WHR Training Tips

Last update: June 22, 1996

A Basic Attention: Exercise 1

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An Alternate Exercise.

Again with you and your horse at full attention and awareness, stand close to his face. Place your thumbs on his nose a hand or so above his nostrils. Place two or three fingers of each hand on either side of his nose. Then, with a light push/release encourage him to step back. Release the pressure the instant that your horse makes ANY motion backward. The goal is to gain the movement backwards with the lightest of pressure.

These exercises are based upon the observation that a dominant horse makes other horses back. Since a horse perceives, remembers and reacts, he connects being made to back with being submissive. So , this exercise establishes you as the dominant one. As you have experienced, there is little force involved and NO abuse. Yet, the horse begins to relax, accept your authority, and becomes happier.

This improved attitude of the horse comes from the improved clarity of the relationship with his handler. He is happy and contented being dominant or submissive. It is the in between state that causes most of the problems of refusal and inattention. Due to the great mismatch of size and strength, it is best for the handler if the horse is submissive.

Be patient with your horse. He can and will learn this new relationship. Be patient with yourself. You can and will learn this new relationship. It takes time to learn the signals and their timing. Just to remind you, the horse learns on the RELEASE of signal. The sooner the release after any degree of proper response, the faster the learning.

I have used this method on many breeds: Arabs, Quarter Horses, Morgans, Walkers, Running Quarters, Appys, Paso Finos, and Peruvians. My experience is that in just a few sessions of such exercises along with the others, they have become relaxed, attentive and responsive. Their sullenest, stubbornness, and hyper-excitability become greatly diminished. They even seem to begin to smile.

Remember, keep your movements flowing, slow, and gentle. The only quick, sharp, or jerky movements should be to get attention.

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Start by calming the horse, then stand an arms length from his left shoulder. Have a single one foot loop of rope in you left hand. Place your right hand so that there is a foot or so of rope between hands. Hold the rope lightly with your right hand. The lead rope should sag almost to the ground. Now, place BOTH hands at diaphragm level against your chest. Face forward. Slip your right hand down the rope and give a clear attention signal by flicking the rope. Immediately return your right hand to its original position by slipping it up the rope. Immediately step forward and lean into the rope. Stamp your feet in the process. Make as loud a stamping noise as possible.

The horse will startle and resist at first. Keep leaning into the rope until the horse moves forward. The INSTANT the horse moves forward, stop leaning stop stamping, and simply move with the horse. Move forward ten steps or so and then change directions to the left. However, change directions sharply. Use a parade left turn. A parade left turn is executed by steeping forward on your right foot. Immediately as your right foot hits the ground, lift your left foot. then rotate your entire body a quarter turn to the left on the ball of your right foot. Step off with your left foot and continue forward. Keep your hands and lead rope as before and stamp your feet loudly. As your horse lightens, soften your movements and your stamping. Every two or three changes in direction, stop with a clear stamp, stamp, stamp. If the horse fails to stop, give an attention signal. If the horse tends to surge ahead of you, to a parade left turn to the rear. It will take a few tens of such maneuvers to convince your horse to follow lightly, but he will just as he will follow a dominant horse in the herd.

Still keep doing the first two exercises as warm-up. Stop exercise 3 when you get a significant improvement approaching the stated goal.

Caution: one common mistake is to hold the lead rope at a point rather close to the horse. Then, when attempting to lead and the horse balks, your arm is jerked back. This causes the signal to be "mushy." Keeping your hands close together and braced by your body causes the signal to be "crisp" and clear. The control is accomplished by communication and not by strength.

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First, the saddle should not interfere with either the shoulder or the loin. The best landmark is to discover the top end of the shoulder bone. Then move your hand back five inches or so until you feel a rather spongy triangular shaped muscle. The center of the saddle's pressure pad is to be placed in the center of that muscle. The front edge of the saddle should be at least an inch behind the top end to the shoulder bone. The back edge of the saddle and particularly the back pressure pads should be in front of the loin area. Excessive pressure on the loin area will interfere with proper use of the hind quarters. Excessive interference with the shoulder bone will interfere with proper head set and front leg action.

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(This is a low effort very safe mounting practice)

Left foot in left stirrup with weight on ball of foot. If you cannot lift your foot that high (I can't), you may lift your foot with your hand. Then, gather rein and main with the left hand. Balance yourself on the ball of your right foot facing the side of the horse. You should almost be setting on your left heel. Rest your right hand lightly on the back edge of the saddle seat. Then with a coordinated bounce on your right leg and a pull with your LEFT hand, propel yourself almost straight up. The moment your middle rises above the saddle, balance yourself over the horse. PAUSE! Move your right hand to the front of the saddle and gently lift your right leg and rotate yourself over the saddle. Lower yourself into the saddle. PAUSE! (DO NOT take your left hand off of the rein and main) Place your right foot in the right stirrup with the weight on the ball of the foot. Adjust the saddle so that it is centered. Adjust yourself so that you are centered. Sit deeeep in the saddle with a loooooong leg. Also, heels down and toes forward.

I know. It's well neigh impossible to get yourself in that position. Well here is how you do it. DO NOT rotate your feet, ankles, or knees to get your toes forward. The rotation is from the head of the femur. That's the top of your thigh bone that fits into your hip. Imagine that you can grab hold of it and rotate it forward. When you do, you rotate the flat part of your thigh onto the saddle and lock yourself in. No, you don't lock yourself in the saddle by squeezing. Its done by rotating your thighs into it. It will hurt, but ignore that. This is making CONTACT with your horse and your horse now knows there is a RIDER rather than a loose sack of beans.

Now focus on stretching your legs so that your heels are down. At the same time rotate your thighs into the saddle and relax your lower leg. I know. It's impossible. It took me two years to do it. But I have had polio and have arthritis and was in my 50's. Now, what's your excuse. It takes time. It can happen.

While you are doing the above, thrust your pelvis so that you are almost sitting on your tail bone. At the same time, keep your thighs rotated against the saddle. At the same time, keep your legs long and heels down. After a hundred hours or so in the saddle, this position will become comfortable.

The net result of all of this is a solid seat that is centered, and allows the giving of the subtle body and leg cues necessary for collection. Also the horse can bolt, spin, and crow hop and you will not be dislodged.

If you have not already guessed, the style of riding I teach is not the usual western rhinestone cowboy style. As I say to all of my students, remember all of the cowboy movies you have watched. Now forget them because the only thing they do "right" is stay on their horses. Every thing else is wrong. Especially for a Paso! This is 16th Century Spanish Dressage Style.

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Circle Exercise:

Using the bosal, exercise your horse in large circles (12 foot radius) at a flat walk. Balance yourself slightly to the outside by placing a little more weight in the outside stirrup and the outside seat. Gently suggest the horse turn his head inward by having a lose outside rein and little finger tugs on the inside rein. Practice the circle 3 times in one direction and 3 times the other direction. The goal is a round circle executed at a flat walk, with the horse neck and head slightly flexed inward and the nose slightly more inward. All without refusal and loss of impulsion.

Figure Eight Exercise:

Similar to the Circle Exercise but in a figure eight. Not a lazy eight but two touching circles. The horse should be traveling a right angles to the line between the centers of the two circles as it crosses it. Your weight and rein signal should shift to the other side as you cross that line.

Spiral Exercise:

Do the Circle Exercise as a slowly closing spiral and then opening spiral in both directions.

Combine the exercises:

Do the first three exercises in random sequence at increasingly higher speeds. All without attention to head set other than flexion of neck and head to the inside of the various circles.

What the above exercises accomplish is conditioning of all of the muscles and tendons along the top line by stretching them and relaxing them. This prepares the horse for collection training.

The Doubling Exercise:

First have your horse standing quietly. Then select a side to double -- say the right side. Move your right hand a foot or so down the right rein. Allow the left rein to go slack. Keep yourself centered or slightly shifted to the left. Then by gentle tugs encourage your horse to flex to the right until his nose touches your leg. Careful, this is not an exercise of strength. It is one of communication. The result will be a more complete stretching of the top line and an improved lightness of response to rein signals..

The flexion should be done for both the right and left -- several times. This exercise can be overdone. However, it is a good warm-up exercise for any workout session. Expect to take some time to achieve full flexion.

The next exercise is to do the spiraling circle at the same time you are asking the horse to double. The goal is to reach the center with the horse doubled and moving quite slowly. Then unwind the spiral and relax the double. Do this several times on both sides.

Such an exercise further stretches the top line and establishes still greater responsiveness and balance from your horse.

Expect to take a lot of time. I spent a total of ten years with my gelding ... birth to now. I am still refining him. It took three or four years of riding and training to get him to his current level. High collection, feather lightness on rein and leg signals, total control at any speed. It has been worth it!

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Since they are so sensitive, avoid quick movements around them. Move like its a ballet not a jitter-bug. Move soft, round, and fluid. They are very very sensitive to body language.

Since they have enormous energy, always lounge them before tacking and mounting. Lounge using a 10 to 15 foot 1 inch cotton rope. Work them on both sides until they start paying attention to you by gaiting and flexing their neck and nose toward you. A center pole is useful but not necessary. A pole does take some skill to use correctly. So, it may be better not to use one.

They can be rather quickly taught to stand like a statue while being mounting. It starts with establishing proper Attention, Respect, and Trust. Then teach them to ground tie. This training may take some time. As Pat Perelle says "Take the time it takes and it will take less time."

After that, teach them to stand no matter what kind of movement you make about them, or slapping the saddle, or flipping stirrups. Then make them stand while jumping up and down while holding rein and mane, while doing a partial mount (on BOTH sides), and while mounting and unmounting (on both sides). This method has worked in as little as a single five minute exercise to three or four ten minute workouts in as many days.

I have done this to all of my HOT..HOT..HOT horses and they STAND frozen until the rider mounts, gets in position, takes the reins, and gives the signal to go. But, it is most important to keep contact with the mane until you are ready for the horse to move.

There is another payoff for this kind of training. For example, several years ago, I was trail riding on my gelding. We were coming back from an eight mile ride in the hills. While riding up the last hill into the wind, a strong gust blew my white hat off. I caught my hat in my horse's full sight. Well, he thought he was being attacked and did he blow. I did a light check, grabbed mane, said HO, and relaxed. He immediately came down and froze. I dismounted and noticed he was shaking violently and was quite white eyed. It took walking him a half mile before he calmed down. The training very likely saved my neck or at least some broken bones and has done so several times since.

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"My question is, is she being disobedient or is there some other explanation for her behavior?"

I am reluctant to assign "disobedience" to the behavior you describe. The word "refusal" is more appropriate. Due to the circumstances they perceive, they refuse to respond to your command. The reasons are almost countless. It is your responsibility to determine those perceived circumstances and to take action to correct them. The use of punishment to overcome a refusal works, in the short run, but usually teaches your horse to fight and will increase the incidence of refusal. There IS a better way.

It is important to arrange all work with your horse so that you avoid such refusals and fights. This is not always possible, but it is an important goal to work toward. The result will be a very willing and responsive horse.

Case 1: she refuses to go downhill.

Issue: A young horse with little time under saddle

Such a horse has not had time to build the muscle and mental confidence to carry a rider through all situations. Going down hill, depending upon the hill, is a challenge to both horse and rider. Try traversing more gentle hills until your horse gains strength and confidence. Also, you must lighten your load on her forelegs. Keep your body aligned with gravity by leaning back as you go down hill and by leaning forward as you go up hill. Also, traverse a hill on a diagonal path. That will diminish the actual slope the horse experiences. Refusals should vanish.

Issue: A pregnant horse whose shape has changed

As you go with your horse down hill, your weight and the weight of the saddle shifts forward. Your horse's shape has changed and that could well result in an increased pressure on withers and shoulder muscles. The resultant pain and restriction of movement can and often will be the cause of the refusal. Your response should be as above. Imagine, walking for five miles with a tight backpack. Then when you start to climb down a hill, there is an increased pressure on your shoulders and intense pain near your sholder blades. Would you want to go down that hill?

Case 2: she refuses to cross a ditch.

Issue: A horse cannot see in three dimensions -- NO depth perception.

Issue: A horse cannot see color.

Look at that ditch with only one eye and use dark green sunglasses. Then tell me how deep that ditch is. Very likely, your horse is simply perceiving no bottom in the ditch. Why would she want to cross it. Her refusal is simple self preservation. Your response should be to find a more shallow path with less abrupt change in brightness.

Issue: A young horse with little time under saddle

As with going down hill, she has had insufficient time to develop the muscle strength and mental confidence to perform difficult tasks. A refusal is a sign to back off and try a less demanding path. That will teach your horse to trust that you will not require her to do what she cannot do. As she gains strength, confidence in herself, and confidence in you, the refusals will vanish.

Now, one can get "desired" behavior by the use of pain and harsh mechanical devices. One cannot, in that way, get the lightness, responsiveness, and eager willingness that is a delight to experience. In fact, it takes more time and effort to get such DEMANDED performance than by the use of more gentle and subtle methods. Take the time it takes, and it takes less time.

My article "Working with Horses" in my Web page Reading Room, outlines my version of the more gentle and subtle methods.

It is my belief that horses are simple reactive creatures much like a two year old child. They can learn, but cannot think. They can remember, but cannot draw a logical conclusion. They can communicate, but not by words. We humans have to be sensitive to their communication to understand what they are saying. When a horse refuses, he is saying that something is not quite right. It is our responsibility to figure out what that something is and to do something about it. It is not often that forcing your horse is a correct something to do.

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"What do I do when I stamp my feet and my horse just stands there saying 'Did you lose a screw?"

Stop. Stand back. Relax. Try something else.

Keep in mind that your horse has a two year old child mentality. What if you constantly said "No Sam" "No no Sam" " No Sam" "No no Sam"...? All at the same tone of voice -- endlessly. Well, Sam would ignore you. Your horse does too. He is not at all convinced that you are serious. That is the reason for giving the commands in an Attention, Respect, Trust cycle with modulated Request, Ask, REQUIRE intensity. That is also the reason for the various exercises and command signals.

We sometimes have the tendency to repeat something that was not successful. With horses, as with children, that doesn't work. If what you are doing is not working, DO SOMETHING ELSE! Keep doing something else until you find something that works. OOPS! Now I have exposed the secret behind my success. My whole process is based upon that idea along with paying attention to myself, my horses, and to the results or lack of them.

One reason for the difference between you and me, as a horse trainer, is that I have been applying the "something else" process for over 15 years to over a hundred different horses. I have discovered patterns of interactions that work and have developed mental models that help me to pick better "something else's" to do. The A.R.T. of Horsemanship is one such model. The first part of which is Attention, Respect, Trust. The second part is Advance, Retreat, Touch. But, more on that later. (Now, will this marketing ploy work? Some catchy phrases, a hook, and a not so subtle promise of more?)

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The major myth about headset is that one must PULL the head up. In addition to being wrong, it causes harm to the horse's body. The horse WILL pull his head up, but by use of the wrong muscle group. At the base of the neck about a hand in front of the withers, there is a muscle group that he can use to lift the upper part of his neck. After several months of such pulling, that muscle group becomes over developed (muscle-bound) and hard. The neck becomes stiff and euw shaped. The gait will usually become shortened and choppy. I have seen COUNTLESS horses with such problems. Not only Peruvian Paso but also Paso Fino and even other breeds.

First of all, "correct" head set is limited by the conformation of the horse. The axis of the neck CANNOT be much greater than a right angle to the shoulder bone. The axis of the head CANNOT be much less than a right angle to the axis of the neck. If it is, the horse is being required to use his neck improperly and the neck muscles will become stiff and unbalanced.

Secondly, "correct" head set should only be attempted AFTER adequate collection training. Collection is NOT head pulled up. In fact, during the initial stages of collection training, the neck is only slightly above horizontal and the nose may be quite extended. The goal is stretch the top line -- not lift the head. The head set will come.

Collection is drive from behind, rounded back, rider in full contact, horse intent on impulsion. Collection is achieved by leg pressure NOT by pulling on the reins. The horse should be driven into and onto the bit. The bit must not be pulled into the horse. Proper collection is one of the most difficult things to achieve AND one of the most difficult things to teach. That is because it is achieved by a complex balance of timing, force, weight, signals, and the like. That balance changes from moment to moment and must be automatically adjusted. If you have to think about it, it is too late.

Too much collection will force the horse into the pace. Too little will allow the trot. Balance too far back will force a pace. Balance too far forward will allow the trot. Balance off center will cause hitching of all types.

Once you and the horse achieve sustained and proper collection with the head extended, then and ONLY then lightly request the horse to lift his head and neck. At the SAME time, increase your leg signal. The intent is to teach the horse that the leg signal means raise the head and neck. Then when the neck is up, butterfly the reins. Lightly -- ever so lightly. The response should be nose tuck. You should be able to get five to ten degrees of nose tuck. Keep the lightest pressure on the reins that keeps the nose tuck in the middle of its range. Hold your hands steady and the horse should keep its head still. Move your hands and arms, the horse will bob his head.

The achievement of correct collection and headset takes TIME. The horse's mind AND body must be conditioned to achieve and maintain it. Expect to take six months to do it from scratch. If your horse has been properly trained, it is YOU that needs the mind and body conditioning. If not, you both need it. Do not expect your horse to sustain full collection and head set for long periods of time, at first. A few minutes at full collection and at least twice that amount of time at a relaxed flat walk. Later, extend the time. The whole body and mind of both horse AND rider are involved in the process of collection. That's a lot of WORK!

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On "Slowing and Stopping"

"I decided after four and a half months of not riding I couldn't stand it anymore and the time had come. I re-read Lionell's advice on conditioning an out-of-condition horse and formulated a plan. We would walk for ten minutes, gait for five and walk ten minutes home. We did a little bit of Lionell's A.R.T., and I mounted up."

"And we were OFF. She must have be doing a flat out Sobreandando. I pulled her to a stop. At this point she was doing a lot of head tossing and foot stamping. We were having a full blown argument over whether or not we were going to stand there, so I made her do some circles. Then we stood still for about ten seconds. Then I asked her to walk. And we were OFF, again. I pulled her to a stop, we argued, she did some more circles and then she stood. I asked her once again to walk on and we were OFF again! You get the picture."

"Finally I realized I was enjoying the speed and having a really good time. She's so smooth, I hadn't ridden her for so long and it was so much fun that I let her go."

"We gaited for about fifteen minutes before we stopped. I asked her to walk but she didn't like that idea so I got off, the only way I was going to get her to walk home. We walked the last ten minutes home with no more arguments. Darned if she didn't even break a sweat."

"All in all the ride was fun and she was pretty good about being separated from her buddy, although I think that's why she was in such a hurry. I plan to try again tomorrow. Although I'd like to do part of the ride at a walk. Any helpful hints would be appreciated."

Hmmm. Sounds like a typical *Piloto horse. They have no IDEA what slow means. My *Piloto daughter La Opera was very much that way. In my first two years of riding her, we probably went 20 feet at the walk. A ride on her was either stop or full speed ahead. Now, at the age of 14, she will walk on command and baby sit novice riders.

Also, they usually keep themselves in rather good condition -- even in a small pen. My advice was extra cautious and intended for the really out of condition horse. But, be warned, a high brio horse will drive beyond its body and condition. YOU have to set the limits.

The point of judgment is how fast her breathing returns to normal. If it takes less than two minutes, then OK. Have a blast! Ride her as she wants to be ridden. (As if you had a choice.) Breaking a sweat is a minor issue. That usually comes from being excited or nervous.

Also, consider this, you were telling her to go fast. You did not know it, but your body language said YES! Very likely you were excited about your first ride in many months. You were leaning forward in anticipation. You were holding her with your legs more tightly against her than normal. RELAX. Lean back a little. She will slow down. Talk to her with your hands. Butterfly your reins -- a gentle pull and release. When she slows. Hold steady for a while. Then ask her again to go slower.

It can be done. She just has to be taught that she CAN walk on command.

The first step is to work off the top of her energy.

Warm her carefully (as carefully as she will permit). Lounging will help. Then work her in large circles to get her attention. Move to figure eight's and serpentines. Make the figures rather large.

All the while, talk to her with your body. Do half sit-stops. If she slows down. Complete the sit-stop. If she doesn't, go back to the riding position and do the half sit-stop again.

A sit-stop is a command that is hardly ever taught riders. It is a complex and subtle command. To my knowledge, it is a command given to gaited horses only. Especially Peruvian Pasos and Paso Finos.

A sit-stop STARTS with the horse and rider in collected riding posture. The rider lifts himself off the saddle -- ever so slightly. Then sits deeply in the saddle, leans back slightly, relaxes thigh pressure and, AT THE SAME TIME, gently pulls the reins. The INSTANT the horse stops, ALL is relaxed. When done correctly and with correct timing, the horse can be stopped on a dime without spectators seeing much, if any, command.

To teach the sit-stop, the command must be exaggerated in the beginning. As the horse responds, the command can be made more subtle.

A half-sit-stop is just that, all signals are half of what the horse will normally stop in response to. The horse will slow down rather than stop. When they finally "get it", they will drop into a flat walk, drop their head, and relax collection -- ON COMMAND!

A sit-stop like many of the other command patterns we must learn and teach, takes time to learn and TIMING is almost everything. The difference between the novice and the expert, is that the expert has taught his body the correct timing. The novice has to think about it. If you have to think about it, you can't do it. Quite a catch 22.

Such a command is tough to teach with horse, rider, and instructor in the same place. We are over a 1000 miles apart and I can only use words. Good luck.

A follow up comment:

"As she is only 4 years old, and had only been ridden lightly for a few months last year, she and I had not practiced sit-stops. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea how to do a sit-stop until Lionell explained it. So yesterday we went out for an hour long ride and practiced sit-stops. Probably about 50 of them as she was in a hurry, as usual. Today we went out again and I only had to do about 6 sit-stops at the very beginning of our ride and darned if she didn't slow down to a WALK! Any time she got going a little to fast I would do a half sit-stop and she would slow down. These horses are so smart it's scary sometimes. With beauty, intelligence, brio, and a comfortable ride, why would anyone want to own any other breed? I should mention that before I went out today I gave my three year old daughter a five minute ride around the pen, and at no time did my mare give me reason for concern. I LOVE my horse!!!"

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To be Continued.

© Copyright 1996 - All Rights Reserved - Lionell K. Griffith