Staying Between the Reins: A Test in Patience and Optimism
I know Les says that you should let horses make mistakes because that’s how they learn, but what if they just keep making the same mistake? We’ve done so many circles, we might be permanently dizzy now. We’re great at a walk, good at a trot, but everything falls apart at a canter. Leo just wants to drop that inside shoulder and cut into that circle until we wind down to a stop.
I spend my time trying to correct Leo the only way I know how, which is to pull up on that inside rein, just so, so he has to straighten out. But it only lasts for a second. As soon as I release, he rushes right out from between those reins and heads for the center of the circle like we’re suddenly caught in an arena maelstrom. I think I need to really need to chant this Les Vogt quote a few times before I start every ride, “Remember that 90 percent of the time, a problem that a horse is giving you is just a reflection of your own riding, so work 90 percent on yourself and 10 percent on your horse.”
So really, this is all my doing. But what is it that I’m doing? Am I leaning to the inside? Am I tagging him with my outside leg and I don’t know it?
One thing I like to do with my colts is use the round pen….but use the outside of it. I have a round pen about 65′ diameter. I’ll ride them around the outside. I find it gives me and the horse some reference to keep the circles really circles. They don’t really get a chance to cut the circle short of course. Gotta be careful, some of them colts will try to use your knee to make it into a square pen.
It works real well to take the charge out of a horses “magnets”. My round pen is set up in the lot that goes to the barn and of course the feed bowls. So guess where we’re going when we get to that side of the pen? Great opportunity to pull em a little off balance back to the circle. Each lap you can feel em thinkin less and less about that barn until it mights well be a million miles a way. Good way to cure barn sour horses also.
That all said, the round pen is a tool that can and has been overused. That is what it is - a tool, not a crutch. Great for reducing some distractions while working on something but once the idea is there it’s time to get out and reinforce the ideas with the aid gone all the distractions present.
If I recall correctly Mr. Vogt also said something about the horse’s neck………………
Best of luck to you.
19 Oct 2007 at 7:11 pm
Great idea on the round pen! There are paddocks around the one at the facility where I ride though. Darn it!
Sandy Collier’s discussion of magnets did run through my head last, so I tried pulling him away from where he wanted to go. It’s a bit tough in the smaller sized arena, but I think I’ll have to go that route.
Another thing thats happening in the canter is he’s acting all put out and belabored. He seems to get out of breath pretty quicky and his form just falls apart. I don’t know if he’s really that out of shape or if he’s just lazy. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt though. I’m only asking him to do a little more each week. That elliptical machine at the gym has taught me that it takes time to get back into shape!
I really appreciate your input by the way. Thank you.
19 Oct 2007 at 10:57 pm
He sounds like a pretty smart fella and he might be cheatin you some. He’s got this circle thing figured out and thinks he knows better than you how it should be done.
Might try fencing him some. Just find a straight fence or somethin and get him going along it. Same deal, make him go where you want and make it a little difficult for him if he doesn’t. Work on stops, rollbacks (toward and away from the fence), “smoke a cigarette with him”, etc. Turn and stop in different places. Keep him thinkin but thinkin about you. If you feel him getting out of form go with it but more than he wants so he falls out of balance and knows that ain’t a good idea. Take him off the rail and try a circle or two. If it goes good don’t push it…put him up or go to something easy. Like Mr. Vogt says “just rub a little on each day”.
Seems to me like you’ve got the passion and desire to see this through. Keep with it. Sometimes seems like you’re going nowhere or even backwards but then it all clicks all of a sudden. Let him teach you as much as you teach him…experiment with your hands, legs, body cues until he tells you “yeah that’s the way your supposed to do it”. I’ve found if I listen to em they’re usually a bunch smarter than me when it comes to horse trainin.
20 Oct 2007 at 4:19 am
I’m on task, trying to find an arena for the winter that has a cover and a nice fence around it. I do need a fence…
23 Oct 2007 at 10:11 pm