the nose. Well, I don't want to make her head shy but that's all I could do, I felt like. I didn't have her halter on or I just would have given it a jerk. It made me think though if she did that again and I pissed her off by hitting her, she might strike, etc. I just would like to know what's the best thing to do for this? I read your web site to see if you had already answered this question but I don't think so. Oh, by the way, I have purchased your 12 step program DVD and your Round Pen Leadership DVD; they are great!! Thank you. E. N. - Kingsland, Texas Sylvia's Answer: Don't get angry, get assertive; there's a difference. Biting (no matter what the reason) is: war. You have 3 seconds to react to that attempt, after that, anything you do means absolutely nothing to the horse, so don't go there. Trick is to set the biting horse up to start to do it so that you can start showing them the wall for that. Let the horse hit a wall. What's the wall? You are going to get very "big." You're going to make a very loud "Shhhh" sound as you (if the horse is haltered) jerk the lead rope (with slack in it!), down hard, fast, repeatedly as you walk into the horse very, very assertively and this will back the horse up, but keep doing that for many steps backwards. The horse is only "going there" because he/she does not perceive you (the human) as the leader yet. The horse wouldn't DREAM of coming at the real lead mare of a herd with his/her teeth. So...this lets you know that the horse does not perceive you as that lead mare and it's time to turn the tables on them there very, very assertively. Very clear black & white zone established there, no gray areas allowed. I'm going to direct you to some specific links on my web site that go into this problem in more depth, and in more detail how you need to handle it (better) there -- read all these thoroughly so that you see what it is you need to do there from now on: Disciplining - How to discipline biting 2-year-old colt Aggressive/Biting/Bratty Stud Colt - Yearling stud colt out of control biting/disrespectful Biting/Attacking/Aggressive Horse - Horse is biting/attacking humans Read all those links over carefully and thoroughly. Need you to see the dynamics at play there with your own horse. Biting is almost always, in my experience, believe it or not, a human problem, not necessarily a horse problem. Meaning: it's being allowed by the human. Accidentally usually. But biting behavior needs to be taken very, very seriously, because often biting horses are even more dangerous than kicking-out horses, people getting even more seriously hurt from biting than kicking sometimes, believe it or not. For me to show you how it's a human problem (the human not dealing with it properly and clearly enough for the horse to understand it's not allowed): often I get that type of behavior problem horse dealt me in a demonstration clinic format. Someone brings their chronic biting problem horse to me to fix in the public clinic format. Well...I set them up to do it the first time, to flush out the problem, and of course, they try to do it, but I'm ready and instantly I'm on that horse and for 3 seconds he thinks he's going to, lordy, die there! (Note: there is no abuse involved whatsoever, this is all about "posturing" a lead mare stance). I get "big" with my body language (my arms up high if needed), I'm going to make a very, very loud Shhhh sound the entire time I jerk the lead rope (with slack in it) down repeatedly as I walk into the horse (make sure you are always teaching in a natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead rope, the ONLY halter/lead I will work a horse in), and this act forces the horse to scoot backwards, and fast. But I keep going there, doing that (what I just described) until he has backed many, many, many steps. Reestablishing: I'm the lead mare, don't go there, you're not allowed. Then I stop, stand at the end of the lead rope and just stare at them (no talking!). Staring IS a pressure to horses. You will very quickly see signs of contrition in the horse. Dropping their head, licking their lips, etc., which is horsespeak for "I understand, ooops. Sorry about that!" At that, I walk up, stroke/reward. Yes, reward them for backing up. I drop their head to relax them again as we start over (no negative emotions whatsoever throughout any of this). And...I set him up to try to bite me again. Funny thing is, every time I've done this, and often in public demo clinic situations, I CANNOT get the horse to go there again. I can stick my hand up right by the mouth and they just refuse to go there again, they got the message, loud & clear. If the horse is at liberty (not haltered yet) and tries to bite, I'm going to send the horse away with my body language, as described. Chase them if I have to. Real important to MOVE THEIR FEET when disciplining for biting. Horses follow a herd instinct that says, "She who moves the other's feet is higher up on the pecking order and therefore the leader to be respected/listened to." Just bopping her on the nose for biting isn't enough; you must move her feet, and move them away from you, however you can, but safely (to you) always. If you must bop them, the second they bite, do it under the chin, nowhere else. Under the chin they never see it coming and therefore doesn't contribute to head shyness. But more importantly, move their feet away from you quickly and they'll get the message. One thing you can do (within that 3 second rule window only, remember) if/when she tries to bite you at liberty, before you've had a chance to get the halter on, is pick up a clod of dirt and toss it at her while still making a loud shhhh sound, getting big, and sending her away from you. It'll work, you'll see. She'll quickly want to renegotiate the relationship, this time more respectfully. Stare her down like a lead mare once she's away from you. When you see those signs of understanding/submission/contrition, then turn your shoulder to her, drop your eyes away, no full eye-to-eye contact (but still keep the corner of your eye on her just to be safe!) and invite her back in. This is why, especially with a horse like this, you want to get busy round penning them the way I teach in my Round Pen Leadership video, for a start. This will make clear to the horse that you are the lead mare in their "herd," that you are in charge of their feet. And they'll be far less likely to think about biting that lead mare. But do take biting seriously and act very, very quickly like I've described. Set the horse up to do it (preferably in halter/lead--or at liberty in the round pen/contained area) so that you are afforded the opportunity to show the "wall" they are going to run into if they even think about biting again. So...you're going to need to set the horse up to start that biting behavior, but be ready for your actions instantly, doing exactly like I've described. Then remain 100% consistent with "the rules" for that, from then on. It stops that behavior! But you have to be real consistent from then on. And they totally understand this "language" you are speaking when disciplining for that in this manner. A real lead mare in a herd would not tolerate a lower pecking order horse in her herd putting their mouth on her like that. If they even tried, or even started to show that behavior, she is going to come after them quickly and it will involve MOVING THEIR FEET, and away from her. How far she moves their feet away is proportional to the degree of bite attempt. Every young horse understands that language instinctively. He who moves the other's feet is higher up on the pecking order, and therefore the leader to be respected <----memorize that, because that's basic horse/herd/prey animal instinct/psychology down to their cores. So, get busy putting this disciplining method to work there. Set the horse up to do it in a very structured lesson, with you ready to react immediately. KEEP setting the horse up to do it so that you are afforded that schooling opportunity and they'll quickly see what the rules are there exactly, which are: they are NEVER, EVER EVER allowed to put their mouth on you. And they'll get it! You'll see. And don't let your negative emotions get in there. When you're angry, you've lost full control (of yourself). Do this rotely, consistently, methodically, assertively. With no emotion inside you whatsoever. Don't equate getting extremely assertive at such times as necessitating anger. It does not. You can be assertive and have no negative emotion attached to that assertiveness whatsoever. Women especially that I teach have to learn this, quite often. But horses are good instruments to teach us that. :-) Hope this helps and after reading all this, and the links above, and putting into effect what you've learned here, get back to me and let me know how it goes. Question - When can I separate a mare from her foal for an all-day trail ride?: I have a Paso Fino mare due to give birth on or about April 1st. This is my first colt (and probably the last). My question is at what age can I separate the mare from the baby to take the mare trail riding, just an all day ride. We usually leave at about 7 a.m. and get back about 5 p.m. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, S. B. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi S. Thanks for writing. I wouldn't advise separating the mare from the foal for that long a period of time until it's weaned, or that's going to be far too stressful on the foal (and on the mother!). For more on the topic of weaning, read this link on my web site:
Depending upon where you trail ride and if you feel it's safe enough surroundings there...some people just ride with the foal tagging along. You usually don't even need a lead rope for the foal, as he/she will naturally, automatically stick very close to its mother there, instinctively following her closely wherever she goes. And trailer loading isn't even an issue with a foal, if it's not with the mare. If the mare goes on the trailer, the foal will leap right on after her! Question - Head swinging horse: Hi Sylvia – I love getting your newsletters and finding such great guidance on your web site. Here’s my situation. My horse is a 4-year-old gelding – Quarter horse (1/2), Thoroughbred(1/4) & Tennessee Walker(1/4). I’ve only had him since late July (my first in 30 years). We have gotten along very well. I have not ridden him yet, but until it turned really cold, worked with him a lot in my round pen. By the way, I have followed your training (from your “Round Pen Leadership” video) on getting him to work at liberty in the round pen… amazing. His temperament is generally very mellow – he seems to be nearly “bomb-proof.” He has been ridden only a little bit by his previous owners and he has accepted the saddle from me with absolutely no problem. His previous home was with one other horse – his mare. He bonded very quickly with both my husband and myself and has seemed to adapt pretty easily to his new home. As the winter has worn on and I’ve worked with him less, he seems to have bonded more with my husband, who has to feed him in the evenings without me, due to my work schedule. My horse has gotten a little bit more aggressive when it comes to feeding time – just a little bit. Most of the time he's very sweet. I just chalk the “moods” up to being a “teenager." I tell you all this, just to give you an idea of where he is in attitude. Anyway, he seems to have a habit that is getting progressively worse. He throws his head – rather strongly at times. It’s worse at feeding time, but I see at all times of the day. I'm not sure if it is just anxiousness or boredom, or what. I even read somewhere that horses will throw their heads to release endorphins and get a bit of a “buzz” off of it. I have tried to find some good information, but not very successful – lots of differing opinions out there. I’m concerned that this behavior is not good for him – Or us. I give him a pretty wide berth when he’s doing this, for fear of getting knocked into with his head. Please help me out. Thanks. Sincerely, P. J. - Kuna, Idaho Sylvia's Answer: Hi P. Is your horse stalled? Or small-paddocked? (And kept alone without the company of other horses)? Does he have free access to hay/grass 24/7? Because it sounds like maybe he's too confined perhaps and is doing this to indeed release endorphins, which releases tension, because he is stressed. See if what you read here on this link on my site sounds like what you're dealing with there: Pasturing him in wider open spaces, with another horse(s) and having free access to grass/hay 24/7 should help to eliminate the tension that is causing that if that is the case/problem there. The other thing I wanted to mention, in case this is a factor there...he might have a tooth/mouth problem there and he might be doing that head swinging because he's in pain in the mouth there. I would definitely want to have a vet/equine dentist check that out. He's still at a young enough age that new teeth are still coming in. Here's a really good link that shows the ages that teeth come in, etc.: CLICK HERE I had a 3 1/2-4-year-old one time who suddenly got extremely mouthy, to the max, and uncharacteristically grouchy suddenly, too (kind of similar to what you described there in some respects, but without the head swinging). Called in my vet from the vet school here and he took a good look in the mouth and found that a permanent tooth was coming in behind a baby tooth, but not pushing the baby tooth out, and this caused extreme mouth discomfort for this horse. The vet pulled the baby tooth on the spot and instantly (by the next day!) the horse settled down. So...sometimes when something out of the blue happens like that, it's indeed caused by something physically wrong/pain somewhere. I have dental checkups twice a year with all my horses to make sure all is well there, and their teeth are floated at that time (at least once a year usually) as well when needed. Another thing that can make male horses "out of sorts" is an uncleaned sheath that can turn into an infection sometimes. Make sure you have his sheath cleaned (and any "bean's" removed from inside the sheath) at least annually. I take advantage during annual dental floatings of my horses (done under sedation) to go ahead and have the vet totally clean the sheath, inside and out. Under sedation, it's far easier to do a thorough job there sometimes. And...the vet students at our vet school get to learn how to clean a horse's sheath. :-) By the way...rather than give him wide berth when he's swinging his head near you, I'd do the opposite: I'd discipline him for doing it anywhere around "my space." I'd make a loud shhh sound (which means "stop it!") and raise my arms up high and send his feet away, establishing myself as "lead mare" and letting him know that in my "herd" as "lead mare" you're not allowed to swing your head around close to me! And he's only allowed to come back in if/when his head isn't swinging around like that dangerously, and he's very quiet. Be consistent there with those rules (and have your husband be consistent there too, no matter how many times it takes until your horse gets it) and your horse will figure out he's not allowed to do that when close to you. Though I'd sure want to get to the bottom of why he's doing it -- via the above information, because it is not normal/healthy horse behavior; it has a reason you want to see if you hopefully can get fixed so he's not called upon to do that. Let me know if you figure out what the problem is there after checking out all the above! Note From Sylvia: If physiological reasons have been ruled out by a qualified vet, and the horse is pastured in wide open spaces, with other horses, kept naturally, free access to grass/hay at all times, yet still continues left-over neurotic behavior like wind sucking or head swinging and/or cribbing, I've found the Miracle Collar, which is a very humane device, can be quite helpful to assist the horse in breaking that habit, so it's worth a try in such situations! You can check out the Miracle Collar here: CLICK HERE Question - Blanketing Shivering Horse?: Hi. I know you've been asked this before and I read your Q&A on your web site regarding blanketing. I have two Arabs. One is nearly 30 and very wooly, and the other is a 7-year-old mare with not as long hair. I try and keep my horses as natural as possible. We are now having some really cold temps and wind chills and I didn't own a blanket until yesterday. I never blanketed before and have even been put down for not doing it. My horses are outdoor horses with the option of getting in the barn whenever they want to. But my barn is open to the west so the wind can still get in there at times. My gelding, the older guy, will stand in the barn and my mare will guard the doorway. We had very mild temps until this week and my mare has been shivering. I was going back and forth about whether to buy a blanket for emergencies only. I have been worried about my mare's shivering. I've increased their feed and hay. I ended up buying a medium weight turnout blanket, probably paid too much because everyone is out of blankets, and ordering one wouldn't get here before the subzero temps and really bad wind chills. I put it on my mare last nite and she seemed content. My plan is to take it off during the day and only put it on for brutal windy nites. Am I wrong? I have other horsey friends that are blanketing full time and I don't believe in that. I feel that once you start that, then you have to keep it up. At the moment the temperature is 12 and the wind is howling. The sun is out, but I still took the blanket off my mare and right now they are both standing outside in the sun sleeping. I can't return the blanket now since its been worn. I thought in the long run if I need it I have it for when someone shivers or is sick or needs transported in the worst of weather. I may only use it a handful of times but have it. If I were able to shut my horses in a non-drafty barn, I wouldn't use one at all. But I have just one stall and 2 horses that don't like to be shut in. My gelding seems fine and never shivers; you'd think that being 30 and thinner he'd be the one that got cold. I have heard that it is the really cold wind that separates their hair and causes them to get cold. I just hated to see her shiver. When the weather gets back to normal, then I won't be using the blanket. I'm just wanting to be the best horsemom and do what's best for them. You always get a lot of opinions when you start talking with other horsey people. I enjoy your newsletters and all the information on your web site. Thank you C. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi C. I think you have to do what you feel is right for your own horse, in the end. I think horses this particular year/winter, at least where I live in Southwest Virginia, got an unusually late start into winter. Our temps here were pretty mild for winter UNTIL this past week/mid February, and suddenly winter came with a vengeance. Temps dropped suddenly. Snow here & there. And the horses' coats weren't as thick as they usually are by this time. Only one of my 4 horses started to shiver and since I don't blanket, but work with them to build a faster coat, I started supplement feeding that one horse A LOT. And I mean as much as he'll eat of the supplement in one sitting when/if shivering (I use Triple Crown Complete pellet feed from Southern States, with Grand Complete supplement thrown in). And served as a hot mash (lots of hot water soaked in--this also helps more water to get into them so they don't get dehydrated). He ate and ate and ate it in one sitting voraciously (I think it was about 4 scoops in the end that time) and he settled down, stopped shivering, and never did shiver again subsequent days. I still supplement that every day through the colder weather (couple of scoops for him in particular, a third if he's voracious still at the end of the 2nd scoop), as well as we keep hay out everywhere here for 24/7 access. And ice scooped out of their water troughs daily. That's the trick with horses who suddenly start to shiver at the first onset of first cold spells of the season. Feed them up! If you keep feeding that hot mash, they will stop shivering and it kicks in their coat growing faster. Even overnight often! Here's a link on my web site that talks a little more about this/warming up a horse naturally: This only happened this year with one of my 4 horses here (for the first time), and it was my own new horse, Sundance, that I just bought this past fall. And I can guess why, too. He's probably been blanketed in past winters (by previous owners perhaps?) and that's the cycle problem it starts. Let me explain. I was sent the following recently, and I think it explains it all very well & I'd like to share it with you now: When cold, a horse can, through muscular action, naturally raise the hairs on the skin, creating a thermal blanket to protect itself. When hot, the horse can, through muscular action, naturally dilate blood vessels near the surface of the skin to cool off. Additionally, it can raise the hairs and even point them in the direction of a breeze to cool down! If you put a rug or a blanket over a horse for any length of time, then, like all muscles, after a while those muscles will atrophy, making it impossible for the horse to raise or lower the hair on its skin naturally. In such circumstances, a blanketed horse is then stripped of its only protection when urged to go out on a crisp, cold day to work. It no longer has the capacity to warm itself and the core body temperature is lowered. Or a horse blanketed in warm weather is then left to sweat and be unable to cool off normally. Blankets are inefficient in terms of heating a horse, since it leaves the belly and upper legs exposed to the cold. A blanket or rug, however used, effectively robs a horse of its natural, vital, efficient thermo-regulatory system. It also prevents the horse from receiving the benefits of a good roll on the ground, getting dirt on the skin and the hair which are natural methods of cleaning from sweat and grime, as well as protection from flies and other insects. Well said! So, when you blanket at first onset of cold, this starts the cycle of the horse not able to warm itself naturally and those muscles even atrophying. Better to work with the horse, feeding them up (hot mash), and most all horses stop shivering at that point, and this allows the coat the spurt it needed to grow more fur. A couple of my other 4 horses like to roll in mud as their winter coat first comes in, and this is a horse's natural way to keep warm temporarily. I don't interfere with that. Usually, when well fed up at first cold spells, horses will grow that extra-needed winter coat pretty fast. And when I say well fed up, I don't mean just hay -- I mean: adding a sufficient dose of a supplement "complete feed" into their diet to speed things along there. Within only a couple of days, following that above route, my new horse Sundance's coat growth kicked in finally. And he's far more comfortable now. And no worse the wear for being a couple of days behind our other horses there, winter-coat wise. And his body is learning how to grow that needed winter fur faster for his life with us here now. I don't know if he was blanketed in the past, am just guessing he was, because I see this a lot/that problem caused by blanketing. Or it might just be Sundance's own individual metabolism. Time/more years with me in the future will tell. Now...all that said...I still say: do what you feel is best for your own individual horse. Only you know your horse better than anyone else. If I had a horse that I could not get to stop shivering via the above route (or a severely underweight horse heads into winter still underweight, which is quite common with newly rescued horses), of course I would blanket. But I've just never had to do that before. But I'm not saying I never would if the situation called for it. I would! You have to put the horse first, over "principle" and do what's best for them in the end. But try the natural route first, like I've described above. She should be kicking in her thicker coat shortly, now that her body is convinced winter is indeed here now to stay. I think this freaky winter we've had this year threw off a lot of horses, but getting pro-active there, you can encourage the coat growth along, while watching them closely. I see so few horses incapable of growing a sufficient winter coat IF they are not interfered with there via blanketing. But I think you're doing everything right there, to be quite honest. You're watching closely, you're stepping in and helping when you see she's not quite there yet. Keep it up, you've got her best interests in mind. If/when you see her shivering, that's your cue to bring out the supplements, make a hot mash out if it and feed her up! She'll let you know there when it's enough. And don't really worry about overfeeding her in that kind of circumstance. Feeds like Triple Crown Complete (or Purina Equine Feeds, there are many more excellent ones) are complete feeds and designed for that. Feeding that (especially in a hot mash) WILL stop the shivering if you feed enough there. And for a couple of days you might need to do that twice a day. Watch her and see how she does going this route and adjust as needed. You're a great horse owner, by the way! Your horses are so lucky to have you in their lives! And I really mean that. Question - Trail riding friends ride faster than individual's comfort level & horse bolts with them: Sylvia, I trail ride with a group almost every weekend. A lot of these riders enjoy traveling at a speed faster than I am comfortable with. I bought a Tennessee Walking Horse as a 3 year old in 2005. Had no trouble until a year later. Have come off him 3 times now because he bolts if we get behind the rest of the riders. The last time he did this, I panicked because of the two previous episodes. I lose my balance which makes things even worse. You seem to recommend the one-rein stop on a lot of these problems. Is that what I need to do also? When you are riding down a gravel road, how can you turn a speedy horse in a wide circle? Also, any suggestions on overcoming my fear of riding fast? There are hundreds of people willing to train a horse, but no one seems to be in the business of training riders. Thanks, J - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi J. Yes, well-planting the one-rein stop into your horse's foundation is the key there -- but you don't introduce it first on the trail. You break it down into step-by-step baby steps, teaching that in a safe, structured environment, like a round pen or arena, first. Let me direct you to the link on my web site that goes into more detail on how to build that into your horse's foundation, safely, step by step: Once you've planted that in your horse's foundation, step by step and have practiced it dozens of times, it's going to quickly become automatic to the horse, and to you, and also...it starts to build a "slow down cue" or "calm down cue" as well. Let me direct you to a link on my web site that shows more about that next phase: Also...make sure you teach your horse to slow down with both reins as well: Once you've planted all the above, including the one-rein stop and slow-down cue, into the horse's foundation really well, then slowing them down even on a thinner gravel road is not hard. The horse shouldn't be listening to the other horses there, but listening to only you, his "lead mare." And that's about holes in his training foundation still if he's not, that you can plug up yourself! You might think about getting my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set, because there you will be taught step by step how to close up all these foundation holes in your horse's training --- safely on the ground first! I think you would benefit greatly from going that route, because it will also, simultaneously build huge confidence in you. And if you ever have any questions as you go along learning/applying my program, I'm always only an email away for quick backup support! My program is very user-friendly, even for beginners! And my focus is on SAFETY at all times! Part of your fear of going faster there is a (quite natural!) fear of "losing control." Once you've retrained your horse step by step, closing up the foundation holes (that I know are there), you are going to feel a lot more confident, because you'll then have full control of your horse at all times. And you can easily then baby step up the speed, but while knowing you have full control at all times. My program you can learn and apply yourself will help get your horse to the push-button responsive spot, and have the horse listening to you as leader at all times, calmly and rationally, no matter what is going on around you. And that alone will build the confidence you're lacking there. It's not wrong to be afraid of speed if you sense your horse could lose control, or rather, you lose control of him! It's actually: very good common sense! And you want to listen to those common sense alarms, not shut them off manually. And back up and plug up all foundation holes. Those alarms will shut off all by themselves when you no longer need them, and when you know you have full control of your horse at all times. When a program breaks everything down into finer baby steps, like mine does, it builds confidence in the horse as well as the owner, as well as bonds the horse to you as a connected partner. I really think that would help you a lot there. I see what you need, even from a distance, and that's going to plug up your own "foundation holes" very well, I'm sure. Don't let people ever pressure you to go faster than you are comfortable going yet! You'll go faster when 1) you know you now have full control of the horse at all times, because you have plugged up all foundation holes, and 2) you're also bored with going slow. ;-) Until then...never let others pressure you to go faster than your instincts are telling you to go! People get hurt trying to shut off those instinct alarms manually and letting peer pressure take over detrimentally instead. Those alarms are just telling you: you need to get you and your horse more ready for that speed expectation. And the route of backing up now and plugging those foundation holes yourself, in a very safe way, is what is going to get you to where you envision being, rest assured. And your riding partner friends should respect that, or....don't ride with them. Your safety must come first! Hope this helps! Note Tip From Sylvia: Whenever I'm training or retraining a horse and they are far enough along the learning curve, all the above taught to them, I then like to set up situations in the safety confines of an arena, to flush out any last remnants of a horse listening too much to other horses around them, not to me, their leader. I will have a proficient rider ride beside me on another horse, and have them speed up their horse, or ride by the horse I'm riding, them going fast, to give me the opportunity to remind my horse that: we only listen to me, the leader, no matter what is going on around us. It's a very handy exercise to practice with a horse before ever taking them out on a trail to ride with others. Use your one-rein stops and slow-down cues as you perform this exercise, to let them know: these are the rules when we're riding, all the time, forever. Question - Horse bucks rider off during mounting: Dear Sylvia, My friend who is a novice to horses purchased a 12-year-old quarter/Morgan cross, who appeared to be, and was sold as, a good beginner horse. He has very good ground manners. When we went to look at the horse, my friend tacked him up, then I held him for her to get on, and he was quiet. Then I got on another horse and we went on a thorough trail ride with many different obstacles, water, steep hills, ditches, woods, walk trot cantered--he seemed to be everything she was looking for in a horse for a novice rider. We were told he was "used as a lesson horse" but this was coming from someone who buys and sells horses for profit (mistake number 1). We both rode him in the arena when we got back from the trail ride. I had her hold him for me as my arthritic hip was very painful and I was slow and awkward that day and didn't want to take a chance with a new horse even though he was very good on the trails. He was respectful, responsive and "safe" feeling while I was riding him. I have ridden, owned, cared-for, trained, shown dressage and eventing for over forty years, so I felt reasonably confident of my assessment. My friend bought him on the spot (mistake 2) and had him trailered to my small farm the next week. He was very relaxed and assimilated with my other horses almost immediately. He appeared somewhat shy of people when approached in his stall; my sense was that he did not automatically trust people and acted on the side of caution. This lessened quite a bit after several days of quiet respectful treatment. After about a week of hanging out and adjusting, my friend tacked him up. The saddle appeared to fit him fine. Led him up to the mounting block by the fence in the arena and put one foot in the stirrup. As soon as her other foot left the platform, he ducked and bucked two or three times and she fell. After seeing to my friend, we caught the horse; he was evasive for a while, then we longed him and put him away. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, checked his back, his tack, etc. We were both very busy for a couple of weeks with work. I rode my horses when I had time and she brushed and "bonded" with her new horse. He was quiet and well behaved all this time, but I always felt like he was "watching" us. He seemed to me to be one of those horses who may be obedient and well trained, but never really gets close to people. Finally, I said I would ride her horse today. Sixty-five degrees, no wind, he had been turned out for seven hours. I tacked up, used a different saddle, which also fit very well, did about forty minutes of ground work, all no problem, then the exact same thing happened! As soon as my second foot cleared the platform (no hip pain today, moving well), but before I could get seated in the saddle—when I had the least amount of control and was the most vulnerable—he ducked, jerking the reins loose, then made three deliberate bucks and dumped me, then trotted off and started munching hay. I approached him quietly, caught him, put the longe line on him and calmly longed him at a slow jog trot and walk for almost two hours. No one was home to hold him for me or I would have spent that time getting on and off, and riding. I am almost positive this is not a back pain issue. The guileless 11-year-old daughter of the woman who sold us this horse said she had been riding him for a couple months; he has no pain reactions in his back that I can discern. The way he did not fuss at all while being tacked up, stood resting one leg while in crossties for several minutes while I prepared to ride, all speak of him being a relaxed, confident comfortable horse. He moved a little at the mounting block, but not anything unusual. But, it is the way that both times he made his move at the precise moment when it would be the easiest to dump a rider, as well as his emotional aloofness that makes me think this is a behavioral issue. My instincts tell me this. I’ve had horses buck when going into the canter, and/or just a hop now and then when they are feeling good—especially the thoroughbreds I have had, but never this apparently calculated move to avoid being ridden. I would really appreciate what you could tell us about dealing with horses who deliberately buck as a behavioral issue and not a medical/physical pain issue. I am going to recommend to my friend that she get him checked by a vet just to be sure, and if there are no problems there, then I think she should sell him. I, by the way, have been fortunate to be able to keep my horses for life and have never sold a horse, but have owned seven and leased two, so I am not making a recommendation to sell lightly. I do not think I will trust this horse again—I am 53 and am not going to fool around trying to retrain a horse who has one very dangerous bad behavior, and my friend does not have the expertise, even though she is armed with the Clinton Anderson “Lounging For Respect” DVD. I only heard of you tonight from an online chat, or I would have recommended she wait and check out your work. Thank you for your time and knowledge. Sincerely, M. L. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi M. Thanks for writing. It's really hard for me to tell from this distance, with a problem like this, what exactly the issue is, but it does sound like maybe this is a "learned behavior," but I also always want to rule out pain/discomfort issues first, as well. I've seen so many horses make remarkable turnarounds, amazingly, with the EquiPedic Saddle Pad, in particular, which is why it is the only pad I will ever use on any horse, and is why I carry it now in my web site store. So often behavioral issues are actually pain issues that have gone undetected. The fact that y'all rode him okay at the sellers, with no apparent issues, and now he's bucking when mounting, leads me to believe that possibly this is a pain/present tack fit issue. Maybe. I would want to totally rule out the physical aspect thoroughly before assuming it's strictly behavioral. But this horse also may have a habit now, because it's working for him. When you mount a horse properly, the way I teach, there's less ability for the horse to buck there. Let me direct you to a couple of links on my site that might help y'all out there. First...for proper (safer) mounting procedures, read this: And I would also advise using a 2-people approach to work him past this, which I go over here -- it's safer and it baby steps the horse there better, allowing for more advance/retreat, and a release for right answer increments: What would I myself do if called in there? As I do with all horses, I would start at the very bottom of their foundation first, retraining like I do all horses, because this affords me the opportunity to find the foundation holes that may be previously hidden from the owner (issues like eye changing problems -- which is a very strong possibility there! -- etc., will get flushed out & fixed in my program). I would start with round penning the horse at liberty, which I teach here: Effective Round Penning Techniques -- and in my Round Pen Leadership DVD After that, I would plug him into my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System. My program flushes out all foundation holes and fixes them (safely on the ground first!), before ever riding them. That horse there definitely has foundation holes, my guess. What they are, I don't know for sure until I plug them into my program, then they are very apparent usually. Nearly all problems in saddle can be traced to holes in the horse's basic ground foundation training, I feel (if they are not pain/discomfort related). And that's probably the case there, as well. I'm not a big proponent of just longing a horse, by the way. It's usually not that productive, in the end, and doesn't sufficiently close up foundation holes properly. There are far more effective natural horsemanship exercises one can be doing on the ground that will then translate upward positively into saddle. And that's what my program is all about. And I always back up in email coaching if anyone ever needs that as they get going in my program, after watching the DVD's. My program is designed for even beginners, by the way, so you might pass that along to your friend. But there is also nothing wrong with selling a horse that is not working out, for whatever reason, I feel. Horses are supposed to be in the category of our recreation, not a constant source of stress or danger to us. So....those are things to think about. Do I think he can be retrained? Sure, most all horses can usually. With the right methods. It's just a matter of how much the owner wants to put into it really. So...maybe pass my email along to your friend so she can work out what decision will work best for her. She's lucky to have a caring friend like you, by the way! :-) Horse Problems Solutions in General - If you haven't discovered already on my web site, check out my Q&A/Horse Problems/Training Tips section for solutions to common horse issues. The problems are listed in alphabetical order by problem, and I add to the list regularly. You can check them out here: Horse Training Tips and Solving Common Horse Problems - Q&A - If you have a horse problem that you do not see listed up there, feel free to email me and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Training Success Letters of the Month - Read latest success stories with our Natural Horsemanship Training Program - Click here: Letters of the Month Past Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center Newsletters Are Archived Here: News & Press |
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Illinois Horse Fair Road To The Horse - Colt Starting Challenge North Dakota Denver Rocky Mountain Horse Expo 30th Annual National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium Nebraska Horse Expo Equitana - Equestrian Sports World Fair Can-Am All Breeds Equine Emporium Tennessee Horse Council Volunteer Horse Fair Northwest Horse Fair Mid-Michigan Horse O' Rama Black Hills Horse Expo Iowa Horse Fair Hoosier Horse Fair
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