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Sylvia Scott |
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May 2007 |
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Greetings from the Dear Friends: We here at the Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center in Blacksburg, Virginia, would like to express our deepest, sincerest empathy and love to all the families who have lost their loved ones in the tragic events on the Virginia Tech campus on April 16th. Our daughter, Alisha Scott, is a sophomore at Virginia Tech and this tragedy has affected us all deeply and profoundly. Please keep the Virginia Tech Community in your thoughts and prayers! -Sylvia & Daryl Scott
As many of you already know, we here in Blacksburg, Virginia, experienced a very sad tragedy on Monday, April 16, on the campus here of Virginia Tech, with the shootings and killings of 33 students and professors. We wanted to formally thank everyone for the outpouring of concern for us here and for our daughter, Alisha, who is a sophomore at Virginia Tech. Alisha was safely off campus during the shootings, but she and all her fellow students at VT were all victims of this senseless tragedy, and it will take a long time for them all truly to recover. We here in Blacksburg are a very tight-knit community and everyone has been working long and hard to help our students to move forward now, while still remembering with love those we have lost. We wanted to take this opportunity to recognize one victim in particular, Emily Hilscher, and give her proper recognition here. Emily was a life-long horse lover and a member of the Virginia Tech Equestrian Team. And in an "it's a small world" heartbreaking turn of events, I was to discover that my very good friend, natural horsemanship trainer, Bob Claymier (our resident foaling/pregnant mare care expert) who runs a training and boarding facility, Desert Rose Ranch, up in Hume, Virginia, not only knew Emily well, but Emily boarded her horse at Bob's place. I have asked Bob to pass along to all of us here a little more about Emily and to let us know how we as a horse community can help Emily's family deal with her loss now. Here are Bob's words: The tragic events that recently occurred at Virginia Tech have touched the heart of this nation and we grieve for the families and lost lives. We here at the Desert Rose Ranch were personally touched as Emily Hilscher, who was the first person killed that day in her dorm, boarded her treasured horse Flo Jack at our facility. It is inconceivable to all those who knew Emily that anyone could wish her harm. She was a beautiful girl both inside and out who literally embraced all aspects of life. Her stunning eyes sparkled like polished quartz, but it was her warm, loving personality that drew people to her like a magnet. She had an incredible love of animals and especially all things related to the horse world. This interest in horses started at a very young age and grew to where she was a fearless, accomplished rider, whether in an all-out fox hunt, show ring or pleasure ride. This interest led her to major in Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech where she was a member of the Equestrian Team, with her ultimate goal being that of obtaining a veterinarian degree – a goal no one doubted she would accomplish. As just one example of Emily's drive to succeed, she showed up at our local veterinarian clinic at an early age with muck rake in hand and declared to the owner – “put me to work because I’m going to be a veterinarian one day!” There were literally hundreds of people at the recent memorial held at Emily's high school where she was much beloved. The tributes by her mother, father and older sister left not a dry eye of those in attendance and showed the inner strength of this remarkable family.
The family has asked that any donations one may wish to make be sent to the: The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech is also establishing an Endowment Fund in Memory of Emily Hilscher - donations should be sent to: Should anyone wish to pass personal condolences on to the family – please send them to: We will ensure that the family promptly receives them. Bob Claymier If you would like to send your condolences via email for Bob to pass along to Emily Hilscher's family, you can email Bob Claymier at: claymier@desert-rose-arabians.com Some Updates We have added a new feature to our web site to enable you to Virtually Tour our Whispering Way Farm/Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center (VNHTC) from your computer. You can check it out starting here: START THE TOUR HERE You also can read more here about our "Remote Coaching Program" and other training options we offer on site here at the VNHTC: CLICK HERE We all can learn from each other! Sylvia Scott
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These Out! ReRun, Inc. Searches For Poster Horses For Ad Campaign - ReRun, Inc., has announced a contest to help kick off its new advertising campaign promoting the versatility of the Thoroughbred. The tagline "Your next (fill in the blank) horse is just a furlong away" will appear in trade publications, on posters, and at the group's booth at horse shows and events. Owners of off-track Thoroughbreds are asked to submit good quality photos of their horses in their "new" careers, including pleasure, trail, dressage, combined training, driving, equitation, barrel racing or speed events, and hunter/jumper. The photos that best showcase the many talents of former racehorses will be used in the campaign. "We are sure that the many proud owners of retired racehorses will be thrilled to help in this exciting promotion," said Barbara Luna, Executive Director of ReRun. "Wherever we go, we teach everyone that Thoroughbreds are athletes, and although they may be finished racing, they have so much heart, and seem to want to please. They excel at many disciplines--even driving and Western activities-and there are many that need good adoptive homes that are going to prove that." With foster farms in Kentucky, New Jersey and New York, ReRun is caring for or rehabilitating 40 horses that are in need of adoption, and is responsible for 200 others that are already placed in safe, loving homes. Through twice-a-year veterinary checks, the organization maintains contact with every adopter to ensure that the horses are up-to-date on veterinary care and are maintained in good condition. While the photo contest will run through the month of June, the first series of ads will make its debut at the Kentucky Horse Park for the Rolex Three-Day Event April 27-29. Photos should be submitted via email as good quality color JPEGs or TIFFs as attachments to bleahyluna@aol.com, or sent on disk to ReRun, P.O. Box 113, Helmetta, NJ. Permission must be given for copyright photos to be used, please send photo credit information. For more information, call 215-272-6716. "Clydesdales Donkey" - If you haven't yet seen the cute Clydesdales Donkey video, you can watch it here: CLICK HERE Horse
Problem Questions From You & Question - Remote Coaching Pays Off!: Dear Sylvia: Received both your Round Penning and 12 Steps DVD's and found them excellent help. I have a new 10-year-old ranch gelding, very responsive with neck reining and cueing smooth gaits. But on the ground, he was initially VERY nervous, and would quiver when anyone reached to touch him, especially his ears. He seems not to want much human touch although he is warming up some in the 2 weeks I have had him. Once in the saddle (and he tacks up easily including bridling around his ears), he is very quiet and responsive. I bought him because of his easy rideability and his quiet, spookless behavior on the trail. Groundwork is another story. He is stoic to the point that, other than flinching, he would stand absolutely still no matter what you do to him or toward him. At liberty, whether in his stall or a round pen, he does not want to be approached and will swing away, butt toward me, until I throw a lead rope over his back and he relents. Once halter and lead are on, he will stand almost motionless no matter what I do. I could literally beat him with a training stick or whip him with the end of the lead rope (ALL OF WHICH I WOULD NOT DO!), motion my hands toward his head and eyes and ears, and he will stand motionless except for raising his head or flinching away and laying his ears back, all the time keeping his four feet firmly planted in concrete. He does not attempt to bite, lunge forward, strike, kick, buck, or rear. He knows nothing about moving his feet or giving to pressure on the ground. On halter and lead, he will disengage his hind quarters with one or two steps ahead. Circling is impossible. I'm not very experienced but I have never seen a horse that would not move in a round pen, at liberty or haltered. I can be firm with him, but I don't want to scare him any more than he has already been abused. And I don't know how to get him moving either at liberty or on halter and lead. When he disrespectfully turns his tail toward me, I can't imagine anything that would make him move. Here's my question: Would you suggest absolute total attempts at bonding until I can do any other round penning or ground work with this horse? Or, is there something I could and should be doing to establish my leadership and gain his respect? D. B. - Mesa, Arizona Sylvia's Answer: Hi D. This is an interesting one! This horse has learned to shut down because he's learned: that gets the release of pressure. And remember: all horses learn from the release of pressure that they did the right thing, not the pressure itself. He's training you (and others, I'm sure) slowly to leave him alone on the ground and not demand anything of him. Time to turn that around, because that is a respect issue, just disguised as "stoicism." It's…your wife or girlfriend giving you the silent treatment, staying "in charge." Repeat: time to turn that around. I've run into a few like that and what I would do myself is: start with round penning. Now….let me put it this way….there's not a horse alive that I can't get going at liberty in the round pen (unless, of course, they are dead lame and I wouldn't even go there if that were the case). So…we're talking here about 1) you learning to be more assertive and 2) going "up the volume of pressure" (but always starting low, building, building) to as high as needed at first, but NOT quitting until you get the horse moving forward there for this exercise. What you are seeing there is more about this horse not perceiving you as leader (and not as much about past abuse -- you have to sort that out inside of you properly, so that you're not being "wimpy" out there -- he's learned to "milk" wimpy). ;-) I'm the last person to abuse a horse, but you need to sort out (inside yourself first, away from the horse) that there's a difference between being abusive and being as assertive as needed in this kind of situation. I want to stop here and direct you to a link on my web site that discusses this very problem and what you need to do there now, for a start: Read that link, and read it again, if you need to. I want you to see that being assertive there with a shut-down horse (to show him that shut down no longer works to reap the release) is not the same as being abusive. It is not going to hurt him letting the popper on the end of the lead rope (highest up the volume pressure) connect with his rump, but build up to that, starting low on the volume always. If he makes even ONE lean-like step forward, release all pressure. Pause. Let him think about that for a second so he can register mentally the right answer he gave there to reap the release. Then start again, low on the volume, building up steadily to higher up the volume of pressure. He's going to get it if you do this right! And have your body language be very tall and assertive-like. Be "big." Don't be climbing the volume there with a wimpy body language, thinking inside yourself, "Oh I don't want to go there, I don't think he's going to move, etc." The horse is going to pick up on that. Visualize his body moving and you directing that move and he will pick up on that. Don't visualize the opposite; horses are uncanny in picking up our thoughts (which are actually about their acute awareness of body language, and our thoughts, whether we realize it or not, reflect outwardly to our body language). Have a no-nonsense aura, and "alpha" aura as you proceed there. The reason I want you to start with round penning there is: this horse 100% does not perceive you as leader, or even leader material, on the ground, and he's not going to want to connect with you even for bonding UNTIL he perceives you as leader, so it needs to go in that order. Do what it takes to get him moving forward in the round pen and then work on turning him, etc. (all you learned in my round pen DVD). Use a 12-foot lead rope, a heavy rope, for this exercise, and like I talk about in that above link, have handy a wand with plastic tied to the end in case you have to use that simultaneously. Do not be afraid to get assertive. Let go of the past regarding this horse. Yes, he was abused, but horses live in the "now." Not the past. All they focus on is the now. You're going to show him, teach him a new now regarding his ground expectations. You'll undo the abuse you see there as you get going, but you must earn his leadership respect first and that means: round pen him at liberty for a start. Remember to remove the asking pressure there the second you do get him going so he can start relearning there what he's doing right (moving when asked to) and what he's doing wrong (standing still stoically when asked to move). So that you can get the strength inside yourself to get as assertive as needed at first….just ask yourself: if you stuck him out in a small area with a lead mare type horse, is he going to move when she asks him to? Of course. He will. In a nano-second. So…you need to be that "lead mare." Which is about you now, even more than him. Remind yourself what I said above (and in that link). There's not a horse alive that Sylvia can't get going there, so…it's about what you're doing/not doing to get him moving. Use volume thinking so that he sees the pattern there, but don't be afraid, at the top of that volume, to be spinning that rope widely and tapping his rump with it (it doesn't hurt as much as you think it does -- horses bite & kick each other much harder than that!) & you're giving him a fair deal there to get the right answer lower on the volume. But he doesn't think right now that you have what it takes to follow through and MAKE him move there, because he's learned you release when he does nothing. Time to turn that around. And it's for his own good in the end. And focus on: you are doing the right thing getting him to follow your directives there, because no horse is internally happy in that shut-down stoical spot. It's actually a very stressful spot for them to be in, because it is taking so much energy out of them to hold out ignoring you. Go back to the analogy of the "wife or girlfriend giving you the silent treatment" stance. It's taking an immense amount of negative energy for her to play that game. Unlocking that game gives immense relief and gets them back on a healthier, happier track. So…get out there and pretend for a start that this was not a formerly abused horse. So you can remain in the "living in the now" spot that your horse is in himself. Once he sees you are the director of his feet after all in that round penning exercise, and learns to follow you at liberty hopefully (but don't look for perfection with that latch on part at first, you can get that part over time), then halter him and start your steps 1 and up in my 12-step program. It will work better in that order. You don't "beg" a horse like this via bonding. You direct, show them you are the leader, then get busy with bonding, in that order. He'll be more accepting of that bonding, and next steps if he's decided you do have what it takes to direct him, if you can follow me here. And with a horse like this, break down the lessons into several if needed. Meaning: don't try to get all 12 steps done in one day necessarily. Aim to get the round penning done and him unlocked there, hopefully him latching on at liberty (but if he doesn't at first, just approach him in the end and halter him) and start your bonding/yielding steps, then END THE LESSON right there on that "high positive." Turn him out and give him soaking time to think about it. Soaking time between lessons is a very powerful training tool, especially with a shut-down horse like this, and let me direct you to another link on my web site that shows the "why's" of that:
So… you don't have to get it all at once. You just have to get positive progress, then quit. Though my first goal would be to get the round penning exercise done in one session for sure. No matter how long it takes. Do this when you have plenty of end-time, no deadline, taking your watch off figuratively. Give that time to soak with him away from you then (ideally after you've haltered him/done some relaxing/bonding, head yielding down). He's going to remember most what happened last there, therefore, he'll get there faster if you use soaking as a tool when he's suddenly getting things right, even semi-right at first. Make sure you are using a natural horsemanship halter/12' lead rope always when working him in halter. Nothing else works as well when schooling him in my program. So important! Try all that and let me know how it goes! Happy to help! Response Later from D. B.: Your response was so helpful and I was totally impressed with how much information you provided. You were "right on" and it worked perfectly. Once you made clear about the order of things and that this was an issue of leadership and a shut-down horse, in spite of past abuse, it made all the difference in the world and it freed me up to take control in the round pen, and THEN, start the bonding process. Taking your direction and practicing the Volume Thinking, I first still needed the popper and a white flag, but within 20 minutes, he was listening to me like we were doing a round-penning video! He joined up a bit more slowly at first, but I have maintained being the director and I have been taking baby steps and letting him soak as I gauge how quickly to move forward. I quickly became able to disengage his hindquarters easily (low on the Volume with staring and pointing my finger) and have had him following me all around the round pen. He has been terribly ear-shy, but along with search-touching around his head and neck and head-lowering and lip-licking, I have been able to ease this considerably and continue the bonding and training process [from your videos]. I'm sure I'll have more questions, but you are right when you say "this works" and "you can do it!" I am really having fun and I think my horse is also. A big THANK YOU! D. B. Question - Horse bolts dangerously when unhaltered/turned out: Hi Sylvia. I recently bought a horse that seems to have acquired a new habit of bolting away from the gate as soon as he thinks he has been let go from his halter. It appears to be progressively getting worse and I'm afraid he might hurt himself. This habit also contains the frustrating task of running after him to take off his halter and lead. Hope you have good advice! Thanks. A. C. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi A. Yes...teach him this exercise first, because it is going to help you gain better control of his feet and mind on the ground at all times: Read that link over thoroughly (couple of times if you need to) and go out and teach your horse what you read there, in a structured lesson, in a confined area like a round pen or arena. Once you accomplish teaching that (usually in just one lesson), take him for a walk playing the "red light-green light" game like I show there. This will make your horse far more compliant in halter/lead, and have him perceiving you better as his leader, at all times waiting for your instructions. Incidentally, I teach all this and much more in my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set, which might help you a lot there overall, to create a quieter, more compliant (and far safer!) horse. After you have taught him that exercise and practiced taking walks with him, playing the red light-green light game, next, in a confined area like a round pen, practice unhaltering him, and haltering him again. To do this, unhalter him with the lead rope still on the halter, but as you're unhooking the halter, drape the lead rope around his neck to still contain him. Teach him that just because the halter is coming off his nose, it doesn't mean he's allowed to leave yet. If he starts to leave when you have the halter/lead rope around his neck, pull his neck/head toward you in an inside circle, and that will send his hind quarters away from you, disengaging the hind quarters, which will make it so he cannot leave. Once he stands quietly, halter him again. Pause for him to digest. Then repeat a number of times so that he stops filing the motion of having the halter removed as meaning: bolt away (like he's been doing). Once you feel he's doing that well, walk to where you turn him out, but play the red light-green light game continually when needed, to maintain control of his feet and to remind him that you are the leader. Once inside the turnout area (walk a ways in -- never pen yourself in at the gate or too close to the fence line), then turn him to face you, him facing the opposite direction he wants to bolt off to for freedom. Repeat your halter removal exercise like you did before (rope and halter removed and the lead rope placed around the neck securely), pause, and rehalter him. If he acts up there, keep him haltered and back him up -- from what you learned above and already practiced many times with him by then, you will have the back up cue well in place. Once he complies and is quiet there, repeat the halter removal, but around his neck exercise. When he's being perfectly quiet about it, awaiting your next instructions, then and only then go ahead and remove the halter/lead that is around is neck and WALK AWAY FROM HIM. And you can even flag him away with your arms as you leave him. Make it your idea to leave, your idea to send him away now, maintaining yourself as leader to the end. Take your time getting all the above in his foundation. The long way is the short way, as we say in natural horsemanship. The time you take to back up and plant all this into his foundation, all I'm showing you above, will serve you well forever in creating a quieter, more obedient, and safer horse. Again, so much of this is gone over in my 12-Step DVD set mentioned above and since this horse is new to you, I really think it would help you a lot overall. And if you get the program, and start applying what you learn there, and if you ever have any questions as you go along, I'm always only an email away for quick backup support! Hope this helps!
Question - Aggressive stallion/former circus horse: Sylvia: I have used your Round Pen Leadership DVD with great success on a couple of my horses, including a stallion which I was told was not trainable. Here is my current situation: I recently adopted a retired circus horse. He is a 10-year-old Arab gelding. I suppose you could call him proud cut as he acts like a stallion pretty much all the time. I am afraid he has been trained with certain cues and I am confusing him. The biggest problem is he is quite aggressive towards stallions and is continually trying to breed the mares. Maybe he was used for breeding and gelded late in life. I was working with him in the round pen yesterday and he was doing quite well until he decided to turn toward me and "join up" in an aggressive fashion (ears back, wild eyes and a bit of rearing"). The training stick did its job but he still has a bit of a "mean streak." Regarding cues, I attempted to lift his left front foot to pick his hoof and as soon as I made contact with his leg he dropped to both knees and took a bow!! Cute, but a bit confusing to me! I had made the mistake of using a longe whip, as the training stick was not nearby (my mistake!!) and as soon as he saw it he reared up (non aggressively) and held the pose for a good 10-15 seconds, quite the show off. Last night we let a stallion out in an adjoining paddock to breed a mare and the Arab charged the fence line and almost went right through it. He refused to back off and when it was apparent the fence was coming down, I approached on an ATV to back him off before he killed my stallion, at which point which he charged and reared at the vehicle striking the front quite aggressively. Time for a new paint job after that. Some have told me to put him down, others suggest violence; believe it or not one local renowned "trainer" told me that if he becomes sexually aroused I should kick his privates to break the habit!!! Frankly, he is quite beautiful and I hold out hope for him. Any thoughts on retraining a proud cut ex-circus performer? Lastly, do you believe he would be better off kept with another gelding or a mare so he can "get it out of his system"? It has been my experience that most often the mares can be quite aggressive if they do not wish to be bred. Maybe this is what this horse needs. Thanks for your input, J. K. - Ocala, Florida Sylvia's Answer: Hi J. That is so funny about the confusing cues (just trainer-funny), but not so funny how aggressive he can turn when on mating stance. You know...my first inclination would be to advise you to have the hormone tests to see if he's proud-cut or a cryptorchid -- I go over in more detail about all that here, and what kind of tests you can have done: The reason I would want to go that route first is: if he is proud-cut or a cryptorchid, the good news is: a good vet surgeon can correct that, and then hopefully he'll settle down some. Until then...you are going to HAVE to keep him far away from any other stallions, because it is pure instinct in studs to fight, especially when a mare is in season. Some do it worse than others. And no fence is going to stop that or keep them apart when he's so blindly on that mode -- as you saw yourself there. It's just: nature. But I think it's worth having the blood test done there to see if he is still producing high levels of testosterone due to being gelded incorrectly. And that would be great if the tests came out positive, because you could have a vet surgeon go in after that, and get him gelded properly now. If the blood tests come back showing he is properly gelded, then clearly he was used for breeding and was probably gelded too late, my guess. Sounds like this horse is new to you, if I got that correct. As long as you can keep things safe there (listen to your gut instincts at all times!), he can probably be retrained (after the vet check/test, in that order, I recommend). Is just going to take time and patience and consistency. But seriously, be careful there. Stud-like behavior when training often has a horse fighting instead of flight and you want to read him well, not pressuring more than necessary, yet enough to remain leader safely. If he's confused suddenly during lessons and you see that, back off and give him space, don't pressure too hard at those moments, if you can. It's a fine dance training stud-like horses who aren't respectful from the getgo (haven't been taught properly so far). Use pressure/release, but tune in to read him well as you go along. Try not to go the physical punishment route; that will backfire on you as a stud-like horse is more inclined to fight, and keep fighting, if challenged like that. I don't physically punish horses for wrong answers; I reward for right answers. Stop and relax him before he gets too tensed up during lessons on line, if you can -- finger in the mouth (if that's safe with him) to get him working his mouth, then pressure/release to get him to drop his head, which will produce instant relaxation in him (part of step one of my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System program, that I plug horses into, usually after round penning them). And remind yourself as you dive into retraining him: you don't have to get it all at once perfectly. Take his try at first, and leave it at that. And he'll build from that. Don't be too goal-focused, be small-progression focused. But also...listen to your inner radar at all times and put your own safety first always. When I'm working a horse like that, I usually have someone man the round pen gate, not latching it, but the person holding it ready to open fast if I ever need a speedy exit, to allow the horse to chill if things ever fall apart. I also take with me, sometimes, with a horse like that who may charge: both my 12' lead rope and my training wand with plastic on the end, and keep them going simultaneously if/when needed (the rope spinning and smacking the ground with it, if needed, and the wand with plastic flying around). Something about two visual obstacles going on at once can short circuit a horse's brain briefly and stop the charge. But...I'm a little concerned that this horse had a hard time being stopped even with an ATV! But then that brings us back to full circle wondering if he was gelded properly and how I personally would want to have that checked out and fixed surgically if that is indeed the case. And then see what you are left with after that. I think it's important! By the way...one way to back off a horse like your fence-charging, ATV-attacking incident last night, when they're on blind-charge mode like that is: use a good squirt gun, that squirts water. It's non-violent, doesn't really hurt them, but breaks into their manic, obsessive behavior and slows most of them down as you squirt them in the face (while staying safe yourself!). Might try that if you get a repeat incident. My inclination is to...give him a chance, he's new to you, new to his surroundings, and most horses act up a bit in those new situations. But do keep him away from studs! Until you get his training down better. And always (always!) put your own safety first at all times. It's a judgment call as to whether or not to put him in with a strong alpha mare, or another gelding. But you might try if you think that'll help. He certainly sounds like he needs some socialization skills built into him. Keeping him alone is only going to make him worse, I fear, when he is then suddenly around other horses. Might play around and try putting him in with an alpha lead mare type horse and hopefully she can teach him some ground manners and respect. As for the confusion with cues, when you see that happen, just break things down into smaller baby steps, giving you the opportunity to release more often for small baby step increments for the behavior you wish. The way I teach foot lifting, and I show all that in my 12-step DVD as well, allows for the pressure/release breakdown into smaller baby steps so that there is no confusion on the horse's part. I get a lot of tried-to-be-trained horses (who flunked out of other programs) and one of the funny things some of them do confusedly is start to climb a mounting block when you get next to one. Which is one of the really stupid "tricks" to teach a horse too early on, in my opinion -- teaching a horse to climb/step up onto an obstacle as a trick for show, but waaay too early in their training learning curve. And honestly is not really a behavior most horses need to have for a long time, if at all, and is potentially dangerous. What I do to undo that is to break things down into smaller baby steps, so I can release incrementally for them doing the right thing, not the wrong thing. If you ask for the whole behavior for something like that at first, they're going to fall back on old learning (what they used to get rewarded for). You want to break into that pattern by asking for far less at first, then releasing the pressure for baby step give right answers in the right direction. For example, to reschool him to pick up his feet without him thinking that means "go down" read this link on my web site: And this one: So you can see how that behavior can be broken down into smaller increments, lots of release/reward opportunities, using a rope like I show there. I also teach all that in more detail in my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set. As you start to reteach him picking up his feet (for hoof picking/farrier, etc.), face backwards--facing the horse's rear. If you want to keep the behavior for him to lie down, since he knows how, always face: forward for that. He'll sort it out as you reschool there. But if I were you, I'd focus most on teaching him to pick up his feet quietly and only go back to asking him to lie down after his foundation is better built/all foundation holes closed. I do an awful lot of retraining that involves UNDOING what other people or other trainers have done (usually wrongly) with a horse, so that's how you fix those things as they crop up: break the behavior down into smaller baby steps, with lots of releases, multiple times, for baby step right answer increments and they'll find their way there more easily. I'm sure you'll figure out as you go along also there what cues someone else used for his circus tricks. Too bad you can't talk to/work with briefly his former circus trainer so you'll know more what this horse was taught specifically, but...that's usually how it goes with most horses that come to us---we don't get to know too much, but in the end, it really doesn't matter, because all retraining should involve: starting over. From the very bottom of the foundation, and build step by step upward from there. I find they do really well in my program, regardless of where they're coming from. It's almost always a reteaching process and pressure/release is your answer there, in baby steps, and ideally in a step-by-step fashion so that everything makes sense to him and each lesson taught builds upward from the previous accomplishment, like my program does. If he's exploding during lessons, or acting out negatively....ask yourself if you might be pressuring him too hard or too fast there. That type of horse is the kind I find who will act out (attack even---fight, not flight!) just because they don't understand our lesson. So...those are the ones I'm really going to focus on breaking things down into the smallest baby steps I can, using pressure/release so they can find their way there, and lots and lots of stroking/scratching/bonding rewards for their every inch accomplishment in the right direction. He definitely sounds like a project horse, but also...kind of a fun project horse potentially? But, again, keep yourself safe at all times, don't take chances as you go along! And never shut off your radar/alarms when working with him. They'll shut off all by themselves when no longer needed. Ignore the abusive advice around you; that's all wrong. Abuse is never the answer to any horse problem. But round penning isn't enough...he needs far more. Round penning is only the very bottom of the rebuilding of the foundation. If you haven't already gotten my 12-Step DVD set, think about getting it, because it will show you a clear step-by-step program for turning around/retraining your horse there, while keeping you safer in the process (I'm a fanatic about safety when training and I pass along safety tips throughout the DVD lessons). Without safety as our primary focus in all our training/riding endeavors, we've got nothing; it's that important. Don't know how much this will help you there, but those are my thoughts and I'm here if you need further support! Stay safe! Question - Horse is afraid to ride around other horses: Dear Sylvia, I have a 5-year-old Appaloosa gelding. I have had him since he was nine months old. I waited until he was 3 to start riding him and as a 4-year-old found a trainer and for the last year have been learning the fine art of western pleasure. He really is a solid horse unless other horses get too close to him. If our classes are small and he has A LOT of room he is ok, but if the classes are big and he gets too crowded he completely freaks out. He doesn’t even like other horses to stand next to him outside the arena while we are waiting for our classes. Even at home in our arena if we are riding with another horse and it gets too close or passes him too closely or comes at him head-on, he will actually try to bolt; at the shows he is ok at the walk, but at the jog or lope he will break his gait and just try to leave. I am at a total loss as to what to do to help him through this? I will admit that he hasn’t had a lot of “trial” time and was wondering if taking him out of the arena for a while and doing some “trial” rides on him may help him? He is normally not a spooky horse, he is not afraid of plastic bags, tarps, etc., all of the things you would normally think a horse would be afraid of, except other horses. He is fine in his pasture with other horses, but once you put a saddle on him and get on, other horses scare him to death. Any suggestions that you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, R. V. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi. Thanks for writing. Since you say he's not kept alone, but kept with other horses (which is great!), which means he should be socialized to other horses now and recognize they're not a threat to him....I think you need to start disciplining him for this reaction now. Start making the right thing easy, the wrong thing hard there and get him listening better to you as his leader. Let me direct you to a link on my web site that shows a similar problem category and you can follow my directions in my answer there -- doing the same thing with your horse when he acts up like that around other horses, that you read there: Enlist friends to help you there as they ride their horses near you, allowing you to flush out this behavior and start disciplining him for that, like you read in that link there. Another suggestion...again, in the category of going ahead and flushing it out openly, but on the ground, in a structured lesson, giving you the opportunity to school him on that behavior specifically...try following what you read in this link here: I know those aren't the same questions I'm directing you to there (not the same problem you're having there), but you can follow the same solutions you read there to get this turned around now. And it's all in the category of make the right thing easy (be quiet near other horses & no extra pressure is put on him) and the wrong thing hard (he's going to be disciplined like I show there, if he acts up around other horses, via extra work pressure suddenly put on him). Might give those a try and see if they work for you there. I wouldn't tip-toe around this problem. I'd set it up to flush it out (but in structured situations where you're real ready to react, in a focused lesson) so you are afforded the opportunity to start schooling him on that very specific behavior. It also sounds to me like, from here, he still has holes in his training foundation that you might not realize, which is causing his "overload" reaction overall. You might think about getting my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVD set, and plug him into the step-by-step program you learn there (it's a program you can do all by yourself; and I backup help in email if you ever need that as you go along), and you'll see exactly where the foundation holes are as you go along in the program, and will be shown how to close them up -- safely on the ground first! Got a feeling that's the real problem there: foundation holes you're just not aware of. My program closes up all foundation holes, safely on the ground, so that the horse is more quiet and compliant in saddle, keeping you far safer and the horse listening to you as his leader at all times, on the ground and in saddle, no matter what is going on around you both. Hope this helps and good luck to you there! Question - Difficulty mounting taller horse from ground: Hi Sylvia - I found you while searching for ideas on "mounting" for people like myself who are out of shape and haven't ridden in a while. I'm 61 and still have my horse, but I haven't been able to ride in over a year. I've already found out that I'm really weak in my knees and just don't have what it takes to do the "one bounce" method any longer. BUT, I'm not going to give up just because I can't get on!! Anyways, I know a mounting block really does the trick while I'm at the barn, but I'm worried about being out on a ride and having to get off for a break, etc. Is there anything available to carry along with me? Could you help me?? Hope to hear from you soon... L. L. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi L. Thanks for writing. Your problem actually isn't that unusual, especially for many women, so don't feel bad about it! I'm in my 50's and often have the same problem. Our bodies at our ages just aren't as flexible as they used to be when we were younger, and that's just what happens as we get older. I also have really short legs (and am only 5'4"), so, with really short legs, my stirrups have to be set pretty high, and I gave up ever thinking I could mount a tall horse from the ground anymore. So...I teach my horse and all horses I train to stand quietly next to a mounting block, then next to anything: fences, rocks, logs, anything that raises me up a little higher. It's really not hard to teach a horse this if you start with the mounting block first, teaching them to always stand close, waiting as long as we ask there. This link on my web site, by the way, shows proper mounting procedures that all horses should be taught (to keep things safest for us): (Just use a mounting block there when teaching a horse those proper mounting procedures). Once they have been taught that, you can get real creative mounting them off of just about anything (that doesn't move). If I dismount on a trail, I can always find some object like a log, a fence, a rock, etc., to give me some height for remounting. Also...another trick you can use for remounting is...find a slight incline area and put the horse parallel to the slope (not facing downhill, but: sideways on the hill/incline) and keep the horse on the downhill side, you on the uphill side. This gives you a lot of extra height for mounting. I've used that trick a lot when needed. I don't really know of anything you can take along to help with mounting that works. Years ago I tried one of those extendable stirrups for mounting, but they don't work!! Didn't help one bit. So...I just solved the problem by making sure my horse was trained to stand quietly next to anything, even a fence, for mounting. They learn pretty quickly that this is expected of them and they do learn to be very still next to whatever you've chosen to mount them from, until you're safely in saddle and your offside foot is securely in the stirrup. And you know what I think/feel? I think this route is more respectful-of-the-horse mounting in the first place. Mounting from the ground can pull on their spine too much, injuring them over time. The higher up you can get for mounting, the less stress it is on the horse's back! So play around with some of these ideas and never feel bad that you can't mount from the ground -- it's actually better for the horse if you don't! Trick is to teach your horse to stand quietly by a mounting block first, until he's absolutely perfect with that, then start extending that lesson out to standing on other objects for mounting so he sees: these are our rules everywhere now. And you shouldn't have any problems. Hope this helps! Question - Foal Eyesight: Can you direct me to a good internet site about the eyesight of foals? C. S. - Internet Sylvia's Answer: Hi C. Here's a link that talks about foal eyesight (Page 37-38, & then bottom of page 45 thru 46 of this pdf): CLICK HERE According to Dr. Robert Miller, the expert on newborn foal imprinting, "The foal, immediately after being born, can see, hear, feel, and smell almost as well as a mature horse." Here's a link on my web site that goes into more detail about equine eyesight in general: I'm also going to run your question here by a natural horsemanship trainer close colleague, who is also a foal expert, Bob Claymier. Bob Claymier's Response: Hi C. – Sylvia’s links provided good info on your question and there is not much else to add. There is much we still don’t know about horse eyesight in general but recent investigations are improving our knowledge with electronic probes being placed in the effected brain areas for analysis. There was also a recent article in the John Lyons monthly publication, Perfect Horse, which discussed investigations with horse eyesight. What is believed from current information is that prey animals like foals must be ready to successfully run with the herd on the first morning after birth and eyesight is obviously an important part of their survival. My own experience with just-foaled newborns is that they bump around a bit while they are getting their "sea legs" under them, and it has been unclear to me whether that is simply because they are still somewhat uncoordinated right after birth or that their eyesight is limited initially. It is obvious, however, that their sense of smell is working at a high level and that is what they appear to use most in the first few minutes right after being born. -Cheers, Bob Note From Sylvia: The Issue of John Lyons' Perfect Horse magazine that Bob refers to there with an article entitled, "Eye Openers!: Insight into Eyesight Will Change How You Ride," is the February 2007 issue. The back issue article itself can be ordered on the Perfect Horse web site here: CLICK HERE John Lyons' Perfect Horse magazine, by the way, is one of the best horse publications you can subscribe to, in my opinion. For more information and to subscribe to this excellent monthly magazine: CLICK HERE Question - New horse very overly aggressive at feeding time: I have to say, thank you for your web site. I went to your site after I purchased a horse at a local auction and found after the second day that he is a severely dominate horse, and is very aggressive when fed. I read the other answers that you gave about this, but wanted more. I have twenty plus years experience in horses, and I have never had a horse come at me with his teeth barred, attempting to come over the fence at me because I was asking him to back off the food bucket because it was not his; he scared the other horse away from it. To give you a picture, there are three horses that are pasture kept, two geldings and a mare. He is a 5-year-old quarter horse gelding. They are fed out of buckets tied to the fence and are spaced well enough apart. He seems to now get aggressive even before the food is given, making it very difficult to give him or the other horses for that matter, food at all. He goes after the other two horses as soon as he finishes his and takes their food; he also goes after them a lot in the pasture. My concern is not that I can fix the issue, my concern is someone getting hurt before it can be fixed. I cannot go out there every day to work with him, and there are a lot of children around, including mine, and I do not want to see any of them getting hurt. Should I attempt to "fix" the issue, or should I try to get him a new home as soon as possible so that no one gets hurt while waiting for the change? And how soon could the change occur? Thank you for your time, A. L. - Lancaster, Pennsylvania Sylvia's Answer: Hi A. Thanks for writing. Well...since children are concerned there, my first reaction is to suggest getting rid of him since it doesn't sound like he is (or ever will be maybe?) totally safe around children. Horses like this...usually the problem was caused by being starved down at some time in their past (not enough food, not enough to go around), so they get on "survival of the fittest" mode. Instinctively. It's a very common behavior problem in horses who were starved at some time. Picture a dwindling water hole in deepest Africa and how animals will fight over the last drop, even to the death, and that's what happens in horses who have been starved down at some point (before you got him). It's not an easy behavior to undo fast because they have a sensory memory of starvation, now playing out as a behavior problem. The other problem you have there is how you are feeding horses their supplement feed (I'm assuming they have grass/hay access aside from this feeding time, so they're not really "starving" hungry per se). But the problem with horses is: they are 100% a pecking order, herd animal. There is a #1, #2, #3 & #4, pecking order hierarchy, etc. And #1 pecking order horse, according to their herd "rules" (all horses) gets first access to food resources. So...when you place buckets out without restraining each horse individually, even though you've spaced them out like that, if he finishes his food first, it is complete instinct for him to go and take away the food resources of those below him in pecking order. And the lower pecking order horse IS going to move aside and allow this. That's basic herd instinct, to their core. So...your feeding practices are going against what is basic inborn instinct in them. And we want to work with a horse's instincts, not against them. A better way to feed a group their supplement is to tie or stall each separately for the duration of them eating their grain, then there are no pecking order fighting issues going on. Our domestic-kept horses shouldn't have to fight over food, so we need to set up our feeding practices so that they don't have to fall back on primal instinct to fight over food, a basic need. The stronger, higher pecking order horse will always win that game, and that's just herd instinct. Your new horse, aside from having clearly an aggressive-toward-humans behavior problem that is not acceptable, of course, is also neurotic about probably having to control all the food resources there, my guess. So...maybe he won't even wait until he's finished his own doled-out grain, but he's probably going to be frantically rushing to others' buckets, so he can control all of it, and he is going to use aggression, because that's what a higher pecking order horse usually does, to move away a lower pecking order horse, to dominate the resources. And this again goes back to: in the past he was probably in a starved-down situation and this is what he has learned to survive. So...part of this problem is of course, his own (from being starved down usually) toxic aggressive behavior now that he doesn't even shut off toward humans, but the present feeding practices there are only making matters worse. You could turn this around via what you saw in my web site Q&A section on "aggressive at feeding time" issues, but what the deal breaker is there for me, in my opinion: there are children present regularly. This type of horse is NOT going to stop that aggression towards a child or if the child happens to be in his path. They don't discriminate there, they are on blind-aggression-about-food mode, and no child has the assertive ability to stop it. A trained adult could--you'd have to get really tough there to SEND THE HORSE AWAY when he does that until he learns how to behave properly (you being the "lead mare" of the herd), but honestly...no child could do this. There is an exercise you, the experienced-with-horses adult can do to set up the problem, flushing it out completely and affording you the schooling opportunity to teach him right from wrong there, but in a structured, controlled way, and I'm going to direct you to the link on my site to show you how you can structure that lesson (because you might not have seen this link): What bothers me hearing there, though, is...the fact that he "attacks" you, the human, with teeth barred, even on the opposite side of the fence from you when food is present (I'm assuming that's the main/only time he's showing that level of aggression). This is an extremely dangerous horse in this category, then, who clearly has never been taught to respect humans in general and needs a lot more training before he's safe. The fact that he's 5 is good news to me though, for the long run. Five is "still a kid" horse to me. And in the wild, there's no way a 5 year old horse would be highest in pecking order usually, as he is "a kid" still. They're really not developmentally & emotionally adults until 7 & older. So, they are usually easier to turn around in the respect category when so young. So....sometimes it's just a case of a "spoiled kid" kind of thing going on, but unfortunately, they're not human kids, they're horse kids, big & with teeth and dangerous when on aggressive mode like that. I don't tolerate for one second a horse on aggressive mode in the presence of humans. I would be in there immediately with my 12' lead rope spinning at them, smacking the ground hard with it, along with maybe my extendable training wand with plastic tied to the end waving toward them, all designed to SEND THEM AWAY when they show any aggression like that whatsoever. And this is language horses are born understanding--the "send away" banishment from the herd when misbehaving. The lead mare of a herd does this every day, as she's in charge of raising the youngsters to be obedient and get along with others. In the banished time-out spot, they rethink their behavior and figure out what type of behavior is acceptable. But your new horse might not know any of this, never been taught. It's not too late to change him, but it's going to take consistency on the human population part there to NEVER tolerate this aggressive behavior and send him away when he "goes there" and only let him back in to eat when he's quieter/non aggressive. Again, those links in my Q&A section of my web site, under "aggressive at feeding time," go over all that. How long would it take?: weeks to months possibly, but consistency in never allowing the behavior at all is key! But the problem there, with your situation....you said you can't be there every day to handle that (horses need consistency, especially in the reschooling phase or it just doesn't work) and unless someone can do that for you when you're not there...he's going to stay in that present aggressive-at-feeding-time very dangerous spot. And...no, I don't think he sounds safe right now to have around kids. So...sounds like he should go? The well-being of kids is far more important than one particular messed up horse. You would probably kick yourself later if a child got hurt by this horse. So...sounds like: he just doesn't fit into your place/program there. Not worth the stress and danger risk probably! If you do decide to keep him, aside from being consistent in never letting him come in with aggressive stance at feeding time, I would want to get busy fast in retraining him overall. I would start with round penning, to better establish you, the human, as the real leader of the herd & I teach round penning here: After that, I would plug him into my Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System training program, which would help him every direction. The importance of getting busy with all that is about: not just spending time showing him what he's not allowed to do, but getting busy showing him, training him, to know what IS allowed to do, rebuilding into his foundation our own "herd expectations." Clearly no one has taught him this in his past and he needs to be taught that! But there is nothing wrong with passing him along now to a home who might be better equipped to handle all that, with no vulnerable children around while he's being retrained. Kids have got to come first, I think! That's my two cents worth! :-) Hope it helps! Question - Is riding bareback all the time okay to do?: Hi there Sylvia. I randomly found your web site when researching trail riding bareback online, and just wondered if you could answer a few questions and maybe put my mind at ease. I have been able to ride horses bareback ever since I was a kid on my pony--it just comes naturally to me. I also ride with a saddle and will alternate back and forth between it and bareback when I ride my horse. I absolutely LOVE to ride bareback, even on trail rides. But the thing is, when I hop on my horse bareback, in public rides and such, I get a lot of flak. A lot of it is disbelief, a lot of it has negative undertones like I shouldn't be doing that because of safety, some take bets to see how long until I fall off (never have yet!); some people have felt "truly sorry that if they had known I didn't own a saddle they'd have lent me an extra one at the beginning of the day." When I dismount at water breaks and such, I seem to attract an audience to see if I'm going to be able to get back on again (my horse is large and I'm small, but I can still vault on from the ground). Sometimes people have a look of disgust because of all the sweat and hair that comes along with riding bareback. Is riding bareback such a strange thing? So, on a whim I googled it to see if anyone else out there is talking about riding bareback and came up with a lot of negative attitudes on the internet toward riding bareback, about how dangerous it is. One site said that it is cruel to the horse because of our "butt" bones digging in their back, and saddles are meant to distribute the weight. Some pages say riding bareback encourages poor riding form. (I've never had any formal training in riding in my life but have often been complemented on my good, balanced riding posture). So what is your opinion on the matter? Is there anything wrong with riding bareback, even on long trail rides? I feel very sure of myself and my ability to tackle most any terrain without a saddle. I've had my own horse for over 10 years and have ridden him many miles without a saddle and have never fallen off. People don't understand when I tell them that I feel safer and more secure on him without the saddle because I can stay better balanced and can feel him move better--there's not all that leather to get in the way. Is there any reason I SHOULDN'T ride my horse everywhere bareback? How can I defend myself against all the flak at the next trail ride? Thanks for your time and expertise, H. R. - Iowa Sylvia's Answer: Hi H. Since you are an experienced bareback rider, I see nothing wrong with it if your horse is also comfortable with it. I'm sure your horse would let you know one way or another if it were making him uncomfortable. If you think about it, this is now Native Americans rode horses most of the time, for centuries, and they were probably the best riders known to mankind! So....maybe that's your defense you can pass along if you get unsolicited negative comments. The only time I feel it's unsafe to ride a horse bareback is if they are past or potential buckers. It's a lot harder to stay on a bucking horse when riding bareback than having a saddle to help there. I know a lot of natural horsemanship trainers who like to start their beginning riders bareback so they can gain balancing skills first and that's a great concept, and indeed it teaches a lot. I myself don't do that in my own program simply because I want my student clients to feel safe first, then work on riding skills, in that order, and most beginners (which often times are middle aged or older folks: the fastest growing new horse owner population out there today!) feel better having a saddle under them and perhaps a horn to grab onto in first rides, as they build confidence. I put safety and client comfort (fear) level first over riding principles for a start, and prefer to baby step them there, slowly and compassionately, just like I do when training a horse itself. Having a middle aged person ("not as limber as we used to be") ride bareback first is too "A to N" a leap for most of them, I feel. I'd rather A-B-C baby step them there, using saddle for a start. In this way, they feel safer and more emotionally and physically supported. But that's just my own opinion. I do think beginners are far more likely to fall off a horse when riding bareback than when riding in saddle, so...for this reason, I personally, don't start beginners bareback. The last thing I want is a client (or anyone following my program) to fall off a horse! I'm very much into baby stepping in my teaching methods. Long way is the short way, I feel. The time I take up front to get them comfortable in the first place, gets them there faster and more confidently--and more safely. But all that said, riding bareback indeed can give you a better feel for the horse's movement for all the reasons you stated there, and when in correct form, can teach you better balance. My former horse, Gabe (who died last year of old age, after many years as my partner), I rode bareback more than half the time, with my natural horsemanship halter/lead rope tied into reins. But he was also an advanced-trained (by me) horse I trusted implicitly, and he trusted me completely as well. We watched out for each other always.
But I pick and choose carefully now myself what horses I ride bareback. I'm 53 (and climbing!) and my middle-aged body has body parts that aren't as limber as they used to be (some from past injuries), so, I ride most horses usually in saddle, and am careful what horses I get on bareback. As you get into middle age, you start realizing (and sometimes experiencing first hand) that bones and joints, etc., break more easily and don't mend as easily or as quickly as they did when we were younger, so you naturally (and I call: more wisely) start to protect your body more as you get older. We take less chances. Riding a horse bareback, for most people, is taking more risk chances, especially the older we are. But back to you. Clearly you're an excellent bareback rider, your horse is comfortable with it (he would let you know if it put him in pain or discomfort, I'm sure). Even though you're short, you can still vault onto the tall horse from the ground. You've never fallen off. You have every bareback riding base covered there, sounds like! I see no reason why your continuing to ride bareback should be an issue at all. It's actually: admirable. And maybe people are making negative comments, or giving you negative looks out of: jealousy? Perhaps they are feeling that they spent a fortune on tack themselves and still don't have the connected partnership that you seem to have with your horse, with little to no tack, so that feels inner threatening to them maybe? And maybe it's easier for them to mentally (even silently) lash out at you than to take a deeper look at themselves and what partnership abilities they may be lacking themselves with their own horse? It is always easier to lash out and judge others than to be more introspective about ourselves and see where we might improve. Take the high road and ignore. Sometimes, when you look around you at what other people are doing with horses, especially in group situations, you have to stay focused on (and only on): what works best for you and your horse. Everyone's different. And even every horse is different. You know your horse partner better than anyone else possibly can. Stick to your inner convictions, even if you sometimes are the "maverick" out there when you know in your heart of hearts that what you are doing is right for you and is fine with your horse. And the truth is: you owe no one an explanation or self defense-argument. A simple, "this works best for me and my horse!" is all that is needed if someone asks. :-) Question - To Shoe or not to shoe a horse?: Dear Sylvia, I have your Whispering Way training video series and have enjoyed it immensely and learned quite a bit from it. I wrote to you several months back with a small behavioral issue and you directed me to a successful solution. Thank you! I write now with a very different question; it has to do with whether to shoe or not shoe my horse. I know that you recommend going straight to the farrier when one has hoof questions. However, I get completely different answers from each farrier I question. My current farrier, picked because he serviced the barn at which I board, told me flat out that I had to have shoes on my horse. So, I consented to winter shoes on the front and regular shoes on the back. My vet tells me my 5-year-old quarter horse has perfect hoofs, very healthy and strong. I asked him about shoes and he said there is no reason I must have shoes, given that I ride only on trails and in an indoor arena and that I only ride about 1 hour 5 days per week or I am walking him by lead rope through the woods for fun. The rest of the time the horse is either in paddock, 12 hours per day, or stall, 8 hours per day. Do you have an opinion on this matter? I would value hearing from someone with your experience. Best regards, P. R. - Northampton, Massachusetts Sylvia's Answer: Hi P. Your vet is probably correct there. So few horses, when trimmed right with a "natural trim" (which I'm honestly not a big expert on myself, but my farrier is) just don't need shoes. Sounds like yours does not. Unfortunately many "old school" farriers out there just aren't educated on this (yet!) and they stick with shoeing most all horses. The problem there sometimes, too: it can be a real conflict of interest then. Farriers can make far more money shoeing a horse than "just trimming," so...I would wonder about a farrier who always recommends shoes and rarely just trims. When the proportion should actually be: the opposite. Sorting thru farriers can be difficult, I know, to find the right one for you. But it kind of reminds me of...when you're pregnant and shopping for a good obstetrician...finding out their percentage of C-sections to natural births. One that seems to have a largely disproportionate amount of C-sections...would have me wondering, if you know what I mean. So...a farrier who seems to have a disproportionate amount of horses he shods instead of just trims, would tell me: he's just not up on the latest in that field probably. What you might do is seek out another farrier who is more educated in natural trim. There are links on this page on my web site to help you to try to find a natural trim hoof care/natural barefoot trim specialist nearest you: CLICK HERE If that doesn't pan out with one near enough to you (though a lot of them travel pretty far, especially if you can get a few others in your barn signing up to use them, making their travel worthwhile), you might ask your vet privately to recommend one that he feels is more knowledgeable about the natural barefoot trim science. All that said...I'm not anti-shoes. I've tried the barefoot trim on all my horses and it has worked great for some, not so great with others. I think in the end, you (as a horse mom) have to decide what you see personally is best for your horse. But it does sound like your horse might do just fine with barefoot trim (after the initial adjustment period some of them have when switching). And since your horse is still young, it would be nice to aim them in the direction of barefoot/natural trim for healthiest hoof growth. One thing that sets off minor alarms in me re your present farrier is: he puts shoes on in winter, when that is the time to pull shoes usually! Plus, he's putting shoes on the back feet. Rarely do horses need shoes on the back feet, which is what my farrier tells me, and that is only when something is seriously wrong conformationally, etc. So...not so sure that farrier is correct there. I'd advise shopping around via using the links I directed you to and maybe even getting references from them before committing. You're smart to stop in your tracks right now and question this. Got a feeling your vet is right! Another way to sometimes find good, more-natural-trim-oriented farriers is...check with horse rescue organizations around you for referrals -- most rescues use barefoot trim specialists, so they're good to network with. I have a list of rescues by state here: CLICK HERE Hope this helps! Question - What colleges do you recommend for horse careers?: Hello. You don't know me, but I am a freshman in high school in Newell, South Dakota. I currently have a hope of going into the equine field for a future career. I do not, however, know what field I wish to work in, but I was wondering if you would have any recommendations as to which colleges may be best to refer to for this area of expertise. If you could get back to me that would be very kind of you. In all due respect, C. V. - Newell, South Dakota Sylvia's Answer: Hi C. You might look into the University of Montana-Western -- they are one of the first colleges to offer degrees in natural horsemanship, if that interests you; here's their web page about their program there: CLICK HERE Also, here's a really good article about the topic in general -- all the different options for careers with horses: CLICK HERE And another article that might help you: CLICK HERE Here are a few more links that might help you to see the number of careers in the equine field: Career and Educational Opportunities in the Horse Industry: CLICK HERE Internships & Careers - Equine: CLICK HERE Careers & Education - Equine: CLICK HERE A great book that might help you sort out schools: Horse Schools: The International Guide to Universities, Colleges, Preparatory and Secondary Schools, and Specialty Equine Programs These additional books might help you sort out what equine career interests you: I hope this helps and good luck to you there! 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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