Staying Safe/On The Ground

Here goes. This is where I've been heading with the last several posts.
The accidents have rattled me. I want to share what I feel a horse needs as a base on the ground. This leads to my feeling safe in the saddle. If I don't feel safe, I spend too much time worrying about my impending doom, and am not fair in how I approach my training.
Each step on the ground adds to the horse accepting me crawling around on his back.
Keep in mind, my goal is to ride them.
If I have a horse that handles well, and gives me the right vibes, I'll get on in a day or two. Sometimes it takes weeks.

I want to share the goals and expectations I have, in order to feel relatively safe with the horse I want to ride.
I'll tell you how I get there, but that's just my way of doing things. I have no problem with how you accomplish these tasks. It's accomplishing the tasks themselves that leads to a safe horse.
By the way, we have completely restarted Neil from scratch. We found that she was fast tracked to get her sold. She has huge holes in her training. She also has problems being ridden when she cycles. But I digress.

My sample horse is a 2 year old Hanovarian stud.
Bruce is his owner. Bruce is a little over 6 feet tall. As you can see, the colt is a beast. Fobby is pretty fancy. He has a brand that he had to pass a test to get.
Can you imagine?
"Oh Louise, you got an A on your Math test, let me burn this big old brand into your hip. Congratulations!"
Sounds like a Catholic school awards ceremony to me.
I guess you can tell I don't know much about the dressage world.
I wasn't hired to work this colt for my dressage knowledge.

"When we've gone to watch the reining and cowhorse events, we noticed that almost everybody rides a stud." Bruce said.
"There are more studs than brains." I agreed.
"My point is, they all just stand around behaving themselves."
"That's true."
"At the last dressage show we went to, we knew a stud was going to be shown when this woman came plowing by us screaming, Get out of the way!!!! This is a stallion!!! Get out of the way!!!"
"Sounds attractive." I replied.
"We want our stud to behave like cowhorse studs."
There's a reason I like these people.
Fobby is already well over 16 hands. He's as ugly as a mule, even though I've been told by his owners that he's gorgeous. Bruce's daughter is an assistant trainer at a pretty ritzy dressage barn in Washington. This is going to be her dream horse in a few more years.
Her parents get to play with him until she can start him.
The good part is that they haven't ruined him. He was getting big enough and aggresive enough to start freaking them out, so they called me. Smart folks.

He's a good example of what I do when I'm being thorough on the ground. Bruce is doing the training, I'm just showing him how.
I start by explaining how I behave around a horse.
First off. I never pet a stud below the eyes.
I will rub his ears, I will pet his neck. I'm big on scratching a horse on the withers. I only touch a stud below his eyes when I need to handle his head, bit him, halter him, etc.
Studs bite to play, bite to initiate sex, and bite to fight. I am not interested in participating in any of those activities.
I make it clear to a stud that I'm not going to handle his face unless I need it for a specific purpose. Therefore he can keep his big goobery face away from me, always.
It saves a lot of stress on the stud if I keep it that simple.
This works on all mouthy horses, by the way.

Second. I never hand feed treats. Ever.
Watch a herd of horses. The only horse that walks away and gives up his feed is the one that everybody can beat up.
A horse will sometimes choose to leave it's feed. Usually to go take someone elses. Then another horse can go and eat the food that was left.
Sometimes they will share. That's so sweet. I don't share.
In my mind, feeding cookies is like saying, "Here I am, come take my food! I'm just a wimp you can push around, really, just shove you're big old head at me and grab that carrot."
The most dangerous horses I've ever worked are the ones that looked at people as nothing but animated bags of feed.
I also understand that you can teach them to be nice about treats. It just seems like a lot of extra work to me, work that could be applied to something constructive.

Third I have an invisible circle around me. It's called personal space. My horses can't cross it. Ever.
I can break it if I choose.
That means they can't rub on me. C'mon people, how disrespectful do you want them to be. We are not trees!
With studs, that circle is pretty big.

Fourth. I will touch them all over, whenever I feel like it. I mean everywhere. My horses are not allowed to have personal space. That may seem contradictory to my second step. But I handle their faces when I need to. Which leads into my next rule.

KISS. Keep it simple stupid.
Especially for studs, but it helps all horses.
Studs are essentially 13 year old boys trapped in an 1100 lb. body. They are horny, hungry, horny, tired, horny, confused, and horny. They are easier to freak out than mares and geldings, they are way more insecure. They are quicker to anger.
So take it easy on them. Don't muddy the waters.

Fobby started out as a nippy, playful, pushy little brat. Not too bad, but lots of spastic jumping around, and some border line aggresive nipping.
The first day I had Bruce declare his personal space. It took a crop, and a lot of horrified screaming and rearing from Fobby to get the point across.
I had Bruce teach him to back away and stand politely in the corner of his pen until Bruce approached him to put on his halter.
Fobby could leave, and run to his pasture any time he wanted. It's important to give a horse plenty of room to get away from you when you're whacking him on the chest with a crop. I would have Bruce wait until he came back, and we'd start again. Fobby always came back, because he really wanted to play. It took about twenty minutes to get him to stand without shoving or nipping.
Then I had Bruce show me how he led him.
Fobby would charge and buck and roar around like a wild burro. He would rear and strike and buck. None of this was aggressive. He just figured being led was playtime.
Bruce was hanging on his head, with a stud chain wrapped around his nose. It was ugly.

The first thing we did was reiterate the personal space. I had Bruce crack him back pretty aggressively, until Fobby didn't think he was at summer camp any more.
When Bruce had his attention, I let them both air up.
Bruce is really good at letting go of any anger, and started back with a clean slate. Which is vital.
Fobby would stand, but pretty soon his attention would wander, and he would start looking around. I simply had Bruce pull his head back to him, every time.

"You'll do this for the rest of his life. Let him look, and then bring his attention back to you within two or three seconds. Always let him look. As time goes on you'll feel his attention leave you, give him a little twitch of a rein, and he'll come back. (Good example of learning feel) For now, you'll do whatever it takes to refocus him, and then let him go."

Then we tried leading again.
"Leading is about you, the horse's feet, and where you want them to be. Not the lead rope." I said. "His feet need to go where you want them, because you said so, not because you've got a stud chain and a death grip."
So I had Bruce let out a bunch of slack, and walk off with authority.
Of course Fobby took off past him, blowing and squirreling around.
When Fobby hit the end of the slack, I had Bruce set his heels, and flop him around like a fish. He still had his chain in place, so it was pretty effective. Then Fobby got jerked around again.
As soon as Fobby was looking at Bruce in absolute horror, I had him walk off again. This time Fobby dug in and refused to go. So I helped him change his mind with a pop of my lead rope.
He charged past Bruce, and they went at it again.

I need to make two points here. First, I would prefer to not be doing this with a stud chain. But that is what both Fobby and Bruce are used to. Bruce had to feel safe enough to work the horse, and the only authority Fobby recognised was the chain. Eventually, we will shift to a rope halter, and then, a standard leather halter. But not until it's safe for both of them.
Second, I have a little exercise for you. You need to do this with a friend. Take a lead rope. Each of you grab on with about a foot of rope between you. Now brace your feet and tell your friend to move you. You will get about jerked off your feet when they go to pulling. Now play out 6 feet or so of lead rope. Brace yourself, and tell your friend to try to pull you off balance. They won't be able to do it.
That's why I keep my lead rope loose.
When Fobby follows Bruce like he should, he can hold the rope wherever he wants.

I will let a horse walk about where they want, as long as I can see them out of the corner of my eye, they don't cross a line past my shoulder, and they don't pull on me, the tiniest little bit.
You have to react hard and strong if they break any of those rules. Leave it up to them to find out where you want them, and stay there. As time goes on, you'll be able to feel them shifting, and correct them with a twitch of the rope. (another way of developing feel)
Once Fobby was getting the idea, I had Bruce start changing direction, stopping and starting, whatever he could come up with.

Fobby was following him like a border collie on a cow when they were done. He was also relaxed, calm, and happy. Bruce felt confident, and safe.
That was the end of our first session.
I told Bruce to practice, and I'd see him the next week.
I hope you can see all the slack in the lead rope in this picture.


I was pleased to see that Bruce and Fobby could lead all over, on a loose rope, the next time I came out. His nipping was about gone, because nobody was touching his face. If he nipped, he was breaking into Bruce's personal space, a boundary Fobby understood. So there was no question in his mind what rule was being broken.

We moved on to fly spray. I now have great respect for well bred Hanovarians. That colt is the most flexible beast I have ever seen. When he kicks at a fly, he easily reaches the midpoint of his shoulder with his hind foot. In the blink of an eye
Without intent, he could take off Bruce's head. Add that to the fact that he is extremely gangly, and has no control of his limbs, and we were looking at a potential train wreck.
"Fobby doesn't do fly spray." Bruce told me.
"Not yet." I replied.
We filled a spray bottle with water and began. I had Bruce walk up to the colt and begin spraying his lower legs, the sprayer in one hand, and the lead rope in the other. Of course Fobby jumped, and bucked, and snorted, trying to get away. Because Fobby knew to keep the rope slack, and to honor Bruce's personal space, he didn't drag or pull. He just did some incredibly acrobatic maneuvers trying to stay out of spray range.
I had Bruce keep spraying until Fobby paused, and then he'd quit. After a short breather Bruce would start again. It took awhile, but two bottles of water later, Bruce got the fly spray on, while Fobby stood quietly.
Bruce was really tired, so we didn't start to longe until the next week. Fobby was fine.

Because I'm evil minded, I wanted Bruce to longe Fobby in the open. So we longed in the pasture, with various horses wandering through. Bwah ha ha ha. I want both of them to understand that Fobby is to do what Bruce wants. Getting rid of a fence helps keep it clear,
and builds on the colts respect for Bruce, space he chooses to maintain, and the behavior he demands. KISS.

Of course Fobby was sure what I really meant was that we would have a free-for-all and drag Bruce all over creation.
I would have Bruce pull him into him, regain control, and send him out again.
Every time Fobby bolted, drug him into the trees, or whatever, Bruce would pull him to him, and start again.
Eventually Fobby was blowing around in a wild ass circle.
Every time Fobby pulled on Bruce at all, I would have him pull his face towards him, slow the motion and then release him forward again. This took awhile, because Bruce was juggling Fobby dragging him towards a wandering mare, a longe whip, and lots of line. Eventually they figured it out and things got smoother.

Bruce finally collapsed and lay on the ground wheezing. Fobby was standing near by, respecting his space.
"Keep up the good work! I'll see you next week!" I headed for home.

The next week I was really impressed with their progress. Fobby was sprayed, and longing beautifully. He doesn't have the walk, trot, canter commands yet, I really don't care. What I needed to see, and did, was him quietly loping around Bruce on a relaxed line. No pulling. It was relaxed, well behaved, and safe. KISS
Now we had to begin physically handling Fobby. He doesn't want his feet touched. He doesn't like having his fly sheet taken on and off.
Because he is so freaking limber, we began by teaching him to stand with both near legs quiet, whichever side we are on.
That's pretty easy to do. I had Bruce take his tail and pull it towards him while holding his head.
When Fobbly would drop his weight into his legs he would release.

It didn't take Fobby long to pick that one up. Now Bruce can just touch his tail and he'll be still.
Next I wanted Fobby to move whatever body part Bruce chose away from him. when he touches that part.
I had Bruce place his hand on his face and push his nose to his chest. We taught him to back away from the pressure. This was easy, because that concept had been started on the first day when he was taught not to crowd, and followed through with every exercise after.
Then I had Bruce take his face, and push his hip away.
I always had him start with a touch, follow with a tap, and then make it happen.

After he could point, and Fobby moved from his hand, I had Bruce do the same with his rib cage, and shoulder.
I am compulsive about shoulder control.
I pay more attention to where my horse's shoulder is leaning than any other part.
Ray Hunt will tell you to get the feet, then you'll have the head. I agree 100%.
I also think if you control the shoulder, you have the feet.
After you get your horse guiding freely and easily this way, start watching how moving the feet effects the shoulders. If the right front foot stalls out, look to see where the shoulder is.


After awhile you will start to anticipate resistance by where the shoulder is. (Another good way to develop feel)

At this point in time, Bruce is beginning to work with Fobby's feet. Because his kick and strike range is way beyond your average bear, we started with a rope.
I had Bruce pick up each foot with a soft cotten rope looped around his pastern. As Fobby kicked and pulled, Bruce simply held on until he relaxed. Then he set the foot down. Once again, space is clearly understood, keeping the lead rope loose is the norm, and Fobby trusts that we aren't going to hurt him. We were handling all four feet within 30 minutes.
This young horse has come a long way. We have a ways to go, but I'm not worried, or in a hurry.
I've had Bruce build up the rules one by one. We kept the lessons simple, and made sure each one was clear in everybody's mind before we moved on.
Fobby is learning to be mannerly and calm.
He will have these lessons carefully instilled and built on, each new session relating to the one before, until muscle memory will make good behavior an automatic response.
Bruce will have practiced each maneuver until Fobby's responses are second nature to him
also.
So this is how I build feel, and a sense of safety in my horses and students.
Neither have to be a natural. Repetition helps build response, the correct response develops feel. If everybody stays focused, I'm sure we'll have the dressage stud behaving like a cowhorse stud long before his intensive training begins.
As always, this stuff is a combination of what I've learned from other trainers, reading a lot, riding a lot, and most of all, thinking.
I hope my spelling is OK, the stinking spell-check wouldn't work.
Now I'm going to go play for awhile.