June 2006
Newsletter

Greetings from the

Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center
Home of Sylvia Scott Natural Horsemanship Training

Dear Friends:

We've been extremely busy here at the Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center (VNHTC), with many horses coming here to be trained, and many clients ducking in and out to learn how to direct their horses the natural horsemanship way. We've also been busy designing and building our new confidence training course, still finishing up some remaining projects here and there, and are also working on new products which we will be unfolding in the near future. Stay tuned!

With warmer weather and longer days, we also get to spend more time with our horses and those coming to us here for help. It's always a fun and enlightening journey!

During rainy days/training downtime, I've focused in on adding more than 50 new horse problems to my web site Q&A section, and have even more saved up to add in when I can grab the time. Check out the new additions here: Horse Training Tips and Solving Common Horse Problems - Q&A

We have an important announcement...

June Clinic Cancellation Due to last minute rider cancellations (scheduling conflicts that came up suddenly), we have decided to cancel our June 10-11 clinic and bump the signup's to our Sept. clinic here. This time of year, an awful lot of people are away on vacation, we found, and we felt everyone would be better served via having the clinic in Sept. At the September clinic, Ed Dabney and Sylvia Scott will be instructing together and you can read more information about that clinic: CLICK HERE Thanks for your patience and continuing support!

 Sylvia Scott
 Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center, LLC
Whispering Way Farm
Blacksburg, Virginia
Email: Sylvia@naturalhorsetraining.com
Web site: www.naturalhorsetraining.com

Another Great Natural Horsemanship E-Newsletter to Subscribe to - I wanted to bring to everyone's attention my good friend and colleague, natural horsemanship trainer and clinician, Keith Hosman and his informational e-newsletter he puts out with Josh Lyons (son of John Lyons), a highly gifted natural horsemanship trainer of his own right whom I tremendously respect. Here's more about that newsletter, and Josh and Keith:

If your horse won't speed up, slow down, stop or turn, you missed the latest training methods from John Lyons and his son Josh. Have you lost your confidence? Want a horse to brag about? Get free horse training tips every month from Josh Lyons and Certified Trainer Keith Human by signing up at Keith's web site: www.horsemanship101.com - One of the most sought-after clinicians in the world, Josh Lyons continues the “Lyons Legacy,” continually advancing the gentle and objective techniques pioneered by his father. He tours often and is a frequent contributor to national publications such as "Perfect Horse" and "Horse & Rider.”  Keith Hosman is based near San Antonio, Texas, and is available for clinics, private sessions and training. Keith frequently partners with fellow Lyons Certified Trainer Patrick Benson for clinics and demonstrations — with over 30 on his 2006 schedule.

Nationwide Trailering Roadside Assistance - A client recently passed along a great service I did not know about -- horse trailering travel assistance by USRider. We all know about AAA services for roadside assistance when we travel extensively by car. But what if you're traveling with your horse trailer in tow and, say, you get a flat tire, or the trailer breaks down in some way? Or your car breaks down while hauling the trailer. AAA won't cover that problem necessarily. But now there is USRider roadside assistance for the horse set. USRider gives you peace of mind as you travel with your horse in tow. The USRider motor plan surpasses other roadside assistance plans by also covering horse vans, tow vehicles, trailers and horses. As an added bonus, USRider's roadside assistance benefits are in full force even when you are not traveling with your horses. They cover you no matter what vehicle you are traveling in - even if you are not driving. With USRider, you will never be stranded -- with or without your horse trailer in tow. They even handle emergency lodging and stabling assistance! It's a great comprehensive service for horse folks who travel a lot, trailering their horse, and is very reasonably priced. Check out the USRider Web site for more details and information.

Natural Horsemanship Training Videos For Rental - Can't decide which natural horsemanship training videos you'd like to purchase when there are so very many out there? Wish you could have a sneak peak before deciding to buy one? Now you can! At YOUR HORSE MATTERS, the only online rental of horse training videos of the top trainers in the world, you can easily rent NH training videos from top clinicians. They have the latest from Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli, Mark Rashid, Anna Twinney, Charles Wilhelm, Gawani Pony Boy, Buck Brannaman, Richard Shrake, Dr Robert Miller and more, as well as great prices on used training videos for sale. And look for even more videos for rental in the coming months. At YOUR HORSE MATTERS, they will continue to offer you the best in horsemanship videos. You can check out YOUR HORSE MATTERS HERE.

Horse Rescues/Rehab Centers - I'm a big supporter of equine rescues. Visit them, their web sites, get in touch with them, see what you can do to help. And if you are looking for a new horse, rescues are sometimes the best place to start your search. Adopting a horse and giving it a wonderful new home can be a positive life-altering experience. And volunteering time at a rescue can help you to learn more about horses -- horses are the best teachers there are!

For a list of equine rescues in the Virginia region and rescues around the country/world: CLICK HERE

G. - Internet

Here's how to fix that: back up to arena work. Start off in a walk in the arena (not along the fence line; do this exercise away from the fence, in the middle of the arena). Pick a focal point, like an arena fence post, on the opposite side of the arena. Lock your eyes on that focal point and don't remove your eyes from that. (Horses will pick up what you are focusing on). Don't look down at the horse, or his head, just keep your eyes locked onto that post focal point. Ride the horse at a walk straight for that post. Picture there is a straight line drawn in that sand, between you/your horse and that post. Ride the horse on that invisible line. He's inevitably going to sway off that line. When he does, quietly, patiently, pick up one rein to correct him and get him back on that line. When he's riding the line correctly, leave the reins alone, put slack in them (release of pressure for the right answer). Only pick up a rein to correct him back onto that line if he steers off it, then release with slack in the rein when he's doing the right thing/riding the straight line. Be patient, be kind, just keep at it. And most importantly, keep your eyes focused on the focal point post, even as you make corrections. You're not only teaching the horse how to ride his feet on a straight line, but you're also teaching him here how to pick up on your focus, so he makes it his focus as well.

All horses learn from the release of pressure what it is you want, not the pressure itself, so get your release timing (slack in reins) very quick there when the horse does ride the line straight/right answer after the correction.

At first, it is going to take a lot of corrections as the horse's feet and brain learn to ride that straight line at the walk. Be patient with him, just keep using pressure (correcting with one rein)/release (slack in rein) there as he learns to ride straight. When you reach that focal point fence post at the walk, now turn your head and with your eyes, pick another distant focal point fence post on the opposite side of the arena, turn the horse and walk that next straight line. Again, pick up the rein to correct him if/when he veers off that line; put slack in the rein when he's got it right. Do many, many repetitions of this exercise at the walk until he's got it down perfectly (may even be over several sessions potentially; don't be in a hurry -- sometimes "soaking time" between lessons goes a long way!).

Only when he's got it down perfectly and confidently at the walk (no more corrections needed), then, introduce the same exercise at the trot, performed exactly the same as above, picking the distant focal point and correcting with one rein when he veers off the line at the trot now. It's going to be a struggle for him at first at the trot to stay straight, so that's why it's important to get it well planted at the walk first to begin patterning his brain that he can do this. You have to build in the walk-straight-line foundational "bricks" first before you move on to the trot-straight-line expectation next-level "bricks." Remain patient. It takes as long as it takes, as we say in natural horsemanship. Don't be too goal focused; be "in the moment" focused.

Practice it thoroughly at the trot until he can ride straight for your focal point at the trot every time without corrections. Then and only then, after he has mastered all that at the trot, move on to practicing riding straight at the canter, same way.

Do all the above, in that exact order, and you should get him past this problem for good. Once he can accomplish all this in the arena, at all gaits, then move outside the arena and, again, pick a focal point and review with him riding straight for that focal point first at the walk, then the trot, then the canter.

Do take the time to break all this down into baby steps like that and he should get it.

It's not an unusual problem, by the way. I find most horses when first learning to ride with the human on their back share this foundation hole/problem. And if it doesn't get fixed properly, like I described above, it can often lead to irrational behavior in the horse (even bucking) as the horse overloads on not being able to ride straight if/when someone jumps "A to N" there, skipping the necessary learning "letter" steps in between A-B-C-like, to better enable him to "connect the dots" for understanding. But it has to be broken down into smaller, digestible baby steps like I describe, first at the walk, then the trot, then the canter, mastering each level well before moving on to the next, and the horse will get it, will settle down and know he can ride straight, usually for the first time in his life.

Remain patient, take your time, and you should get past this problem for good, because once the horse learns how to ride straight, it becomes no big deal after that and he'll relax, be more connected to you as a unit, smoothly, and a much more pleasant ride all around for the both of you.

Hope this helps and good luck to you there!

C. K. - Internet

Sylvia's Answer: That's a very good question! Horses indeed do a very quick read of their rider/handler/"supposed-to-be-leader" to see if that human has the proficiency to guide them...or, on the other hand, if the human can be "walked all over" disrespectfully. And most of this sizing up goes on with just ground handling, for a start.

So, it's real important that horses like that, who are constantly looking for a way out of work when given the opportunity, to have consistency of handling across the board. Teach the less experienced riders/handlers what it is they need to do the second the horse has the thought to eat grass along the trail there, and react very quickly to squelch that urge, and reestablish their leadership there. I've got a link up on my site on how to handle grass snatching horses like that: Horse Problem - Eating on Trail- Horse grabs for grass while riding on trail

I think it's good for horses like that to have multiple riders/handlers, to be quite honest, nothing wrong with that, so they start learning the rules are the same "all around" with everyone. But coach the less experienced humans on what to do there so they can be ready to react quickly. And this horse will stop doing that with anyone. Smart horses size up the leadership abilities of every handler who approaches them. All horses do this sizing up quickly to some extent. Hence why I think it's so important to have all riders/handlers do a bit of the right ground work, even briefly, in charge of moving the horse's feet, so the horse knows from the get go that this is now their "new leader." If the handler can't direct the horse as leader on the ground, they definitely aren't going to get that respect in saddle. So...teaching the less experienced how to be in control of the horse on the ground for a start will go a long way there!

I say keep letting the horse have multiple riders, because that is his job there now at your therapeutic riding center, but be real proactive in coaching the less experienced riders, giving them the "tools" for handling the horse when it acts up like that. Will be good for the horse, as well as the learning rider.

R. J. - Internet

For the ground manners/leading problems, read this link, and put into effect what you read there: Leading Problems - Horse runs over human/How to teach horse back-up cue on ground

As for the nipping, don't slap him on his body, that just: 1) models bad behavior when we want to build trust and them learning good behavior; 2) only plays into a "tag" game that male horses play with each other. Let me show you a better way to discipline him for that and get him stopping that for good, and it's about: moving their feet most importantly. Read this link and follow what you learn there (and read the links within that page as well): Aggressive/Biting/Bratty Stud Colt - Yearling stud colt out of control biting/disrespectful

I fix horses like this all the time, and in just one session often (if the owner then remains consistent with what I've taught them there!), so...know...technically it's a "people problem" (people not knowing properly what to do about it), not a horse problem. Fixed in one session and the horse learns what is expected of them for good.

Try all that and let me know how it goes.

Follow-up letter later from R. J.: Dear Sylvia, Wow! What can I say? Thank you so much for the advice you gave me. Yes, it worked great! My horse is behaving so much better. I did what you told me and he responded really well. I had been doing the back up thing with him that you taught there, and while I was rewarding him, he tried to bite me and I immediately told him to back up. I only had to do that once and he hasn't tried biting again. I am definitely going to continue with the respect method. Thank you so much! God Bless!

Question - What is "Ponying" a Horse?: Hi. I am from Slovakia (it is in Middle Europe). Wow. Your website is SUUUPER. There are good pictures, I respect what you do with horses and the best thing in it is that you teach it to others!!! I am a horseman (actually a horse-archer but I learned English and then Western style, too). I like horses very much and I want to understand them, but in Slovakia I cannot find a trainer who can help me in that. To know more about horses, gentle solutions, horse-whispering, I look for information on the web, try them...but usually I find these documents in English. Then I translate them to Slovak. But last month I found a document titled PONYING POWER, I translated it, but I did not understand the keyword. Can you explain to me that---What does it mean: TO PONY A HORSE???!! Thank you.

P. V. - Slovakia

There are many great training benefits to ponying a horse. I pony most all horses at a certain point in their training, usually after all the ground work has been taught to them and they can lead well, too (they yield to pressure well). The benefits of ponying a horse:

• Ponying a horse in training allows them to get used to the human "up high" before you ever ride them.
• It allows them to learn to have you in each of their eyes one by one (as you change sides -- pony him on both sides of you, taking turns).
• It allows you to do further desensitizing, but up high now to help him build confidence.
• If he's in saddle when you are ponying him off your horse, you can reach your leg over and tap his saddle to get him used to that, too. All kinds of things you can do while ponying them! I like to do more despooking of that ponied horse as I go along there.
• You can take them on their first trail ride by ponying them off your horse, so they can get used to the sights and sounds that are on the trails and he builds confidence because he's riding beside a calm, confident horse.
• I find it's very helpful to pony horses especially that have eye changing problems -- here's more about eye changing problems: Eye Changing Problem - What is an eye changing problem all about/how is it manifested? - With horses that have eye changing problems, it's very helpful (after doing the ground exercises to help with that there/that link I directed you to there) to first pony them on their preferred-eye side, then stop. Back my own riding horse up, toss the lead rope over the front of my horse's head, turn and now start ponying the being-trained horse on the other side. The horse with an eye changing problem at first is going to resist switching sides, to having his "least preferred" eye on you. If/when they resist, I just turn my own horse I'm riding INTO the ponied horse, forcing that ponied horse to move away from pressure there and turn in a tight circle, keeping his least preferred eye on me. He starts learning then that he CAN handle having his least preferred eye on me, and settles down. It is much better (and safer!) to fix an eye changing problem on the ground and then during ponying, before ever riding the horse! Unfixed eye-changing problems can lead to bucking/rearing/runaway horses if we ride them before fixing that problem!

So...ponying a horse is a very valuable training tool, I feel. I use it a lot in my training program. It's important, however, to have a very solid, well-behaved riding horse to pony another horse off of, because your riding horse is going to also serve as a role model to the ponied horse. You don't want the riding horse misbehaving and teaching the ponied horse the wrong things (like spooking or refusing to go, etc.)! My horse Gabe is an old pro at ponying horses I train. He's a real partner with me there! He knows exactly what we are trying to accomplish there because we've done it together hundreds of times, and he makes sure that the ponied horse minds his manners and listens to directions.

For example, if the horse I'm ponying beside me suddenly stops and digs in, refuses to go, my horse Gabe sometimes starts off with shooting a "dirty look" glance at the stuck horse. If the horse ignores that reprimanding glance, Gabe will take his tail and smack that ponied horse on the butt to get him moving again! Gabe demands that the ponied horse follow directions and learn what he's supposed to learn there and it's great! But he also ignores the other horse when that horse is acting up too much, and allows me to be in charge of getting the other horse under control again without interference. Gabe is my partner in training all the time. And horses respect that kind of leadership in another calm horse and so they learn faster.

So...you only want to use as your riding horse there a very well-trained horse, to pony another horse off of. You can't have "the blind leading the blind" there! You need a well-behaved horse, who doesn't spook, and always listens well to your directions, to assist you with the ponying job of the horse in training!

To practice getting good at ponying a horse off of your saddle horse, do it in the safe confines of an enclosed area first, like a round pen or arena. Hold the lead rope loosely in your hands -- Never wrap the rope around your hands and don't wrap it around the horn on your saddle either! You want to be able to let go of the rope in an emergency if needed, which is why it's good to practice this in an enclosed arena first. Wearing gloves can protect your hands there, as well, if ever needed. Especially if you're new to ponying.

I'll attach a picture of me ponying a horse I have in for training here at my training center, so you can see what it looks like. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words! ;-)

I hope this helps and thanks again for writing.

S. N. - Internet

Next, when she gets "stuck" like that, not wanting to come forward/be lead, has "dug in" so to speak, and not budging no matter how much you drive her around you, etc., try this: draw the lead so that there is taut tension in the rope. Hold that lead with one hand. With the other hand, start very low on the pressure scale and start making karate chops on the taut lead. Always start small, but build up incrementally to stronger and stronger karate chops on that taut lead. Goes without saying: always school your horse using a natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead rope (preferably tied on, not clipped on) as it communicates better than any other halter/lead combo -- you can get one here if you don't have one: CLICK HERE

This chopping maneuver starts to make the "staying stuck" spot more uncomfortable for the horse (making the right thing easy, the wrong thing hard). When using the natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead, these chops on the lead rope apply strategic pressure at the knots on the halter, so the horse feels the pressure more acutely. Keep up the chopping until the horse takes even just one step forward, then release the pressure instantly (stop the chopping, put slack in the rope). All horses learn from the release of pressure what it is we want, not the pressure itself, so release instantly for the smallest try, the slightest change in the right direction. Always start small with the chopping maneuver, though, building up to stronger chops incrementally, and the horse will learn there is a sequence there. Pretty soon when she gets stuck there, not wanting to move forward, just the sight of your hand going up to chop on the taut lead will get her moving forward, until she lets go of that balking behavior for good.

But do plant into her foundation that above backing/leading exercise link I directed you to, to better teach her to yield to pressure in general, that'll help!

A wannabe mule trainer who was visiting my area for a cutting asked me if he could put a start on her at the age of 1 year and I agreed. When he entered her pen to put a halter on her, she turned away from him and as he tried to approach her shoulder, she feigned a warning kick which inspired (I use that term loosely) him to exit the pen, grab a pitchfork and proceeded to make it very uncomfortable for her to not face him. This was my first mule colt and I submitted to his experience and knowledge of mule training and allowed him to do this, much to my chagrin. He eventually got her haltered, into the round pen and ultimately mounted an unloaded pack saddle on her and tied her around to the near side for about an hour. She didn't resist and seemed resigned to her first "training exercise."  This man returned to northern Utah, (I live in southern Utah) and I was left to fend for myself. Never prior to this event was she hard to catch or halter. I imprinted her at birth, and handled her daily with no problems. Since that event, she has cowered any time I approach her, especially if I have a lead rope and halter with me. I thought about sequestering her away from her constant buddy, and relying on me for everything, e.g. food, water, treats, exercise, attention etc. I have tempered that decision based on what I learned on your site. I was searching the web to better understand this overly submissive, fear based reaction of a colt when I found your website. I used a search phrase of "colt signs of submission" and was intrigued and enthralled by the info I found on your site. My printer is going full-time as I write this! The info I read regarding mules, their unique tack requirements, etc., was right on the money. I wanted you to know how much I appreciated your knowledge and willingness to share information. Any tips on re-establishing trust and breaking the buddy-sour syndrome would be appreciated. Keep up the Good Work!

B. W. - St. George, Utah

Sylvia's Answer: Hi B. Thanks so much for writing, and for the web site compliments. My heart really leaped in sadness for how that other so-called "trainer" worked with your 2 1/2-year-old there. That is the most uninformed, abusive route one could ever have gone with a horse or mule in the name of training. I know you know that now, but it's stories like that which keep me fueled to keep passing along enlightened education about natural horsemanship, tirelessly, so that all such horse or mule abuse ends some day. She's scared now because she perceives the human as the dangerous predator who could endanger her life -- and that was proven to her by that other idiot (sorry, no other word to describe that person!). Appalling! And so very, very wrong. Know it makes you cringe now, so I won't belabor that point further. The more you learn about natural horsemanship, the more careful you become about whom you let near your horses or mules, protectively.

But...you CAN turn this around now, and all by yourself, with the right methods. Fast too. I would suggest round penning her, but study carefully my method of round penning here on my site, because it's extremely effective if done just right, the way I teach it there: Effective Round Penning Techniques

After the latch on, halter her -- preferably in a natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead, the best tool for NH schooling (you can get them here: CLICK HERE) and immediately begin these deep bonding techniques, which will help her to relax and trust more: Horse Whispering "Tricks of the Trade" - To relax horse, build trust & bond them to us

I would then work with her to desensitize her to a number of things I want to show you, because it will go a long, long way multi directions. In NH we say, "Fix the inside of the horse and the outside will follow." So, the following desensitizing exercises with her will build up courage -- and trust -- on the inside of her, and the outside will follow right close behind:

Desensitize her to plastic on the end of a training wand: Wand-Training Fear - Horse fears training wand with plastic/How to desensitize

Use the bonding techniques throughout the lesson if she ever gets afraid. She'll start learning to turn to you as her source of comfort and support, and in essence, want to be with you. It's all about love & compassion there, so work with your heart in your hand.

Desensitize her to tarps: Tarp Desensitizing - Horse is afraid of plastic tarps

Again, use the bonding/relaxing techniques throughout this lesson. By the time you've worked up to her wearing the tarp with her eyes and ears covered, you've won her trust completely, and she'll come out the other side a changed, trusting horse, but work up to that baby step by baby step, using advance/retreat so she can digest it in incremental stages.

You might think about getting the Gentle Solutions book I co-wrote, too, because in there is taught so much more you can be doing to get her on better ground; you'll learn so much: Gentle Solutions Book

Or get my package deal that contains everything you need for training, including the NH halter/12' lead, quite inexpensive a package deal we've put together there, all designed to arm you to become your mule's NH trainer yourself: Complete Package

To apply NH to your horse or mule, you have to have the right tools. I don't work a horse without them. So, as important as the methods are the tools you use to train with, I feel. They would help you a lot there, you'd see!

Hang in there and keep learning. She needs your help and you CAN help her. Just have to have the right information and tools to get the job done now. And don't worry about what happened to her in the past. Once you introduce her properly to the "new now" she'll let go of the abused part of the past and settle in there happily.

Keep up the good work there. I really admire your heart, seeking more to help your mules. You have some lucky mules there to have you in their lives!!

Question - Tail swishing horse: Hello. My son is 18 and has been in 4-H for 10 years. He is showing an Appaloosa for a friend and cannot get the horse to stop swishing her tail. She does it a lot and high in the air. Any suggestions other than the controversial tail blocking? My son is getting very frustrated and says he will not place with her if she is doing this all the time. She is a nice quiet horse and moves very nicely. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

G. H. - Internet

If you have any doubts whatsoever there about your tack, I would also suggest thinking about getting an EquiPedic saddle pad, which is the only pad I will recommend to clients, and the only pad we carry or use ourselves here at the Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center, because I think they are that good and that important. They can even make a semi-poor fitting saddle fit better -- I've seen remarkable horse turnarounds when people change to this pad. You can check them out, read more, order one here on my web site: Equipedic Saddle Pad 

I also wanted to direct you to some specific links on other web sites that talk about tail swishing issues to give you more ideas there to think about/check into:

Tail Swisher by Dr Jim and Lynda McCall

Dr. Silvia do Valle on MyHorseMatters.com

Equine Back Specialist

Hope all this helps there and good luck to you!

Question - Mustang won't let owner on left side & also having problems with head dropping exercise: Sylvia: I wrote to you last week regarding two mustangs that we picked up from the BLM in Wyoming. Thanks for your advice, it worked perfectly, the horse is progressing well now. Another quick question if you do not mind. The other mustang we have is latched on, and I can approach his right side with no problem, the left side is another issue. I am working on the left side more now, but he wants to keep backing up slowly and have his hindquarters up against the round pen rails. I can lead him to the center of the round pen but he eventually works his way back to the panel. I have tried holding him with the lead rope, that does not work. Should I not have a lead rope on him and when he starts backing up, drive him around the round pen and turn him often? I am not sure if he is being disrespectful or not. I am working on getting him to lower his head and applying continual pressure but his downward movement is really slow, I keep the pressure on until he drops his head and then release the pressure, but cannot seem to get his head past the normal higher head position. What would you suggest I try for these two situations?

D. H. - Sargent, Nebraska

If when you're asking for the head lowering, using pressure/release, and the horse "locks up" there, without breaking the tension of the rope (because you don't want to be releasing for the wrong answer there/the lock up), just reach up with one free hand and stick a finger in the corner of the horse's mouth to "feather" the tongue. Keep that up until the horse starts to work the mouth, then instantly remove the finger. Usually that unlocks the jaw muscles, which then unlocks the neck muscles and the head lowers, giving you the opportunity to release now for that right answer. Give that a try to speed along the horse learning to drop the head to relax. And love on/scratch/stroke on the horse's head when it lowers, so he learns it's a wonderful place to be.

Your other question there....your horse has what is called an "eye-changing" problem and is very, very common in green or still-untrained horses. I go into eye-changing problems, what it's all about, and what exercises you can do to fix it now, here: Eye Changing Problem - What is an eye changing problem all about/how is it manifested? -- And yes, you definitely want a lead rope on him when working on that!

Good job. Keep up the good work!

Question - New filly terrified in new home/new pasture with new horses: Sylvia, I bought a 2-year-old warmblood filly this weekend. She is fantastic with people, she's a real puppy dog. However, when I turned her out in the pasture [with other horses], she freaked out. She started ramming the gate with her chest as I walked away. Then, she tried to jump the fence. It's a rubber tubing fence (or something like that) and real flexible. When she didn't clear the fence, she got all tangled up from head to toe. When we freed her, she tried to do it again. We shooed her away with the lead rope and tried to get her to relax and move away from the fence. There are other horses in the pasture, but they didn't pay any attention to her. Even after she seemingly relaxed and we walked away, she did it AGAIN!!! She ended up spending the night in the round pen by herself and did just fine. Then, I tried to move her into a paddock with two older horses. I got a call from the barn manager this morning that she broke down the gate of the paddock. Apparently the older horses were teaching her "her role" in their mini-herd and she got scared. She's now holed up in a horrible cinderblock stall in the barn. I don't believe in stalling my horses, especially not a baby! But, what else can I do??? I'm so frustrated with her, scared for her, and at a loss for solutions. Thank you for your time and concern. I really appreciate any input. Frustrated mom,

B.- Internet

Use one "getalong" horse, and perhaps use the round pen or an empty paddock for the first few days for this introduction. Don't put two in with her at first or you'll get a "three's a crowd" pecking order thing going on there dangerously, overloading her, which you saw firsthand there. Back up and do this more slowly, gradually, but with only one quiet getalong horse put in with her for a start until she settles down. And follow the rest on my above link for this problem solution.

Question - Chronically cinchy horse: Hi. I have a 10-year-old mare. I bought her when she was just coming 4. She is VERY cinchy. I have had this problem all along. I even had an incident out on a trail ride tacking up. When I reached for the cinch, she started fidgeting and when the cinch touched her, she sucked up her belly, started bucking, and threw my saddle through the air. Now she was worse than ever! So I sent her to a trainer to correct the problem (a resistance free training trainer). I went and watched what this trainer did and it worked. For a while. Then winter came and there was a lot of snow and ice and we were unable to ride. Back to square one. So I went through the whole process again, using what I had learned from the trainer. And again it worked. Now, I live in the south and rode all winter. She was away for a week because I sent her to be bred. She comes back and she is horrible again with this problem. At first I know it was a fear issue. Now it seems to be more of an "I hate being saddled" thing. Now, once I have it on her and she calms down, she is fine. I can mount and ride her. She is a barrel horse and does well there. It is just this saddling thing we can't seem to get past. I'm frustrated because I love her and I am patient. But this is getting ridiculous. HELP! Thanks.

S.- Internet

In particular I want you to focus in on 1) the finger-in-the-mouth/feathering the tongue technique (which instantly gets the horse working the mouth/licking/chewing/relaxing, and 2) teaching the horse to drop the head (which instantly relaxes them), that I show in that link there. The rest there aren't really important for your purposes here. Practice both of those relaxing techniques with her without the saddle around first until you get the hang of it (and see the power of them), then use those "tools" from now on, to teach her to relax for the cinching process. Keep empathy because it's a much bigger issue to her than it ever could be for you. She's afraid. Or...more accurately maybe, she's afraid she's going to feel afraid. It's a cycle. Walking her feet after each incremental cinching stage will help reprogram her (take 10 or more stages if you have to, don't be in a hurry, to rebuild a new sensory memory that is more pleasant, feels safer to her, and stops the fear cycle) and using the relaxing techniques should help her to stop fearing being cinched, but will have her feeling emotionally supported in this fear. If you can really follow what I'm showing you here, and implement it from now on, you should be able to get past this.

Also, away from the saddle, you can do some more girth-tightening desensitizing using a natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead rope (I have them here if you need one: CLICK HERE). Here's how you do it: Stand on the left side of the horse. Take the lead rope, from your side, and run it over the back and behind the withers. Reach underneath the horse and draw the rope under the belly into the girth area. Keep control of the lead toward the head with your hand closest to the head, so you have control of the head and can pull the head toward you if needed (which sends the hind quarters away from you) if it ever fell apart there. Take the rope that now encircles the girth area and pull it up slowly tightening it just a tiny bit. But release when the horse stands still, so start small there, in baby steps. All horses learn from the release of pressure that they did the right thing, not the pressure itself, so release often for incremental "right answers." The right answer there: stand quietly and accept the girth rope squeezing. Begin in baby steps, only a tiny squeeze, hold it one second, then release (slack in the rope), stroke the horse, "good girl!" Build up to tighter squeezes, but give lots of releases/strokes for reward when the horse tolerates each stage so the horse can digest incrementally the successes. Stop and bond, drop head, finger in mouth to feather the tongue as often as you need to, to keep the horse relaxed there. Also, gently "saw" the rope there now and then, to get the horse accustomed to that, and more desensitized in general in the girth area. Use "feel" to read the horse. Release before the horse moves or reacts and you'll get there faster. Long way is the short way here, as we say in natural horsemanship!

I fix this type of cinchy problem all the time (more common a problem than you might think out there!) and that's indeed the route I've found that works best. Back up and do the girth desensitizing with the 12' lead rope, end that lesson on a positive. Come back the next day, repeat. Until the horse can handle that well, I'm not going to work with the saddle/real cinch just yet. Take the time to break this down into smaller baby steps like that, respectfully, while also proactively teaching the horse to relax via the relaxing techniques and you should make positive progress there. Be patient. I know that's hard to hear, but she needs patience around her as she relearns. Don't be goal focused for a while as it regards the saddle/cinch. Be retreat focused. Put the saddle on, remove, walk away (retreat). Pause. Let her think about it. Approach, put saddle on, remove, retreat. Until she relaxes. Goal-focused is what gets people in trouble there. Don't hesitate to release the girth, remove the saddle, just to show her she's not trapped there, whenever needed. Many times even! It's during the RETREAT that horses gain new confidence.

And make sure no one ever (EVER!) cinches her again in one swift gut-wrenching movement or you WILL be back to base one again. Try the above and let me know how it goes.

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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