Listener Questions - Use your Doomafagie & Face the Gate | RES 055

Ride Every Stride | Horsemanship and Personal Growth with Van Hargis

This week we’re answering questions from two different listeners. Both still had questions after listening to previous episodes, and Laura and I are here to clear the air. Key Takeaways First question - what to do with a horse that won’t respond to go forward cues. Well, it depends. First off, you want to make sure you are being deliberate with your request. You don’t want to send subtle cues that might make the horse think a fly just landed on their back. You want to get their attention and make a deliberate request. Once the horse yields a bit to that request, you want the horse to feel a change in your demeanor and energy. You are demanding that they respond to your commands, you’re looking at them like you are almost a hungry predator. If that look is enough to have them move then you release that stare and make sure the horse is following through with your command. How do you make them follow through? If your horse stops or doesn’t move to begin with, you want to swing your lead rope to their neck at the spot you were looking at - but not making contact. Then after that first swing you move yourself forward and do it again, but make contact with the spot. Then if no response, I’ll do it a little harder. Same if your horse won’t increase speed. Swing first at their belly and rump, then the second time make contact, and increase pressure from there until they pick up the pace. You have to show the horse you are its leader - you make their feet move, not the other way around. Horses learn from the release of pressure. So again, I will refer to my saying of squeeze, bump, kick and kill. You have to commit to increasing pressure until you get a response. If you don’t the horse will just become desensitized to your requests. But as soon as the horse caves to your pressure, you need to release it to reward them. Then repeat the same steps. Soon the horse will learn it can skip having you bump or kick ‘em and just do what you want at the “squeeze” stage. That’s how you get your horse to be more soft, supple, and responsive. Question two - this is a common one. A listener reached out to me saying she is having problems with horsing jerking and bolting off when being turned out to a pasture or ring. As soon as her or the workers at her border facility start to get the halter and lead rope off, the horses are making a run for it. So what can she do to train her staff to kick this behavior in the horses they’re charged with? First thing is to walk past where you are going to release them, then turn them around and make them face the gate. Don’t let them look at where they want to bolt off to. If the horse starts to get excited you need to slow the process down. Maybe have them run a quick exercise, anything to keep their focus on you. Now, in terms of training the staff. The manager or owner has to take it upon themselves, be a leader, and retrain the staff and borders too. Consistency is the only way to get rid of this problem, and if you have anyone breaking with that consistency the horse will jump at the opportunity to fall back into their old habits. Special Offer! Make sure you go back and listen to Episode 54 and find out what milestone we discussed in order to find out how to get a huge discount on a special item. This offer only runs through the end of July, so get to listening.