Kerr Horsemanship

March 11, 2011....Time to Transition...

Watching someone perform nice transitions is like watching their horse float. Transitions are changing your gait or going from a right lead to a left lead, which is basically changing directions. A right lead and left lead do not only apply to loping either. You should always have a left or right lead, even at a walk. Using your seat is the key in getting smooth transitions. If you are not using your seat and applying too much leg, the horse will may tend to be rushy, choppy or a lot of drama will be going on trying to get the upward transition. To pick up a lead, you need to be in time with your horses feet and know when that inside hind is going to be hitting the ground. That is your driving leg to get the correct lead. If you don't know where your horses feet are, you will not be able to post on the correct diagonal without having to look down at your horses shoulder. If you're not using your seat, your downward transitions will be applied with only the reins, which may cause your horse to become unbalanced, throw his head up in the air, or end up with a complete stop instead of a downward transition. Smooth transitions take a lot of practice, but in time, will become an easy task for both you and your horse.

March 11, 2011....Feeling...

How many of you have heard the expression "feel your horse"? Do we really know what that means? Feel their emotions, breathing, or what? When someone says "feel your horse" they are basically saying to get in time with your horse. Get in time with their feet, know where their feet are and when to ask with your legs for lateral movement or using your seat for rate or cadence. Rate is controlling their speed and cadence is having a consistent rhythm at a walk, trot, or lope. So next time you are riding your horse, "feel your horse". Feel how your hips are moving with with your horse and where the horses feet are in time with your hip movement. Count or sing a song in your head and see how well your cadence is. Can you change your horses rate with just your seat position? Or do you do everything with the reins? Feeling your horse is exactly what it means. If you can't feel your horse, you will never having the timing and rate needed to be one with your horse.

March 6, 2011....Natural Horsemanship...

Is natural horsemanship something that was first initiated by Tom Dorrance or is it something that has been around for centuries? As I dig deeper and deeper into different styles of horsemanship I am finding that natural horsemanship has been around for a very long time. Not only from the Vaquero way but also "In Hand" work developed over the centuries with the Iberian way being the most popular. There is only one of the popular western riding clinician right now that I would say teaches some of the old style type "In Hand" work but with a slight twist. In Hand work gives you the capability of developing the skills a horse needs for suspension, true collection, leg yield, half pass, shoulders in, renvers, travers, piaff, and some of the more advanced maneuvers you see in higher level dressage events from the ground first. Whether english or western, the basics never change.

Feb 24, 2011....Respect...

Lunging for Respect. A term a lot of people have heard of but may not know exactly what it is. Lunging for respect is an excellent tool to use for any horse that may be acting up under saddle or not wanting to listen for whatever reason. Their emotions are getting high and they have more energy than they know what to do with at that specific time. Lunging for respect is a way to move your energetic horses feet, get their minds thinking with some very constructive busy work. When lunging for respect instead of having the horse go in one direction for 2 or 3 full circles, you will ask for a change of direction after a quarter circle, half circle or even a few strides. It is a faster change of direction with getting your horse to roll back during the change of direction. When I say roll back, that means they really need to set back with their rear legs well under them,  lift their front end and move their shoulders over to make the change of direction. It is not something you will do with a very young or uneducated horse. Your horse needs to have the basics of lunging and setting back on their rear legs (rolling back) and moving their shoulders over for a proper change of direction. Once your horse has the basics and is physically developed enough, you can lunge for respect and really get your horses feet and mind moving in a constructive way. Horses are naturally on the lazy side, so when their emotions start getting the best of them, especially under saddle, getting off and lunging for respect teaches them how to handle their emotions. So the next time they feel like their emotions are getting out of control, they will think again about all the extra work they had to perform and may decide it is better to keep their emotions in check.

Feb 22, 2011....Balance...

When you are lunging or circling your horse, looking for balance is the key in this type of task. Without the horse being balanced and relaxed, good transitions will not be possible. So when trying to achieve good balance in your horse on a circle, your horse should be bending at the rib cage, following their nose and their top line should stay level. If your horse is not bending at the rib cage in the same arc as your circle, their nose is probably pointing to the outside of the circle. If they are dropping the inside shoulder, they normally are pushing into your space with their shoulder and you will see the top line is not level. They will be falling in on their shoulder. Keeping your horse balanced, bending their ribcage to follow the arc and following their nose is not something a horse will usually do naturally. You need to train them to keep their own balance without a rider. If they are not able to keep their own balance on a circle without a rider, they definitely will not be able to keep their balance with a rider.
 

Nov 19, 2010....Despooking...

Now the days are short and the nights are long.  It's cold, rainy, muddy and a good excuse not to play with your horse.  If you can drag out some extension chords and hook up a little lighting, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.    Doing groundwork or riding your horse at night is some of the best de-spooking you can do.  There are a lot of sounds that seem to echo and shadows everywhere.  The horse learns to trust you more as a leader at night and you learn to be more aware of your horse, especially when riding.  While riding you begin to feel your horse more and your horse seems to become less distracted with the lack of being able to see very far.  It creates an environment where your horse  becomes more relaxed and dependent on your leadership.  When you go out and play at night, it's definitely an experience you will find to be more beneficial and fun than you would believe.  It's something you will have to try for yourself and see. 
 

Sep 8,2010....Consistency...

As I teach others the basics of horsemanship, I continually hear they don't have the time to do much with their horses. 

The majority of us have time limits due to work, family and just plain doing other things.  Most of us find it impossible to be able to do daily things with our horses except throwing feed to them.  For those of us who do have the time, it is a luxury we all wish we had. 

When it comes to our horses and having time constraints, being consistent in what we do with our horses becomes a higher priority.  Even just leading your horse in and out of the paddock and thru gates needs to be consistent.  When I say consistent, I am talking about asking your horse to drop his head when haltering.  Just don't get lax just because you think you are in a hurry to get them out of the paddock and saddled up so you can go for a ride.  The few extra seconds or minutes you take in being consistent on the most simple things will add up to huge benefits in the end. 

Does your horse lead nicely all the time, or does he drag on the lead and you let him when you're in a hurry?  Does your horse invade your space and you let him because you're in a hurry?  Getting the basic respect on the ground from your horse and being consistent in those little things will benefit you all around.  So next time you have the time to be able to enjoy your horse, keep in mind the simple things and be consistent in everything you do.  As with everything, taking short cuts almost always bites you in the behind.