Posts Tagged ‘natural horsemanship’

Did you ever see a horse that was tied to something set back and fight against the rope? It’s not a pretty sight and can be very dangerous. I knew a gal who tied her horse to the stair rail while she ran inside for something. When she came back, there was no stair rail any more. It was attached to the end of the lead line and “chasing” her horse around the yard, banging his legs at every stride. It was an expensive vet bill, and expensive repair bill, and a lesson learned the hard way. Not only did she learn not to tie a horse solidly to an object that might give way, but she learned that her horse didn’t really tie well.

What’s the best way to teach a horse to tie? I’ve heard and even tried lots of ways. The way that we’ve learned doing natural horsemanship seems to be the easiest on the horse and it solves a lot of other problems at the same time. It involves teaching the horse to give to even the slightest pressure on the lead line.

Begin by having the horse wear a good rope halter, not the flat web or leather kind. The rope halters offer a better feel to the horse and are not as easy to lean against and ignore pressure. Then, stand by the horse’s shoulder and gently and steadily use the rope to ask the horse to bend its head towards you. At the slightest movement of the horse’s head, release all the pressure and rub the horse. Do it again and again and again from that side and then also from the other side of the horse until the horse becomes very tuned in to bending its head on the slightest of cues and until it can bend farther and farther around. The release of pressure when the horse gives even a little is very important.

Stand out in front of the horse and put some pressure on the rope asking the horse to come forward towards you. If there is resistance, just hold steady, not pulling, just steady, until the horse gives to the pressure. At that point, be sure to release the pressure quickly.

Once your horse really understands how to give to pressure, you will find that if it steps on the lead line while grazing, there is no jerking upward when it feels its head held down. Instead, the horse will drop its head back down and step off the rope. In fact, this is a good test to see if your horse really gives to pressure and is ready to tie.

What does this have to do with tying a horse? Well, the horse has to know how to give to pressure to be able to stand tied, and once you have a horse that will respond instead of pulling against the pressure, you have a horse that will tie and not pull back. The process of really getting it to give to pressure may take a few sessions, longer perhaps if the horse has already learned to set back, but it will make for a much safer and responsive animal and is well worth the time it takes to teach. Additional benefits include a horse that leads without having to be tugged along, and a horse that already knows about giving to pressure when it comes time to begin asking for collection under saddle.

Bonnie and her husband own Gemara Farm Fox Trotters in Barnesville, GA. They use natural horsemanship methods gleaned from many sources to train their horses. Bonnie coaches others in what she has learned and there are usually fox trotters available for sale with a natural horsemanship background. For other tips and pictures about natural horsemanship, visit http://www.gemara.homestead.com

Author: Bonnie Martin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Healing food: natural way to cure cancer

When I started writing my tips for breaking a young horse I thought I must be mad, what did I know? There are loads of experts out there all offering advice and I was just a humble horse owner, not a trainer etc. Then I decided that if my story helps anyone to have the confidence to work with their own horse then I believe they will find it a rewarding experience and it will be beneficial to both the horse or pony and themselves.

Backing, Breaking and Training a young horse. Well its something that we are told is best left to the experts and to some degree I agree, as you can do a lot of damage to a horse at such a young age, but with the right support and information I do believe you can make a good job of it.

Its easy to say leave it to the experts but for most of us our horses and ponies are part of our family. We are the one’s who are with them every day and the one’s who have built up mutual trust and a bond with them.

I took a break from owning my own horse for about 15 years. Then found myself, in my naivety, being the proud owner of a 2 yr old filly. I fell in love with her, what more can I say, but she was 16.1hh and very powerful. A lot could have gone wrong. I did contemplate sending her away when the time came, to have her professional broken, backed and schooled. There were several problems with this idea though. Number one was the cost, I just didn’t have the money to do that as the quotes I had attained were extortionate. Number 2 was this was my horse, I had spent hours and hours in the stable with her, bonding, grooming and just sitting there gaining her trust. I didn’t want to send her away and lose all that. I knew she trusted me, she would follow me around the paddock like a dog, if I ran she would trot after me. Quite scary when you have a 16.1hh thoroughbred chasing you. I had never read a natural horsemanship book, but I realised that this was just what we were doing.

I also discovered she had never been walked off the yard, boxed, lunged or had a bit anywhere near her. I figured it was going to be a long drawn out process.

In reality I couldn’t have been more wrong. Although I did take things very slowly I found backing her to be extremely straight forward.

I used a lot of common sense, sought loads of advice from local tack shops and the people on the yard, and read as much information as I could find including everyone else’s tips on breaking a young horse. A lot of the techniques and equipment had evolved from when I had had my last horse. So I had to learn what to do with it again.

The things I learned and my 10 tips for breaking a young horse are:

1. Spend time bonding with your horse or pony, don’t just rush into breaking it. You will need time to build up mutual trust.

2. Learn your horses moods. Learn their normal behaviour and pick up when something is wrong.

3. Spend time before you try to back your horse getting it used to basic commands, both on the lunge and long rein. Stand, walk, trot will be invaluable once your horse is first backed.

4. Introduce the bit slowly – don’t just expect to put it in your horses mouth and leave it there for hours. Try a few minutes at a time over several week and get a bit suitable for a young horse. I used a copper key bit.

5. Introduce the saddle without girth, stirrups and leathers to begin with and remove again after a few minutes.

6. Before you even think of putting someone on your horses back get the horse used to wearing the saddle and bridle on the lunge or in hand.

7. When lunging the first few times in tack make sure stirrups and leathers are not flapping around and spooking your horse.

8. When you do introduce someone on their back ensure you are the one who is talking to your horse, after all you are the one who is built up the trust.

9. Try to get someone light to be the person who first sits on your horse. Start with them just lying over your horse and then gradually sitting. Make sure every movement of the rider is slow a fluid. Again make sure this isn’t rushed and is done over weeks.

10. Take backing your horse or pony slowly, take the lead from the animal. If they are looking stressed or anxious or are really misbehaving stop. There is generally a reason.

It took me about 2.5 months to back my horse from only ever having a head collar on to gently hacking out with me on her.

I introduced everything bit by bit and talked to her constantly. It might seem a long time to some people but I was left with a well adjusted horse who doesn’t get stressed or act up very often. She takes the lead from me and will attempt new things because I firmly believe she trusts me.

Make sure you are safe at all times and that someone is with you if necessary who is more knowledgeable but don’t be afraid and take the lead.There is no excuse when horse breaking to be cruel, and remember animals including horses are not born bad, they react to what we as humans do to them.

You can get more information and advice regarding horses at horse bits and pieces At horse bits and pieces you will find all the horse and rider equipment you will ever need.

Author: Rachel Harding
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Unix inter-process communication (IPC)

PART 1

Horses, Journey from Fear to Respect. From a husband’s point of view.

The world of horses as a hobby is dominated by women. Yes, this is a generalization. It does not always hold true, but I can confidently say that this is a fact. Two years ago my wife wanted to get a horse. It had always been a dream of hers, and frankly I was beggin for her to get a hobby. I have tons of hobbies, and when I left to do these things she would always be a little irked that I was not spending a little more time with her. Frankly I can’t fault her. I do have a lot of hobbies.

So she got her horse, and we saw each other less and less. At first it was great. We were both happy doing what we do, and we made the most of the time we spent together. Eventually, we realized that we would have to meet on some common ground so we were more a part of each others lives. One Huge Problem. I realized horses terrified me. (By the way, she made some concessions as well. Not a ton of wives I know that totally get into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Battlestar Galactica. But that is a discussion for another time.)

Thing is, I am not a fan of being controlled by anything. This includes fear. So I set out to overcome this irrational feeling. I know a guy named Paul Creviere Jr., the man was deathly afraid of water. He overcame this fear, became scuba certified, and eventually wrote a book called “Wild Gales and Tattered Sails.” It is about the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. Which by the way he explored himself. I can’t honestly directly compare my situation with his. I believe his fear was rooted deeper than mine own. Yet his situation did provide me with some small amount of inspiration.

These animals are huge, powerful creatures that seemingly have an unpredictable nature that stems from them being prey animals. Huge, Powerful, Unpredictable. Take all three, and you have a very fearsome and dangerous animal. Thus my fear seemed warranted. But I have motivation, spending quality time with my wife and not completely hating it.

I am dog guy. I love dogs. I have never met a dog I don’t understand. I can always tell if a dog is approachable. Does it want to bite me, warn me, love me, lick me? I can just tell. I cant explain how I know what the dog is thinking, I just do. We fear what we don’t understand. Through knowledge comes understanding. Through understanding comes trust, and the absence of fear.

I am Capricorn, thus I think in logical terms. Logically speaking, learn everything you can about the horse’s language so you can eventually understand it’s reactions and the reasons for these reactions.

The process that gets us there is much more complicated.

PART 2

Usually when you are trying to overcome something or learn something new, you always have that “Ah HA” moment. The moment where something suddenly clicks. When this happens, it usually gets you over the hump and on the path to victory. My moment came at a barn where the owners had two great danes in their yard. They were separated off by invisible fencing and some “Beware of Dogs” signs. As we walked up to the barn, they came barreling out of the house, barking and growling, doing their job. The big one (Mighty Joe) was saying “This is my house, don’t do anything stupid.”

Well, I love dogs, and I grew up with big dogs. When I saw them, I simply had to meet them. So I entered the no fly zone. I know all the rules. I kept my eyes down, I knelt down in an attempt to soften any aggression they may sense, and I let them smell me for several minutes before petting them. It took about 5 minutes before I was rubbing bellies and scratching ears.

Sitting there playing with a couple confident 150 pound predator animals, I took a gander at my wife across the way brushing a 1000 pound slightly nervous prey animal and realized that I can do this. I just had to learn the signals. If I was not afraid of two barking/growling Great Danes, then there is no reason I should fear the horse. So I immersed my self one step at a time.

It started with exposure. Just being around horses, and listening to everything my wife and her trainer (Karen Zoelle) said during lessons. Early on, without doing anything but listening, you would not believe how much I learned. At this time, my wife was just beginning formal training. Thus her lessons started right from the basics, both in riding and handling a horse. Being able to listen at first, without having to do, allowed me grasp some understanding and thus confidence. Slowly I learned to brush, pick hooves, put on a saddle, and even ride a little. The most important part of the early experience was Karen. (disclaimer: so I don’t get yelled at, my bride plays the biggest role in all of this as we move forward) I am not sure if Karen did it on purpose, but she kind of hand picked my first experiences and made sure I did not end up in any negative situations.

I am still not sure when it happened, but at some point I suddenly realized I was no longer afraid. I still did not have a lot of confidence, but the paralizing /hand trembling fear was gone. In it’s place was a healthy respect for these incredible animals. I had come to understand the similarities and the differences between dogs and horses. (sorry, I always refer back to dogs because it is what I know.) Both animals need strong leaders, but for seemingly different reasons that I am not sure I can easily explain in words. If handled improperly, they are both capable of hurting you. Dogs will do it on purpose, horses will do it on accident, but they have one huge thing in common. Both species will almost always do it out of fear. If you can reduce the fear factor, you greatly reduce the chance of anything bad happening.

Early in my learning experience, I did not fully grasp how important the concept of fear was in horse training. I was so focused on controlling my own fear, that I never fully understood that it was the horses fear that really needed to be quelled. This is a lesson I learned later, when my wife bought her own horse.

PART 3

At this stage, things start to ramp up a bit. It is one thing to be taught how to handle an old, calm, and well trained horse. The stakes were higher when my wife bought a scared, untrained, younger horse. His name is Sequoia. He is half quarter horse, half pony, cute, and kind. But his confidence was shot. He was head shy and jerky. He spooked easily. He had little to no dressage training. I went from thinking I knew how to handle a horse to realizing exactly how much I still had to learn.

Early in his training, Leslie realized she needed help. She turned to Ellie Neerdales, a natural horsemanship trainer here in Green Bay, WI. She began to learn this method of training, and began to use it on Sequoia. She was spending between 5 to 8 nights per week with her horse. (no that was not a typo) About 3 months in she hit her low point. She took Sequoia for his first trailer ride to another stable. If she wanted to be able to show him at some point, he was going to have to get used to traveling. She had all kinds of problems. All the progress she had made with him during the first 3 months just flew right out the window. He was back to spooking, and generally acting a little crazy. A girl at the barn even commented on how bad of a horse he was, and told Leslie she should give up on him and get a new horse. (I am not naming names, but I hope this girl reads this article someday and takes her foot out of her mouth long enough to say I am sorry). That night Leslie was a bit of a wreck. With the amount of hours that she put in she seemed to be at wick’s end and possibly ready to cash it in.The next night, she was back at the barn and working as hard as ever. (Did I mention she is slightly stubborn.)

Most of the time, it seems as though a horse’s fear is born out of new situations, new sounds, new places. In general, it is the unknown that causes the horse to freak out, and it is impossible to introduce your horse to every possible scenario or sound that may cause this reaction. Since you cannot prevent the scenarios from happening and you cannot fully prepare your horse for every scenario, then what you must do is reduce the level of your horses negative reaction to these events. In my humble opinion there is one way, and only one way to do this. Through TRUST. Trust must be built and earned with a horse. The most important thing in any relationship is trust, and that goes for both people and horses. Each time Sequoia ran into an obstacle, Leslie would break it down with time and trust. So many horse owners just seem to accept certain behavior, and by accepting the behavior they reinforce it.

Sequoia was afraid of the fly spray bottle. Rather than accept his fear, she beat it. She took him in the arena, set the spray bottle on the ground, and made him stand by it and look at it. When he seemed comfortable, she picked up. Not sure why, but as soon as she was holding it, it became a whole new threat. She waited til he calmed down and then made him look at it and smell it again. She then proceeded to rub the bottle all over his body until he was completely comfortable with it, and finally she was able to spray him with it. The process took over an hour, and it had to be repeated several times, but he has no problem with the spray bottle anymore.

Now I realize that most horse owners may not be willing to put in this much time in to get their horse over a fear of a bottle, but what they fail to realize is that this positive reinforcement was a brick in the foundation of the well balanced horse that Sequoia became. The time spent with the spray bottle served to increase the horse’s trust in it’s owner. He began to realize that she was not going to hurt him. Every time he conquered a fear with her assistance his trust in her would grow, and the time it would take to overcome each obstacle would slowly decrease. His trust has grown to the point where he not only trusts “her” to not hurt him, but to the point where he believes she will protect him.

Now when faced with a new and dangerous lawn chair, he no longer “spooks”. His reaction is much more subtle. He looks to his trusted leader and seems to ask, “Should we be scared.” And through the simple act of letting him see and smell the obstacle she seems to answer, “There is nothing to be afraid of.”

Now that the horse is trained, it is my turn to be trained.

“Lee Geurts” aka Lee Speakin

My Knowledge Sources (bibliography)

* Karen Zoelle – Green Bay, WI Based Dressage Trainer

* Ellie Neerdales – Green Bay, WI Based Natural Horsemanship Trainer

* Danielle Jauquette – Green Bay, WI Based Hunter Jumper Trainer

* And of course my lovely wife, Leslie Heyden

My stories will vary greatly, because my interests vary greatly. My personal hobbies include: Collecting and reading comic books, Sci Fi Books, and Fantasy books. Playing boardgames. Watching geeky movies and TV shows. Both playing and watching sports.

My wife’s hobbies, which consequently have also become my hobbies include: Horseback riding, dressage, natural horsemanship, and Orchid Growing.

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Lee “Speakin” Geurts

Author: Lee Geurts
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Horse whispering and natural horsemanship have been a source for a great deal of income for those with marketing skills. When people imitate without having a clear idea what they are doing it and why they are apt to get hurt. With the wrong horse it can be worse. The horse is a prey animal with a strong flight or fight response. Their first choice is to run, and the speed the horse is capable of means they can outdistance most predators. However for the biggest insight into horses it pays to study THEM.

Horses usually will do what is easiest. They naturally follow the path of least resistance. Faced with the wall of a roundpen and a human with a funny looking thing attached they can be directed like so much water through a hose, changing the way the water flows by moving your finger. We often underestimate how powerful this is and if misused how much mistrust it creates with our horses.

If we watch horses interact with each other it will quickly become clear a pecking order. If you doubt this at all put down one less feeder in the pen than you have horses and put a cup of feed in each one. The boss horse eats first and once done will clear out whatever feeder she wants. There might be squeals of protests but other horses bow to her then move to horses they can chase away. This works for all but the bottom horse who will be left looking for scraps, sometimes picking at the boss horse’s feeder after it’s been left in hopes there’s a bit of grain still left.

A horse who challenges a higher ranking member can be bitten, kicked or pushed out physically. The lower ranking horses know their place in the herd and find it easier to go hungry than fight the bosses. It is this strict herd order that can, in a group, result in all horses being fed twice per day and one is skinny while the others are overweight. Often the lowest ranking member will starve to death rather than risk injury in a fight with the boss. This goes to that fight or flight instinct – a horse that cannot flee is in danger of becoming predator dinner.

Using this in a horse training program then you have to insert yourself as a boss mare. Your body language will get through to the horse faster than any other method because they are used to watching body language. The horse knows when something comes at them aggressively they need to run as they could be dinner. Something approaching quietly and calmly, without being a threat, doesn’t bring up that reason to flee. Remember this when you go to catch your horse…the “hard to catch” horse may well be doing what you’re telling him – RUN!

Get your horse in a roundpen with a lunge whip. By imitating things seen in that pen of horses you can get pretty predictable responses. Walking quickly towards the head usually generates a spin and running the other direction. Walking towards the hip drives the horse forward. If a horse stops and raises his head he’s challenging you. Getting your highest point above his – including if he rears – means you have dominance. This is where the whip is invaluable. With the whip you can wave it above his head. You can shake it at him, threaten him and drive him at your will.

There’s an odd thing that happens much like the boss horse. If the horse knows you will follow through with the whip then you probably will not have to. Use it very sparingly – if the horse kicks at you, strikes or charges you follow through like you mean it. Other than that the whip is a tool – it’s used to reach and touch without having to hit. By directing the horse’s movement and speed you can also stop and allow him to stop.

Once he’s established you are in control the horse will often tip his nose towards you, “watching” you with his ears, and in his language he”s asking “can I stop now?” If you aren’t actively driving him forward you have told him yes – and when people have problems with their horses on the longe line or in the roundpen this is often the reason. Allowing him to stop and approach you safely builds trust.

Not surprisingly the hardest horses then to work with are the boss and the bottom. The boss can be the horse that needs strict handling and may always look for that “in” to be dominant. The bottom horse lacks confidence in many cases and that lack of confidence means a great deal of work boosting confidence and making sure when you ask something it is safe. For most people the middle range horses are the easiest but either ends of the herd can, with the right handling and understanding, be wonderful mounts.

Observe your horse daily from the time he’s a weanling. Even as a weanling and yearling he will have very distinct likes and dislikes – these things you can use in training! An individual that is tense will have a rigid jaw…learning people won’t hurt him brings relaxing, and usually he’ll move his mouth – often described as a lick or chew. This is something that as you progress with your horse to look for. Always let him think about things and get that mouth movement before giving up for the day. If you quit while he’s tense you’ve taught him totally the wrong thing!

So often we want great things from our horses. The biggest way to get this is asking the least. Sounds impossible? When working with your horse ask for only 1% improvement. That is not very much! By backing off our expectations the horse often gives much more than 1%. We make more progress by asking for less, providing we are accurately reading their body language as well as accurately projecting ours to them.

Try it. Watch your horses…”talk” to them like a horse. It works! Always try to look at things from the horse’s point of view. If you do that it’s amazing the things horses let us do to them that goes against their instincts and how much they give us that is, truly, a gift. There is no human being alive that can hold still a 1200 pound animal that wants to leave. By getting in his mind it never comes to having to force him. This makes all the difference!

Author: Jan Hoadley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

Go where there are horses and on any typical day you’re going to find someone having trouble catching their horse. And what do they do about it? Typically horse owners attempt to bribe their horses by giving them a treat, a bucket of grain, or waving a carrot at their horse hoping he will mosey on over. While this may get you what you think you want-the horse standing there while you put the halter on-the fact is its setting up your relationship with your horse for trouble.

In natural horsemanship, what we are after is speaking to a horse in his own language so that we can establish three things:

• Trust
• Leadership
• Respect

If we are going to speak to a horse in his own language, we might start by thinking about how horses communicate with each other. If you have the opportunity, go out to an open pasture that has a few horses living together. Just watch what they do. You will come away noting that horses communicate with each other using body language and that confidence and assurance are two keys a successful horse must have in his toolbox. The most confident horses are the horses that become alpha, they run the herd-deciding who eats first, when to eat, where to go, and all that.

Ask yourself this question. Does the stallion or alpha mare in a wild herd of horses use treats to get the other horses to do what s/he wants? Of course not! The alpha horses uses confident strength and body language to communicate with the other horses. In natural horsemanship, we learn how to use our own body language to communicate with our horses in a way that they understand intuitively. This will help gain the trust and respect of your horse. When he trusts you, you can reach a level where you can truly bond with your horse and have that fulfilling relationship with our horses we’re all looking for.

A recent video released by horse trainer Eric Bravo called Catching and Leading Your Horse illustrates the use of gentle natural horsemanship to communicate with a horse in eye-opening fashion. Shot in real time and unedited, Eric goes out into a wide-open field to catch a black mare with an attitude named Wendy. First, Eric shows us ways to approach horses that let the horse know that we mean no harm. Surprisingly, this is a vital step with horses many people aren’t aware of. Eric focuses on the fact that a horse is a prey animal and humans, by nature, are predators. You might not be thinking about this when you walk into a pasture of horses-but they know it. But Eric shows you how to walk up to a horse in a way that removes this fear from his heart.

That being said, horses are all about respect. Have you noticed how a group of horses spends a lot of time kicking and biting each other? Well horse society can be tough! So once a horse figures out we aren’t approaching him like a predator, he is going to look and see if we are worthy of respect. We need to establish this respect before a horse can truly trust us. In the video, Eric talks about things to look for that indicate respect and disrespect. He also introduces a stunning concept called steal a thought that you can use anytime to rid your horse of unwanted behavior and shows how to apply it when trying to catch a difficult horse.

Once you catch a horse, you may think your work is done. But its just beginning! In the last 10 minutes of the video, which I found to be the most useful and interesting part, Eric shows how to lead a horse properly and signs to look for that indicate a horse is being disrespectful. He lays out several leading exercises in complete detail that you can incorporate right into any groundwork routines you do with your horse. The exercises are designed to teach your horse to not only respect you, but to pay attention to you.

Think about how important this is. If a horse respects you and pays attention to you, that’s going to be a horse that is much safer to ride. Do you want to jump on the back of a horse that doesn’t pay attention to you? Probably not! Do you really know the signs to look for to determine if a horse is paying attention? Do you want to learn simple exercises to improve the quality of attention your horse is giving you? If you answered no and yes to the last two questions, you’ll probably want to take a look at this groundbreaking video.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A horse’s nutritional requirements and his digestive system have not changed since the time he was first domesticated thousands of years ago. However, due to a lack of knowledge, convenience considerations and an over-zealous adoption of the scientific claims of the feed industry, the way we feed a horse has changed dramatically. Often, these methods contradict what natural horsemanship tells us about feeding and result in health problems for the horse and management problems for owner.

Certain principles of natural horsemanship can be applied to choosing a proper feeding program for the horse. Just as we studied aspects of horse physiology and psychology when approaching training techniques, it is beneficial to think in these terms when we decide how to feed our horses. This will tell us both what to feed and how to feed.

It doesn’t take an expert in natural horsemanship or equine nutrition to understand that feeding flakes of alfalfa and grain supplements twice a day to a horse in a stall is not what Mother Nature intended. Indeed, that approach completely ignores a few basic principles that every horse owner should know about their four-legged charges.

A horse’s digestive system is designed to obtain the maximum nutritional benefit from a diet of high-fiber and low-energy grasses. The foundation of a healthy, natural diet for a modern, domesticated horse is grass and grass hay. A horse in his natural environment will spend many hours a day grazing. Most experts say that a horse needs to consume at least 1.5 – 2 lb. of good quality hay and grain for every 100 lbs of body weight. Much will depend upon the metabolism of the horse. Horses that are heavily worked, pregnant and lactating mares will consume up to 3 lbs of dry matter for every 100 lbs. of body weight.

Grass hay is much preferable to alfalfa for the bulk for the horse’s diet for several reasons. Alfalfa is a very rich or “hot” feed for the horse. It contains approximately 50% more protein and energy per pound than grass hay. Its phosphorous to calcium ratio is also too high for a horse’s requirements. When fed with grain, as alfalfa often is, numerous digestive problems including colic may result. Alfalfa may be fed but only in small quantities almost as a supplement, not as the predominant feed component.

Not all hay is the same. The nutritional content of hay depends not only on the variety of grass grown, but also on the soil and amount and type of fertilizer used. Hay quality also can vary and should be examined prior to purchasing. Good hay exhibits the following qualities:

1. Should be leafy as opposed to containing too many stems. Most of hay’s protein is contained in the leaves.

2. Good-quality hay should exhibit a light green color. If it is too yellow or brown, it might have been harvested too late and may not contain proper nutrients.

3. The hay should smell fresh and sweet. Hay that smells moldy or musty should be avoided. Feeding moldy hay can result in colic.

4. Check for weeds and other non-hay matter. Good horse hay should contain a bare minimum of weeds, sticks and debris.

Unfortunately, hay comes without supermarket labels specifying nutritional content, but often a reputable hay supplier will have a laboratory analysis available for a particular cutting of hay he is selling. Parameters to look for include:

1. Moisture: usually averages around 10%. Higher than 13% may result in palatability problems and even mold proliferation.

2. Crude protein: Legume hay will run 20% or more. High quality grass hay might run as high as 12-15%. A minimum should be at least 8%.

3. Digestible energy (DE): This is an estimate of the amount of energy available to the horse from the hay. This figure will vary depending upon the stage of growth at which the grass was cut and harvested. Young grass will have a higher DE. As the crop matures, DE decreases as the lignin content increases. A DE reading of less than 1.65 Mcal/kilogram indicates a high level of indigestibility and should not be fed to horses. This could cause impaction colic.

4. Acid detergent fibre (ADF: Indicates the digestibility of fiber in the hay. ADF levels above 45% indicate poor nutritional levels, while values less than 31% indicate excellent quality hay.

When horses ran wild, their food supply consisted of different kinds of grasses grown in one pasture or field. Today we have lost that natural variety. An improved pasture is more than likely to contain just one variety of hay grass. Feeding just one type of hay can limit the nutritional value of the horse’s ration, especially trace minerals. Several different kinds of hay, ideally, should be fed. This will not only provide a more balanced diet but will also vary taste and texture characteristics of the feed as well.

A horse will also nibble eagerly on all kinds of vegetable matter. A good idea is to provide your horse with tree branches with leaves to chew on. He will not only be able to derive needed nutrients but will use his teeth and wear them down naturally. A horse’s teeth are continually growing, and because of domestication and modern feeding techniques, usually need to be rasped down once a year. In the wild the horse is apt to feed in such a way that the growth of his teeth is naturally kept under control.

In addition to being perfectly suited to extracting maximum nutritional value from grasses, a horse’s digestive system has other requirements which are often ignored by owners. The relatively small size of the stomach limits the amount of feed that can be safely consumed at one time. A horse is unable to vomit or belch. Eating a large volume of hay and grain concentrate twice a day, as most horses do, can be unhealthy and even dangerous. A horse should eat small amounts, many times a day.

One of the unique features of the horse’s digestive system is that even though he has but one stomach compartment, as opposed to ruminants like cows, there is a large microbial population in the cecum and colon. These microbes have the ability to break down and utilize the nutrients contained in forage. The peculiar shape of the colon which bends back upon itself numerous times reduces the rate at which digested food is able to pass. This allows more efficient utilization of roughages in the horse’s feed, but also can cause digestive problems when the horse is not fed correctly.

If you observe a horse eating in a barn situation, you can readily see that he prefers to eat off the ground. Most feeders require a horse to eat with their necks extended and their heads raised. This is an unnatural position for a horse to eat. Grass particles and debris fall back into his face and eyes. The horse cannot properly chew his food, and respiratory problems can result when the horse constantly inhales dust from the hay. It’s better to place hay on the ground in small amounts and in different places.

A diet of high-quality grass and hay should provide all the energy and protein needs non-working horses require. However, if a horse is in training, shows in performance classes or is ridden frequently, you might want to supplement with grain. Although this might be considered a departure from a purely natural approach to feeding, riding and working a horse is a complete departure from what nature intended as well.

In his natural environment as a wild, prey animal, a horse consumed very little grain. His very limited grain consumption took place in the fall from natural grasses that had gone to seed. This probably served to put on extra weight before winter. However, our energy demands on a horse have changed nutritional demands on him as well.

If a horse needs more energy, fat and protein in his diet than he is receiving from a grass and hay-based diet, there are several ways you can get him that additional nutrition. It’s a good idea to avoid feeding the quantity of sugar and molasses present in many commercial sweet feeds. Just as in humans, the ingestion of large amounts of sugar can play havoc with the horse’s insulin-regulating mechanism. Compounded grain products may also contain other undesirable ingredients such as fish and animal by-products.

You can get your horse the extra energy he needs through supplementing with rice and wheat bran or oats and barley. Limit the horse’s intake of prepared rations of grain except for pregnant and lactating mares and young foals. We want to feed naturally but we don’t want to reject out of hand advances in feed science. Educate yourself and choose supplements based on your horse’s true needs. Do not overfeed grain, however.

Natural supplements that are useful to include in a horse’s daily ration include flaxseed. Flaxseed is a good source for important Omega-3 fatty acids that are so important in human diets too. Omega-3 fatty acids can play a role in alleviating chronic inflammation and strengthen the immune system. They can improve the condition of a horse’s coat and hooves.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) supplements is a lesser-known source of trace minerals, internal and external parasite control, improved feed utilization and fly control. DE is a desiccant and can be used as a feed supplement or can be spread around stalls and the barn and will kill 75% of flies, fleas and mites that come into contact with it. Horse owners who use DE religiously claim that feeding DE to their foals and grown horses eliminates the need for chemical worming.

Horses themselves can be a judge of what trace minerals they need to consume. Have you ever seen a horse digging in the ground and begin to lick some special rock they’ve found? He seems to know instinctively what minerals he is lacking and where he can get them. This probably pertains more to a wild and varied environment than to a controlled and limited pasture environment. For that reason, it is a good idea to provide a free-choice salt and trace mineral product especially formulated for horses.

When horses are first offered this feeding option, they will initially consume a considerable amount but begin self-regulating very quickly. A supply of salt is essential to a horse’s health and well-being. In the wintertime salt should be manually added to a horse’s feed in order to ensure that he drinks the proper amount of water. Be sure to make available to the horse an unlimited supply of fresh, clean water.

Author: Anita Lamb
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times

On the first day of the Royal Melbourne Summer Horse Show last year a group of friends and I sat ringside watching some of the classes. Rider after rider, or handler after handler, yanked, jerked and wrenched at their horse’s mouths with the bit making us endlessly cringe.

All of us, in the previous week, had read an article that had forever changed our view of the bit and its use with horses.

One of us is an elite theatrical show horse trainer; another is a breeder, two more are pony club instructors, one is a saddlery store owner. All of us, at one time or another, have been converted to so called “natural” horsemanship. That is to say, we have sought a different way, a non-aggressive way, of achieving a well mannered and calm horse.

We are sitting in the shade, watching an in-hand class of supremely turned out hacks. Two handlers have curbs on their horses and they repeatedly yank on their charges’ mouths.

The stories flow thick and fast between us.

The theatrical show horse trainer recounts how her equine dentist discussed anatomy with her once, explaining that most people – because they want to do the right thing – will buy a thicker, plainer bit, thinking the thinner kind sharper and more cruel. And this is fine.

For some horses.

But you get other horses, horses with smaller mouths, less room between top and bottom jaw, for whom a thick bit like that can be incredibly uncomfortable. Because it just doesn’t fit, it’s too big. And then the horse resists and opens its mouth and fights the rider’s control.

“So we go and tie its mouth closed!” my friend exclaims.

The saddlery store owner talks about a Pony Club parent who came in seeking a twisted wire W bit because their pony, after years of good behaviour, suddenly refused to go left. Another PC parent advised them to try this bit, the magical answer to all control.

“Thankfully,” says the saddlery owner, “we didn’t have one.”

She goes on to say that in a round about way her husband, an equine vet, got to go out and see that pony later on the same day. It had a very severe abscess in its left near hoof.

Privately I have always thought if you have to add more and more equipment to your horse to make it do what you want then it’s time to give the game up.

FEI rules require submission to the rider and the bit. But which bit? Does it have to be a curb or double bridle? Top trainers, Monty Roberts, Andrew McLean, Janice Usherwood, Parelli, and others, all have said that the double and curb bridles made mandatory by FEI rules are instruments of torture that should, that must, be outlawed.

I am about to show you why.

Some of you may be familiar with the Nevzarov’s, a Russian couple who practice and teach Haute Ecole Dressage bitless and bridleless. Alexander Nevzarov created the both horrifying and ultimately beautiful and liberating film & book The Horse Crucified And Risen, a documentary about the horse’s long association with man.

The Nevzarov’s commissioned a scientific study with the Forensics & Medical Examination Office, St Petersburg, Russia, to document the effects of double and curb bits on the horse’s mouth. Taking part in the experiment were Forensic scientists, Vets and journalists (who recorded the experiment on video). The results were published in Horses For Life Magazine (US).

For the purpose of the experiments a model horse head was created that included a tongue made from Ballistin, a substance that closely fits the structure and density of living tissue (though not the flexibility). The Ballistin tongue was used to record the “hit”, or pressure, placed upon the mouth by the bit.

While the experiment itself could not measure pain it was able to measure the amount of pressure placed on the tongue, jaw and other oral structures in the horse’s mouth.

To begin with it was discovered that an “ordinary rider” with “good” (light) hands exerts about 120-130kg of pressure per square centimetre. The pressure is felt directly by the Trigeminal Nerve, a branch of which (mandibular nerve) runs along the jawbone and – owing to the lack of muscle along the bar of the jaw – is reasonably unprotected and exposed. This means there is almost direct contact with this nerve by the bit.

An article by staff at the University Of Lincoln, UK, on headshaking reports that it is thought that the head shaking condition is thought to be caused by either pressure to this nerve or the nerve itself “misfiring”, causing spasms of pain. “There are many sources for potential nerve pain in the horse’s head but the vets think that branches of the trigeminal nerve which conducts sensation from the muzzle and face to the brain may be the main source, particularly the Infraorbital nerve which is a branch of the maxillary. For some reason, parts of this nerve may be damaged and ‘fire’ inappropriately causing painful sensations in a particular area, i.e. the nerves are telling the horse that it is being hurt in this area when in reality it is not.”

Lidia Nevzarov writes that this particular nerve is super-sensitive. She says, “According to descriptive adjectives pain like that in the area of the nerve is called ‘especially acute, burning, paralysing’.”

And that’s from a rider with good hands.

A sharp jerk, like those we witnessed at the Royal Show last week, can exert a pressure of 300kg per square centimetre.

Now you know why a horse’s first reaction is to throw his head up and back when being jerked in the mouth like that.

This jerking in the mouth syndrome is not uncommon. In fact I would say that most of us witness it regularly, even daily, at riding schools, Agistment parks, shows, pony clubs. But it is so common we don’t think about it.

The central lingual (lingualis) nerve of the tongue also feels this pressure – 100kg per square centimetre in ordinary (“not doing anything”) contact. A jerk increases pressure to this area to about 250-300kg per square centimetre. As with the Trigeminal Nerve this pressure causes intense discomfort and pain. In the experiment the Ballistin tongue was crushed by such pressure; a real tongue, comprised of living tissue, reshapes itself, though the pressure and pain is still felt and injury still occurs.

Lidia Nevzarov presents photos of two jawbones – one from a bitted horse and one from a horse that has never known a bit. The jaw of the unbitted horse is smooth and clean while the jaw of the bitted horse shows clear wear right on the bar where the bit rests; grooves and chips. So, our hands’ action on the horse’s mouth is strong enough to groove and chip bone.

Another branch of the Trigeminal Nerve (which runs along the jaw) exists in the groove under the chin – exactly where the curb chain rests. Again this area has no muscle to protect it, just skin, blood vessels and bone exist. Anatomically it is an ideal place to apply crippling pressure.

The researchers found that the curb chain applies an average of 300kg of pressure per square centimetre to this sensitive area. In fact, they found that exerting pressure on this area was able to break off the lower part of the model horse’s jaw.

A living horse’s jaw, of course, can withstand far greater pressure but we are not talking about breaking a horse’s jaw, but rather the amount of pain we subject horses to through the use of standard riding equipment.

Lidia Nevzarov goes on to say that the Hard Palate (palatum duram) also sustains damage and experiences two kinds of pressure – constant, caused by the bit resting in the mouth; and hits, caused by applied pressure to the reins in a jerking motion. The palate is composed of mucous membrane that varies in thickness between 2mm (the grooves of the palate) and 6mm (the ridges) and this mucous membrane is all that sits between the bit and the palate nerve, palatines major. Pressures of 180-200kg per square centimetre were recorded and Nevzarov talks about the hematomas (bruises) present under the mucous membrane of the hard palate (on a dissected horse used in the experiment) as being an indication of the force applied causing injury.

Dr Cook, FRCVS., PhD, who created the modern Bitless Bridle, points out that “A fundamental principle of correct saddle fit is that the saddle should never contact bone. This principle is forgotten when it comes to bits. A metal rod in the mouth makes direct contact with unprotected bone at the bars [and], not surprisingly, bits commonly cause painful bone spurs to develop on the bars.”

The Nevzarov study successfully proved the amount of pressure that is applied directly to the horse’s jaw and oral structures and the damage it can do.

As a “technology” – The practical application of science to commerce or industry – the bit was developed some 5000 years ago by bronze age horsemen. While the design has changed and evolved, the use of the bit has not.

As we continuously expand our knowledge and our ability for scientific research we perhaps also need to expand, or change, the way we think in line with the results we find and the knowledge we gather.

To say that we cannot ride without the bit, or control the horse without the bit, that the whole concept of dressage (for example) relies on the bit, is a belief firmly entrenched in mythology, “tradition” and a rigid unwillingness to explore new paths.

There are many examples of fine horsemanship – and horse men and women – who exhibit perfect control of their horses without the need for a bit. Stacey Westfall, rode a winning round in a high level reining competition, bareback and bridleless. Steve Jeffries, the Nevzarov’s, Cavalia, Zingaro Monty Roberts, Quantum Savvy – all perform without the use of bits and bridles, so we know it can be done.

http://www.horseyard.com.au/components/com

In many ways I see it as a shame that riders and regulatory bodies seem incapable of exploring horse control and submission without the use of such aids.

What a contest it would be where riders competed at the highest level bridleless. This would test a rider’s control of their horse, and the horse’s willingness to submit, like no other method. Further, as horse riders and competitors I believe we should challenge the peak ruling bodies – FEI, EFA, AQHA and all others – to instigate non -point rounds of competition for riders to compete bitless and demonstrate that control of the horse, at the highest level, is achievable without the use of a piece of metal in their mouth.

Don’t tell me it can’t be done. The only thing stopping you is the way you think.

Author: Geraldine Chapman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

In horse training or natural horsemanship, Approach is
nothing more than a technique or method used in helping your
horse to understand what it is you want him to do.

I feel it’s important to point out at this time that one of
the major reasons people fail to achieve excellence with
their horse is that they are not mentally, emotionally and
physically fit. The way to achieve this is by being
persistent and consistent in learning and practicing your
horse training / natural horsemanship skills. Remember,
It’s not your horses fault, it’s your responsibility to be
fit if you’re to achieve success and excellence with your
horse.

In talking about Approach or techniques, we’ll use some
examples to point out some approaches people take in
working with their horses, which are very different from
natural horsemanship.

Let’s talk a little about longeing… Most people longe
their horses to exercise them, but let’s look at what
happens when you do this. Your horse is going in
mindless circles usually circling to the left and will
certainly get stronger physically, but unfortunately, he
will also get mentally weaker because you are only
exercising his body and not his mind. It’s important
to exercise both his body and mind.

Now let’s look at lateral longeing. This is where we are
going to exercise both your horse’s body and mind. First,
what are the differences between longeing and lateral
longeing?

In normal longeing, the person is only exercising the horse
to take off the edge so the horse will be easier to ride.
I think it’s important to note that if your longeing your
horse 15 minutes to take off the edge eventually you will be
exercising him 30 minutes to take off the edge and as you
continue this regime he will become stronger and stronger
until you can no longer handle him.

In lateral longeing, you’re looking to develop a
communication system with your horse along with exercising
his body and mind, which will cause your hose to be
emotionally collected. This communication system is built
around 6 yields… Your horse going forward, backward,
left, right, up or down. These 6 yields work into a series
of maneuvers, which will exercise your horses mind and body.
By being persistent and using the 6 yields you will help
your horse to be mentally collected and instead of
increasing the time it takes to get your horse under control
you will decrease the time each day. By using lateral
longeing you can help your horse to become mentally
collected in a shorter period of time.

Remember that horses can do only 6 things, but they can do
them in combination… Move forward, backward, left, right,
up and down. Your goal should be to get your horse to go
forward, backward and sideways whenever you ask him. If you
can do this, you will become the Alpha horse in his
society.

When you teach your horse to go backwards you are also
teaching him to stop. The better he backs up the better he
stops. When you teach him to go sideways, you are also
teaching him to steer left or right. When moving right or
left you are simply moving his hindquarters or front
quarters or moving them both at the same time to move
sideways. Most horsemen will tell you that the better a
horse backs up and goes sideways the better he will do
everything else.

Lateral longeing is different from normal longeing in that
you are exercising your horses mind with his body following
naturally causing your horse to yield to you mentally.

Let’ take a quick look at Riding. What do most people do
after saddling and getting on their horse? They kick him to
go, rein him across the neck to turn and pull on him to
stop. Instead, why not get him mentally and emotionally
ready before we go riding? Why not put your horse through
the 6 yields? Yes, I know that takes some time, but is it worth it to you and your horse to be emotionally and mentally fit before you go riding?

After putting you horse through the 6 yields you’re now
ready to mount. After you’re mounted, it’s time to ask your
horse to move forward. Instead of kicking him to go why not
ask him to move by giving him a cue?

For example, if you want to move your horse forward, put 2
or 3 cues together, put them in order and be consistent with
them and your horse will eventually respond to the cues.
An example of this would be to 1. Squeeze both cheeks of
your buttocks tightly. If that won’t cause him to move
forward then progress to cue number 2. Genteelly squeeze
with your legs clear to your ankles and use a verbal cue
such as a cluck, kiss or smooch. If this still won’t get
him moving forward then progress to cue number 3. Give your
horse a spank, preferably closer to the center of the tail
head. This will start your horse to move straight. If you
spank right or left of center, you will cause your horse to
move off to the left or right.

When using cues remember to start the cue with light
pressure and increasing the pressure, (the pressure should
only be for a few seconds before moving on to the next cue)
and if there is no response move on to the next cue until
you get the desired response. With practice and
consistency, your hose will learn to move off the pressure
(cue) at the slightest squeeze of your buttocks or legs,
whichever you decided to use as your cue.

This article is getting long so I will briefly touch on
stopping your horse. There are two ways to stop your horse,
pulling back on the reins which most people use (the horse
can get wise, tuck his chin and keep running) or you can
bend your horses neck around with one rein and cause him to
stop. If you can bend his neck to the right and stop his
right side then his left side is probably not going to run
off and vise versa.

I do not recommend letting or allowing your horse to stop on
his own; if you allow this behavior, you will eventually
have problems with keeping your horse moving. You only want
your horse to stop after preparing him with a cue to stop
and then giving him the cue to stop. A cue might be, you
bringing down your energy by putting both hands on your
thighs, completely relax and look down at your tummy, to sum
it up, quit riding. Eventually your horse figures out that
you have stopped riding and he will stop. Remember, you
have to be consistent and persistent, it is not going to
happen over night, but eventually your horse will figure out
the cues and you will get the desired response. One other
thing, make sure you keep your horse straight. This will
cause him to stop. Don’t worry about him not stopping as
quickly as you like as long as he comes to a stop. As I
said before it takes time to get the desired response.

Good Luck and have fun with your horse!

This article is brought to you by Perfect Horse Gifts [http://www.perfect-horse-gifts.com]

If you like this article and would like to learn more
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In the next article, we will discuss Patients… Be
patient/tolerant, take the time do it right and you
won’t have to go back and do it again and again.
Helping your horse to understand what it is you want
him to do.

Copyright © Mike Gorzalka All Rights Reserved Worldwide

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*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in this article
is of my personal opinions and beliefs and should not
be taken as anything more.

Author: Mike Gorzalka
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