Horse Training: Sometimes We Just Don’t Have A Clue

When it comes to horse training:

Sometimes We Just Don’t Have A Clue

How many of you bought your first horse only to find
out that:

“OMG – this is hard” or
“Why isn’t my horse responding to me”  or
“Why is my horse biting or kicking me” or
“I had no idea it would cost this much to keep this
horse, buy tack, take lessons, pay the vet, and on and on”?

You probably didn’t start this horse-crazed hobby
with all the knowledge you needed to be successful.

Just like we find a mate and fall in love, many do that
with horses, too.  We see those big eyes staring back
at us, see that majestic animal in the pen or out in the
pasture and immediately fall in love.  We start dreaming
of trail riding or showing or just wanting to be around
this new love and start a new relationship with this
new horse.  Some go ga-ga and don’t have a clue what
they’re getting into.

It happens every day to hundreds, if not thousands.  Then
reality sets in and we have to start training or fixing
problems.  Perhaps that new love has some quirks – he bites,
kicks, rears or bucks.  He won’t come to you and you can’t
catch him in the pasture.  He won’t let you pick up his
feet or he won’t stand to let you groom him or put
on his saddle.

He won’t walk, turn or stop right.  You jerk, kick,
pull, scream and get frustrated.  Now the horse is even
more confused and doesn’t have a clue what you want
because you haven’t learned enough to know how to
get him to move properly.

Sometimes the horse is so frustrated with you all he
knows to do is try to remove the pressure, pulling,
and frustration by rearing or bucking you off.

What just happened is natural for the horse but your
lack of understanding and training sees this as
a “bad horse”.

Sound familiar?  Ever seen this before?  Are you
living with some of those issues right now?

Sometimes we have to come to the realization that the
problem is with us, not the horse.

Ya know, anything worth doing is worth doing right.
If you don’t have control of your horse then you’re
skirting danger.  I know this – a 1,200 pound horse
which has lightning-fast reactions and enormous
strength is a time bomb waiting to go off, even
with a trained handler or rider.

Do me and yourself a favor right now – if you’re not
willing to learn how to handle that horse correctly
and safely, and train it so it’s safe to ride, then
please get rid of it.  Don’t put yourself and others
in harm’s way.  Statistics show that you’ll get hurt
and many times it will lead to broken bones, concussions,
or worse.

That may sound harsh but it happens way too often.  If
I’m the first one to tell it to you that way and it
keeps you, others or even your horse from getting hurt
then I’ll do it.

It’s sort of like the new couple who are blinded by love
and don’t see the train wreck coming in their lives.

Seek out those more experienced and trusted who have
proven themselves and listen to them.

However, there are some that want to sell you
a magic potion that would solve all your horse
problems in a few days.

Run from them.  Seek other help.  Experience and insight
take time to learn.  It’s true with almost any skill.

Horse training is no different.

Here’s a huge truth about horse training that you
need to understand:

Over half the problem is with the trainer and not the
horse.  Until the one doing the training understands
how horses learn and know how to get the horse to start
properly acting on the commands over and over each time
when asked, then nothing good is going to come
out of the training attempts.

You MUST understand the nature of the horse, how his
brain works and how he learns.

Know this: the horse already has all the ability to do
all the basic stuff you want it to do.  It’s up to
the trainer to teach the horse each command and act
on it properly in a controlled fashion.

So, how do you get there you ask?

You study, you watch others do it successfully and
learn along the way.  It doesn’t happen over night.

Tell me any valuable skill or trade you have learned
that didn’t take quite a while to learn.

We have assembled various resources to help you and we
have never sugar-coated or “hyped” the results attempting
to get you to otherwise.  We wouldn’t be in business
long if we did.

Our 8 Volume Jesse Beery Course is one of the standards
in the horse training biz that has been proven over
100 years of use and by nearly 300,000 horse owners.

You might be surprised to find out about how many professional
and well-experienced horse trainers started with
the Jesse Beery Course.  Thousands….

http://horsetrainingresources.com/beery.html

If you’re just starting to learn about
horseback riding lessons then read about our
Beginners Guide here:

http://horsetrainingresources.com/RidingBook.html

And, of course, we have a full set of horse training
videos and DVDs by professional horse trainers
that cover a multitude of lessons about everything
from de-spooking their horse, to teaching sliding
stops and spins, and how to teach your horse reining, etc.

If you’ll take the time to listen closely and learn
from these proven professionals you’ll pick up
a multitude of horse training “gems” or “nuggets”
that you can apply to any horse in lots of situations.

Listening to these professionals is like learning from
the “Jedi Master” in their own specialty.  You can
learn a lot if you pay attention.

http://horsetrainingresources.com/DVD.html

If you’re looking for a microwave fix to your horse
problems then please don’t bother.

With one exception – and that is our pulley bridle –
while most things take many, many repetitions before your
horse finally “gets it”, the Pulley Bridle can solve
some nagging problems with just a couple tries.
You can read some of the testimonials many of
our pulley bridle uses have had to solve
certain problems here:

http://horsetrainingresources.com/bridle.html

Many have been amazed how well and how fast it works.

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Horse Training and Monkeys That Pickpocket

“Horse Training and Monkeys That Pickpocket”

There was once a monkey in Bogota
Columbia that was trained to…

“Pick Pockets”

It was finally captured after complaints from
locals saying their cell phones,
wallets, and other valuables were stolen.

The police said after the monkey returned home
with the goods, it was rewarded with bananas.

They took the monkey to an animal
rehab center.

Makes me wonder how you rehab a monkey
to stop stealing.

Just goes to show you an animal can
be trained to do remarkable things.

Horses are no exception.

But here’s what I find interesting.

When a horse continually does something
the owner doesn’t want, the horse was actually
trained to do it.

Yes…trained.

Admittedly, the horse wasn’t trained
to do it on purpose.

But he was trained to do it nonetheless.

I’ve said repeatedly you are always
training your horse even when you aren’t.

Often when a horse “seems” out of control
and needs lots of work, the owner gets
stuck and doesn’t know what to do.

It’s time for…

“Horse Rehab”

What is horse rehab?

Horse rehab is nothing more than simply
starting over with the horse and assuming that
he knows nothing.

That’s what most trainers do.

Bring a problem horse to a trainer and
they’ll make their assessment and likely “restart”
the horse from day one.

Why would a trainer do that?

Because the problem you see may only be
a symptom.  The real problem may be happening
before the symptom shows up.

What’s an example?

Let’s see…

Once I had a horse that would rear up.

We’d ride around the barn a little and
then we’d head out.

Very soon she’d rear up.

Now you ask yourself, “is that the problem
or is it a symptom?”

Turns out it was the symptom…even though
rearing is a problem (but not THE problem).

You may have already guessed it, but the
horse just didn’t want to leave the barn.

So I thought that was fine – we don’t
have to leave the barn.  But if we stay, we’re
gonna work our butts off.

Thus, whenever we started leaving the barn
and the horse would rear, I hustled her back to
the barn and we worked, and worked, and worked,
and worked and……….

Then I asked her to quietly leave the
barn.  We left in a slow pace to make a clear
distinction that leaving the barn was nice but
staying meant hard work.

She didn’t get it first, so we went back
to work at the barn.  This time, we worked harder
and longer.

Then we quietly walked away from the
barn at a leisurely, easy-going pace.

I had to repeat this several times before
her light bulb turned on.

That’s one example of what I mean by
symptoms and problems.

In this case, the horse didn’t need to
be re-started – I just happen to know what was
going on.

But often, a horse will have to be restarted.

How do you restart a horse?

The same way you start a green one.

From the beginning.

One of our trainers from SuperStars of
Horse Training has a DVD showing her 30 day training
program.

She also created a handy quick instruction
guide on what to do on day 1, day 2, day 3, and so on.

http://www.horsetrainingresources.com/dvd-dianaq.html

Anyway, one of the things she teaches is
how to teach your horse to stop if you’re falling off.

So if you’re on your horse and he’s going
at a good pace and you start slipping, your horse
is going to slow down or even stop so you don’t
get hurt.

How does she teach this?

With a deflated inner tube.

She gets the horse in the round pen.

She gets it used to the inner tube before
putting it on the horse.

Once used to it, then it goes on the horse.

The horse is asked to move.

When it moves the inner tube begins to
slide off.

Then Diana slows the horse down as the
inner tube slips.

Once the inner tube falls off the horse
is told to stop completely.

You see, the inner tube mimicks the rider.
If the rider falls off, the horse relates to it
and begins to slow down or stop.

Admittedly, not everyone would want this
in their horse.

But frankly, if you’re 40 or over and not
been around horses all your life, it’s not a bad
thing to have your horse doing.

Besides, Diana shows how to do all kinds
of valuable things so you can have a better horse
and avoid putting him through horse rehab.

If you haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to
because she’s been at this game for 22 years and has
won numerous awards.

You can see more by clicking the following:

http://www.horsetrainingresources.com/dvd-dianaq.html

Once you see Diana’s DVD, you learn specific
cues to give your horse, how long it takes for the
horse to learn vocal cues, how to keep your horse
from getting too worked up, how to prevent your horse
from bucking, and so on.

Cool stuff.

FREE BONUS For my readers:

Hey – if you’ve read this far I have a special
bonus for you if you order this DVD by Tuesday.

I have about 20 CD copies of an interview we did
with Diana Quintana about her horse training
plan and the principles she believes in.

This is a standard audio CD you can play in your
car, home stereo, computer or even load it into
you iTunes or MP3 player.

It is over an hour (1:18) of priceless information
that will really help you – especially after
you watch her DVD.

So – if you order this DVD today or tomorrow
you’ll also get a copy of the audio CD for ‘nuthin.

http://www.horsetrainingresources.com/dvd-dianaq.html

I’ll extend this offer to those who also buy
the new “4-H Clinic” DVD by Diana as well.

You can see that one here:

http://horsetrainingresources.com/blog/new-dvd-release-4-h-clinic/

OK…that’s enough for today.  Stay safe out there!

Charlie

P.S. Remember – use the Coupon Code TENBUCKS and take
$10.00 off any order over $30.00.

P.P.S. The new shipment of the “4-H Clinic” DVD will be
in Tuesday so we’ll be shipping those out to those who have
been waiting.  If you didn’t order yours yet see it here:

http://horsetrainingresources.com/blog/new-dvd-release-4-h-clinic
(if you’ve been waiting for your’s I’ll include the free audio CD, too)

P.P.P.S. Order either the “4-H Clinic” DVD above or
Diana’s “Horse Training” DVD by Tuesday and I’ll include
a FREE audio CD interview of Diana Quintana.

http://horsetrainingresources.com/blog/new-dvd-release-4-h-clinic/

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Wendy sent this after I wrote about the One Rein Stop:

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“Good description of the one-rein stop,
but what I liked best was the following:

>One quick note of warning – if you wait until your
> horse is running at break-neck speed and you pull
> his head around he could roll over on you. In
> that case – ease into it.

I hate it when people write about the one-rein stop,
because I’ve seen riders almost throw their horses
trying to use it.  You’re the only writer I’ve ever
seen add that caveat.  I usually tell people not to
try it unless they’re taught by a trainer who knows
how to do it right.  (I’ve also seen trainers teaching
it wrong.)  I really think it’s a dangerous thing to
recommend because it’s easy to mess up and dangerous
when it’s done wrong.  Thanks for knowing enough to
add the note of warning!

Wendy”

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Horses & Lawnmowers With Minds of Their Own

Horses & Lawnmowers With Minds of Their Own

It was December of 1999.

In Sacramento, California a strange thing happened.

The police arrived at the house of Francis Karnes because the neighbors thought they heard shots being fired.

Indeed, Karnes did fire shots…

“At his lawnmower!”

Why?

Because Karnes said, “It refused to start.”

He was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment.

Pretty silly if you ask me.

Can someone actually get so mad at their lawnmower that they’d shoot it with a gun????

Sheeeeshh!

Makes you wonder what he’d do on a horse that doesn’t do what he wants him to do.

I’ve seen a lot of different reactions from riders when a horse won’t do what the rider wants.

To those that don’t understand the mind of a horse it can get real frustrating.

Years ago I was riding with a group of people and we came upon a river.

It’s wasn’t a big raging river.

But it was flowing pretty good.  The bottom was a bit rocky. And it was a little noisy.

The noise was “really” bothering this particular horse.

The man riding the horse tried to get the horse to cross.

His young horse walked up to river and started to step to it but just couldn’t get himself to go in.

The horse was scared.

He didn’t know what was in that water.

The noise of it and the movement was overwhelming.

The rider’s reaction was to kick and kick and kick.

Whenever he did, you could see the horse’s body tense up and his head raise.

You could also see the fear in the horse’s eyes.  A lot people miss that.

Then the horse would pace back and forth.

He wanted to go in the water because his rider was demanding it.

But he was consumed with fear and just couldn’t do it.  The rider didn’t understand the mindset of his horse at this point.

That horse would do about anything asked of him that day but go in the water.

Again he got close to the water and the horse reared up a little bit.

I thought to myself, “You better quit forcing that horse or he’ll go over on top of you.”

At the day’s end, the horse didn’t go in.

And the rider was upset about it.

In his mind, the day was a bomb because his horse wouldn’t do it.

Never mind that it was beautiful day with great scenery and a perfect temperature.

Sigh.

I didn’t say much to this rider because he’s been training his own horse and I didn’t feel it was my place to offer uninvited advice.

But!…

Had I said something to him, I know what I would’ve said.

What would YOU say to him?

I would’ve told him to take the water slowly.  Don’t force him into it.

The noise and the movement have him concerned. He needs to learn that it won’t hurt him.

Let him approach it and just stand there by it.

Let him paw at it if he wants.

He may want to sniff it too.

This is a gradual thing that the horse needs to get used to.

Depending on the horse, he may have to ride by it back and forth.

Get him to take a step in it eventually.

Then one step can lead to more steps.

And so on.

To force him into it when he doesn’t understand it is the worst thing you can do.

Not only that, when the horse was pacing back and forth wanting to go in but couldn’t, the rider was kickin’ him.

Because of this, the horse learned a bad association.

Can you guess what it is?

It’s this.

The horse learned that every time he approaches water that looks and sounds like the one he was at, he’ll be punished. (Kicked on)

Now…he has two fears.

The water and the fear of being kicked when he sees the water.

So I ask you to be diligent in how you help your horse overcome fearful things like that.

Just be careful to let him figure it out on his own.  It’ll take time, but it’s the fastest route to him conquering it.

Also, don’t punish him for not doing something he’s scared of.

That’d be like spanking your kid for being scared of the dark and not going to bed like he’s supposed to.

These are the kinds of things I like horse owners to know because it matters.

One of the DVD’s in our upcoming release has Scot Dutcher showing how he does this kind of thing.

Done right, the horse teaches himself to understand things with no bad associations.

Although this particular thing isn’t in the Jesse Beery Horse Training Manual, there are boat loads of other things just as important.

And if you haven’t read your copy yet (or only read it once), I urge you to read it at least 5 times to get it all in your brain.

Yes…5 times.  It’s that important.

It’s information you must know.

If you don’t have a copy but want to know more, you can see our Sizzling Spring Special or read more about the Jesse Beery course here:

http://horsetrainingresources.com/beery.html

OK – that’s enough for today.  Stay safe out there.

Charlie

P.S. The sale ends tomorrow.  See the details
of our “Sizzling Summer Special” where you can
get over 70% OFF our books and audio books
(Plus a special at the end you won’t want to miss):

http://www.horsetrainingresources.com/downloads.html

Thanks for your business.

Here’s a nice note from Deb in Kansas:

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“Thanks, Charlie!

I read every email….and keep them!  🙂
Have a great week!

Deb
(Kansas)”

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