October 2006
Newsletter

Greetings from the

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

Dear Friends:

This past month has been a whirlwind of activity for us here at the Virginia Natural Horsemanship Training Center (VNHTC) in Blacksburg, Virginia, and we have lots of news/updates to pass along to you. My last clinic for the season, the Ed Dabney/Sylvia Scott clinic here at the VNHTC was enjoyed by all and we thank Ed Dabney for coming up from Georgia to join us. Ed and I learned a lot from each other, as I know everyone else did, as well! You can check out Ed Dabney's web site here: www.eddabney.com

With our 2006 clinic season behind us, we are working now 24/7 on our next videos in our Whispering Way™ Training Series line. We'll keep you posted as they unfold!

In the meantime, our new Round Pen Leadership DVD is selling well and is positively helping an immense amount of people. Here's more about that DVD:

ROUND PEN LEADERSHIP DVD We have had many requests to make available training videos that provide clear, detailed, and easy to apply instruction on the unique Natural Horsemanship techniques that Sylvia has developed over the years and uses regularly in her training program. We’re very happy to announce that the first of our Whispering Way™ Foundation Training Series DVDs is now available! In this first video, Round Pen Leadership, Sylvia explains the purpose and principles of her highly effective round penning techniques, and then demonstrates exactly how to apply these principles in actual round pen sessions with a variety of horses. If you have been looking for an effective approach to quickly establish leadership and communication with your horse, then you won’t want to miss Sylvia’s new Round Pen Leadership DVD! Proper round penning is not about mindlessly longeing a horse around and around a round pen, but is about the opposite: it is direct one-to-one very precise communication with very specific cues and instructions. When round penning is done correctly, the horse will be quieter, more compliant, and a much more willing partner in all of your other training activities.  Round penning can be an invaluable tool in developing a happier horse -- and a happier rider! What You Will Learn In this video, you will learn how to effectively communicate with your horse in the round pen to establish respect for your leadership position. The video begins with a discussion of some of the fundamental techniques for effective round penning using Natural Horsemanship principles. Then, these round pen techniques are demonstrated in actual round pen sessions with four different horses of varying temperaments: Generally Compliant Somewhat Rebellious Nervous & High-Spirited Aggressive & Attacking You will also learn about round pen body language, “volume thinking,” controlling the horse’s feet, direction, inside & outside turns, “eye changes,” the 4 signs of compliance, latch-on, controlling the hindquarters, building the “come here” cue, and much more! To Order Round Pen Leadership Now: CLICK HERE

More News: The latest issue of Horse South Magazine has a feature article on me and our training center, and I'd like to share it with you here. Tess Vanattia, Publisher of Horse South, did a fine job with this piece.

Horse South Magazine - Summer/Fall 2006

"A Whispering Way: Sylvia Scott, a Professor of Natural Horsemanship"

TO READ ARTICLE
CLICK HERE

To learn more about Horse South Magazine, visit their web site here: www.horsesouth.com

Sylvia & her beloved Gabe

More news: I'm sad to report that this past month, my beloved palomino quarter horse, Gabe, my longtime riding and training partner, passed away quietly and peacefully in his sleep; he was 26. Though you think you are prepared for this, you usually find you somewhat are not, in the end, but I've kept focused positively as best I can on the many happy years I had with Gabe, to get past the initial difficult days following his death. He gave his all, to the end, and he will truly be missed! But we're eternally grateful for how quietly and peacefully he exited this world; we couldn't have asked for a more comfortable ending for sweet Gabe.

If you have lost a horse recently, here is a great link for pet loss support:

Horse/Pet Loss Support Hotline
University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: CLICK HERE

Since I cannot be without a horse in my training program, I set about to find myself a new horse, and as kismet would have it, a horse that I swear is a clone of Gabe crossed my path, Divine Order-like. His name is Sundance ("Gold Grand Man"), an 11-year-old double registered palomino quarter horse, who looks so much like Gabe that he could be a brother, and after a thorough pre-purchase training exam (as well as a vet pre-purchase exam), I was stunned to find how similar in personality Sundance was to Gabe. We fell in love. Sundance is a reserve champion, been a parade horse, bomb proof on trails and is going to be great with beginners as well, which I needed for my overall program. Best of all, he has a very sweet temperament and learns very quickly. I have purchased Sundance as my new partner and he's now getting used to his new home and new pasture mates here at the VNHTC, as we get to know each other deeper. A happy new beginning...

Sylvia and her new Palomino Quarter Horse, Sundance

Trevor Scott Update

For those of you who have asked to be kept updated on our son, Trevor Scott, who is serving in Ramadi, Iraq, we've got some news:

First, I wanted to direct you to a link to a streaming video you can watch that our son Trevor in Iraq just passed along to us, and that he is in. The news video report, done this past April by a marine reporter, is all about Trevor's squad there (Army 101st Airborne, A Company, 1/506th Infantry, 3rd Platoon) in Ramadi, Iraq, where Trevor is stationed. Trevor's comments on the video report when he found out about it/watched it from Iraq:

I'm in it a bunch and I think I'm talking in it. The computers here [in Iraq] have no speakers so I couldn't hear what was going on, but I see my lips moving in one part….I do remember that marine reporter coming out with us one day several months ago. It was weird because he was interviewing me in the middle of a mission. I can't remember any of his questions or what I said, though.

We watched the news report video and indeed Trevor is in it a lot and is also briefly interviewed, but it's hard to hear all of what he's saying there because he's in the middle of a mission, dodging bullets and insurgents and clearly focusing on his job. You'll also see Trevor's name in the introduction/opening credits of this film report, by the way, because they followed Trevor throughout the report. To hear Trevor's brief interview in the news report film: It's the part where you see Trevor squatting with back against a wall briefly answering a question (the second spoken soldier interviewed there), right after you hear the reporter's words, "Sustaining a high state of alert is difficult for long periods of time, but these soldiers take it one day at a time, knowing danger lurks around every corner," then Trevor appears there, speaking. To help you spot Trevor throughout the entire report…just look for the radio antenna that sticks up high off his backpack gear there -- at that time, Trevor carried the squad's communications radio gear as the "R.T.O." (radio transmission operator) which is used ongoingly to communicate to headquarters or for Trevor to call in air strikes when needed. This film report is an interesting (and a bit chilling) glimpse into what Trevor and our soldiers in Iraq deal with on a moment-to-moment basis, 24/7 there. I've uploaded the news video to my web site and you can watch it here now (click on the link below the title here):

April 2006, 2-minute streaming video of
Trevor Scott in frontline battle in Ramadi, Iraq,
[by CPL Jon Guibord, combat correspondent with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force]:
http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/Trevor%20Scott-Ramadi%20Iraq%20Patrol.wmv

2nd: Trevor recently also told us in email that a documentary movie is being made called "Return of the 506th" (the Original "Band of Brothers"), Trevor's unit, and the filmmakers have been following Trevor & his unit around in Iraq for this movie follow-up (Where the Band of Brothers are today). Trevor directed us to a link for the movie trailer and I'll pass it along here if you'd like to see it (click on this link): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HUsKcEmSeA

3rd and most importantly -- great news! -- One of Trevor's latest emails says that come November they should be exiting Iraq and coming home! -- Here's what he said:

My unit should be home, keyword: should, by Nov 14th. We'll have a week of societal readjustment training as soon as we get back, then my leave date should be from Dec 3 to Jan 3. The Nov. date is probably flexible by a few days, but my leave date shouldn't change. Hopefully.

So, we are thrilled that Trevor's year in Iraq is winding down to an end and that he'll be home in November, and home for the holidays! Please keep Trevor and our troops in your thoughts and prayers as they wind down their final difficult weeks and days there. It has been an immensely grueling job for them there, as you can see by the above film reports and movie trailer, and they deserve the hero's welcome they have so well earned. We can't thank everyone enough for all the care packages you sent to Trevor and his unit over this past year -- it has made all the difference in the world to them! We appreciate the support immensely!

We all can learn from each other!

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

To learn how to train your horse yourself, step by step the Whispering Way™, think about getting the Gentle Solutions book I co-wrote, which you can read more about and order here: CLICK HERE

Watch the FEI World Equestrian Games 2006 FREE - A special "Free Rein" presentation of the FEI World Equestrian Games 2006 is available right now at The HorseTV Channel™ web site. Catch all the arena-side action, just as if you were on site in Aachen, Germany. This special multi-day promotional event debuts a new Internet service from The HorseTV Channel - HorseTV Access™. HorseTV Access will provide all the action, excitement and entertainment of The HorseTV Channel just like on your TV. Watch every day starting September 4. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Franklin Levinson New Zealand Equestrian Adventure Opportunity! - A natural horsemanship training colleague, Franklin Levinson (web site: www.wayofthehorse.org), is taking a small group to the South Island of New Zealand March 14-24, 2007 (New Zealand's summer) for an equestrian adventure! According to Franklin, "there are 6 of 8 possible spaces (saddles) left available. There will be a two day advanced trail clinic prior to the 8-day trek. I have been with this company several times in the past few years and they do a terrific job. Horses are top notch, food good and accommodations more than comfortable." This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore one of the world’s great natural wonderlands on horseback, personally guided by Franklin Levinson. For more details, visit Franklin's web site -- click here: www.wayofthehorse.org/EquineServices/Programs/NewZealand.html

L. B. - Mahaffey, Pennsylvania

Another route you can go as well to plug that foundation hole is: pony your horse off another seasoned horse if you can find one to borrow, or have someone do this for you. I have a link up on my web site on how to correctly pony a horse (click on this link): http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/TrainingTips168.html -- head out on a trail, but ponying your horse there off another horse and she'll suck new confidence off the seasoned horse. I do this as well in my training program.

It's jumping A to N sometimes (leaving out the crucial learning letter steps in between, A-B-C-like, which is how horses learn best) when we take a horse out on a trail alone who hasn't learned from another horse how to be confident about it. Other horses make the most excellent teachers of our younger or greener horses, I find. As you do this for a while, you can slowly wean her off the other seasoned horse by taking a fork in a road, going it solo briefly, but then rejoining the other horse shortly. Doing this in spurts helps the horse to see that she can handle confidently going it alone, listening to you as director, baby stepping her there as you go.

Try all that and you should be able to safely work past this problem.

T. H. - Big Bear Lake, California

Sylvia's Answer: Hi T. Thanks for writing. First...lose the stud chain; that's actually contributing to the problem. When you use pain with horses, this only puts more fear and/or fight into them.

Instead...teach him this (at some quiet time):

Leading Problems - Horse runs over human/How to teach horse back-up cue on ground

This will give you better control of his feet (and mind) on the ground from now on, and will give you a tool to back him off when needed. After you've practiced that and he's gotten really good at it (often in just one session), next time he tries to rear (now...only do this in a natural horsemanship halter with 12' lead rope like you can get here on my web site: Natural Horsemanship Halter with 12 foot lead  -- very crucial training tool and the 12' lead keeps you at a safe distance), when he comes back down from the rear, instantly make a loud "shhhh" sound (actually...start the shhh sound while he's rearing & continue that sound as you..), then jerk the lead rope downward hard repeatedly as you walk into the horse (after his 4 feet are on the ground!), and this will send him scooting backwards. Horses don't like to go backwards fast like that, so...you are making the right thing easy, the wrong thing hard, making it more unpleasant for him to rear than to stand quietly. Give that a try and this should fix this chronic problem, especially if you are consistent in your reaction there from now on.

Hope this helps and good luck to you there!

D. C. - Aroda, Virginia

Sylvia's Answer: Hi D. You are absolutely correct there with your gut instincts. Hitting a horse like that is not only totally unnecessary, but is cruel and often creates future fear problems in the horse up the road (common cause of fear of farriers, for one!). I myself probably would have fired that farrier on the spot -- he seems to be very unenlightened and I wouldn't suggest you use that farrier for your horse yourself. There are far better (more humane, more productive, more enlightened) ways to school a horse for not standing still for the farrier. Let me direct you to some links on my web site that shows how to better desensitize the horse to foot handling (if you ever have this problem):

Foot Handling Problems - Horse tries to kick when asked for back feet

And here:

Pawing/Foot Handling - Horse paws when asking for the front feet

Also, my good friend, Willis Lamm, has a great article on his web site about teaching a horse to stand still for the farrier -- you can read it here:

Teaching Your Horse to Stand Quietly for the Farrier

You are NOT a sissy namby-pamby who doesn't know how to deal with horses! You are wise, intuitive and more enlightened. People who use that kind of violent approach toward horses are usually people who have no training in natural horsemanship and have run out of ideas. When people use violence as their first course of action, they are simply displaying their own ignorance, own impatience, own anger management issues, and their own insensitivity to the horse as a thinking, feeling creature. Walk away from that farrier!!

Question - Horse rushes down inclines, won't slow down with both reins/how to stop a horse (when you can't safely do a one-rein stop): I have a 5 year old mare. I ride her in a smooth mouth snaffle. I have your book and have been doing the bending and one-rein stop exercises with her. The major problem I have with her is she really fights the bit when you ask her to stop or slow down with both reins. In order to get her to stop at all especially out on the trails, I have to turn her head around until she stops. A major problem with this is she also will not walk going down ditches. We live in Arizona and have a lot of cactus and a lot of steep ditches and washes, so sometimes when she's acting up and not wanting to stop, I have a hard time turning her into a stop without running into cactus. Also, when she's going down a ditch and trying to rush down and up it, I try to keep her from going too fast by pulling on both reins, because going downhill I don't feel safe to turn her head around because she might stumble. She also has the bad habit of trotting off when not being asked to. I've only had her a few months and don't know her prior riding and training history, except that the previous owners rode her in a mechanical hackamore because she doesn't do well with any bits in her mouth. Should I put her back into a hackamore? How can I get her more responsive to stopping and walking calmly down the ditches without trying to take off?? Help!!

J. W. - Mesa, Arizona

If that all checks out okay, I'd back up to arena work/safely confined area to work on teaching her to whoa with both reins, but break it down into small steps. Ask for only one or two steps into the walk, then ask for the two-rein stop in this specific 1-2-3-4 sequential order: Sit, Blow, Whoa, Back up -- here's how to do it:

1. Sit back deeply in your saddle -- think of it like you're bracing your body in a car that is going to do a sudden stop, your feet out in front bracing you as you sit deeply on your rear and lean back a bit (making it harder for the horse to continue to go forward because now your weight is on the horse's hind quarters primarily -- the hind quarter is where the horse's engine is -- like a motorboat with the motor in the back); here you are making your body "whoa" first.
2. Blow or exhale prominently -- let the horse hear you let your air out in a whoosh.
3. Say "Whoa" or "ho" or whatever word you want to use along that line to mean "stop";
4. Pick up both reins and take the slack out, asking for the stop now with the reins; Do these four steps in order, one at a time. Step 1-3 are "pre-cues" before you actually pick up the reins and insist on the whoa. Your horse will quickly learn the sequence and soon will be stopping with just your pre-cue step #1, if you keep consistent there in 1-2-3-4 step order.
5. When the horse stops, back her up about two-three steps (that's putting on the "emergency brake" like in a car...or...like throwing the car into Park gear. Asking the horse to back up every single time you've asked for the stop with two reins, will get her supple and more responsive and let her know: you really mean stop going anywhere, just stand here please! And will get her relaxing more there as well. If she doesn't know how to back up, work on just that at a standstill first, breaking it down into baby steps, releasing for every positive try/every step backwards. Then move on to the above. In fact, I always teach a horse to back up first before then teaching them to whoa/stop with both reins; that makes the learning easier for them.

Good way to remember the above sequence is to think: sit/blow/whoa, then when the horse stops, back her up.

But break this down in an arena/safely confined area and start small. Ask the horse to go forward in a walk only a couple of steps, then do the above 5 steps sequentially. Soon just your sitting down deeply & shifting your weight back in your saddle with a blow and whoa will trigger (up the road) the horse to stop, no need to proceed with step 4/using reins to stop the horse. But do ask for the backup after every stop, so the horse gets used to that sequence. Horse's learn sequences instinctively, so...if you give a consistent 1-2-3-4-5 sequence there, she will learn it and begin to anticipate it, and comply.

Don't take her out on a trail yet until you've mastered all the above in an arena, and do build up to practicing that at more steps/higher (faster) gaits progressively there in the arena, until she's very consistently responsive, then have her go outside the arena and review it all with her repeatedly there. Step by step, she should be able to learn this. Trick is to break it down into smaller, digestible baby steps and she'll get there.

Hope this helps and good luck to you there!

C. N. - Internet

Sylvia's Answer: Hi C. Yes, what you read there on my site here should help:

Horse Aggressive at Feeding time

However...I'd like to add something there for your situation. I personally don't think putting out feed buckets for horses without separating the horses manually first is a good way to feed horses. It's instinct in them to respect a herd pecking order and that the higher pecking order horse gets access to the food first. That's the rules of a herd, naturally. So...you're playing against their natural instincts there when you put out 5 feed buckets in pasture and hope they are peaceful about it; they won't be. The lower pecking order horses will always get the shorter end of the deal there. What I advise, and what we do here at our training center is: when we need to supplement feed the horses, we call them in and put them in separate stalls while they eat, closing off those stalls so there are no pecking order games, and they can each eat in peace; then when they are done eating their supplements, we open the stalls and let them back out again. If you can't stall briefly for that (or don't have a barn with enough stalls), then I would recommend haltering and tying them for that feed bucket time, keeping them tied far enough apart there as they eat. So...you're better off separating them for that feeding time somehow when you bucket feed, and let them each eat in peace. For hay feeding (especially during winter), place piles of hay in several locations in the pasture so that they aren't fighting over one hay pile, and peace will be better kept all around, and all horses fed well, equally and nonstressfully.

Z. U. - Internet

Sylvia's Answer: Hi Z. Get this video – it’s very good: The Basic Principles of Equine Massage/Muscle Therapy by Mike Scott.

That video will help you a lot there; I highly recommend it. Here’s Mike Scott’s web site just FYI—he’s the best in that business if you ask me: http://www.equinemmt.com/

Hope this helps and good luck to you there!

Question - Is 7 weeks old too young to geld a handful stud colt?: Hi Sylvia, I bought a percheron for my daughter last Christmas and the mare surprisingly foaled on July 21, 2006. The baby is so cute and is a stud colt. I have been working with him since birth and he has good days and bad days. Out of 10 days, for an example, he might have 2 bad days. Example of a bad day includes just being full of energy and trying to run off and rear sometimes when I am leading him and pulling when I lead him. I have been carrying a short crop and pop him one across the legs (front) when he acts out like this and he responds real well. He settles down and leads calmly. When he stops and doesn't want to go, I touch him behind with the crop and he goes. He knows how to back up and I can clean all of his feet out. He seems real smart and picks things up quickly for being so young. Today, he was a real handful. Tried to get away 3 or 4 times and when he gets in the arena to run with his mom, he runs full blast and is really having a lot of fun. He has never tried to kick me or intentionally rear to hurt. He licks your hand very affectionately and doesn't bite. He was born on July 21 so he is about 7 weeks old now. I have a fear that he will get harder to control because he is draft and is going to get real big. One of the boarders down where I have him who has been around horses all her life like I have tells me I should geld him as soon as possible to prevent any injury in the future from happening. How old can you geld a baby? What impact does it have on the baby if any if they are gelded too soon? Thanks For Your Advice.

P. F. - Internet

I'm also going to bounce your letter to a natural horsemanship training colleague pal of mine, Bob Claymier, who breeds horses and is a better breeding expert than I am, and he starts a lot of babies, so that he can pass along additional guidance if needed. Bob's web site, FYI, is here: http://www.desert-rose-arabians.com/. I've cc'd Bob here, and feel free to consult with him on these issues if you want/need.

Bob Claymier's response:

I’ll just weigh in here a bit on the gelding question which is along the same lines as Sylvia’s response. A stud colt really does not become a problem until his hormones start to kick in and that can be as late as two years old or so. Stud colts or not, the boys are just naturally more playful and aggressive than the filly’s are, and you are seeing some of that behavior. When I geld, however, I base the timing on two major things. The first is that both testicles have to drop and that can take several months to a year or so. Next, I want to geld outside of fly season so I pick – say – about November on until spring. I also want the babies to be fully weaned and eating on their own – hay, grain, water – because they will normally lose some weight during the process. When you finally do it, you can expect some swelling in the sheath area – sometimes quite severe – and you might see some drainage for a few days but obviously no streams of blood. They need exercise – which they won’t want to do – to help reduce the swelling but I really don’t like them running around too much as it may open up the wound. If they were of breeding age, it takes upwards of 60 days [and sometimes more] for all of the testosterone to work out of their system and before I would put them in with females. Good luck. It sounds like you are on the right track with controlling his aggressive behavior and you should stay on top of that. I’m not real big on using whips on legs etc., though, as that can sometimes result in teaching them to strike and other bad habits. I would really rather just use a soft rope natural horsemanship halter with a 12 foot lead line – with it, I can teach them to respect my space by backing up or giving the lead line a snap as necessary to control them. Cheers, Bob.

I totally agree with all Bob passed along there. Let me add 2 things: 1) Here's a link on my web site to show you how to teach your youngster how to back up/lead better:

Leading Problems - Horse runs over human/How to teach horse back-up cue on ground

And 2) you can get a natural horsemanship soft rope halter with 12' lead attached, in any size, even foal/weanling, off my web site here: Natural Horsemanship Halter with 12 foot lead

Question - How do you create a natural horse pasture?: Hi Sylvia, my name is H. and I just happened to stumble onto your web site by chance. I am so thankful that I did. My question for you is, how do I go about creating a natural meadow to pasture horses in? What types of grasses, wildflowers, and herbs would you recommend sowing that are beneficial to a horse's health? Also, do you know where I could purchase these types of seed mixtures? I want to provide the most natural and healthy habitat possible for my horses to promote health, happiness and longevity. Any information you may have will be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

H. Y. - Internet

You might also check with your local equine vet or equine vet school for information on that.

Also...here is a book that might help you out there (on what not to let grow in the pasture):

Horse Owners Field Guide to Toxic Plants

And here are some general links on the subject of establishing good horse pastures that might help you as well:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/newsletter/horsepasture.htm

http://www.equiworld.net/pasturemanagement/index.htm

http://www.uvm.edu/pss/vtcrops/?Page=articles/HorsePasture.html

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr81/agr81.htm

http://www.ruralheritage.com/back_forty/pasture_establish.htm

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/hay/r1062w.htm

http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu/pdf/rp_ss_pasture_est.pdf

Again, often your cooperative extension office and/or closest equine vet school is the best place to start for guidance for your particular region.

One last footnote: for horse pastures, try to avoid seed mixes with fescue, as some fescues can contain a fungus that can be very harmful to horses. More about that topic can be read about here: http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0695fescue.shtml

Hope this helps and good luck to you there!

Question - Horse charges other horses when owner is present: Sylvia, I have a horse that is very protective of me. When I go into his private turn-out area (and there is another horse close, even across a fence) he will charge the fence line and other horse. He then circles around me and if the other horse even looks in my direction, he pins his ears and charges the fence again. This horse is very well behaved towards me on the ground and under saddle, so I just wonder what is going on? Thanks.

A. U. - Internet

Effective Round Penning Techniques

Also, my DVD, Round Pen Leadership, can teach you visually how this exercise is done properly.

You want your horse to shut off mentally all other horses when you enter the picture, and him only focusing on you, following your directions, quietly and more submissively, respectfully. And if he does that again, I would send him away (like you'll learn how in my round penning section there and on my video) to remind him that it's not his job to move the feet of other horses when you're around, it is your job, as leader.

Question - Horse doesn't get along with other horses: Hi Sylvia. I recently bought my first horse, a bay thoroughbred mare. I've been around horses all my life, but I've never had one of my own. I started riding this horse for her previous owner, just to exercise her. One day, he asked if I was interested in buying her, and well, I couldn't resist, I'd fallen for her. I'd only been riding her for a month and she seemed to do pretty well, she just hadn't been ridden in a while and hadn't had the attention she needed until I came along. I board her at the same stables she's been at for some time now and everyone has always told me how mean she is to other horses. When they let her out, she has to be by herself because she kicks and picks on the other mares. When I would ride her all the time, she seemed to calm down a lot, so I figured that would help. But when I started school, I couldn't ride but maybe  a couple times a week. She recently hurt herself on two different occasions. The first, I don't know what she did, but apparently she kicked through a board and got her leg stuck in it and caused her to skin it up pretty bad, but didn't cause her to be lame. The second incident made her lame. The owner of the barn was letting in the horses from the big pasture and she was by herself in a smaller one. Well apparently she got mad, and started kicking the wall and biting it. She tore off two pieces of plywood with her teeth and I guess she kicked because she tore a ligament or tendon in her front leg. She was just mad and jealous because she thought that she wasn't going to get fed. She's a very dominant mare and she's the biggest and tallest one, so I'm thinking she thinks she can "rule" the other mares. I was wondering if there were any solutions for this, I love her and she's got a great personality around humans, but around other horses, she's just plain mean. If you could give me some advice, that would be great! Thank you for your time.

C. C. - Jacksonville, Florida

The only thing I can suggest is start to work on schooling her on how to get along with individual horses, you posing yourself as "lead mare" of her herd -- and I have a link up on my web site here for an exercise you can do to work on that:

Stopping Horse-to-Horse Aggression - How can I stop one horse from fighting with another?

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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Events This Month
(Where Natural Horsemanship Clinicians Will Be Appearing)

Rocky Mountain
Horse Expo- Grand Junction
Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006
Mesa County Fairgrounds
Grand Junction, Colorado

Can-Am Equine International Horse & Trade Show
Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2006
Western Fair Event Centre, AgriPlex
London, Ontario

Rocky Mountain
Horse Expo - Durango
October 6-8, 2006
La Plata County Fairgrounds
Durango, Colorado

Wild Horse Workshop
October 18-27, 2006
Camelot Arena
Stagecoach, Nevada

The Mane Event
October 20-22, 2006
Heritage Park
Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

Virginia Equine Extravaganza
October 27-29, 2006
The Richmond Raceway Complex
Richmond, Virginia

To see where other Natural Horsemanship trainers and clinicians will be appearing nearest you throughout the year: CLICK HERE 
 

To Find a Natural Horsemanship Trainer
Near You:
CLICK HERE

Sylvia Scott Co-Author of Book Gentle Solutions

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