Avoid Bad Habits By Not Allowing Them To Form
Horses are creatures of habit. They love routines and learn them easily and quickly. This is to our benefit when we want to teach a horse a pattern such as barrel racing or pole bending. It is also to our benefit when we teach a horse to sidepass over a pole or back through the poles. He sees the pattern (or obstacle), knows what will be required of him and practically negotiates it on his own. However, routines can lead to anticipation. The barrel horse cuts in too close to the barrel and knocks it over. The trail class horse tries to back through poles that he should have sidepassed. The spoiled horse stops at the gate, waiting for you to dismount. The trail horse tries to run back to the barn. Anticipation can cost you points in the arena, and be a problem at home. Following are simple tips which can lead to a more enjoyable relation with your horse.
When a horse has a bad habit, the first thing to do is to think, “Why?” Why does a horse try to stop at the gate? Is it because he is a “bad” horse? No, it is because he will be (or has been) rewarded at the gate–rest, the end of the ride. His “work” is over. The answer? Never stop at the gate. Think about what you are telling your horse with every action that you make. Dismount in a different place, every time (away from the gate) consistently so he won’t know when the ride is over. If he stops at the gate and refuses to move past it, make him move away from the gate, even if you need a helper to do so. Then, when you do dismount, tie him in his stall or to a tree for an hour after his ride. His reason for ending the ride, rest and turn out, have just lost their appeal. What fun is it to stand tied, still saddled, for an hour?
If you have a horse that tries to run back to the barn, you must make it more comfortable for the horse to be “right” than wrong (running to the barn). An effective correction is to make him circle three or four times in small circles at the first sign of his attempt to run towards the barn. This must be done immediately and consistently–each and every time. You have to time your correction to within three seconds for a horse to associate it with his crime. He must learn that is more comfortable to obey than to disobey. In addition, vary your dismount site. Tie him after his ride so he learns that he rushed home only to get tied to a tree.
I use the circling correction for various reasons. It is an easy way to “tell” a horse that what he has done is unacceptable to me. It is easiest in performed in a snaffle bit, but that is not possible with some horses. With a shank bit, you’ll have to pull the rein more out than back. Three circles is generally effective. Not only does it tell a horse he has misbehaved, it reinforces basic obedience-turn and obey the signals given by the bit.
The trail class horse must learn to wait for you to tell him to negotiate an obstacle. Patience is a virtue. Stop next to the obstacle and walk away. The next time, put him position and wait. If he tries to back, make him go forward. Walk him forward out of the obstacle without asking him to perform. Change his mind. Vary your routine. Make him wait for your cue to perform. If he tries to back, make him go forward. If he tries to go left, make him go right or visa versa. Enforce obedience. He must obey your cues. He cannot do as he chooses. Yes, this is more work for you. But the results are worth the effort, a well-behaved horse.
Begin each ride walking and end each ride walking. When you consistently walk first, the horse assumes that is what will be required of him when you mount. He will not try to prance or run off in preparation of being asked to “go” as soon as you hit the saddle. A horse remembers the last thing that was asked of him, so walking at the end of a ride not only allows him to cool down properly, it allows his brain to think slow. When a horse slows down, it allows him to learn more readily.
Horses learn habits so easily that we must be aware of what we are teaching by our actions–or inactions. Every time that you ride, your horse learns something, whether you are aware of it or not. Think of what you may be telling him. If you let a horse “win”, you have taught him he does not have to obey. And that can cause results beyond the obvious. If he learns that he doesn’t have to cross a bridge, do you expect him to cross water? A muddy area on the trail? These are all related to lack of forward movement. A horse should never learn that he can say “no” to forward movement. It is better to dismount and walk him over. He must learn that he must cross. Choose the method that is best for the horse, not you! Don’t let your fear or ego get in the way. Beware of what you teach. Think of how or why the horse may be acting as he does. Have you contributed? Have you asked, or allowed, him to perform the same way so that he has learned a habit? If a horse does something three times in the same spot, it is a habit. Be sure that you promote good habits, not bad.
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Tags: horses, anticipation, obstacle, trail horse, barrel racing, small circles When a horse has a bad habit, the first thing to do is to think, “Why?” Why does a horse try to stop at the gate? Is it because he is a “bad” horse? No, it is because he will be (or has been) rewarded at the gate–rest, the end of the ride. His “work” is over. The answer? Never stop at the gate. Think about what you are telling your horse with every action that you make. Dismount in a different place, every time (away from the gate) consistently so he won’t know when the ride is over. If he stops at the gate and refuses to move past it, make him move away from the gate, even if you need a helper to do so. Then, when you do dismount, tie him in his stall or to a tree for an hour after his ride. His reason for ending the ride, rest and turn out, have just lost their appeal. What fun is it to stand tied, still saddled, for an hour?
If you have a horse that tries to run back to the barn, you must make it more comfortable for the horse to be “right” than wrong (running to the barn). An effective correction is to make him circle three or four times in small circles at the first sign of his attempt to run towards the barn. This must be done immediately and consistently–each and every time. You have to time your correction to within three seconds for a horse to associate it with his crime. He must learn that is more comfortable to obey than to disobey. In addition, vary your dismount site. Tie him after his ride so he learns that he rushed home only to get tied to a tree.
I use the circling correction for various reasons. It is an easy way to “tell” a horse that what he has done is unacceptable to me. It is easiest in performed in a snaffle bit, but that is not possible with some horses. With a shank bit, you’ll have to pull the rein more out than back. Three circles is generally effective. Not only does it tell a horse he has misbehaved, it reinforces basic obedience-turn and obey the signals given by the bit.
The trail class horse must learn to wait for you to tell him to negotiate an obstacle. Patience is a virtue. Stop next to the obstacle and walk away. The next time, put him position and wait. If he tries to back, make him go forward. Walk him forward out of the obstacle without asking him to perform. Change his mind. Vary your routine. Make him wait for your cue to perform. If he tries to back, make him go forward. If he tries to go left, make him go right or visa versa. Enforce obedience. He must obey your cues. He cannot do as he chooses. Yes, this is more work for you. But the results are worth the effort, a well-behaved horse.
Begin each ride walking and end each ride walking. When you consistently walk first, the horse assumes that is what will be required of him when you mount. He will not try to prance or run off in preparation of being asked to “go” as soon as you hit the saddle. A horse remembers the last thing that was asked of him, so walking at the end of a ride not only allows him to cool down properly, it allows his brain to think slow. When a horse slows down, it allows him to learn more readily.
Horses learn habits so easily that we must be aware of what we are teaching by our actions–or inactions. Every time that you ride, your horse learns something, whether you are aware of it or not. Think of what you may be telling him. If you let a horse “win”, you have taught him he does not have to obey. And that can cause results beyond the obvious. If he learns that he doesn’t have to cross a bridge, do you expect him to cross water? A muddy area on the trail? These are all related to lack of forward movement. A horse should never learn that he can say “no” to forward movement. It is better to dismount and walk him over. He must learn that he must cross. Choose the method that is best for the horse, not you! Don’t let your fear or ego get in the way. Beware of what you teach. Think of how or why the horse may be acting as he does. Have you contributed? Have you asked, or allowed, him to perform the same way so that he has learned a habit? If a horse does something three times in the same spot, it is a habit. Be sure that you promote good habits, not bad.
About the Author:
Read more of Laurie’s articles at: http://www.CompleteHorseSource.com/articles.html
