| |
| |
|
Pets Information |
|
|
|
How To Install An Emergency Brake On Your Horse
Imagine being on a horse and he bolts. You pull those reins to slow him down but it's no use. He resists and the fence posts go whizzing by you as you panic and pray he doesn't shift his bodyweight and you fly off his back into a post. It's scary to be on a horse that runs on his own volition and can't be slowed down. Many people will sell their horse because they're so scared of that happening again. How do you keep a horse from bolting like that? There is a way to temper your horse even if he spots something that scares him and he wants to run in fear. I call it, "Installing an emergency brake." This is done on the ground while you're doing ground training. Every time you work with your horse you should spend a few minutes doing this - even if you know your horse "gets it." It simply cannot be done enough. What does it look like when you use the emergency brake on your horse? While you're riding, you reach down to either rein. You tightly grab the rein, slide it up your legs along the seam of your pants up to your hips. At the same time, you are loosely holding the other rein. As you do this, your horse's nose will be pointing back towards his rear end. Why does this work? Ever try to run forward while looking backwards? Need I say more? (There are exceptions. Some horses are so limber they will run forward with their nose buried in their sides - but not many) But you can't simply get on your horse and expect to pull his head back if he takes off. You must do some ground work first. And here's what you do. Put a halter on your horse and hook a lead rope to the halter. Stand on the left side of your horse. Stand by your horse across from his back leg. Take your right arm and put it over his rump. Next, pull the lead rope towards you and rest your left hand on his back. At this point your horse will resist some. If he pulls his head forward you hold the lead rope in place. Eventually he will move his head back towards you and give into the pull you have on the lead rope. The second he moves his head back towards you then you release the lead rope tension and praise him. In other words, when you see the lead rope has slack in it because he moved his nose back towards you, then release. Eventually, you want him to touch his nose to his body. That's the goal you're shooting for because the more his head comes around the better control you will have. Also, there's a second goal you're shooting for. When you pull the lead rope around to bring your horse's head back, you want it to be where you don't pull. He moves his head back for you. As you pull on the lead rope his head moves back with no exertion from you. His head follows. It's called being responsive. This is important because when you're riding your horse and you have to pull his head around you don't want to have a tug of war while you're riding a bolting horse. You want him to automatically do it. At first your horse won't be able to touch his nose to his body. So you start with small successes. At first you pull his head back towards you until you get resistance. When you do, hold the lead rope tension. Don't make the tension more or less, simply hold it there. The second he looks back toward you more and creates slack in the lead rope, you give him immediate relief and take the tension off the lead rope completely. Then you tell him what a good boy he is. Pet him too. Let him know that's just what you wanted. As you do this, you will want him to bring his head farther and farther back until he begins to touch his nose to his body. Don't try to get him to touch his nose to his body within the first one or two ground sessions. That's rushing it and you likely won't make it happen. This takes time to get your horse to understand what you want him to do. Remember to do this on the other side of your horse too. What your horse can do on his left side, he should be able to do on his right side. When you have your horse touching his nose to his side, then you're ready to get on him and test his emergency brake. Get on your horse and go for a test ride. If he starts to run and you don't want him to, grab a rein and pull his head around. Don't jerk the reins?pull. Then boot him into a circle. When he slows down or stops like you want him to then release the pressure. Remember to do it on the left and right reins. If your horse doesn't easily touch his nose to his body while riding him, then you need to have him practice it more. Also, before you go riding have him touch his nose a few times on each side with the bit in his mouth. Doing these things will cinch your riding into a pleasant experience. About The Author Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author of several best selling horse training and horse care books. For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com. He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery's horse training methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm.
MORE RESOURCES:
Pets - Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Top 3 Tricks Horse Owners Can Use To Unspoil A Barn Spoiled Horse It's been weeks since you went riding. Now you have time to ride this afternoon and there ain't no one gonna stop you. Problem Barking-What to Do When Your Dogs Barking is The Neighborhood Nuisance Puppies and dogs, as mentioned, are social creatures. When they don't get the attention they need, then a bark is their method of telling you something. Goldfish Analysis When goldfish swim up to the glass of the tank, does it mean they are smart enough to recognize people?Goldfish sure are smart not in the sense as dogs are, but they are smart. They will swim up to meet you probably because they think you are going to feed them. My Dog Won't Stop Digging - What Can I Do? Lonely, bored, tired of eating that same old stick, then maybe you would like to dig yourself a hole.When it comes to the canine thought process this could be the reason why Scraps keeps tearing up your finely groomed lawn. Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online Pets are many things in many ways but they are not responsible. Not outside of very limited doggy parameters. Cleft Palate In Dogs Sometimes puppies are born that can't suckle properly, and it's almost alway's because they have a cleft palate. A cleft palate can be a complete division up the middle of the palate, or roof of the mouth, or it can just be a small hole in the palate. The Top Ten Reasons You Can - And Should - Hold an Equine Educational Event Boarding, Breeding, Training & Showing Stables:1. You need to fill stalls. Puppy Training that is Safe for Your Puppy Puppy training can and should begin the day you bring your puppy home, but only if it's approached in a safe manner for your puppy and his sensitivities. Housetraining your puppy can be a rewarding and non-stressful experience when you shape behavior from a series of positive experiences, instead of attempting to correct unwanted behaviors before your puppy has a chance to learn what you DO want. Brushing Up On Dog Grooming Is your dog due for a makeover? Has she been enjoying the great outdoors a little too much? Here are some simple tips for helping your dog put her best paw forward.It all begins with the brushing:- Brush your dog regularly. Frustrated Over High Veterinarian Bills? Over the past 30 years we have learned so much about taking good care of our pets, right? We feed them "premium" high dollar pets foods, give them tasty packaged treats, vaccinate them yearly, bathe them with expensive shampoos, give them heartworm preventative, use flea collars or flea and tick preventative, brush their teeth, and get yearly checkups with our vets.Then why are our pets not healthier? Why, instead, are they getting more and more humanlike diseases such as allergies, diabetes, thyroid problems, cancer, and on and on? Why are their coats not so shiny anymore, and they seem to scratch and itch all the time? Why are they so lazy and sleep all the time? Why do they still smell bad, have waxy ears, and bad plaque on their teeth?The biggest problem points to nutrition, or lack thereof. Can Cats And Dogs Live Together As Friends? Can cats and dogs live together without constantly being at war? It seems that they very often can.We often hear people claim to be a "cat person" or a "dog person", but browsing through the various pet forums it appears that there are many of us that equally like both cats and dogs. An Introduction to Dog Beds Some people are so attached to their pets that they wouldn't dream of asking them to simply curl up on the floor to go to sleep. Pet owners, especially dog owners, have created an industry for dog beds that rivals the bedding industry for humans in both creativity and profit margins. Dog doors - dog and owner reprieve Buying dog doors onlineIf you need to buy a dog door then have some fun doing it online. Not only will you find discount prices but you'll have a huge selection of colors, designs, shapes, sizes and multiple features you haven't even thought about. The Sporting Westie Terrier Because it is intelligent and energetic, a Westie terrier is well suited for a number of dog events. Some competitions it might participate in are geared toward the Westie's natural instinct to hunt down prey and pursue it into its den. The Truth About Dog Food These days, it's hard to know what decisions are the best ones for our beloved pets. So much information, so many conflicting theories and opinions! When it comes to dog food, is wetter better? Or should you give dry a try?In this article, I'm not going to tell you what to feed your dog. Housetraining Tips for Your Dog or Puppy Puppies need to go to the bathroom after they play, chew, drink, eat or sleep. Start by putting them on a leash and tethering them to you. Preparing for Your New Pet Getting a new pet can be a lot of fun. You can choose from a dog, cat, hamster, gerbil, rabbit, and the list goes on and on. The Cure To Stop A Horse From Kicking I get a lot of horse training questions about stopping a horse from kicking. The kicking habits of these horses range from the horse kicking at virtually anyone to kicking at only the husbands. Puppy Crate Training -- Fast Track to a Contented Dog Puppy crate training is one of the most effective ways to housebreak your new puppy.Puppy crate training takes a little patience, but it's a good way to set your puppy on the right path. Dog Behavior Training: Methods of Working with a Shy Dog Shy dogs are more common than most people think, but unfortunately many dogs who suffer from this affliction are never seen by the general public because of their impairment. Shy dogs range from those who scurry away when someone walks by, to those who bite when approached.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
