Weighing in at nearly 1200 pounds, horses may seem like daunting animals to work with on the ground. With four massive hooves that move swiftly and sometimes without warning as well as an enormous body that towers over even the tallest of humans, horses can bring a certain fear into the hearts to their handlers.
However, when the proper precautionary techniques are taken and handlers are educated and confident in their abilities, these 1200 pound beasts often become the affectionate and loveable pets that we desire, and our fears drift away as confidence and capability move in.
Although horses are a large animal, they move quickly when surprised or frightened. It is the job of the handler to remain calm in these situations and be aware of what is in his or her best interest and safety as well as the best interest of the horse. Experienced handlers who work with the wildest stallions began their handling skills as beginner riders working with school horses and learning the most basic skills necessary, which they later build on.
Most school horses are more mild mannered than their spirited counterparts of the breeding stallions. That is not to say, however, that they don’t possess the ability to pose a danger if spooked.
Learning the proper way to work with a horse on the ground and keeping your control is paramount in good horsemanship. It is a balance of asserting yourself as the alpha to your horse as well as knowing the safe way of leading a horse and making sure your body is not in his way should he chose to run. One of the first things you will learn is to walk your horse from the left side, with him on the right, while holding him right under his chin by the reins or leadline. You will keep your arm straight so he has his own separate path from yours.
To learn more about the proper way to work with a horse on the ground as well as how to safely deal with a difficult horse, get our book:
Ready to take your horse riding and handling to the next level?Then take a look at our full library of professional horse training videos by master horse trainers from all over the country.
I get questions all the time: “Charlie – my horse is doing this or that – how do I fix it?”. Well, it all starts with a basic understanding of how a horse thinks and then learning methods that are successful in overcoming those bad habits the horse has.
Most professional horse trainers have an excellent understanding of horses and how they learn. That’s how they can be successful in their trade. What many first-time horse owners don’t realize is that not all horses learn the same. Horses, like kids, have different dispositions and will react to different training approaches.
I would urge you to read about some of our great horse trainers – such as Sam Burrell who is a master at horse reining or learn all the little things by knowing how to ride safely with Brad Meyers.
You see (I haven’t discussed this much) I would much rather learn from a group of specialists and learn many different ways to accomplish a task rather than just one trainer like Clinton Anderson .
I mean – horse trainers like Pat Parelli are generally good but they alone don’t hold all the knowledge. I’d rather learn from a few more, thankyou very much!
So – check out the various trainers and what we have to offer. You’ll learn a lot in the process and soo have your horse under control.
My 9/11 experience and how it relates to
safety and preparation – including with your horses.
[This is a long email – there is a 9/11 special
at the end if you don’t have time to read it.]
Today I want to share my heart about something –
and how 9/11 affected us and strengthened our
resolve in many ways.
Don’t worry – I’ll tie it all in with handling
your horses. There’s still something to learn here.
I want to take you back to early August, 2001.
I took my entire family (all 7 of us) to Pennsylvania
to visit my side of the family. Most of them are
scattered around South East PA. My father was
raised on a dairy farm (and milked by hand twice
a day) and used horses as a kid for all kinds of
tasks including pulling their milk wagon on their
daily route to customers and stores.
As part of that trip my wife and I wanted to
take the kids to New York City to experience the
big city. Now – we’re from Nebraska – think
rolling hills, corn, soybeans, cattle, etc.
So a trip to The Big Apple would be quite a
culture shock for us.
I think it was Tuesday morning – we took off early
and drove to NYC. We started on the Jersey side
of the river and took a ferry trip to Ellis
Island, went by the Statue of Liberty, and saw
the city skyline from the river. I wanted to do
that to prepare my kids for the city.
It was awesome.
We then drove through one of the tunnels (Lincoln?)
and right down into lower Manhattan. We parked
underground, below one of the financial buildings,
immediately next to the World Trade Center towers.
That driving/parking experience alone was quite different
than what we’re used to. We did the typical tourist things
like ride the subway to Times Square, walked around
Broadway, etc.
You might say we were “country Hicks” in the big city :>)
and probably stood out like a sore thumb. Not quite
like the Beverly Hillbillies but you get the picture.
Ya know something interesting – for years I had heard
that New Yorkers were rude and impolite. What we
experienced couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Every cop and every person we talked to were very
helpful, engaging and polite. Perhaps even more so
than folks in Omaha. We’re not shy and don’t hesitate
to walk up to strangers and start a conversation.
It was a great experience.
(although a few questionable characters were on
the subway that refused to make eye contact.)
We finished that day by going to the observation
deck of the World Trade Center South Tower- I believe
it was 111 stories high or so? Just riding the elevators
up that many floors was an amazing trip.
But stepping out on that roof and looking down
was something to behold. Looking down on all the
other buildings, looking down on small airplanes
and helicopters, seeing for miles along the
river and all the little specks below. It makes
you feel so small.
Well – spin forward about a month to 9/11/2001.
We’re back in Nebraska just Southwest of Omaha.
You know what happened that morning so I don’t have
to describe it.
I was in my truck heading to
see a client in rural Iowa and my wife called
me and gave me the news about the first plane
hitting the tower. As soon as I answered I knew
something grave had taken place. She stood there
in unbelief – she could hardly talk.
We had just been standing on top of one of
those two towers a month earlier. It shook us.
It was fresh in our minds. It shook us to
the core.
I got to my appointment but everyone was glued
to the TV watching the event take place. Just
as I got there the second place hit.
I had to head home. I was fearful for what
was taking place and I needed to be with my family.
I drove fast to get home, listening on the radio
the whole time and talking to my wife off and on.
I started making mental plans for preparation –
you’ll understand why later in this email.
The other plane hit the Pentagon and the plane
in PA hit the ground. What was going on? Is
any place safe? Would this happen all over the USA?
A little later President Bush ordered all planes
in US airspace to be grounded. He was rushed
to Air Force One and was in the air with F16 escorts.
They didn’t want him at the Whitehouse or other
locations in the event they were targets as well.
We were now in the highest alert ever. Our country
was under attack and we didn’t know what to expect.
Our place in the country is in the frequent flight
path of Offutt Air Force Base. Offutt is the underground
command post for our forces and, in the event of
major threat situations – including nuclear war, would
direct our nuclear response missiles, planes, ships,
etc. around the world from here. It’s a massive,
hardened series of bunkers deep underground that is
able to survive a nuclear attack.
They decided to fly Pres. Bush to Offutt and put him
underground until they figured out what all was
going on across the country.
Keep in mind – there were NO planes in the sky.
It was eerie – no sounds of jets, no contrails.
I told my kids to come out and look and listen –
they may never experience this again in their
lifetime.
There was a hint in the local news that Pres. Bush
might come to Offutt and go underground until
things settled down.
I was outside and here comes Air Force One heading
to Offutt – he flew right over my place. My
immediate response was to say a prayer for our
President, our armed forces and all those who
will be responsible for carrying out our response
to this tragedy. I prayed for the families of the
victims in NYC, PA and DC.
While I was shook – I also trusted that our forces
around the world would respond appropriately and
we would use our intelligence services to our benefit.
What’s all this have to do with horses?
Hang on – we’re almost there…..
If you’ve read my emails for very long you know
I’m all about safety. Train your horses to respect
your space, you be in control and have them respond to your
commands. Wear a helmet. Don’t let your horse
decide when he wants move or where – he looks to
YOU for direction. He is trained not to spook
under normal conditions. And on and on….
Well, what you probably don’t know about me is
that I am into preparation and planning.
If you looked into my truck you’d see
tire chains, water, jumper cables, tow
straps, tools, non-perishable food, spare
V-Belts, etc. I like to be prepared in
all areas that I have control over.
I am also an Amateur Radio Operator (ham radio)
and used to be actively involved in emergency
communications for the various groups such as
the Red Cross, National Weather Service and
providing structured communications for
mass-casualty drills, etc.
I have also taught survival skills, wilderness
camping, and related stuff. I like to be ready.
I could go on and on but you get the idea.
So for me – that mindset carries right over into
anything I do – including when it comes to
horse training and maintaining control.
I do my best to NOT be surprised. I want horses
to KNOW what to expect and RESPOND when
you direct them.
I urge you to take control of your horses as well.
If you have a horse you’re handling and are
fearful or are putting yourself in danger because
you know you don’t have control – then there’s
no better time than right now to start changing
that.
If you don’t – you may get hurt, broken or paralyzed.
[Did you know horseback riding is 20 times more
dangerous than riding a motorcycle?]
If you need help getting control of your horse then
it all starts with knowledge. You need to learn first
and then go out and convey what you’ve learned by
applying that knowledge in your handling and training
your horses.
There is no such thing as a horse that is 100% safe.
All horses are wired to respond to threats. However,
if you take time to learn and control you horse, even
in spooky situations for him, and take the time to
build that trust relationship with him – then
he will look to YOU for direction when things
go bonkers. That, my friends, is where you
want to be.
I don’t want to find myself on top of a
1,200 pound bundle of muscle and trigger-happy
nerves and have him go off under me
when confronted by everyday threats. It’s
a serious accident looking for a place to happen.
Our Jesse Beery course book is a great way to learn
how to solve those pesky and dangerous problems with
your horse. You can get one free as part of the offer
below.
Also – look over our selection of professional training
DVDs. There’s decades of training wisdom there you can
take advantage of. Again – our 9/11 special lets you
get one free.
I might suggest something on groundwork and related stuff like
Sue Robertson or Diana Quintana. Or Vickie Weigel’s
“How To Get rid of the Horse Eating Monster” DVD.
So there you go – if you read all that you can
perhaps understand our sensitivity to 9/11 and the
real threat we face in today’s world.
Be ready, learn to think and apply knowledge
and adjust as conditions change.
That is a good position to be in whether you are talking
about national security, personal defense or riding horses.
For our family it’s all about placing our Trust in the Lord,
be ready to meet Him, prepare and help others.
We base our lives individually and as a family
around those foundations.
And now you (and a few thousand others) know a bit more
about us. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Charlie Hicks
P.S. One more thing – my father dropped out of
college after his 3rd year to join the new Air Force
and he flew fighters and bombers in Korea, WW II, and other
theaters around the world. He then went into the missile
program and ended up at Offutt working on the planning
for the famous SR-71 Blackbird deployment.
(He did get his college degree later in life.)
But I had those country genes in me – and I got a double
major in agriculture and later went into computers
and networks. But I stayed close to the farm over
the years and combined computers/networks with
with serving ag-related businesses. Now you know
the REST of the story!
