Check These Out!

Horse Toys - I recently ran across these great horse toys for our equine friends. Since we have a young, very playful and sometimes very busy-mouthed paint horse, Doc, I have ordered some of these great toys for Doc from Equi-Spirit Horse Training Balls, Toys & Tools™ -- scroll down their entire page there to see all the sturdy horse toys they have available, even large equine balls! You can even watch on their web site some streaming videos of horses playing with all these toys. Check it out!

What you need to know about horse vital signs - Ever wonder about all the details you need to know and remember for checking your horse's vital signs, including: temperature, pulse, respiration, gut sounds, dehydration, capillary refill time (CRT), and mucous membranes? Go to this web page, read and print it out, and post it up in your tack room for handy quick reference: CLICK HERE

Bella Sara for horse-passionate girls - If you have a horse-loving daughter, niece or granddaughter, check out this web site for Bella Sara! Here's more about it:

Bella Sara is an imaginative, joyful world of horses, where every girl is special and uniquely beautiful! Horse cards can be collected, traded with friends and used to play fun card games. Each horse has a positive message for you to discover. Every card also has an activation code, which you can enter on this web site to put your horses online in your very own stable.

Once your horse is online, it will be your friend forever! You can care for your horse by feeding it, brushing it and making it happy. What is Bella Sara's World? It's a magical place that you can explore with your favorite horses. There are castles and forests, beaches and racetracks - everything a horse and a girl could wish for.

Bella Sara is a safe, happy, and loving place for horse lovers age 5 and up. It is currently available in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands - with even more countries planned for late 2007.

C. M. - Conn, Ontario, Canada                              

Hi C. Sylvia asked me to pass on some information regarding the weaning process, and I'll give it a go. As she so kindly mentions, we have recently released a training DVD set on the entire breeding/foaling process, and a large segment of the effort concerns proper weaning techniques. The DVD goes into greater detail than I can here as I have actual footage of the process and explain how I go about the subject pretty fully.

 

Briefly, however, I never have a set time or number of months to wean a foal as I monitor its mental and physical development before determining the proper time. I want the foal exhibiting a great deal of independence from its mother and it is fully eating grain/hay/grass and drinking water all on its own. There is some belief in natural horsemanship circles that we have a tendency to wean too early, which may show up as unwanted characteristics in the adult horse such as mouthiness, cribbing and the like.

 

Theoretically, the baby could continue nursing on the mother in the wild up to the time the next baby is born the following spring. I expect, however, that the mother begins to get tired of being pulled on by about the 8th month or so and nature tells her that she must begin to shore up her strength for the next baby's arrival. Since I run a breeding program, my mares are often bred back, so I too must be concerned about their condition and let that be a factor in my weaning decision. The well being of the foal, however, is always my primary concern. All other things being equal, I generally try to get to about the 5 to 6 month timeframe to start the process, because both mother and baby start to tell me they are "ready."

 

Once you decide it is time to wean, you must then decide how to proceed. I have tried to introduce weaning gradually by separating the mare and foal for minutes up to a couple of hours or so, or have also gone "cold turkey" and abruptly separated them. Again, both will be telling me it is time to proceed, but regardless of the method, you must separate mare and baby at some point. Because of that, I now basically have leaned towards the cold turkey approach and while you might have a couple of days of both being highly agitated, they usually get over it as quickly as if I approached the subject more slowly.

 

I would have already had a buddy (the more the better) in with the two well before I begin. I prefer to have multiple babies together because they can bond and play much more than with an older horse, but just about any buddy will do as long as all three get along fine. You will likely see the baby spending more time with the buddy rather than the mother and that is another indicator that it is ready.

 

When the day approaches, I take the mare completely out of sight and smell of the baby (she will need to have a buddy as well) and usually put the foal in a rather safe place, like a round pen or perhaps even a stall for the first couple of days. I keep the baby in as close to its normal routine as I can, simply because it is less able to handle the stress and I want to make it as easy as possible for it. I monitor the health and well being of both very carefully over the course of at least a week and perhaps longer if necessary. Both will likely be highly agitated for a couple of days and this is usually the time of most concern. The baby may call until it is hoarse (a hoarse horse!) and run around frantically trying to get out of its enclosure, which is the reason it must be EXTREMELY safe. You should ensure that the baby does not become sick as a result of this activity and that it continues to eat and drink per normal. You may want to monitor its temperature and perhaps use a weight tape to ensure that it is not losing "excessive" weight. You can expect some loss of weight simply because it is upset and is no longer getting the benefit of milk, but again, it should not be excessive.

 

The foal usually calms down within a couple of days and then can be turned back out in whatever pasture it was in previously; the buddy should have been with it at all times (stalled next to the baby if it is in the barn, and in the round pen as well during the day).

 

You should not ignore the same concerns about the mother and monitor her health as well. Make sure she does not try to escape her new surroundings and injure herself, which means she might also have to be put into something really safe. In addition to the normal checks, you should keep a close eye on her udder. She likely will already have a diminished milk supply, but you are likely to see the udder fill until it is quite full and may even drip milk for a while (might even stream out when she walks). You should resist the temptation to milk her out because this will only continue the production; but you should ensure that she does not develop conditions like mastitis. Feel the udder to ensure it is not overly warm and not "terribly" sensitive to the touch. Watch her temperature and eating habits as well, and usually the udder will be less of an issue within a week or so. Stop all grain to the mare until this process is complete, but make sure she is getting plenty of grass/hay as necessary. Remember that this procedure is perfectly normal and has been successfully performed in the horse world for thousands of years and happily nature fills in for all of our "gaps." The safety and health of both should be your prime concern and the weaning should proceed without a hitch.

 

I usually don't do a lot of "training" of the foal during this first week or so of weaning, but am there to provide it bonding and comfort. Start your training back up after its mind can focus on what you are asking.

 

Good luck with all of this and let me know if I can be of any other assistance. Cheers,

 

Bob Claymier

We have absolutely fallen in love with you and your methods. This horse was in Hurricane Katrina at the young age of 3 years old. The breeder lost everything. The story goes they found this horse on a tiny mound of land surrounded by water. As fate would have it, he made his way to central Florida. Apparently the place he arrived was extremely cruel to him. He has scars on the back of his ears from their clipping techniques. He seemed to trailer load great. The first time we tried we understood why. He had been forced to load, he was absolutely terrified of the trailer. Because of the two of these incidents this horse was also absolutely terrified of blue tarps and clippers.

We had tried so many approach and retreats and a lot of sessions with other Natural Horseman Trainers with no success. This horse always seemed to be a nervous wreck after each session. However, we have been using your techniques for the past three weeks since purchasing your program and the difference is absolutely amazing! This week he paraded around with the blue tarp draped completely over him, and this morning, he walked across the tarp eight times, head lowered at ease. What a miracle! After struggling for six months. You are such a blessing!

We are still working on the "at ease with the clippers." We are using all of your bonding techniques and approach and retreats. This is a horse that was so ear shy when we purchased him that no one could touch his ears. After the purchase we found out that they had to drug him to clip him. The first time we turned on the clippers he got very wide eyed and began snorting. When I saw the scars on the back of his ears I understood why. We absolutely refuse to twitch or drug him to clip.

I now have printed out some of your clipping advice from your web site. Any additional advice? We have the horse trailer loading on command, but the trainer that helped us stood on the right side to load and then would let him turn around on his own and come out. That was before we purchased your DVD's. We have a slant load and this makes it very awkward for us. How do we get him to stop wanting to turn around and come out, and especially from the right side of the trailer?

Thank you for everything that you do. As my daughter has said during the last three weeks every time that she and her horse pass through a threshold, "I love Sylvia!"

Keeping it natural,

Ear Handling Problems - Horses don't allow ears to be touched

Clippers/Scissors Fears - Horse afraid of clippers and scissors (noisy things)

Trailer Loading Problems

Whispering Way™
12-Step Total Training System
Featuring Sylvia Scott

The Easy-To-Follow Foundation Training Program For Creating A Quieter, Safer, Happier, More Cooperative, Trusting and Compliant Horse!

Three DVD Set
The Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System is presented over three included DVD volumes:

• Volume 1: Developing Communication, Control and Confidence (1 hr, 13 min)
• Volume 2: Refining Ground Control and Preparing For The Ride (1 hr, 26 min)
• Volume 3: Developing A Solid Riding Partnership (1 hr, 6 min)

Total Running Time (3 DVDs): 3 Hours 45 Minutes

Question - What show bit to use when snaffles are not allowed?: Hi Sylvia. Love your web site! I'm on it almost daily, learning new and better ways to work with my horses. Thank you! I was wondering if you could give me a little help regarding western bits. Shanked bits are required for our local horse shows, so I just keep the same bits on their bridles instead of swapping them out just for show days. My guys seem to do fine in Tom Thumbs, but they are becoming more and more taboo. Can you recommend a curb bit that is gentle, and more appropriate for natural horsemanship than a Tom Thumb, but still meets the show requirements? I know D-rings and full cheek snaffles are the best, but alas, I can't use them! I try to keep very soft hands, if that helps. Thank you very much.
 
R. C. - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Sylvia's Answer: Hi R. I'm actually going to forward your question to a friend and colleague, natural horsemanship trainer & clinician, Ed Dabney, whom I highly respect as an NH trainer, and he might have some answers for you regarding show world acceptable bits. I also personally feel that Ed is one of the best bit experts out there today!

Hi R. My good friend, Sylvia Scott, forwarded to me your email inquiry regarding show bits. I truly believe the show industry needs to change their requirements to allow snaffle bits in order to keep up with the changing times. More and more western riders, like yourself, are interested in pursuing natural horsemanship and desire to ride their horses in snaffle bits. I did plenty of ranch and cattle work as a working cowboy in Wyoming and always rode with a snaffle bit. It doesn't get any more western than that, so if the shows want to be authentic to true western riding, they should allow snaffle bits. 
 
So much for my soap box oration on the nonsense of requiring curb bits for western shows, now on to your question. I don't really like the Tom Thumb bit either. It's trying to be a snaffle because it's broken in the middle, but it's not a snaffle because it has shanks. It's trying to be a curb bit because it has shanks, but it's not a curb bit because it's broken in the middle. Therefore, the Tom Thumb bit is neither of the things it is trying to be! If you pull or pick up on one rein using a Tom Thumb bit, it tends to have an odd diagonal twisting effect in the horse's mouth which is confusing to the horse and leaves them wondering what you are trying to communicate as well as causing them to move their head all about, trying to relieve themselves of the awkward bit movement.
 
As you know, any bit in which the reins are attached below the mouthpiece (at the bottom of shanks) works on mechanical, vertical leverage.  The curb bit in combination with a curb chain or curb strap attached to the bit and run under the chin, actually squeezes the horse's bottom jaw as in a vice whenever the reins are pulled or picked up. Feel the pressure on yourself by placing your fist or forearm between the mouthpiece and the curb chain while holding the top of the headstall up so the bridle hangs vertically, then have someone pull back on the reins. You'll discover quickly how painful this can be to the horse's tender mouth. This is true "training through pain and intimidation." You are telling your horse, "If you don't do what I want, I'll hurt your mouth."
 
A snaffle bit in which the reins are attached directly to the mouthpiece can have no mechanical, vertical leverage but only works on the principal of lateral flexion (bringing the horse's head to the side left or right) which is a much milder and gentler way in which to communicate our requests to our horses. Of course any bit in rough and heavy hands can become a torture device to inflict pain on a horse, but at least the snaffle bit is designed to avoid pain.
 
I suppose if I were forced to choose a curb bit for my horse I would go with a low port, short shank grazing type bit in which the shanks are swept back. I would also use only a leather curb strap, not a chain, and have it fairly loose, so you can comfortably place a finger between the strap and the chin when the slack is out of the reins. Ride with very light hands keeping your reins even and never pulling on only one rein but always using both reins in unison in order to keep the bit level and even in the horse's mouth.
 
As far as bit adjustment in the horse's mouth, with any bit, I don't like to see any wrinkles at the corner of the mouth. Wrinkles mean bit pressure and bit pressure is a cue which I want to be able to put on or let off from the reins without pressure always being there. I want the bit to fit just at the corners of the mouth without a gap or wrinkles. To truly know how your bit is adjusted, stand directly in front of your horse, grasp the top of the bit where the headstall is attached and pull downward toward the front of the horse's lips, then lean over and look at each side at the corner of the mouth to determine if there are any wrinkles or gaps. If you just look at your bit without pulling it down, you'll just see how the horse happens to be holding the bit at that moment, not how the bit is truly fitting.
 
I encourage you to lobby with your show officials to change the rules in favor of snaffle bits! I hope this information is helpful. Let me know how it works out for you, and feel free to email anytime with questions.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ed Dabney

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D. C. - Internet

One Rein Stop - How to do it and why it's important

 

And this link too:

 

Rearing in Saddle - Horse rears when asked to go

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