First Ride of 2008 and First Ride with Spurs
It finally stopped raining. I was in pretty good shape considering the New Year’s Eve shenanigans, so I saddled up Leo this afternoon. He was on his very best behavior—starting out the new year on the right hoof even.
Since I haven’t ridden him in a week, we went through the CowhorseU basics: neck, shoulder, ribs, hips exercises. Then I tested him at a trot and canter to see if he was relaxed (he sometimes gets chargey if I haven’t ridden him in awhile). After I was sure he was in a pretty calm mood, I decided to try out spurs for the first time.
As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, Leo is really dull on his left side and really sensitive on his right side. So, if I apply equal pressure on both sides to ask him to trot, he usually veers to his left before getting going, He also doesn’t seem to even feel pressure from the left. So…my first attempt with spurs.
I borrowed a pair that have a very small rowel. I had Jim watch my feet as I tested different angles by pointing my toes or dropping my heels. He let me know where the spurs were if I couldn’t see. Then Leo and I got going, and (out of common courtesy and for self-preservation purposes) I was really careful not to bump or press very hard. I think I got a feel for it pretty quickly.
Leo’s reaction was interesting. I think he just didn’t know what I wanted, not that he was being ornery when I was asking him to move away from my leg pressure. When I finally applied pressure with the left spur, it took him a minute to move away from it. I knew he was feeling the spur and still pushing toward it because of his ears moving when I pressed with the spur. Then it was if he thought about it for a second, it registered what I wanted, and then he moved away from it. I also like that I was gentle enough with the spur that he didn’t jump from it, but noticed it enough to react calmly to it. He got a lot of “good boys!” and got much quicker at responding for the rest of the ride.
I’ve read it many times, but this was such a great illustration for me that horses have to be taught on each side separately—how they can understand how to do something perfectly on one side, but not understand at all when asked on the other side.
Other ride highlights: Leo did a beautiful slow jog with his head pretty low. I had to keep checking him, but he’s getting the idea. He’s also progressing quickly with turn on the forehand and goes farther each time. Mostly, he was just a wonderful horse today in a wonderful mood. It was a great ride and a great start to the new year.
Happy New Year everyone!
Good way to start 2008. Sounds like you are well on your way. I think maybe it’s time you spend a little time searching out some shows in your area. I think both you and Leo are ready to start getting accustomed to the activities. Anything will work…I put mine in some pleasure classes, walk/trot classes, barrels…whatever is offered that I think might give a horse some exposure. Of course if you have a reining show you can get to, go for it? Worst you can do is zero….even I never gotten a negative score.
Western boots and spurs….we might be getting somewhere here. Practice the “boot tops” thing Les Vogt talks about. Then you’ll find there is a progression to leg aids….calf pressure, boot top, boot top/spur touch, spur pressure, rowel roll. Like everything else-as much as you need, as little as possible.
Try to perfect your lateral work as you are with the forehand turns. Really helps them learn footwork and body control. And you’ll find it a good challenge to get it perfected. Have to do a lot of playing with rein and legs position to move things sideways. And each horse is different.
Try signing your name with both hands….kinda how horses are right and left “handed”.
02 Jan 2008 at 2:18 pm
Oooh, I think we’re a long way away from being ready for a competitive arena. It sounds like a lot of fun though, and I’m very curious about it.
Spur question, I was trying to use my boot tops, but even with my heels dropped, the spurs still graze him a little. Is that normal? They don’t poke him, but still touch him a little by the bottom of his tummy/ribs.
02 Jan 2008 at 6:05 pm
It’s not uncommon to have a hard time controlling spur placement. Alot of it has to do with spur design, I think we talked some about that before. Maybe have somebody look see how the spurs lay when your mounted. Depending on your length of leg, riding style and horse conformation, a longer or shorter spur or maybe a different angle might help you out.
Some of it is gettin used to em. I always have a hard time trying to keep my spurs off the horse when doing hip-arounds. Cause my leg comes up when I move it to the back position it’s kinda hard to drop my heels enough to keep the spur off em.
02 Jan 2008 at 11:11 pm
You may need a shorter shanked spur. I think mine is 1 3/4″ & I would even take a shorter one, for that exact reason. I don’t want my spurs touching my horse unless I put them on, too easy to send mixed signals. I agree with Al, have someone see how bad they are touching him.
03 Jan 2008 at 7:47 am
See, now I would have thought that I should get a longer shanked spur, so when I dropped my heels, the spurs would get so low that they wouldn’t touch him. Thank Gawd I have you guys. Now that I really think about it, DUH! Shorter spurs!
Jim will definitely supervise with the spurs for awhile. He’s used to wearing them.
03 Jan 2008 at 10:12 pm
I wish my boots would hurry up and come in the mail…
Hey, the spurs were also a little floppy. Have you guys ever used rubber bands to hold them down?
03 Jan 2008 at 10:13 pm
Another thought Al, about riding style. I have a tendency, especially in a Western saddle, to turn my toe out, with a dropped heel, and really push with the back of my calf and heel when he’s not listening. When he is listening, then I just press with the inside of my calf (boot tops right?).
For the turn on the forehand, its like I’m pushing mostly with my heel (side of my heel/ankle) because of the way my foot goes back.
03 Jan 2008 at 10:18 pm
Spur fit. I wouldn’t do too much until you get your boots that you’re gonna be wearin. But when you do, if the spurs are too loose you can bend em in a little to fit. I wear boots with a spur shelf and like my spurs kinda snug. But watch Les Vogt in some of the exercises, his spurs are floppin up and down, so maybe there’s a reason for that??
Actually you might be right about needin a longer spur. Cause horses are shaped like a barrel it might get em down where their belly turns back under. But then you do have to be more aware of your legs. I’m 5′-9″ and like a bit longer spur with some drop angle for that reason. I also like to get a little under them to add some “lift” for certain things.
Once you start cueing in the front and back positions you’ll be using more side of your leg. At the shoulder or hip, you press or bump with the side of your boot tops, then if necessary, you can turn your toe out to bring the spur into play rather than turn your toe down.
Also, don’t be afraid to bump instead of push. Kinda like using the reins. For some things at first it might be a pretty good bump then work it down to kind of a “massage” with your boot top. Eventually it’ll just be a “touch” with the calf, never even have to get to the boot tops.
This sure helps me out a lot. Having to think about what you’re doing and put it in words really helps to keep from gettin lazy or takin things for granted.
04 Jan 2008 at 6:17 am
I did see his spur flopping around!
That is where my spur is touching him, right where his belly turns under (great description by the way). I’m just about 5′ 8.”
So if I had a spur with drop to it than it wouldn’t touch him unless I pointed my toe, right? And if I had a shorter spur it wouldn’t touch him unless I turned my toe out…. Lots to think about.
Good to know about the front or back positions. I’ve been turning my toe out for shoulder and hip, but now that I have spurs, I’ll adjust accordingly.
04 Jan 2008 at 12:00 pm
couple of thoughts here - Al is right about bumping with your leg rather than pressing. Think of it like you were at a party and someone was trying to get your attention, but you were engrossed in another conversation. It they just put their hand on your arm, you’d probably feel it, but then you’d be right back to your conversation. Put if they came up and started poking your arm they’d probably get your attention. Same with the horse, they feel your leg make contact, but after that point you’re pretty easy to ignore!
Plus if you’re pressing, you’re stiff. If you’re bumping you’re loose. You want to stay loose. Al D. said one time that if he was a musician he’d have been a drummer because his hands and feet always had to be doing different things at different times.
Don’t worry. Sooner or later, all the things you’re working on will become second nature. Remember when you learned to drive a stick shift? How much there was to think about? But after a while it’s just instinctive!
If he’s had bad experiences with spurs, Leo might have been a little taken aback when he felt them. Good thing your didn’t jab him with them or he would have had to kill you! Might have just been waiting to see what would come next before it even dawned on him that you wanted something. Have fun! lb
06 Jan 2008 at 11:51 pm
Linda is right there. It can seem frustrating at first and you think you’ll never get comfortable. Somebody said ” an amateur does something until they get it right, a pro does it until they can’t do it wrong”. Pretty soon you do something until you can’t see how you ever did it the wrong way.
I been trying something new recently that Les Vogt suggested - riding with your foot all the way in the stirrups. I was taught and always rode on the ball of my foot. One reason I was told early on was if a horse got broncy and pitched ya off it was better to hit the ground then get hung in a stirrup and drug through town.
First time I stuck my foot all the way in visions of that happening went through my head. It felt that uncomfortable, just an inch or two difference. But now it’s gettin to where I kinda like like it and see where it can work out pretty good. But when I swing up I still gotta think about doing it cause my foot naturally goes part way. It’ll take a while before it becomes natural.
Also notice how I got the word “natural” in there. We got “natural horsemanship”, “natural balance shoeing”, “natural horse training aids”. So if any big time manufacturers wanna start sending me free stuff I can get you in on the ground floor of “natural stirrupmanship”. I’ll let you paint your logos on the big shiny rig and living quarters trailer that some manufacture is dyin to send over to my place now. Quit my regular job and drive around to horse shows and stuff so people can see it. Just don’t forget to send a fuel card.
07 Jan 2008 at 7:15 am
Linda, it’s weird to start bumping. I always thought that direct pressure in backing and trotting etc was the way to go. It seems like in backing the horse would know more when to stop if you used steady pressure to continue backing and then release the pressure for the stop. It makes sense thought that a horse would respond more to bumping. The lady who owns the stables that I ride at told me to hold up my hand like I was going to high-five her. Then she opened her hand and pressed it against mine and pushed. I instantly pushed back. She raised her eyebrow and said, “See, thats exactly what a horse will do with direct pressure!” Makes sense to me.
Al, I’ve been trying the heels up to the stirrup too like Les does and it IS scary. I too have those visions of being dragged. My foot keeps wanting to slip back in the stirrup. Lots of new stuff to get used to with this reining business!
07 Jan 2008 at 11:49 pm