Friday, December 7, 2007

Deserving Respect

Just when I desperately needed to decrease my horsey responsibilities, while my knee rehabs from surgery, what did I do? I added another horse. I tried to talk myself out of it, but the owner threatened to take him to an auction and I couldn't stand that. I did hestitate, waited a number of weeks, hoping she would find a different home for him, but when push comes to shove, I'm probably just a sucker. At any rate, I have a soft spot in my heart for Curlies that haven't been raised well. They are normally such nice horses, so to see one troubled and acting out really gets to me.

So, I now have a new gelding that is a bit pushy, needing some clarity about boundaries and with some dental issues (so I won't ride him until those are resolved) and also with a touch of fear in him. A fearful bully is the worst kind of bully, in my book.

My feeling is that boundary issues comes from humans that don't have a clear idea of what messages they are sending to their horse. If people vacillate between body language of fear and aggression, the horse has no idea how he is supposed to behave, the messages are mixed and confusing. If the message is predominately one of fear, then the horse learns he can push and get relief from whatever is happening at the moment. If the predominate message is one of aggression from the human, he learns escape is the best behavior to cope, and sometimes this takes the form of panic. Those that get mixed messages often behave very unpredicatably.

So, I finally found a good DVD (Chris Irwin's In Hand DVD), that actually shows how subtle communication works between humans and horses. It's one of a series, and I suspect the entire series is worth watching.

This particular video shows how a horse can interpret the most subtle movements of humans. Meanwhile, most humans clamor around like a bull in a China Shop with no idea what messages they are sending. Worse even still is the expectation that the horse ignores these conflicting messages and doesn't react to them. But they are not tractors, they are living, breathing beings with the psyche of a prey animals. Their survival in the wild depends upon noticing subtle movements and shifts, yet humans often treat them as if their natural reactions are inappropriate behavior.

I watched this DVD a few weeks ago, and my first thought was that if the past owners of my troubled Curlies understood even the basics of Chris' body languge teachings, these horses never would have ended up troubled in the first place.

I find myself in the interesting postion, having viewed so many videos and DVDs, including Natural Horsemanship (all the more popular flavors and some less popular ones) plus dressage & sport horse training videos galore. And what has been lacking in each of them is this understanding of body language with the clarity that Chris demonstrates.

One reason why Chris appeals to me is because his goal is to work with a horse and avoid inversion of the frame, which the popular NH trainers do not do. Chris' goal is to avoid inversion in the first place, and keeping the horse relaxed and cooperative. What Chris shows in the DVD is that horse CAN react positively to the physcial message Chris gives them, and they then choose cooperate with Chris without inverting, or going spastic or right-brained, whatever the NH guys want to call it. What these horses choose to do is to accept Chris as the leader and follow respectfully.

It seems so clear to me that avoiding these times of disconnect by clear communication is so far superior to pushing the horse into inversion and a bit of hysteria and then having to reel it back in. What did that prove to the horse other than we aren't speaking his language and perhaps don't deserve to be their leader since we not only allow them to panic but push them into it?

One of the most thought provoking moments on Chris' DVD was a comment he made about "teaching the horse who's boss". I've always gotten chills of disgust when I hear those very words come out of the mouths of local horse people because it normally means "teach the horse he must be subservient and obedient to humans via a heavy hand". But in Chris' world, it means teach the horse that humans can/will be a good leader, offer the horse safety when he's scared, guidance by a positive example of strength & leadership and all without any form of punishment.

The beauty of this DVD is that Chris shows clearly how a tiny shift in his body causes a reaction from the horse he is dealing with. And his example horses are unfamiliar to him, not ones he's already "fixed". It's these tiny shifts that we need to understand and learn to use to our advantage. Even if our horses aren't a problem, I'm sure they would appreciate good, strong leadership from their people.

We don't need to punish our horses to get the behavior we need, but we do need to learn to be the leader they can respect in order for them to offer us respect. This isn't rocket science, but so few people who own horses really have a clear understanding of body language and how horses see us. And we don't deserve respect JUST because we are human. We must earn it. Chris finally has a DVD series that shows just that.

Every movment is a message to our horses. I think we owe it to them to understand what message we are sending their way!

Anyone interested in Chris' DVD series can find them at www.foresthorse.com (US web store) or on Chris's web site, www.chrisirwin.com (Canadian web store).

Friday, August 3, 2007

Making commitments

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately - one of the topics, of course, has been Hannah, and how she came to the mental outlook that she has regarding people. I found out some information recently that explained the aggression that I've seen pop up from time to time. She hasn't shown a LOT of aggression, but I've heard horror stories of more in her past, so her potential for Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde has been something I've thought a lot about. Why she's that way, if horses that are mistreated can ever REALLY forgive us humans for our poor behavior. And I've thought a lot about trying to see things from her viewpoint, although that's probably speculation at best.


And recently I've had a LOT of time TO think. About 10 days ago, in a freakish accident, I crushed the outside of my right knee and found myself in the hospital having my knee reconstructed with metal and grafting materials.


It was stupid, I blame myself, I wasn't really concentrating, I thought about not riding at all that morning, maybe I should have listened to that inner voice! But Hannah had just had a chiropractic adjustment the day before and I felt it was important to get her out and work her stretched long and low, at least for 20-30 minutes, to help her adjust to being back in alignment. So, I talked myself into tacking up, it was brisk for the SE in July, abnormally brisk. I'm not sure why, maybe Hannah just felt different because she had just been adjusted, maybe it was the cooler temps, maybe something else entirely, but she shied and as I was in the rising phase of posting trot and she was stretched down, there was little holding me in the saddle. I knew I was going to come off. I thought it would be more embarrassing than anything else. I figured this would be one of those silly "emergency dismounts", I'd swing down on my feet and that would be the end of that. I did manage to land on my left leg without incident, but when the right swung down, I hit the ground hard with the inside of my right foot and bent my knee out to the side. I heard it crack and the pain was intense enough that I hung on to Hannah's neck wondering if I was going to pass out. I didn't pass out, and for some reason, I was sure it wasn't broken.


I found myself standing in my riding arena, hanging on to Hannah's neck, with my right knee collapsing if I tried to put any weight on it. I was at least 500 feet from the barn, and 4 times that distance from a phone and no one was home but me. All the horses were in stalls but Hannah. So, I did the only thing I could think of in my shocky state which was to use Hannah as a crutch. She stood like a rock next to me, didn't move away or try to face me, which would have left me in the dirt. She just let me stand at her shoulder with my right arm over her neck. And when I asked her to take a step, she moved one foot and stopped, and waited until I asked her to step again. One step at a time, she helped me back to the barn, where I had a folding stool I could use as a crutch. She let me take off her tack and turn her out with her foal, Rae. When I untacked her and set her free, she turned to look at me with an expression like she wasn't sure I was OK... Should she leave me there or not?


I think back on this and I'm filled with awe for this horse. I have had horses for 40 years and in that time, I don't think I can name one that I think would have been so calm in a crisis or so intuitive about what was the right thing to do. Maybe this is just her nature? Maybe, maybe not. But every horse I've ever had would have shied and wouldn't have immediately stopped if I came off, they would have continued in their own world of what frightened them for long enough to topple me with a shattered knee standing on one leg with my head swimming. Even a step or two would have been enough to leave me in the dirt. But she must have stopped immediately. Beyond that, I don't think I've had a horse that would be so deliberate in taking one step at a time and not leave me behind. And I've had a number of them that if I leaned on their neck like I did with Hannah, they would have reacted in some way. Maybe moved away from the pressure, or something. Anything other than standing like a rock was too much movement for me that day. Just about anything she did could have left me in a crumpled mass, crawling back to the barn, dragging my bumb knee. Yet I stayed upright. And she patiently helped me get back to the barn.


And somehow, when it happened, I knew I was going to get back to the barn, and I trusted that Hannah would be there for me. Don't ask me how I knew that, I just did. How did she know what I wanted when I've never asked her to let me lean on her and hop along before? I'm constantly amazed by this horse. Can we ever really know what we are made of (or our animals) until we face a crisis? If you had asked me what she would have done, I never would have predicted she would be so dedicated to stay with me when she certainly didn't HAVE to.

Is this all a big accident that she did exactly the right thing when I asked her to? Or was this her way of showing me that her heart is bigger than most humans that have owned her in the past? Or something in between? For now, I'm trying to recover what I'm being told is a slow to heal injury, that could have me off my feet completely for up to 12 weeks. Hannah's back out in the pasture, being a Mom, her dressage career once again, on hold. But I'm still in awe of her, I see her flaws clearly, she's not the prettiest, best moving mare on the planet. But could I really ask for more from a horse than she's already given me? Seriously.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Building Foundations

I've been thinking a lot about foundations. Not just dressage basics and how to create a relaxed horse who is willing to try for their human... but also other foundations too.

It's logical to me that if a horse's feet are not in balance, everything else would be compromised to some degree. When Hannah first came to Dances With Hooves, she landed toe first with each foot fall. That has been corrected, but I'm not convinced that her foot is in complete balance still... so to that end, I've found a barefoot trimmer that will trim for me. I want to give Hannah the best possible opportunity to see what she can do. In order to do that, I feel her foundation needs to be solid and correct.

Beyond her feet, I also feel a chiropractic adjustment is in order, because often foaling can cause a misalignment in the spine, just due to the process of foaling. I don't see evidence of any particular pain, but I can feel a difference in the quality of canter, left and right lead. I want to rule out misalignment because if that's the problem, all the training in the world isn't going to fix it!

There are so many other components to a good foundation. The proper saddle fit, proper bit shape and fit & dental care When I think about it, all the training in the world is pointless if the foundation isn't solid.

Beyond all of the physical components, I think there is also an emotional component. I believe we (humans) have the obligation to create a safe environment for our horse during training. An environment where they can learn with minimal stress and confusion. Feeling safe means feeling it's ok to make mistakes. No one, not horse or human, can enjoy learning if making a mistake means punishement will follow.

The truth is that optimal learning will not take place without a bit of emotional nurturing. I was recently sickened by a video on YouTube, showing a horse's leg tied up while the "trainer" (I use that term very loosely in this case) mounted and forced the horse to canter around a pen on 3 legs. I see no earthly reason for such inexcusable human behavior. It is our job as the human to lead with kindness and train without brutality. Regardless of the reason for such methods, if the horse had been started with a good foundation, felt emotionally, mentally and physically prepared for every step in training, such horrible methods would never have been necessary in the first place.

I know Hannah's past had it's rocky moments, and she learned some very negative behaviors on order to cope with humans. I wonder once a poor foundation is established, is it possible to completely rebuild it and undo any damage done? I imagine it depends upon how much damange and how forgiving the horse.
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Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Getting Back to Dressage


I've always kept a training journal, so it was a tiny step to move from that to a blog. This Blog will be focused on training my Curlies, although it may deviate to other topics now and then.

First, I've made a huge (for me) decision to move away from breeding this year. Hannah has been on Maternity Leave and it felt SO GREAT to get back in the saddle again. I love the babies, but my heart is really with training and dressage.

I also have come to see that if I can give anything to horses, it is be taking horses like Hannah who have been treated less than ideally and show her that humans aren't so bad. Seeing her work with me and try so hard to get what I'm asking for just makes me day every time I ride her. She's come so far, she started out as a sometimes aggressive & emotionally distant horse who bit me that first time I tried to clean out a front hoof. Over time and with the diligent use of operant conditioning (clicker training) she has morphed into a soft and supple riding horse, schooling some second level dressage movements.

My focus with Hannah is always keeping her soft, relaxed and supple as the top priority. I've learned over the years that if I lose sight of the horse's back - keeping it soft and swinging, then I have no foundation for any other training. Yes, I can train "tricks" without a soft and supple back, but they will not be correctly executed from a "classical dressage" perspective.

Sometimes, regardless of what I have in my training sights for the day, I have to drop back and focus purely on the basics to ensure that Hannah is properly stretched over her topline, soft and light, and in self carriage.

So far, without going into too much detail, I am thrilled with our progress since putting Hannah back to work. She has picked up canter from the walk like it was child's play. Her lateral work is becoming quite good, and we set up the video camera every weekend so that I can verify that it looks as good as it feels. We've started schooling shoulder-in to a few steps of lengthening, and once again, I'm impressed by how fast she caught on to this new 'ask' of mine. Every try showed improvement and what more could I really ask for?

This mare is amazing. She comes with her how challenges, most notably an apparently negative past that has her a bit prickly with humans on occasion. But if I keep my expectations clear, she's more than willing to give as much as she can give. I had a wonderful chestnut mare named Holly, when I was a child, never marish and an amazing athlete. Since that time, I've always favored male horses, but Hannah brings back thoughts of Holly. There is nothing more amazing than a mare that gives you her heart and soul in her work.