Posts Tagged ‘Rope’

Working with horses can often be difficult and even scary, as horses engage in bad horse behaviors that not only make them annoying but make them unsafe. These behaviors can include biting, kicking, being pushy on the ground, or worse bucking and rearing. The best way to minimize the chance your horse will be pushy like this is to lay a solid foundation that puts you in a leadership position with the horse. Here are five horse training tips to help you achieve this.

1. Have a good lead

A horse that respects you leads well. This means that the horse follows you at a short distance just off your shoulder. Most people lead from the left side of the horse, so he should be just to the right of you with the tip of his nose just at your shoulder. He shouldn’t pull on the rope or drag, and he shouldn’t blast out ahead of you. If a horse drags on the rope, stop every now and then and ask for a backup. This puts a cost into his bad horse behavior. On the other hand, if he tends to walk faster and pass you, change directions when he does this so that you can put yourself back in front of the horse.

2. Teach your horse to relax

Remember that horses are prey animals, so they’re always on the lookout for the next threat. A horse with his head up high is one that is tense and looking for something about to eat him. A horse that is relaxed has his head low and is probably more interested in finding some nice greens to graze on. Teach your horse to relax on cue by lowering his head.

3. Use round-pen training

Here is an important horse training tip-one of the best ways to establish leadership is to use the round pen. This is best done “at liberty” without the lead line or halter on the horse, so you control his movements without using tools-just body language and presence of leadership. Few techniques work as well to get a horse to trust and respect you. This is often called “hook-on” in the roundpen or as Monty Roberts calls it, “join up”.

4. Keep him paying attention

Another important tool to use when training is to keep your horse paying attention. If he is looking off in the distance when you’re working with him, bump the rope to bring his nose toward you so that both eyes are focused on you. Look at the ears. Is one ear acting like a radar dish probing the distance to check for threats? Or are both ears forward on you? If they aren’t on you your horse isn’t devoting his full attention and this needs to be corrected.

5. Don’t just ride off into the sunset

While riding, take the time to run through exercises that keep your horse listening to you, such as flexing and having him move the hindquarter and front. By keeping him listening to you, he is less likely to look off in the distance checking for the newest threat.

By applying these horse training tips, you can start to build a sold foundation with your horse that is gentle, yet teaches respect and leadership. A horse that respects you and sees you as a leader is far less likely to engage in bad behaviors.

For more information, please visit Gentle Horse Training. If you’re an iPhone user, please see iPhone Horse Apps

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It can be difficult to train a horse to perform the way you want and can even be scary at times since bad behaviors can sometimes make horses unsafe and annoying to be around. Biting, kicking, rearing, being pushy, bucking are some of the bad behaviors your might expect from the animal.

To limit the occurrence of bad behaviors you have to have a solid foundation provided by horse training tips in order to establish yourself as a leader over the horse. You should consider some advice that can will you with training your horse.

When a horse respects the trainer, they will lead well. This means a horse will follow at your shoulder from a short distance.Lead your horse from the left in a manner so their nose is at your shoulder on your right side. You should avoid letting the horse pull the rope, let it drag and they certainly shouldn’t rush out past you.

When lose rope drags then stop and order the horse to backup. This is the way to make the horse realize there is a result for their bad behavior. If the horse is going faster and walks past you then simply reverse direction you are once again in front and placing yourself in the leadership role.

You should keep in mind that horses are natural prey animals. Horses are always looking for new threats. If a horse’s head is high then this is a sign they are tense and likely trying to find a nearby threat. When a horse is relaxed, their head is low and their primary interest in to find food. You want to help your horse relax on cue by lowering their head.

This is a valuable tip for horse training and is the best way to prove you are the leader over the horse. Ideally, you should do this without a lead line or halter so you can have control over his movements without tools, but rather be able to control them simply through your body language and presence. There are some other methods you can use in order to teach a horse to respect and trust you.

Another valuable horse training tip is to make sure your horse keeps paying attention to you. If a horse isn’t focused on you then bump them with the rope and bring their nose toward you so both eyes are focused on you.

Keep a look at their eyes as well since this is their form of radar that helps them probe for threats. If both ears are forward and focused on you, you have their complete attention. Make sure you correct your horse whenever their full attention isn’t devoted to you.

As you ride the horse, make sure you go through some exercises to keep your horse paying attention to you. Some good options are flexing and making them move the hindquarter and front. If your horse listens to you, they will be less likely to run when there is a threat near them.

Using these above tips in your horse training will allow you to develop a solid foundation that focuses on gentle leadership that teaches your horse to respect you. When your horse respects you and views you as a leader then they aren’t as likely to exhibit bad behavior.

Sheryll Walker is a horse enthusiast, helping numbers of people to learn secrets of Natural Horse Training. To discover more helpful tips on training horse to do what you need and learn more about Natural Horse Training, visit http://www.HorseTrainingHelp.com.

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Author: Sheryll Walker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Often people are under the misinterpretation that you simply need to control the head in order to control the horse. This is why you need to use a lead rope or bridle in order to teach a horse how to stop and start. However, do you know how you can control a horse if you don’t have a lead rope or bridle? If you have ever spent time chasing a horse around a pasture you have likely wondered this.

You can learn to control you horses mind through a process known as natural horse training. If you control a horses mind there will be no worry about losing control no matter what situation you are in with the horse. Natural training is a specific discipline that has to be done properly in order to achieve success.

When you use the term discipline for natural horse training it is important to realize this doesn’t mean obedience or punishment, but rather means you are focusing on calm compliance from the horse. In order to have a horse that is a good follower you need a trainer that has good discipline and self-control. This way the horse will be able to willingly follow you lead.

To have this done successfully natural horse training requires trainers to focus on developing a pattern and providing the horse with a safe and comfortable environment. This description makes natural training seem easy, but it is actually difficult to become successful with this horse training method.

The first step in this horse training method is to get your horse to pay attention to you. To do this you also need to pay complete attention to your horse and what they do without allowing distractions to get in the way.

Make sure you place yourself in a place where you are able to focus and concentrate. If it isn’t possible to do this for long periods then you should start in small durations of at least ten minutes and then increase the length of time.

It is important to focus on your horse and the feedback they provide. What signals are the ears and eyes sending you? What does their breathing tell you? How is the horse reacting and how does this compare to other times? This will help you to determine what triggers your horse to pay attention to you so you can get them to focus on you and do what you want willingly.

Relaxation and rhythm are the two keys to natural horse training. The moment you go near the horse you need to make sure, you are making rhythmic movements. Even as you approach the stall, you should have relaxed movements. You should also pay careful attention to your breathing. Your horse is going to be carefully watching your actions and if you are tense, they can sense it. This is why relaxation and rhythm are vital should something unusual or unplanned happen later.

When you use these two simple steps, you can start having success with natural horse training. Although you shouldn’t become discouraged if things don’t go well on the first day or week of training. It can sometimes take several months before horses can learn to use a non-predatory system of learning. While the name is natural horse training this doesn’t mean it happens naturally for all trainers and horses.

Sheryll Walker is a horse training enthusiast, helping numbers of people to learn Secrets of Training Horses.

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To discover more on Training Horse to do what You want, and learn about natural horse training, visit HorseTrainingHelp.com.

Author: Sheryll Walker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Training horses is one exciting and enjoyable way to teach your ponies and make them good buddies in your horse riding spree. Of course, you would not want an untamed horse jumping on you during one of your rides.

If you are a horse lover or a horse riding enthusiast and you want to do the horse training yourself, here is a simple guide to training horses and ponies. Of course, a well-trained horse is a great companion and they can become your best buddies at play or at work.

In training your horse, it helps a lot to understand their body language or the sounds they make. Of course, they can only produce these sounds whenever they are happy or in pain or they feel uncomfortable, so you have to familiarize yourself and listen to them. Horses neigh if they feel confident but it can also mean anxiety. By reading his body language, you can however distinguish what your horse is feeling. Horses may sigh as a sign of being deeply relaxed and they may usually begin to snort if he is afraid of something. Indeed, learning their language can facilitate your horse training and will help you understand your horse’s feeling as well.

In any guide to training horses, it is important to gain the trust and respect of your horse. If you remain a stranger to him, he will never be confident around you. Do not create an atmosphere that will make your horse fear you, instead make him feel happy when he sees you.

In training your horse, it is wise to start with light touching of the horse to make him comfortable and at ease with you. You can then start training him by leading him to walk when you try to hold the rope and adding some commands that you will use to talk to him and convey what you want him to do. Horses can easily follow when they have a leader that can show them what to do as they usually follow a leader in a herd, and in horse training, you will act as your horse’s leader to make him do things. If he does it right, then you have to remember to reward him.

One basic thing that your horse should learn is how to walk beside you. This is usually attained by means of lead training, where you can also teach your horse to stop or turn at your command. As he will eventually learn these simple commands, you can then move on to training him so that he can accept being ridden and that he can follow the commands of the rider. Training him to listen to your signals and commands is a favorable means to train your horse but avoid whipping him just to make him follow you.

It is important too that when your horse has learned one skill, repeat it to him and make sure he gets it before moving to another command or skill. It is also important to let your horse be accustomed to the bit, the saddle and other accessories, as he would be wearing them when someone eventually rides him.

These are just a few of the tips and things that you have to keep in mind in training horses. To be able to get full details of horse training, find a good guide to training horses and make sure also that you have a professional trainer with you if it is your first time doing it.

Carolyn Anderson loves outdoor adventures. If you want to learn how to train horses, check out Natural Horsemanship Software Pack. Also check out Horse Training Secrets, to find out the secrets and techniques in horse training.

Author: Carolyn Anderson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The impression most people have is that you need to control a horses’ head in order to control them properly. This is why many trainers show a horse how to stop and start through the use of a lead rope or bridle. But what can you do if you don’t have these supplies? What method can you use to control the horse? If you have spent time chasing a horse around a pasture then you have likely asked yourself these questions.

People can learn to control the horse’s mind through the process of natural horse training. If you control a horses mind you won’t lose control, no matter what situation you are faced with. Natural horse training is a unique method that needs to be done properly in order to ensure success.

The process of training doesn’t use any form of punishment or obedience, but uses calm compliance. As a trainer, you need self-control and discipline to get your horse to willing follow your lead all the time. To achieve this, natural horse training focuses on developing a pattern and establishing a feeling of safety and comfort for the horse. By this description, natural horse training seems easy when in reality it is a very difficult program to learn.

Before you can start this training method, you need to get your horse to pay attention to you. To do this you also need to provide your horse with your full attention. Focus on what your horse is doing and don’t allow distractions during the training session.

Both you and the horse need to be in a position to concentrate and focus. If this is impossible to do for long periods of time, then you should start training in small increments and work up to longer periods. Ideally, you should start with at least ten minutes of training time.

In addition to paying attention to your horse, you also want to consider the feedback they are providing. Are the eyes and ears signaling anything? What is the horse’s breathing pattern? Are their reactions similar to the last time you worked with them? By paying attention to these things you will be able to help the horse pay attention to you. Find a trigger that gets your horse to do what you want them to do willingly and then use this continually.

Rhythm and relaxation are key when it comes to natural horse training. Your movements as you approach the horse should be rhythmic. Be relaxed when approaching the horse or stall. Your breathing plays a vital role and should be carefully monitored. Horses are keen to your actions and they will sense if you are tense. If something unusual or unplanned happens this relaxation and rhythm is very important.

After mastering these two simple key features then you can advance in natural horse training. Although don’t be disappointed if things are perfect in the first day or week. Often times it can take several months before horses learn a non-predatory system through natural horse training. While it is known as natural horse training this doesn’t mean that it will come naturally for all people.

In order to naturally control your horse you will need to have the appropriate mental self-control. This is where you will need a lot of hard work. Many successful natural horse trainers have years of experience. So if your first try doesn’t result in success then don’t get discouraged. Simply remember to take your time and be patient, this way your horse will be patient with you. When you do this, you can soon see the benefits that natural horse training has to offer.

Sheryll Walker is a horse enthusiast, helping numbers of people to learn secrets of Natural Horse Training.

To discover more helpful tips on Young Horse Training and learn more about Natural Horse Training, visit http://www.HorseTrainingHelp.com.

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Author: Sheryll Walker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It can be both difficult and scary to work with horses at certain times since they can occasionally have bad behaviors that make them either annoying or unsafe to be around. Some bad behaviors can include biting, kicking, pushing, bucking or rearing. In order to reduce the likelihood of these bad behaviors you need to develop a solid foundation to establish your leadership over the horse. Consider some helpful horse training tips that can help you overcome bad horse behaviors.

Have a Good Lead

A horse can only lead well if they respect you. A well-led horse will follow you from just a short distance at the shoulder. It is best to lead a horse from the left so the horse is just to your right with the tip of their nose at your shoulder. The horse shouldn’t be allowed to pull the rope or have it drag on the ground. The horse definitely shouldn’t rush in front of you. When the rope starts to drag simply stop and ask for the horse to backup. This way the horse begins to understand there is a cost for his behavior. If the horse is moving past you then you simply need to change directions so you remain in front of the horse and maintain your leadership position over the horse.

Keep Your Horse Relaxed

You should never forget that horses are prey animals. This means they are constantly on the lookout for threats. If a horse is tense and holding up their head then they are likely trying to detect a threat. A horse is relaxed when their head is low, this means they are likely looking for food. It is best to be train your horse to become relaxed on cue by lowering their head.

Use a Round Pen

This is a valuable horse training tip and it can truly help you establish your leadership position. It is best to do this without the use of tools such as a lead line or halter. Rather you should simply get your horse to do what you want based on your body language and presence. There are plenty of techniques you can choose from that help you to get a horse to trust and respect you.

Make Sure They Pay Attention

It is important that you make sure you horse pays attention to you. When your horse starts to look off in the distance during training sessions then you should bump them with the rope in order to have their nose come towards you and have their eyes focused on you. Pay attention to your horses ears to see if they are acting like radar dishes and searching for nearby threats. If both ears are straightforward then the horse is completely focused on you. Make sure you correct your horse whenever their full attention isn’t focused on you.

Don’t Jump In

Before riding your horse take the time to go through exercises in order to make sure your horse is listening to you. This can include exercises such as flexing and having them move their hindquarters and front feet. As long as your horse is focused on you, they won’t be as likely to look off into the distance for a nearby threat. When you apply the training tips mentioned in this article then you will be able to develop a solid foundation for your horse that focuses on gentle leadership focused on respect. When your horse respects you and views you as a leader then they will be less likely to express bad behaviors.

Sheryll Walker is a horse training enthusiast, helping numbers of people to learn secrets of training horses. To discover more helpful horse training tips and learn about natural horse training, visit HorseTrainingHelp.com. Out Now! Get your hand on the “Natural Horsemanship” DVDs!

Author: Sheryll Walker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Many people are under the impression that you can just train a horse and that is all you need to do to get your horse to do anything you want. While training is extremely important and proper training will take you a long way with your horse, there is one element that almost always goes unmentioned. If you want to develop a close relationship with your horse, there is no replacement for spending time alone with them. Now, I know that might sound strange but horses need a close bond with their owners to develop a sound trustful relationship. Once you develop this mutual trust, the bond will last forever. Horse trainers/owners spend hundreds of hours working on control but very few know that spending a small amount of leisure time with them can have a dramatic effect on their attitude.

Have you ever gone out to get your horse and they avoid you like the plague? You have to consider how the horse feels when they see you coming towards them. If they feel like you are just going to put them through another torture session, chances are they will not be looking forward to it.

I would like to offer a simple technique that I have learned and I believe this can be beneficial to you as well.

1. Take your horse and put them in their stall or small pen (Example: 8′ x 10′) and take something small for you to sit on like a water bucket turned upside down or a short stool.

2. The quieter the area is, the better.

3. If you have have other horses, put them somewhere else first so the horse you are bonding with can’t see them.

4. Do not take treats, hay, brushes, or any other sort of bribes to get the horse to pay any attention to you. You want them to act voluntarily.

5. Remove the rope and halter and toss it outside the stall where they can’t see it.

6. Take your bucket or stool and set it in the corner of the enclosure and have a seat and just wait.

7. Don’t make eye contact or show any interest in your horse.

8. At first, just ignore them.

9. The horse may ignore you too at first, especially if you had a hard time catching them in the first place.

10. In a short period of time, your horse’s curiosity will get the best of them (typically less than 5 minutes) and you’ll find them wandering over to see what your doing there as this is not your normal behavior.

11. At first, don’t even raise a hand and make sure your posture appears relaxed and non-threatening.

12. Your horse may walk away briefly but don’t worry, they’ll be back (they can’t really leave anyway).

13. Let the horse check you out.

14. If the horse begins to show any signs of aggression, stand on top of the bucket for a moment and look large but remain passive.

15. Once you feel your horse has accepted the situation and feels comfortable, you may slowly raise your hand and pet your horse briefly.

16. You may even find that your horse will turn around and back up to you. As long as this is not aggressive in nature, the horse may acting out of instinct and stand guard as they do to each other when one wants to lay down. This is their protective nature and they all have it in them.

17. After doing this for about 15 minutes, your horse should be really calm and the bonding process will have begun.

18. After the session is complete, show your horse some love by rubbing them and showing your appreciation. You may even go fetch them a little treat, carrot, or apple.

19. Repeat the practice about twice a week while NEVER showing any signs of aggression or control during this period.

20. Your horse will soon realize that just because you’re around them, you not necessarily asking them to do anything but asking for a little mutual trust.

The Bottom Line: If you can spend 30 minutes a week with your horse and develop a trusting bond, then your actual training will be a lot more pleasant for you and the horse and you can avoid any fear the horse might have had without this bonding procedure. There may be a time when something spooks your horse or you end up on the ground (heaven forbid), but it sure would be nice to see that your horse doesn’t run off, but actually comes to you to see what’s wrong. Respect and a little conditioned-response can go a long way in establishing a bond that will last a life time. A happy, un-threatened horse makes horseback riding an extremely pleasurable experience and one you can both enjoy.

Happy Trails!

Sherry Marshburn has been working with horses for over 20 years. She now runs a small ranch, called Paints of Texas Ranch with APHA paints outside of Austin, Texas. We buy,sale, breed and train horses. If you would like to see more article or tips on horses, such as buying, selling, training, or general care, please go to http://www.paintsoftexas.com or e-mail sherry@paintsoftexas.com

Author: Sherry Marshburn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Does your horse have a weak topline?

Some horses just have conformation that promotes a weak topline. Whether your horse is swaybacked or loses his topline when he isn’t in training, a weak topline is never pretty. Luckily, there are three simple ways that you can help any horse build a stronger, better-looking topline.

#1: Build Your Horse’s Topline with Backing

When your horse walks backwards, he has to engage the muscles in his back and hindquarters, especially if he lowers his head while backing. Teaching your horse to back with his head down is a valuable time investment for two reasons:

1. It increases his topline

2. It puts him in a relaxed state because horses relax when their heads are low

At first, your horse may only want to back with his head up high. You may have to spend some time in the beginning teaching him to back with his head down low. Sometimes holding a treat down low can encourage your horse to drop his head.

I sometimes break the exercise into two pieces: dropping the head and backing. To teach my horse to lower his head, I crouch down low and gently tug on the lead rope. Most horses are curious enough to drop their heads and see what I’m doing. I reward that action with a treat. Next, I get teach him to lower his head while I’m standing up, again using a treat as a reward. Finally, I teach him to keep his head low while backing.

This may take several days, as some horses actually don’t know how to engage the correct muscles to back with their head low. At first, one of my horses could only take a step or two backward with his head in the correct position. It took several days before he could engage the correct muscles and back 10 steps or more.

Once your horse has learned to back with his head dropped, back him every day for 100 steps. This exercise will build the muscles in his topline, including his neck, back, and hindquarters. The results are actually surprisingly quick. You should see a difference in 2 weeks or so.

#2: Feed Your Horse on the Ground and Use Ground Toys

If you feed your horse in hanging bucket or manger, this may be contributing to his poor topline. To build a strong topline, horses need to stretch the muscles and ligaments in their topline. Feeding them on the ground will definitely help. In addition, consider using a ground toy that dispenses feed. There are a lot of options on the market, including the Nose-It, the Likit Snak-A-Ball, and the Amazing Graze toy.

These toys all roll around on the ground, which encourages your horse to keep his head down for long periods of time, thus stretching his topline muscles. When these muscles are stretched, they develop mass more easily.

I’ve used all three of the toys mentioned above, plus a few others that are no longer on the market. They work well because the slow dispensing of feed keeps your horse interested for longer than a non-food toy. It also keeps him engaged for longer than his normal hay or grain allotment.

One additional benefit is that having your horse stretch his topline is that this prevents his withers from “getting stuck,” which is the case in a lot of horses that are “built downhill.” They are not actually built that way, but their withers are stuck so they look downhill. Once their withers are released, they will have a more balanced-looking topline.

#3: Feed Raw Coconut Oil

This works well for horses who are fat all over except over their topline. For some reason, the calories from raw coconut oil go to a horse’s topline. Most horses that have this problem of being fat but having no topline have a Shao Yin personality type. These horses can be absolute pudges, yet look swaybacked and ewe-necked. So it’s coconut oil to the rescue. If you have this kind of horse, here are the three resources you need:

• Get raw coconut oil at your health food store or online
• Learn more about Shao Yin and other horse personality types at the Horse Harmony website
• Type your horse’s personality online for free at the Horse Harmony Test website if you are not sure about his type

For those of you out there with topline-challenged horses, I hope these recommendations help. They have certainly helped my two horses who have this issue, even during the winter, when they are not in training. Hope these tips help your horse, too!

Stephanie Yeh is a zen cowgirl obsessed about horses, healing, natural remedies, herbs, magic, MLM, and more. Check out natural horse care tips, ways to fund your horse obsession, natural health products, and more on her blog ( http://zencowgirl.blogspot.com ) and order XanGo mangosteen products on her website ( http://www.mangosteengood.com ).

Author: Stephanie H. Yeh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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