WILLIAM MICKLEM - HELP NOT HINDER Part 8

Difficult horses or difficult riders?

We all remember that classic line in the book The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans . Annie asks Tom Booker, I've heard you help people with horse problems. Replies Tom, Truth is, I help horses with people problems. Despite others trying to jump on this bandwagon The Horse Whisperer was actually modelled on that extraordinary western trainer Buck Brannaman, who I enjoyed watching for three days last year in Montana and is pictured here:

Evans himself said, "Others have claimed to be the inspiration for Tom Booker in The Horse Whisperer. The one who truly inspired me was Buck Brannaman. His skill, understanding and his gentle, loving heart have parted the clouds for countless troubled creatures. "The other line I loved from the book was I deal with nuts and bolts horsesthe riders nuts, the horses bolt. Both of these quotes put the onus on the humans involved to be a little more helpful to their horses.

WHEN EGOS LEAD US ASTRAY

Getting on horses and riding them away when they are immature babies is almost certainly not helpful to their physical development. Some trainers definitely have an ego problem and want to win approval by showing how they can sit on wild horses within half an hour. But heres the truth, this has little to do with real horsemanship. It has never been difficult to get on most young horses backs, as long as they havent been previously frightened or angered.

When times were hard my Father would go to the local horse sale, buy an unbroken hairy youngster in the morning, take them back to the lorry, clip the horse with an old hand turn clippers, trim and handle the horse for a couple of hours, introduce the tack and then put them back through the ring at the end of the day, complete with rider! His method, which he had learnt from Argentine polo players in the 1940s was basically the same as Monty Roberts.

But he never made a big thing of this because he knew very well that the real skill was in developing a horse mentally and physically, in the long term, to form a partnership that performed at a high level in one equine activity or another. He also knew very well that if one is interested in high level performance and the comfort of the horse that there is little point riding them unless they come through in their backs. So to make such a circus out of simply getting on a horses back was something he would never do.

LUNGEING/LOOSING AND GOOD COMMUNICATION

A great vehicle for both getting your young horses through in the back and for good communication is lungeing. Many just lunge for exercise and do not develop their skills in this area, but what a fantastic way of turning your average disconnected horse into something of beauty and efficiency. It is well worth learning how to lunge well and in the process to become more ambidextrous.which if improved can only do your riding good as well.

I also loose my horses because it is a great way to teach them about the use of the voice (and for your horses to express themselves more freely. There is nothing wrong with a kick and a buck when they are loosedit is simply a sign of their well being.) Lungeing can open a door to two way communication, that in turn can produce a sea change in their attitude.for the better, as they become more calm and confident.

So the use of the voice is a very important part of an aid system, particularly to begin. Not chattering but a small number of soundsgetting lower and softer to slow down, higher and sharper to go forwards and a separate sound for praise. Of course a horse can learn all sorts of sound cues in the same way as they learn all sorts of leg and rein aids. For example it is fascinating to see the initial response of Irish and English horses to the rolling of the rs, used as a signal to slow down by German riders, as it often produces the opposite response, with our horses going more forwards as though they were responding to an English click of the tongue.

STEERING - OPEN REIN & NECK REINING

In addition to the use of the voice there are a small number of add ons to my simple aid system introduced last time. The most commonly used extra steering aids are an open rein and neck reining. They are often used when you are close to your limits of control or if you ride with both reins in one hand as in polo, western riding and jousting.

For steering an open rein can be very useful for a horse that will yield to the rein (with horses that wont yield you can get the opposite response to the one you expect). If you want to help your horse turn to the right an open rein requires moving your right rein up to a foot further to the right, without increasing the rein contact. This slightly decreases the weight on the inside of the mouth and increases the weight on the outside of the mouth by the same amount. (If you doubt my explanation of what is happening, do this.stand on the ground, then keep the weight in the rein the same but keep moving the rein out until it is at 90 degrees to the mouth. It becomes obvious that in this position all the weight is acting on the outside of the mouth and that as you bring the hand back the weight returns to the inside.)

If, at the same time as you use an open rein, you move the outside rein in the same direction as the inside rein, holding the reins in either one or two hands, then you are doing a classic neck rein. This adds some pressure on the outside of the neck. Horses can be quickly taught to turn like this and many dressage riders temporarily use this movement to position the shoulders more to the inside.

STOPPING - THE EMERGENCY STOP & NON-ALLOWING REIN

There are many other variations of aids and little tricks you can use in difficult situations and to cover up problems. However too many end up using just these tricks because of shortage of time or a lack of progressive training. This is not the most efficient or effective thing to do. Instead what is needed is a long-term progression using a simple aid system not tricks.

However I cannot emphasise enough that you must also be practical and safe. Yes we aim to ride in a humane, educated and refined way but sometimes circumstances throw difficult situations at even the best of riders. So you need to learn how to do an emergency stop. I find this works for most riders and horses, and the horses are quick to learn what is required, so immediately you start doing this emergency stop your horse may very well slow down and stop without any further pressure. Gradually you learn to do all of the following simultaneously:

1 Take up a firm rein contact and keep the horses neck straight.

2 Put your weaker hand (the left hand if you are right handed and vice versa) slightly across and then down into the neck. Then if the horse pulls against you any hand movement will be blocked by the crest and mane of your horse.

3 Bring your other stronger hand up and backtherefore you have one hand down and one hand up.

4 Sit up and even slightly back and press down on your heels.

5 Use your voice and a firm pull with your strong hand in order to stop immediately, before you get tired and before your horse gets more excited.

So after all my recommendations for using an allowing rein contact this is one time for a non-allowing hand (rein of opposition). A very definite non-allowing hand! There are also degrees of temporary non-allowing as when you do a rein back or are loosing control of the speed a little as opposed to getting out of control.

GOOD COACHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

My key message is that new legs for old is a prime benefit of equestrian sports, applicable not just at elite level but also to all the tens of thousands of older riders who ride happily at lower levels, and who fulfill their potential and gain huge satisfaction because of good coaching. A few of these riders will (not may) ride at International level if they have the right horse.but only if they use a simple, help full, aid system. As riders become more educated they also become less difficult from the horses perspective.then the joy is that their horses are suddenly also less difficult. Happy days. William

www.WilliamMicklem.com

STILL TO COME . Next time the last in this series.should we use corporal punishment? Praise as an aid; the use of the stick; and what to do when a horse stops.

WILLIAM MICKLEM - HELP NOT HINDER Part 8

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