Check These Out!

Nicker Network - Television for the Horse World - Launching December 15, 2007, Nicker Network is the new, online, on-demand, multi-channel television network that delivers what the horse world wants to watch, when it wants to watch, and how it wants to watch. Here's more about it from the Nicker Network:

Here at Nicker you'll soon find a growing barnful of interesting, informative and entertaining programs all available through a wide variety of different subject and discipline-specific video channels! From lariats and piggin' strings to laterals and piaffes, horse people of all disciplines and lifestyles will discover a brand new way of watching television -- great programming that is educational, entertaining, and even darn right helpful! Trail riding on the weekends, veterinary medicine, all kinds of competitions and special events -- there will be much to see and learn and enjoy. Home shopping and product reviews - informative news programs with information from around the world - respected, professional trainers sharing their expertise -- all this and more as Nicker expands and becomes
established as the destination of choice for horse people looking for television and video programming on the Internet and beyond. Viewers will have multiple choices for watching -- you can watch any of the programs at no cost, or -- download them to rent or to buy. You can even order a collectible DVD of the program, and -- it's all on your schedule! Just hang on to your hats, folks. It's gonna be a heck of a ride.

If you'd like to be added to our Nicker Network press release list, just send an email to us at  "info@nickernetwork.com" and we'll be sure you get all upcoming launch and content information.

Horselovers Connection - Are you single and looking for that "special someone" who loves horses as much as you do? Here's more about the Horselovers Connection:

Come Join The Most Active Place On The Internet Where Serious Single Cowboys, Cowgirls, And Horse People Connect

Here at the Horselovers Connection we take a personal interest in each client we meet. We believe that we bring together wonderful people who are serious about their lifestyle and sincere about who they are and what they seek. So grab a cup of tea, sit back and get to know others on our site that are in the pursuit of the same dream you are: the simple country life with that someone special!

Visit the Horselovers Connection web site: CLICK HERE

Ride the Right Horse Book - A client recently recommended this book to me and I wanted to pass it along to everyone -- it's called: Ride the Right Horse: Understanding the Core Equine Personalities & How to Work with Them by Yvonne Barteau. Here's more about it:

Dressage trainer Yvonne Barteau describes the four basic equine personality types - social, fearful, aloof, and challenging - and the different clues to identify a horse's primary personality. Often the dominant personality type is complemented by a secondary trait, creating, for example, the aloof-challenging or fearful-social horse. Using clear signals and readily identified behavior patterns, riders can determine any horse's type and then use this book's tips and techniques to improve training sessions.

Fun and enlightening as it is to analyze equine characteristics, it's just as important to understand how the personalities of both the rider and the trainer affect each horse. Barteau includes a self-evaluation quiz to help the reader determine what her own riding and handling preferences are and how she can use that knowledge to work more effectively with her current horse or to shop smarter when selecting a new equine partner.

Horse Games and More - Do you have a horse-loving child on your Christmas list this year and don't know what to get them? I have a vast list of horse gifts for kids on my web site, including: horse board games, horse video/computer games, horse activity books, horse paint & craft sets and horse puzzles. Check them out here: CLICK HERE

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People, like horses, perform much better if they are willing partners rather than obedient participants. At the heart of my methods is a belief that with trust you will gain cooperation, that with listening you will spark motivation. Within the trust-based, willing relationship between horse and human, a lesson lies in store for human-to-human communication as well. Over the years my wife, Pat, and I raised three children of our own, in addition to 47 foster children. The lessons we've learned about change and the human spirit mirror those that I have seen with horses.

 

For centuries, humans have said to horses, 'You do what I tell you or I'll hurt you.' Humans still say that to each other - still threaten, force and intimidate. I'm convinced that my discoveries with horses have value in the workplace, in the educational and penal systems, and in the raising of children. At heart, I'm saying that no one else has the right to say 'you must' to an animal - or to another human.

 

Corporate executives, educators, psychologists and experts who work with victims and violent victimizers, autistic children, or in the field of substance abuse, study my methods to learn how they might apply these same trust-based communication and training principles to their own work. I have experience with over 250 major companies now and I have seen the same dynamics at work, time and time again.

 

-Monty Roberts

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 - Horses acting pushy during massage: Sylvia, I am learning so much from your web site and as soon as we are horse owners, I will be taking on your training program. In the meantime, I emailed you recently with a question with a horse I massage. As I explained before, I am an equine massage therapist and volunteer with rescue horses and therapy horses. The questions I have for you this time are:
 
1. I have been massaging a 29-year-old quarter horse who is just a true gentlemen. He has always, in the 5 months I have massaged him, behaved with impeccable ground manners and affection towards me as he has appreciated the massage time we spend. I will preface this with, my style with all the horses so far is to allow them to be massaged in the stall without being tied. I prefer for the horse to be free to drop their heads in relaxation as well as move away from a massage technique they don't like. It has worked for me, but in reading the different Q&A's on your web site, I'm questioning if I'm setting up some miscommunication now. 

Today, this horse did not like where I was working and he would walk around me and then back into me. One of the times he backed me into the corner. After that, I applied pressure with my fingers whenever he attempted this, to move his hind quarters away from me. I will stop during a massage and walk towards the door (for the purpose of getting out quickly if necessary) and also to turn my shoulders away from the horse and invite them to join up with me. Once they do, I re-establish what I am doing by lightly petting them and then going back to where I was working. Today is the first time this horse has done this and it was in protest to an area in his shoulder that was tender, but certainly not a contraindicator for a massage.
 
My first question is: all he did was back up and present his rear to me; he did not kick, pin his ears, or swish his tail. He was licking and chewing and allowed for me to begin again. Is this a mild form of aggression from a normally gentle horse? And if so, how should I be responding?
 
2. My second question is in alignment with this one. There is another horse at this same barn, also a therapy horse. He is a 6-year-old quarter horse gelding whom a few months ago loved his massage and now hates it. His aggression is obvious: pinning of the ears, attempting to bite me and constantly moving away or backing into me. I was massaging another horse in an arena while he and another teenage horse were both in there to roam around, and they all joined in on a mutual grooming session. They were grooming the horse I was working on as well as on me. They were all fine and none of the horses were scraping me with their teeth, more just nuzzling me, so I took the opportunity to try and massage this 6-year-old in small amounts to see if we had some trust built up, but there are parts on him that are off limits and the behavior began again. The manager held him on a lead rope for me for one session, but although she had him under control, the body language was the same. What changed here?  Have I sent a message that they are in control over me by allowing them to move all around?
 
In your last response to me you referred me to techniques of bonding with the horse. I have been doing these prior to this and adding a few of the ones on your site as well to get the horse's mind to follow their body, but since these are not my horses and I basically have an hour a week with them, what can I do to establish my position with them and protect myself from getting hurt?
 
I really love what I do and I feel like I'm losing ground with some of these horses and thankfully have not been kicked or bit by any and would like to keep it that way!
 
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

S. B. - West Dundee, Illinois 

Sylvia's Answer: Hi S. Yeah, I see what's going on there. Let me explain. Horses follow a built-in (down to their DNA) instinct that states: He (or she) who moves the other's feet is higher up on the pecking order, and therefore the leader. If they feel they can move your feet, they immediately disrespect you and perceive you as lower than them in pecking order, and they automatically feel a sense of irritation then, as they really don't like that much horses/others that they can "push around." So, their emotions are very closely tied to feelings about pecking order.
 
The fact that you're not haltering or tying them (or holding the directing lead rope) and therefore not asking them that they need to remain there (which haltering and tying or holding the lead would accomplish) and that they must not move your feet at any time, they will immediately start disrespecting you, which leads to them not liking you. They really only like and respect those that they perceive higher than them in pecking order (unless they feel "even" with a pair-bonded buddy, but even there, there usually is a leader and a follower). 
 
So, my advice is to make sure you contain them in a way that they can't move your feet, or that you can correct them quickly if they try (via snapping or shaking the lead rope, with a "shhhh" sound to mean "stop it!") if they try to push into your space, and that they are aware that you are in charge of their feet at all times (haltering and tying or holding the lead rope yourself while massaging accomplishes that). 

And I honestly wouldn't let other horses around when you're massaging one; that's disrespecting the leader (the leader should be you!) of the herd when they come into your space there like that. Ask them to leave so they know you are the leader, as you focus just on the one horse you're working on. And never let a horse put their mouth on you; that's a big safety issue!
 
You CAN "kill a horse with kindness." Meaning: what you might perceive as being kind to the horse and "really nice," if you allow them to move your feet and move into your space unasked for at any time (and I mean ANY time, even just once), they throw a switch that you can't be trusted to be their leader. It's often subtle, but is oh-so-there. I see so many people not even aware it is happening, whereas, from training so many hundreds of horses, I know not only the nano-second it is happening, but I also know from their intricate body language when they are even thinking of making that happen. And I correct the "thought" quickly. They are not allowed to move my feet. Ever. Not ever. But I'm in charge of deciding where their feet go. They're actually more relaxed and trusting when you remain consistent with that "rule." They understand that language, because it's the rules in their herd every day, with all other horses.
 
So, whenever you are handling horses for any purpose, even for massages, you must remain the leader, but speaking their language, which is quite silent (in human terms) but very loud & clear (in their terms).
 
You know, I really think my videos would help you a lot, especially my Whispering Way™ 12-Step Total Training System DVD set, because I don't just teach how to train the natural horsemanship way, but I teach the why's for everything, and in great detail about prey animal psychology, all the way through. You might think about getting that even now, because you'll learn a lot, plus, will be kept safer. And you'll be shown what to do to keep that respect while you work your massage on these horses.
 
Don't underestimate the damage that can be done to you with a horse backing into you in a stall when they are at liberty there. I've gotten quite a number of letters from people with real serious injuries caused by exactly that. I myself would not be massaging a horse in a small stall, with no lead rope on the horse for better safety and control. It's just too risky. So, heed that warning. :-)
 
Hope this helps!

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Hi J. Sylvia asked me to weigh in here, but your question prompted a few more from me. It would be helpful to know the age of the mare, how old is the foal, what you are currently feeding her and if she is bred back.

 

It is not unusual for the foal to really pull the condition of the mare down, especially if she is, say, in her teens. Some mares really get "ribby" and look quite haggard during this process. While my main object is how the baby develops before I consider weaning, I also take into account the condition of the mare, especially if she is bred back.

 

Now to your question. Some folks do have good results feeding beet pulp, but I personally do not like it. You absolutely MUST ensure that it has been soaked with water properly before feeding it, otherwise you can cause some serious problems when the horse eats it (it swells up dramatically when moisture is added and will do the same in the gut if not soaked properly before being fed). It should be heavily soaked at least 12 hours before feeding and that begins to be a management problem, especially in the winter - the bucket would have to be kept warm to keep from freezing, etc. It is a way for horses to get some extra moisture should they not be drinking properly, but again, I just don't like the feed.

 

I would rather ensure she is getting a high quality grain specifically designed for lactating mares and growing foals, coupled with a good quality hay (perhaps even some alfalfa mixed in). If you would respond back regarding the above questions, we'll see what else may be at play.

 

I would also ensure that the mare's teeth are in good shape as well. Have a vet check to see if floating is necessary. Sylvia was kind enough to mention my recent DVD which contains information from mare and stallion selection, all the way through to weaning the foal produced. While you are beyond much of the information in the DVD, it also has sections on training and weaning the foal which you might find helpful. Get back to me and we'll see what next to address. Cheers!

 

Bob Claymier

The Whispering Way™ Foundation Training Series partnership with expert and successful Arabian breeder, Bob Claymier, is nothing short of brilliant! This DVD is a "must have" for anyone considering or even currently breeding horses. Bob's unique background, his own personal time-honed approach to breeding, foaling and foal training make the latest Whispering Way™ Foundation Training Series: Complete Guide to Horse Breeding, Foaling and Foal Training, Featuring Bob Claymier DVD set invaluable. Don't breed your mare without watching Bob's comprehensive overview of the long, sometimes arduous, but very rewarding experience of horse breeding!

 

Tess Vanattia
Editor/C.O.O. - HorseSouth Magazine
Blue Ridge, Georgia

How to Round Pen Your Horse

Take the time to read that entire section, beginning to end, real thoroughly, and get busy working with her in that exercise you learn there and you'll see her turn highly respectful to you, her "herd leader" later, even when at liberty out in pasture. I find that the younger the horse (and yours is very young), the easier this round pen exercise usually is to do!

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

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Shot/Needle Fears - How to desensitize a horse to shots

Farrier Fears - Horse terrified of farriers [or vets]