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Saturday, 10 November 2007
'Saddles and Saddle Fit', 0, 'Rick Roll with permission of Dave Genedek', '<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">This information is provided courtesy of Dave Genadek, a master saddle maker with over 20 years experience making custom saddles. Thank you, Dave!</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">To find out more about Dave\'s work and his beautiful saddles, check out www. aboutthehorse.com. That name pretty much says it all. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">This part of the web site is taken from my clinic notes. If there is something you believe is incorrect, don\'t blame that on Dave, blame it on me and drop me a note to set me straight. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Here is some of what makes Dave\'s saddles and saddle making approach different from many others who make saddles. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">An \'off the rack\' saddle is likely to have a tree that is selected from a very limited selection of trees. To over-generalize a little, there are probably three general basic body types (back and rib cage size and shape) that you will find in horses. The limited tree choices available for most \'off the rack\' saddles will fit only one of those three types of body types. They could be loosely described as small (lens shaped rib cage - small wither and flat back), medium (more sprung rib cage - a downhill top line) and large (a fully sprung rib cage). In the \'large\' category, you will find many quarter horses, Doc bar quarter horses and old line Tennessee Walkers. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Interestingly, the newer line Tennessee Walkers fall into the \'medium\' category. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Why is this important to know? Because most \'off the rack saddles are built on trees that are designed to fit the \'medium\' body shape. That means that the \'large\' quarter horses, old line Tennessee Walkers and other large horses, as well as the \'small\' horses will be very difficult to fit in an \'off the rack\' saddle. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Dave\'s saddle design is built on a foundation of several different tree sizes. When you go to one of Dave\'s saddle fit clinics, he will have those bars with him so you can see them on your horse and see which one fits. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">A side note about gaited horses. To say a saddle it \'a gaited horse saddle\' could be somewhat misleading, since there are different body styles within that breed. The question should not be whether a saddle is a gaited horse saddle. The question should be: \'Does the \'gaited horse saddle\' fit the gaited horse\'? Not all \'off the rack\' gaited horse saddles will fit every gaited horse. The saddle portion of the equipment section of our site will be addressed in three sections, </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">(1) Fitting the Saddle to the Horse, </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">(2) Fitting the Saddle to the Rider; and </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">(3) A Brief History of Saddles. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">If this piques your interest about saddles and you want to know more, check out Dave\'s web site or give him a call on his 1-800 number. After all, he is the expert. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">I. FITTING THE SADDLE TO THE HORSE. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">A. TO FIT THE HORSE, LOOK AT THE ANATOMY AND BIOMECHANICS OF THE HORSE AND RIDER </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. A Proper Saddle Fit Will Allow the Ring of Muscles to Help Round the Horse </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">The horse has a \'ring of muscles\' that run under it\'s chest and holds up the sternum. If you scratch your horse\'s belly, he will lift his back. That is the ring of muscles at work. Your saddle must allow your horse to use that ring of muscles correctly, so that the horse can round his back and collect. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">2. A Proper Saddle Fit Will Provide Room for the Spine and Latisimus Dorsi Muscles.</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Your horse needs a saddle that will carry the rider\'s weight without interfering with the spinal movement and muscle activity necessary for the horse to move freely and to round its back. A good saddle will allow the latisimus dorsi muscles, which run from the withers to the hip, to move without putting pressure on them. A proper saddle fit allows this by distributing the weight of the rider and saddle on the fascia (non muscle material) on the horse\'s barrel. A good saddle will have a tunnel that runs under the saddle. If the latisimus dorsi muscles are pinches or restricted by the saddle, they may fire or guard, which will affect the horse\'s ability to round and move properly. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">3. A Proper Set of Bars Will Also Allow Room for Hip Movement, Shoulder Movement and Will Spread the Weight of the Saddle and Rider Evenly Over the Horse\'s Back. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">B. FOUR ASPECTS OF BAR DESIGN ARE VERY IMPORTANT </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. Well Designed Bars Will Provide Proper Weight Distribution Over the Horse\'s Back </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">A good saddle will distribute the weight of the saddle and rider over a large area. Within reason, the larger the bars, the bigger the area over which the weight is spread. If you look at some of the newer \'off the rack\' saddles, you will see bars that are only about two inches wide. For proper weight distribution, the bars should be four or five inches wide. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">2. Well Designed Bars Will Allow the Bars to Parallel the Shape of the Horse\'s Back </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">This aspect of bar design is called the \'TWIST\'. When you look at your horse\'s back, you will see that there is a change of angle that occurs gradually from the shoulder to the rib cage. A properly fitting saddle must fit the shape of the rib cage and account for that change of angle. This is where the \'small\', \'medium\' and \'large\' rib cage sizes come into play. Most \'off the rack saddles\' are designed to fit the \'medium\' sized rib cage. Many Mules, Pasos and new line Tennessee Walkers fall into this category. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">3. Well Designed Bars Will Lift the Bars Up Off of the Horses Shoulder. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">This aspect of bar design is called the \'FLARE\'. Bars with significant flare will appear to open up wide to avoid putting pressure or restriction on the area of the horse\'s body that is involved in shoulder movement. If you picture a pair of skis on your horses\' back, the front tips of the skis will curl out and away from his shoulders, leaving them room to move. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">4. Well Designed Bars Will Lift the Bars Up Off of the Horses Haunches.</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">This aspect of bar design is called the \'ROCK\'. The rock of the bars lifts the back of the saddle up off the horse\'s haunches and allows the hips to move freely up and down. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">5. A Summary of Well Designed Bars.</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">Bars should be around four or five inches wide, they should parallel the horse\'s back, they should be wide in the front and should be high in the back. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">6. How Bars Are Commonly Described Does Not Tell You Enough About Their Design.</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">How far apart the bars are varies from one saddle maker to another. Full Quarter Horse Bars are about 6.75 to 7 inches apart. Semi Quarter Horse Bars are about 6.5 to 6.75 inches apart. This is helpful information, but it does not tell you anything about ROCK, TWIST or FLARE. Why is that important? A saddle with a narrow gullet, but with a WIDE FLARE may fit your horses\' shoulder. But a saddle with a wide gullet with a NARROW FLARE may pinch your horse\'s shoulders. This could cause stumbling, lead change problems, self carriage problems, etc. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">C. HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SADDLE FITS YOUR HORSE </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. Fit the gullet about on the middle of the withers. The wither profile will move about 1 inch in either direction as the horse moves. Some room should be allowed for this movement. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">2. Push your hand through the gullet and down the length of the saddle to see if there is a tunnel which makes room for the spine and latisimus dorsi muscles to move properly during the horse\'s locomotion. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">3. Do the same test with your hand from the back of the saddle to see if the tunnel runs the full length of the saddle.</FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont"> 4. Check the FLARE of the bars. When your horse is looking straight ahead, you should be able to run your hand between the front of your saddle and the horse\'s shoulder. When your horses head is turned to one side, your saddle should be in contact with that side of the shoulder. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">5. Check the ROCK of the bars. You should be able to run your hand between the back corner of your saddle and your horse\'s hip. An oval, rather than a square, saddle skirt. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">D. Rigging </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. The purpose of rigging is to hold the saddle quietly on your horse\'s back. The bars should rest on the stationary part of your horse\'s back. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">2. The rigging should hold the middle section of the bars (which fit well because of proper TWIST) flat on the horse\'s back. Double or Flat Plate rigging do a good job. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">3. When using double rigging, the front and the back cinch should be equally tight. If the back cinch is loose, the saddle will move sideways as well as up and down. This will interfere with the horse\'s hip and back motion. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">E. Skirting </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. Skirting protects the horse from the motion of the stirrup leather. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">2. The skirting should not move. The wool on the saddle should protect the horse. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">3. There should be NO in skirt rigging. Rigging in the skirt causes the skirting to bear weight. When skirting bears weight, it cannot protect the horse. The skirt will pinch the horse when the rigging is tightened. The horse\'s body motion will cause the saddle to move backwards on the horse\'s back. A breast collar will stop that movement, but will probably tip the saddle up on its front end and cause the gullet to pinch the horse\'s shoulders and force the horse onto its forehand. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">4. In skirt rigging came about as a design adjustment which was required when some saddle makers decided to get rid of the rear cinch. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">F. Padding </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. Padding is not necessary if your saddle fits property. A good quality Navajo blanket is sufficient. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">G. Shims </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">1. If your saddle does not fit correctly on the horse, you can use padding or shims to try to help that situation. However, remember to pad away from the pressure. That means that, if the saddle is pinching your horse\'s shoulders or hips, you would not pad at the shoulder. You would pad the bars behind the shoulder which would lift the saddle up off the shoulders or hips. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">[Back to list] </FONT>', '2002-11-29', 110, 1, 0, 0, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (8, 15, '<FONT class="smallerFont">Meet Clinician Barb Apple</font> <br />', 0, '', '<FONT class="smallerFont">\n<br /><FONT color=#003399><STRONG>COMMUNICATION THRU CONSIDERATION </STRONG><FONT color=#000000>by</FONT> </FONT><FONT color=#cc0000>Barb Apple</FONT>\n<br />My earliest horse communication that had that “only in your dreams” quality happened when I was about three years old. I remember my day dreams about an imaginary horse friend that did truly amazing things - just because I asked. My fascination and communication with horses began there. \n<br />The day my neighbor’s horse Rocky unexpectedly picked me up by my braids and then set me down just before my toes left the ground, I realized that real horses were quite capable of communication as well as a sense of humor. My mom however wasn’t treated quite so kindly. While she bent over her vegetable garden, located next to Rocky’s fence, Rocky took the opportunity to give her posterior a bite to get her attention and communicate his playful mood. She gave him attention but certainly didn’t share his sense of humor. \n<br />Having a passion for animals, especially horses, from an early age gave me reason to spend countless hours playing, observing, and learning to communicate with all the animals around our house. It was not possible for me to have my own horse until I was 13 but, thanks to my loving mom, I was given a two wheel cart she built herself for my dog to pull. \n<br />Through my young eyes this little cart was a fine horse trailer pulled by my dashing palomino stallion named Spooky...who was actually a Terrier/Cocker Spaniel dog. Other than sitting down on the job now and then, my dashing stallion made a remarkable draft horse. \n<br />I could drop the tailgate of my fine horse trailer and practice loading my shiny chestnut stallion named Rhode Island Red Butch. In reality Butch was only a very large Rhode Island Red rooster, but he was a great substitute. Up the ramp he would prance and wait for his ride around the neighborhood. I remember how easily it came to me to communicate my wishes to my animal friends and how willingly they would comply. I look back now and realize how confident I was that they would naturally understand and want to do what I asked of them. \n<br />Years went by and finally lambs, rabbits, turtles, kittens, water snakes, lizards, dogs, and chickens gave way to a REAL LIVE HORSE of my very own! This came shortly after my thirteenth birthday. Our dear old neighbor man Joe had been trying to convince my father of my need for a horse for quite some time. On this long awaited day my dad finally got the message. Joe said, “Well Lee, I see that Barb is thirteen today. Looks like you finally have to make a decision.” “What decision is that?” my dad asked. “Well, put Barb on the street with the boys or on a horse,” answered Joe. \n<br />Within two weeks my long dreamed of shiny black horse arrived. She was a mare of 16 years, old for her age and with foal. But I thought she was the most beautiful horse I’d ever laid eyes on! Even her pot-belly, a-bit swayed back, and $150 price did not dim the gleam in my eyes as I admired my very own horse. Our relationship was magical from the start. I named her Dark Shadow. I was not allowed to have a saddle for the first year. Good old Joe said that if I could stay on bareback I could ride anything. I owe him a lot for his teaching and wisdom about the caring and handling of horses that he imparted to me over the years, as I had no one else to turn to. \n<br />Being a child gave me the distinct advantage of not being in a hurry. This allowed me time to learn valuable lessons about the subtle and not so subtle vocabulary of horse body language. I learned that horses talk to us almost constantly and much of this conversation is in the form of questions. I learned the hard way to answer those questions as rapidly and clearly as I could. \n<br />One of the first things I learned was if my horses’ head snapped up and she looked RIGHT, she often flew LEFT. I, however, often DID NOT! After a few flying lessons and picking myself off the ground, I quickly developed a deep interest in learning what my horse was thinking long before it got to her feet. I considered myself a pretty natural horsewoman from an early age. I rode bareback naturally, and naturally got dumped now and then. I raised my mare’s foal naturally, and naturally assumed she would honor and respectfully communicate with me. \n<br />I guess in the foal’s estimation that is what she was doing. She treated me as her sibling. It was a dubious honor as she communicated her sisterly love and desire for play by biting me, kicking me, bucking me off, running over me, and using me as her combination rubbing post and snot rag. If I took her to a strange place, she went nuts if I tried to leave her. \n<br />With her help and the help of other horse friends, I learned over the years that horses are incredible followers and partners when they have a good leader and communicator. I needed to become that leader, rather than a just a sibling, to maintain a safer relationship both for myself and my horse. \n<br />With leadership, horses become very willing dance partners. If given half a chance and not confused by communication they do not understand, they will work their hearts out for you. I believe that horses enjoy frequent conversations that allow them to express themselves. \n<br />They do not, however, enjoy being “yelled” at through too much pressure, harsh equipment, etc., any more than we do. That does not mean there is never an appropriate time to raise my voice through body language or phases of pressure. \n<br />From my childhood, I remember how it felt when I first convinced my chestnut stallion Rhode Island Red Butch to walk up the ramp of my “horse trailer”. We looked each other eye to eye and I asked him to walk up. He cocked his head and softly clucked as I lightly patted his feathered fanny until he was in. He taught me to be light and patient, otherwise I got a hard peck on the hand. \n<br />These were the beginnings of my "<FONT color=#003399>Communication through Consideration</FONT>."\n<br />[<FONT color=#cc0000>Admin Note:</FONT> Barb is a great person and a great horsewoman. Her clinics are a treat, in large part due to her wonderful sense of humor. She is fun to learn from and treats both people and horses with respect. Barb\'s clinics emphasize safety for the human part of the horsemanship equation as well as respect for the horse. From personal experience Horseman Admin recommends that you check out one of Barb\'s clinics or her ranch retreats, if you have a chance to do so. Check out Barb\'s website elsewhere on this site]</FONT>', '2002-11-30', 57, 1, 0, 8, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (10, 20, 'Good Horsemanship Resources', 0, 'Admin', '<br /> \n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<br /><FONT color=#990000>"If is isn\'t good, it isn\'t horsemanship".</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>\n<br />Welcome to the good horsemanship resource section of our site. This site is maintained by Rick Roll, a former administrator of the Horseman Mail List. \n<br />Times change and so do our views about horsemanship. As those things change, so does the content of this web site. To see where we are now in the journey to good horsemanship, read on! \n<br />The intent of this site is to direct folks to sources of information about horsemanship. Some of these sources we know, from personal experience, to be reliable. \n<br />Other information sources are included for you to investigate and evaluate. \n<br />As always, use your own judgment. Just because this or some other web site advocates something or links to another site, there is no guarantee that any of the information is "correct". As your views change, your ideas of what is "correct" may change also. \n<br />The essence of good horsemanship is a horse-human relationship based on reason and understanding, rather than fear and intimidation. \n<br />Good horsemanship is not a technique. There are many right ways (techniques) to practice good horsemanship. Good horsemanship is a philosophy and a way of life. \n<br />Good horsemanship is presented by many teachers and represented in the philosophies of many horsemen and horsewomen. We have personal experience with the following practitioners of good horsemanship: Mark Rashid, Harry Whitney, Ray Hunt, Dr. Deb Bennett, Peggy Cummings, Dave Genadek, Jessica Jahiel, Buck Brannaman, Barb Apple and Lee Smith. \n<br />There are others who are not mentioned, either because they don\'t want to be mentioned, or because we just haven\'t discovered them yet. No slight is intended. \n<br />Some of the information you will find here will include links to web sites maintained by other good horsemanship practitioners. \n<br /><FONT color=#006600><STRONG>IS IT TIME FOR A DIFFERENT HORSEMANSHIP PARADIGM</STRONG>? </FONT>\n<br />We have heard it all before - alpha mare, respect, dominance etc. It seems like a lot of folks have jumped on that bandwagon. But others have found, based on what their horses were telling them, that a relationship based on "dominance and respect" was not what the horses wanted or needed. \n<br />Some folks were troubled by what they saw going on with their horses. In case you are questioning the "alpha" bet, we have linked to an article written by Mark Rashid,. If you are at all uneasy with the "alpha horse" type of approach, or consequences of applying that method, we offer this article to you as food for thought. \n<br />By adopting a little different philosophy about our role in the herd, some of us have found different and valuable perspective that has markedly improved our horsemanship. \n<br />In my case, I know my horse appreciates it and I am now able to look at that man in the mirror again. Take a look at <A href="http://www.markrashid.com/CTHArticlePassiveLeadership2.html"><FONT class="smallerFont">Is it Really Necessary the We Become the Head Horse</font></A>?\n<br /><FONT color=#006600><STRONG>Good Horsemanship Resources </STRONG></FONT>\n<br />Good horsemanship resources are the mainstay of this site. They are offered as possible options for people who are interested in horses, how they learn, and what motivates horses to establish and maintain a good relationship with humans. \n<br />You will find all kinds of information on this site - from behavioral science, to philosophy, to hands-on horsemanship . Check out the list below and other articles published on this sectin of the site! \n<br />As always, use your own judgment in deciding whether and when to use this information. \n<br /><A href="http://www.markrashid.com/"><FONT size=2>MARK RASHID\'S WEB SITE </FONT></A><BR>One of the best thing about Mark Rashid\'s books is that the stories make learning about training a fun process. Mark\'s web site gives you even more insight into his "Passive Leadership" approach. Mr. Rashid is one of the few clinician who gives direct instruction about how to find that elusive "feel". He is one who truly reaches the inside of the horse.\n<br />His web site also describes his unique "one on one" approach to teaching horses and their humans in the clinic setting. Mark emphasizes the individuality of both horse and rider by working with one horse and rider at a time, because he believes this approach has the deepest impact on learning. And it does. We highly recommend riding or auditing with Mark.\n<br />You will find articles on horsemanship and Mark\'s clinic schedule. \n<br /><A href="http://www.harrywhitney.com/"><FONT size=2>HARRY WHITNEY</FONT></A><BR>Mr. Whitney has put up a site which will give you insight into his approach and also let you know about his clinic schedule. Mr. Whitney, like Mark Rashid, is able to see into the heart and soul of a horse and is willing to show the rest of us how to begin that journey.\n<br /><A href="http://www.equinestudies.org/"><FONT size=2>EQUINE STUDIES INSTITUTE</FONT></A> <BR>ESI and its great web site are put together by Dr. Deb Bennett.\n<br />So, you ask, <A href="http://www.conquistador.com/author.html"><FONT size=2>Who is Dr.Deb</FONT></A>? Take a look at her credentials and see what you think.After you have learned a little about Dr. Deb, additional information on E.S.I. is set forth below.\n<br />ESI presents information about many good horsemanship instructors, including Harry Whitney, Dr. Deb, Mark Rashid, Brian Neubert and others. Once you visit this site we know where your "birdie" will be. \n<br />E.S.I offers many clinics and seminars, including horsemanship, equine anatomy, biomechanics and discussions about straightness. It is a critical site for those who want to really understand the "why" of horsemanship principles and techniques. \n<br />E.S.I publishes a unique newsletter on CD rom which is always informative and interesting. The CD is always packed full of horse information. \n<br />The ESI site contains a Q and A forum and other useful items. \n<br />Dr. Deb has a great new book out called "<A href="http://www.conquistador.com/conquerors.html"><FONT size=2> Conquerors - The Roots of New World Horsemanship.</FONT></A>" This is a great book which traces horsemanship from old Spain to the New World. If you love history and mystery, you will love this book. Reading doesn\'t get any better than this.\n<br /><A href="http://www.barbapple-horseplay.net/"><FONT size=2>BARB APPLE</FONT></A> <BR>Barb is one of the nicest people you will meet on the good horsemanship trail. She is truly as effective with people as she is with horses. \n<br />An excellent teacher and horsewoman, Barb can help you improve just about any aspect of your horsemanship. Barb\'s background ranges from ranch work to dressage. \n<br />Please review Barb\'s articles in this section of the website and consider attending one of her horsemanship retreats. Retreats are held each summer and run about 5 days in length. The purpose of the retreat is to give each horse and rider an in-depth study of horsemanship, tailored to the individual horse and rider. There is no crowd or hectic group clinic agenda. Good food, good people and good horsemanship. Barb also gives private lessons or group clinics, at your request. \n<br /><A href="http://www.lesliedesmond.com/"><FONT size=2>LESLIE DESMOND</FONT> </A><BR>Ms. Desmond is a practitioner and teacher of good horsemanship methods. \n<br />Ms. Desmond\'s web site is one of the most informative sites on the net. It gets Horseman\'s "Best of the Net" award for good stuff and no fluff. \n<br />Ms. Desmond also helped prepare the Bill Dorrance book "True Horsemanship Through Feel", a book discussed thoroughly on her website. She also maintains an internet mail list "Bill\'s Book" to discuss book. Ms. Desmond\'s web site also contains her clinic schedule. \n<br /><A href="http://www.rayhunt.com/"><FONT size=2>RAY HUNT\'S WEB SITE</FONT> </A><BR>This site discusses Mr. Hunt\'s clinic schedule, videos and invites you to join a mailing list. \n<br /><A href="http://www.epcomm.com/gisoh/"><FONT size=2>GAIL IVEY</FONT> </A><BR>Ms. Ivey\'s is one of our favorite people. She is a wonderful writer and has a charming way of presenting to us her penetrating insight into horses and horsemanship. \n<br /><FONT color=#0066cc><FONT size=2>The Runningwalk FAQ </FONT></FONT>is apparently no longer on the web. We are leaving this section up <FONT color=#993333>just in case someone knows where it went</FONT>. It had good horsemanship training tips and other information of concern to TWH owners, including the Ross Jacob posts on round pen approach.indicating how to tailor round pen methods to the needs of each horse you meet in the pen.\n<br /><A href="http://www.leesmithdiamonds.com/"><FONT size=2>LEE SMITH</FONT></A> <BR>Check out Lee\'s clinic schedule and take her up on her offer to spend some time at her ranch and learn horsemanship. In addition to her group clinic work, Lee also offers week long courses at her ranch. You can read about the details of this great opportunity on her site. \n<br /><A href="http://www.aboutthehorse.com/"><FONT size=2>ABOUT THE HORSE </FONT></A><BR>Master Saddle Maker Dave Genadek\'s web site is more than a saddle sale site. When this site is finished you will be able to find out about the biomechanics of saddle fit and what to aim for when you buy a saddle. Mr. Genadek holds saddle fit clinics around the country and is unique in his drive to make saddle fit "about the horse". His clinics are a must for those who want understand how to fit a saddle to the horse and human. Until his site is complete, he has authorized the Horseman site to publish notes taken by us at several of his saddle clinics. Thanks, Dave!\n<br /><A href="http://www.prairienet.org/jjahiel/"><FONT size=2>JESSICA JAHIEL\'S HORSE SENSE</FONT> </A><BR>This web site is one of the best places to go for a <FONT color=#990000>moderated </FONT>mail list which provides accurate and common sense answers about riding and horsemanship. Dr. Jahiel applies her common sense approach to all riding styles with exceptional results. We have attended her classes and the results are amazing.\n<br /><A href="http://www.brannaman.com/"><FONT size=2>BUCK BRANNAMAN</FONT></A> <BR>This site is the location for specifics on Mr. Brannaman\'s latest videos, equipment and clinic schedule. \n<br /><A href="http://www.peggycummings.com/"><FONT size=2>PEGGY CUMMINGS</FONT> </A> <BR>This location discusses Ms. Cummings "Connected Riding" activities, her clinic schedules and offers some products for sale. If you want to know more about how to stay out of your horse\'s way when you ride, check this site out. This site is relatively new, but when it is complete, it will be a valuable resource for self-improvement. Ms. Cummings comes to riding from a different perspective than many of the above referenced clinicians. She has a substantial dressage background and is an Olympic riding coach. She also has the ability to get to the heart and soul of a horse and rider to the great benefit of both. If you can ride or audit her clinics, you owe it to your horse and yourself to do so.\n<br /><FONT size=2>THE HORSEMAN MAIL LIST</FONT> <BR>A focused group discussion about the day-to-day practice of good horsemanship, as well as discussion of its theories and philosophy.\n<br />The Horseman list is not a forum for any single good horsemanship guru or method. Practitioners from all the good horsemanship schools meet here to discuss the training of humans and horses using good horsemanship techniques. \n<br />You do not have to be a horse "specialist" to join and contribute. If you have a horse, or, if you have an interest in horses, please join us. their 300+ list members come from all over the world to ask questions and give help. \n<br />Post to the horseman list must address ONLY issues of the training of humans and horses using good horsemanship methods. \n<br /><FONT color=#990033>WARNING: NO COMMERCIAL USE OF POSTS, NAMES OR MATERIAL FROM HORSEMAN IS ALLOWED, WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR OR OWNER. ANY UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS WILL RESULT IN EXPULSION FROM THE LIST.</FONT> \n<br />If you want to join the Horseman mail list send an e-mail message to \n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<P align=left><A href= This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it "'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text72146 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it > This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it </A> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>\n<br />Do not type anything in the "Subject" line. \n<br />In the body of the message type: \n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<br />subscribe Horseman </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>\n<br />A subscription package will follow shortly. \n<br />You must reply to confirm your subscription. \n<br />NOTE - Even though the infallible search engines say otherwise, the "berkeley.edu" list site was closed long ago. If you are going to subscribe to the Horseman mail list, you must subscribe to the "oregonVOS.net" list, identified above.\n<br /><FONT color=#003399><FONT size=2>The Horseman FAQ</FONT></FONT><BR>In our FAQ you will find a collection of information concerning terms commonly used to explain good horsemanship. \n<br />The references materials have been provided by members of the Horseman mail list. The list of references is international in scope. There will be something here for anyone interested in horses. Please have a look! \n<br />Thank you for visiting this section of our web site. Take a look around at the rest of the site. There is a wealth of information here and links to the best of the horsemanship web. \n<br />We hope you will take advantage of our services and join us on our journey toward good horsemanship. \n<br />Questions or comments about this site should be directed to Rick. ', '2002-12-08', 101, 1, 0, 5, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (11, 25, 'David Lichman on PNH ', 0, '', '<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<br /><FONT color=#006633 size=2>Parelli Natural Horse•Man•Ship </FONT>\n<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">\n<br /><FONT color=#0000cc><FONT class="smallerFont">by David Lichman</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>\n<br /> \n<br /> \n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont"> “My horse is spooky, flighty and herd bound – and I love that about him!” \n<br />Wait, let me start at the beginning… I first saw Pat Parelli at the State Fair Cavalcade of Horses about 16 years ago. Each of the 18 days, at 4:00 pm, I watched Pat start a youngt colt in the 106 degree heat of the hot August afternoon sun. \n<br />I saw things being done with horses I had no idea were even possible. Since then I’ve studied intensively with Pat, became one of only two 5-star instructors in the USA, and I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned with students all over the world. \n<br />Here is what I’ve learned about being a “Horse Whisperer” and how it can help you. If you want to whisper to your horse, you\'d better learn his language first! \n<br />This means adopting what is natural to the horse in his herd relationships, in order to create a partnership with you. \n<br />A horse never misbehaves, he\'s just trying to be the best horse that he can be. It is up to us to convince him on his own terms, that what we would like him to do is a good thing, and that the things he has been doing are not. Using the techniques in Pat’s Savvy System, we can take the three things that people hate about horses, and turn them around into something positive. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT color=#006600><FONT size=2>He\'s too sensitive and spooky about every little thing </FONT></FONT><FONT class="smallerFont">- this translates to sensitivity to the aids, or to our requests. If a horse can sense a fly on his hair, he can surely sense the smallest of cues we might offer, if we are consistent! </FONT>\n<br /><FONT color=#006600><FONT size=2>She\'s flighty and runs off </FONT></FONT><FONT class="smallerFont">- this gives us impulsion, which we need for all the fun things we have planned - dressage, cow working, jumping, endurance - you name it. </FONT>\n<br /><FONT color=#006600><FONT size=2>He\'s herd bound and buddy sour </FONT></FONT><FONT class="smallerFont">– let’s tap into this and entice him to bond with us! You\'ve seen how strongly they get bonded to each other - imagine that same strength of bond between you and your horse. Pat calls it the bond that\'s stronger than any lead rope...</FONT>\n<br /><FONT size=2> “My horse is spooky, flighty and herd bound.” \n<br /><FONT color=#990000>If you love horses, you have to love these qualities about them – and learn how to put them to good use. </FONT></FONT>\n<br /><FONT class="smallerFont">If you are interested in learning more about Parelli Natural Horsemanship, the courses I teach and the lessons I give – call my event hot line at (916) 648-1004, or</FONT> <A href="http://www.DavidLIchman.com"><FONT size=2>visit my web site</FONT></A>', '2002-12-16', 115, 1, 0, 6, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (18, 28, 'The Power of Questions - Evaluating The Horse\'s Physical Condition', 75, 'Jodi Denning', '<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">\n<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">\n<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">\n<title>THE POWER OF QUESTIONS \nby Jodi Denning</title>\n<style>\n<!--\n p.MsoNormal\n {mso-style-parent:"";\n margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman";\n margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}\ntable.MsoTableGrid\n {border:1.0pt solid windowtext;\n font-size:10.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman"}\n-->\n</style>\n</head>\n\n<body>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n THE POWER OF QUESTIONS<br>\n</span></b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; text-transform: uppercase">\n Learning to Analyze Problems and Find Solutions</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n </span></b>\n<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1">\n <tr>\n <td width="100%"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n First, a note of caution. This article presents information for your \n consideration. This article does not attempt to suggest to you how to \n approach any individual horse in any individual situation. Each horse is \n different and each situation is different. Horses can be dangerous, and \n there is inherent risk associated with working with horses. You must use \n your own judgment to decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for you and \n your horse at any particular moment. You assume all responsibility for the \n risks involved in the horse related activities you choose to pursue. By \n reading this article and using the concepts it presents, you agree to the \n above statements and agree that the laws of the State of Texas will apply to \n any dispute. The publication of this article is an act within in the Equine \n Liability Law of the state of Texas. That law and all other immunity \n provisions apply to the publication and use of this article.</span></i></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nAuthor’s note: For simplicity and readability, I refer to the rider as “she” \nand the horse as “he”.<br>\n </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -.25in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <b><font face="Verdana">EVALUATING THE HORSE\'S PHYSICAL CONDITION </font></b>\n</div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When I \nencounter a problem or resistance from a horse, the first questions I ask relate \nto the horse’s physical condition. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The horse communicates to us through his behavior.</span></i></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">It is \ndifficult for us to concentrate and perform well when we are in pain; the horse \nis no different. The only way a horse is able to let us know that he is \nexperiencing pain or discomfort is through his behavior. We need to develop the \nhabit of constantly assessing every aspect of a horse’s physical, mental and \nemotional condition.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If a \nhorse has been performing willingly and then suddenly begins having difficulty, \nI look for physical causes. A gradual change in behavior can be indicative of \na gradual or degenerative type of physical issue the horse is dealing with. It \ncan also indicate an equipment problem, which will be covered in more detail in \nthe section on evaluating equipment. A sudden change in behavior, assuming \nother factors have not changed, can sometimes be the horse’s way of \ncommunicating acute physical difficulty.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\nSometimes folks will say to me “I haven’t been riding my horse hard or asking \nvery much of him, so I don’t think the problem is physical”. From my view \nunless we are spending every minute of every day observing our horse there is no \nway we can be certain the horse hasn’t had some physical strain or injury we \naren’t aware of. I’ve seen horses trip and fall in the pasture and get right \nback up without a mark on them, but I could tell by the way they were moving \nthey were going to be sore for a few days. </span>\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">It makes me wonder about \nall the things they do that I <i>don’t </i>see. Just because the horse didn’t \nstrain himself while we were riding him and just because we don’t see an open \nwound doesn’t mean that he isn’t be experiencing soreness somewhere in his \nbody. </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The horse may be dealing with navicular syndrome, arthritic \nhocks, a strained ligament, a bone chip, or any of a wide variety of \ndegenerative diseases or chronic conditions. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If I \nstart seeing indications that a horse may be having a physical problem, I will \ninvolve my veterinarian and my farrier. I want to be certain that I am not \nattempting to work with a horse that is hurting. For no matter how wonderful \nthe quality of training and riding may be, it isn’t going to “fix” a problem \nlike arthritic hocks. When the horse is asked to continue working through \nphysical pain it can develop into a mental and emotional problem for the horse. \nI always like to rule out the physical aspects first and make sure the horse is \nsound before I continue.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><br>\n<br>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana">Living Conditions, Feed, and Medical Care<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; ">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700">What is the \nhorse\'s living situation?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The ideal living situation for a horse is to be turned out \n24 hours a day in a very large, grassy pasture with a herd of other horses for \ncompanionship and socialization. In reality, most of us are unable to provide \nthis type of environment for our horses. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are quite a few behavior problems that can be created \nbecause of the living conditions of the horse. Most books on horse behavior \ndevote quite a bit of discussion to stable vices and other behaviors created by \nthe horse’s artificial living conditions (some examples would be stall weaving, \ncribbing, etc.), and it is important to understand how this can affect the horse \nphysically, mentally and emotionally.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Increasing the horse’s turnout time as much as possible and \nmaking sure he has pasture mates to socialize with can make a significant \ndifference in his attitude and behavior.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the horse on an appropriate feed \nprogram for the level of work he is performing?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Overfeeding can create quite a few “behavior problems”. A \nhorse that appears to be very “hyper” may just be trying to work off excess \nenergy from his feed, or even the treats we feed him. Horses will increase \ntheir physical activity to burn off excess energy. These problems can typically \nbe easily corrected by adjusting the type and amount of concentrated grains and \nhigh energy feeds in the horse’s diet. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">A very simple overview of basic equine nutrition is:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n <font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Meet the horse\'s energy needs as \n much as possible with long stem forage from pasture or hay</font></li>\n <li>\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n <font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Fill in any deficiencies with a \n balanced grain mixed for the horse\'s age, sex, physical state and performance \n level</font></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">A good rule of thumb is that horses consume 2% of their \nbody weight per day in feed, and at least 70% of that should come from long stem \nforage.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Although it is much less common than horses that are \noverfed, a horse that appears to be very dull and sluggish may need additional \nfeed or supplements. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the horse have any prior \ninjuries or medical conditions that might be affecting his ability to do what is \nbeing asked?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Other medical conditions or old injuries may be a factor in \na horse’s ability to do what is being asked of him. For example, ovarian cysts \ncan be a cause of back pain in mares. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Let’s say I’m working with a horse that has old scar tissue \non his right hind leg, indicating a prior injury. I’m asking the horse to do a \nturn on the haunches to the right, which would require his right hind foot to be \nthe pivot point and he would need to balance more of his weight over that leg. \nIf he’s having trouble planting his pivot foot it could be that it is physically \ndifficult for him to balance on that leg because of damage from the old injury. \nIt could also be my balance or the way I’m presenting my cues, which will be \ncovered in the section on evaluating the rider.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the horse have any physical \nlimitations or conformational defects that affect his ability to do what is \nbeing asked of him?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Different people have different athletic strengths and \nweaknesses. A gymnast and a football player aren’t typically built the same and \ndon’t move the same. This is also true in horses. You don’t often see a \ncutting horse competing with top level jumpers. It isn’t that a jumper wouldn’t \nbe able to do some work with cattle or that a cutter couldn’t jump some fences, \nbut the build of each horse is going to make one sport easier for him than the \nother. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Conformational defects can also have a significant impact \non a horse’s ability to perform. A post-legged horse may have some difficulty \nproducing a sliding stop. A horse with a downhill build (croup higher than \nwithers) is generally going to have a little tougher time shifting his weight \nback over his hindquarters and staying off the forehand. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It is important to take the horse’s physical strengths and \nweaknesses into account when asking the horse to do different types of work. He \nmay be doing the best he is able to do given his physical structure.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the horse current on \nvaccinations and deworming? Could the horse be dealing with an illness?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Horses that are fighting disease or experiencing stress of \nany type are not going to be able to give us 100%. A slight case of the flu or \nseasonal allergies will have us feeling a bit “off” and I believe the same can \nbe true for our horses. Many diseases have neurological symptoms which may \ncause a horse to begin to struggle or have difficulty performing the work we are \nasking of him. The horse may not necessarily be uncomfortable or in pain.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When the horse is fighting a disease or illness we will \nusually see a change in the horse’s behavior all of the time: while he’s in the \npasture, during feeding time and while we’re leading, grooming, and riding him. \nNotice if the horse has shown any changes in eating – such as leaving feed/hay \nuneaten, consuming less water, or consuming more water than normal. Is the \nhorse urinating more than normal/less than normal? Is the horse’s manure normal \nin appearance and volume? Know what is normal for your horse. Then when you \nsee something unusual it will alert you to a possible problem.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Has the horse been receiving \nprofessional dental care? How long has it been since the last dental exam?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Equine dentistry is a field which has progressed by leaps \nand bounds in the last several years. Professional equine dentists are \ndocumenting many cases of back soreness, body soreness and other conditions \nbeing significantly reduced or eliminated entirely with quality dental care. \n Dental care should be considered basic healthcare for any horse, but it is \nespecially critical for the performance or riding horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">A horse that has issues with his mouth or teeth may display \nsome of the following behaviors:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">dropping grain or wads of hay while chewing</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">foul odor from mouth or nostrils</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">difficulty during bridling</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">head tossing (especially when pressure is applied to the bit)</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">chewing/mouthing the bit</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">excessive drooling</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">evading the bit (“above the bit”, “behind the bit”, tongue over the bit, \nopening his mouth, etc.)</font></span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">pushing or rooting on the bit</font></span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If a horse is opening his mouth when the rider picks up a \nrein and the rider uses a noseband to hold the horse’s mouth closed the real \nproblem has not been addressed at all. The symptom has been eliminated. But \nthe horse’s ability to give us feedback that something is not right with his \nmouth or with the bit has also been eliminated. Often times the horse will \nsimply try new behaviors to let us know they are still having trouble, so it is \nlikely the “problems” will escalate. It is important to find the source of the \nproblem and focus our efforts on resolving the true cause of the problem.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Determining if a problem is dentistry related or equipment \nrelated can sometimes be challenging. If the horse has been receiving regular \ndental care I will sometimes try a few different bits or even a bitless bridle \nto see if that makes a difference for the horse. If the horse doesn’t show any \nimprovement I will have the horse evaluated by an Equine Dentist to make sure \nthat the horse’s mouth is sound before I continue working with the horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Has the horse been receiving \nprofessional hoof care? How long has it been since the last trimming or \nshoeing?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt; margin-bottom:0">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If you’ve been around horses for very long chances are \nyou’ve heard the old saying “No hoof, no horse”. Quality hoof care plays a \ncrucial role in preserving a horse’s soundness. Improper hoof angles and \nimproper trimming or shoeing can create a wide array of physical problems for a \nhorse, ranging from back pain to joint damage to founder. If you have ever \nexperienced sore feet or worn shoes that don’t fit, it should be relatively easy \nto imagine how your horse feels if he is experiencing the same thing. However, \nthe horse is unable to kick off his shoes and sit down in his easy chair to rest \nhis feet! </span>\n<br>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\nSOUNDNESS/SORENESS<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-variant: normal">\nIs the horse showing any signs of soreness?</span><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Our horse is communicating with us at all times. Take a \nmoment to listen. It is a good idea to observe the horse before attempting to \ncatch him. We should notice how the horse is behaving as we approach him. \nBeing difficult to catch can be a learned behavior. But it also can indicate a \nhorse that is sore and is attempting to avoid work that he knows will cause him \npain. Warning bells should be going off in our head if our horse is typically \neasy to catch and he suddenly becomes reluctant or elusive.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">We should pay attention to how the horse responds as we \nwalk him to the grooming area. Leading the horse provides another opportunity \nto assess our horse’s physical condition. Did he lead up freely? Was he \nwalking rhythmically and evenly on all 4 feet? This gives us a considerable \namount of feedback on how he is feeling – both physically and emotionally. Is \nhe alert, calm, responsive and “normal”? Are his ears up, his eyes soft, his \nlips relaxed and his musculature soft? Or does he seem grumpy, introverted, \nreluctant, detached or simply not his usual self. When we notice changes, it is \na good idea to look for the reason for them before saddling him up to work him.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Grooming provides an excellent opportunity for hands-on \nevaluation. We can develop the habit of making grooming a time to evaluate the \nhorse for any new bumps, cuts, bruises, or “hot spots” that might indicate \nsoreness. We can memorize the horse with our hands and eyes and learn what is \nnormal for him. We should pay special attention to how he reacts to having his \nback curried with a rubber curry and brushed with a brush. If we notice that he \nis suddenly flinching or dropping his back away from our curry he may be \nexperiencing back pain. We will also want to pay special attention to any areas \nthat have had soundness problems or injuries in the past. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">We can notice how the horse reacts when we pick out his \nfeet. Does he have trouble lifting his legs for us? Does he seem \nuncomfortable? This can be another indication of soreness, stiffness or even \ninjury in his legs and back.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are several good books and videos available on \nstretching exercises and massage techniques for horses. Simple stretching \nexercises during or after the grooming process can be another effective way to \nevaluate him for soreness. It also prepares his muscles for the upcoming work.<br>\n </span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Did the horse seem comfortable when he was \nsaddled?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If a horse begins acting uncomfortable or worried when you \nare saddling him, he might be associating pain with being ridden. Other \nindications of soreness include:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse who is normally \nquiet while being saddled becomes fidgety</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse dropping his back \nwhen the saddle is set on him</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse with a strong \nreaction during girthing</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Negative reactions also may indicate that the saddle does \nnot fit and is causing pain. This is covered in the section on evaluating \nequipment.<br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Did the horse seem comfortable when he was \nbridled?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If a horse is throwing his head, attempting to turn his \nhead away as you bridle him or is difficult to bridle, it may be indicating that \nthe horse is experiencing soreness in his mouth that isn’t necessarily related \nto his dental care. Some examples include:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Sores in his mouth caused by \nhay with stickers or foreign objects</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A kick to the jaw from \nanother horse</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">An abscessed tooth</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A rider with rough hands</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana"><font style="font-size: 11pt">This is especially something to consider if it is a sudden \nchange from the horse’s normal behavior during bridling.</font></span>\n<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Negative reactions to the bit also may indicate that the \nbit itself does not fit, is uncomfortable or is causing physical pain. This is \ncovered in the section on evaluating equipment. <br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Did the horse stand quietly for mounting?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If a horse shows distress or discomfort during mounting \n(tossing his head, turning his head to nip at the rider, pinning his ears, \nwalking off, etc.), it can be an indication of back soreness. This behavior may \nalso be related to a poorly fitted saddle, or an awkward rider. If a horse that \nnormally stands quietly for mounting begins moving away or walking off, we \nshould look into the reason his behavior changed.<br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">How was the horse during his warm-up?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The warm-up at the beginning of every ride is yet an \nexcellent opportunity to evaluate the horse’s physical and mental condition. We \ncan ask questions like:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Is the horse\'s stride fluid, \neven and rhythmical?</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Does the horse feel stiff to \none side?</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Does the horse seem worried, \nconcerned or distracted?</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Compare the horse’s movement to the last ride, last week, \nand last month. It is important to memorize how the horse moves and feels so \nthat we will be able to notice when something changes.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If I notice a difference in the horse I will usually begin \nby removing as many variables as possible. I start with the horse unsaddled and \nloose in the roundpen. This eliminates possible equipment issues and rider \nissues from the picture. It gives me a baseline that I can compare against as I \nre-introduce the equipment and the rider. <br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Is there a difference when comparing the same task \nfrom right to left?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It can indicate soreness if a horse has a significant \ndifference in his movement when doing a particular task to the right as compared \nto doing the same task to the left.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Some examples include:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse that picks up one \nlead at the canter, but has difficulty or won\'t pick up the other load</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse that will do a nice \nturn on the haunches to the right, but struggles when going to the left</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse that leg yields \nfluidly to the right, but seems uncomfortable and awkward when going to the left</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A horse that bends nicely on \ncircles going to the left, but is stiff or counterbends when going to the right</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">These examples could be training issues or a result of an \nimbalanced rider, but there could be a physical reason the horse is having \ndifficulty. <br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Is the horse\'s level of fitness appropriate for \nwhat is being asked?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Any training program should gradually and methodically \ndevelop the horse’s body to perform the work the horse is being asked to do. \nThis is relatively easy to understand for sports that require significant \nexertion such as racing, cutting, reining, barrel racing, endurance riding or \njumping. It may not be as immediately obvious that the same principle applies \nto a horse being asked to walk on a 6 hour trail ride when his regular routine \ninvolves a 30 minute ride in the arena twice a week.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If we are asking for athletic performance from our horse, \nwe need to understand cyclical training and cross training principles. Improper \ntraining demands can create injuries that are easily prevented. Good training \nshould increase the horse’s soundness, not jeopardize it.<br>\n </span>\n\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-weight:700; font-variant:normal">\n<font style="font-size: 11pt">Is there no other explanation for the horse\'s \ndifficulty or problem behavior?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are times when there is no obvious physical issue, \nand I feel I have exhausted everything else I can think of and the problem is \nnot improving or is getting worse. It may be time for a trip to a good \ndiagnostic vet for a complete soundness evaluation. If the soundness exam is \ninconclusive, I may consider a trip to a university clinic or another large \nspecialty clinic. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are quite a few other alternatives that can also be \nexplored. These include chiropractic care, massage therapy, acupuncture, laser \ntherapy, or a number of other alternative treatment approaches that can be very \neffective. Ask for the practitioner’s credentials, get several references and \ncheck them carefully, and do some research on the treatment approach you are \nconsidering for your horse. </span>\n<br>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\nADDITIONAL RESOURCES<br>\n </font></b></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are numerous wonderful books and resources available \nto help you learn more about horse anatomy, conformation, behavior, care and \ngeneral training. Below are a few of my favorites:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Principles of \nConformation Analysis Volume I,II,III</i> by Deb Bennett, PhD</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Conformation and \nPerformance</i> by Nancy S Loving, DVM</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Anatomy In Motion: The \nVisible Horse</i> by Susan Harris (video)</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Understanding Equine \nLameness</i> by Les Sellnow</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Lameness in Horses</i> by \nO.R. Adams</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Beating Muscle Injuries \nFor Horses</i> by Jack Meagher</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Release The Potential: A \nPractical Guide to Myofascial Release For Horse And Rider</i> by Doris Kay \nHalstead</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Veterinary Notes for \nHorse Owners</i> by Captain M. Horace Hayes, F.R.C.V.S.</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Horsekeeping On A Small \nAcreage </i>by Cherry Hill</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>For The Good Of The Horse</i> \nby Mary Wanless</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>The Art of Horsemanship</i> \nby Xenophon</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Considering the Horse</i> \nby Mark Rashid</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>A Good Horse Is Never A \nBad Color</i> by Mark Rashid</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Horses Never Lie</i> by \nMark Rashid</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>True Horsemanship Through \nFeel</i> by Bill Dorrance</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>True Unity</i> by Tom \nDorrance</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Think Harmony With Horses</i> \nby Ray Hunt</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Make the Most of Your Horse</i> \nby Jan Dickerson</span>\n </li>\n\n\n\n\n\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Why Does My Horse...</i> \nby Paul McGreevy</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Making Not Breaking</i> \nby Cherry Hill</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"><i>Thinking in Pictures</i> \nby Temple Grandin</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<br />\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><br>\nF<b><font face="Verdana">INAL THOUGHTS \nON EVALUATING PHYSICAL ISSUES<br>\n </font></b></span>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">The \nonly way the horse can communicate to us that he is experiencing pain, \ndiscomfort or that things “just aren’t right” is through his behavior.</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> Physical issues can sometimes be subtle and challenging \nto uncover. Anyone that has experienced a migraine headache or a sore back \nshould be able to understand that just because we can’t <i>see </i>anything \nvisibly wrong doesn’t mean there isn’t pain. It is important to keep in mind \nthat most physical problems are not going to be solved using training \ntechniques.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Back to\n<a href="PowerOfQuestions_Main.htm">The Power Of Questions - Intro</a></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n<font SIZE="2">©<font face="Verdana"> Jodi Denning. All rights reserved. \nNo portion of this article may be reproduced, copied, transmitted or stored in \nany mechanical or electronic form for commercial use, without written permission \nof the author.</font></font><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><i>\n <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi Denning has a varied background with horses, including competition in both \nWestern and English disciplines. Jodi considers herself to be a lifelong student \nof good horsemanship, and she has had the opportunity to study and work with \nseveral top horsemen and horsewomen over the years. Jodi currently resides in \nTexas with her husband and their 5 horses, and will soon be relocating to </span>\n<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">New Mexico</span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">. \nShe teaches riding lessons, occasionally takes horses in for training, and also \nvolunteers at a therapeutic riding center schooling therapy horses and working \nin therapeutic riding classes. </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .</span></i>\n\n</body>\n\n</html>\n', '2003-01-03', 63, 1, 0, 4, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (20, 28, 'The Power of Questions - Evaluating Equipment', 75, 'Jodi Denning', '<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">\n<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">\n<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">\n<title>THE POWER OF QUESTIONS                                 \nby Jodi Denning</title>\n<style>\n<!--\n p.MsoNormal\n {mso-style-parent:"";\n margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman";\n margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}\ntable.MsoTableGrid\n {border:1.0pt solid windowtext;\n font-size:10.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman"}\nh3\n {margin-top:0in;\n margin-right:0in;\n margin-bottom:8.0pt;\n margin-left:.25in;\n text-indent:-.25in;\n page-break-after:avoid;\n tab-stops:list .25in;\n font-size:11.0pt;\n font-family:Verdana;\n font-weight:normal;\n font-style:italic;\n }\n-->\n</style>\n</head>\n\n<body>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n THE POWER OF QUESTIONS<br>\n</span></b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; text-transform: uppercase">\n Learning to Analyze Problems and Find Solutions</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n                             </span></b>\n<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1">\n <tr>\n <td width="100%"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n First, a note of caution.  This article presents information for your \n consideration.  This article does not attempt to suggest to you how to \n approach any individual horse in any individual situation.  Each horse is \n different and each situation is different.  Horses can be dangerous, and \n there is inherent risk associated with working with horses.  You must use \n your own judgment to decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for you and \n your horse at any particular moment.  You assume all responsibility for the \n risks involved in the horse related activities you choose to pursue.  By \n reading this article and using the concepts it presents, you agree to the \n above statements and agree that the laws of the State of Texas will apply to \n any dispute.  The publication of this article is an act within in the Equine \n Liability Law of the state of Texas.  That law and all other immunity \n provisions apply to the publication and use of this article.</span></i></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nAuthor’s note:  For simplicity and readability, I refer to the rider as “she” \nand the horse as “he”.<br>\n </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -.25in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <b><font face="Verdana">EVALUATING EQUIPMENT</font></b></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">The next \narea I examine when evaluating a problem situation is the equipment being used \non the horse.  All equipment used should: </span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Be comfortable</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Not cause pain</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Provide clear signals</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Be necessary</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<font style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family:Verdana">Be appropriate for the \nhorse/rider level of experience</font></span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Changing \nto equipment that is more appropriate for the horse may be the solution to some \nbehavior \nproblems.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><br>\n<br>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana">EQUIPMENT FIT<br>\n </font></b></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; ">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700">Does the saddle \nfit the horse correctly?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are quite a few possible behaviors a horse can \ndisplay that indicate there may be an issue with the saddle fit:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Difficult to catch</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Not standing still while \nbeing saddled</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Dropping his back when the \nsaddle is placed on him</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Moving off while being \nmounted</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Hollowing his back while \nbeing ridden</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Head tossing or traveling \nwith his head up</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Being heavy on the forehand</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">A stiff/short stride</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Refusing to move forward</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Not bending or \ncounterbending on circles</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Favoring one particular lead \nat the canter</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Bucking</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Rearing</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Spooking</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">All of these symptoms can be related to a saddle that is \npinching or causing pain.  Most of us have seen horses with the tell-tale white \nspots on their back, most often indicating permanent damage from a saddle that \ndid not fit.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Saddle fit is one of the areas where changing equipment can \nsometimes “magically” solve many behavior problems.  When we eliminate the pain \nand help the horse to be comfortable, his behavior and attitude usually improve \nconsiderably.  Pain can not only produce the obvious resistance and negative \nreactions from the horse, it can be a big distraction to him and cause him to be \nspooky and nervous.  It’s not too difficult for most of us to imagine how \nwe would react to someone who came out and strapped a piece of equipment on our back day after \nday that was uncomfortable and made us sore.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are some good resources available to educate yourself \non saddle fit on this website.  A video called “About Saddle Fit” available from \nDavid Genadek (<a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single" href="http://www.aboutthehorse.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none">www.aboutthehorse.com</span></a>) \nprovides a clear and understandable presentation of how to evaluate saddle fit.  \nThis video also shows how shims can be used in some situations to improve the fit of \nyour existing saddle.<br>\n </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Are the saddle pad and girth clean \nand well-fitted?<br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The saddle pad should be clean and comfortable for the \nhorse.  The pad should be free of any foreign objects or matted hair.  The pad \nshould be smooth and even, without worn spots that are compressed or thin.  Pads \nthat are too thick can cause the saddle to pinch the horse’s back, much like if \nwe wear socks that are too thick for our boots.  Overly thick pads can also \ncause the saddle to roll from side to side and be unstable on the horse’s back.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Some horses may have preferences as to the type of material \nused in the pad.  This is especially true for sensitive and thin skinned \nhorses.  Certain materials can be rather abrasive to the horse’s coat and there \nare types of synthetics that tend to become stiff and rigid in colder weather. \n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The girth or cinch should also be clean and free of foreign \nobjects and matted hair.  If your horse is responding negatively when you \ntighten the girth, it is worth taking a quick look at this simple piece of \nequipment.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Before saddling up it is a good idea to develop the habit \nof doing a quick visual and hands-on inspection of the underside of the saddle \npad and the girth.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the bit fit the horse \ncorrectly?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; "><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Horses may display some of the following behaviors to \nattempt to let their rider know that the bit is uncomfortable or its signals \nunclear:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Difficulty during bridling</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Head tossing (especially \nwhen pressure is applied to the bit)</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Excessive chewing/mouthing \nof the bit</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Evading the bit ("above the \nbit", "behind the bit", tongue over the bit, opening his mouth, etc.)</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Pulling or rooting on the \nbit</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">A horse that is evasive during bridling may also be letting \nus know that we are rushing through the bridling process.  Offer the bit to the \nhorse and give him a few moments to accept it.  Sometimes just slowing things \ndown can work wonders.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The symptoms for a dentistry related problem and a bit \nrelated problem can be identical, which can sometimes make this area challenging \nto evaluate.  The first area to explore when a horse begins showing any \nindication of a problem with the bit is the horse’s dental care history.  This \nwas discussed in the section on evaluating physical issues.  It is a good idea \nto have a thorough dental exam to rule out dentistry related issues before \ndevoting a lot of time and effort evaluating different bits.  Be sure and take \nyour bit along for the equine dentist to evaluate when he examines your horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Once the horse has a clean bill of dental heath we \ncan begin evaluating the bit itself and how he is relating to the bit.  There \nare a variety of problems that can result from bits.  Some bits give unclear \nsignals to the horse, and other bits can cause mild to extreme pain.  The common \nTom Thumb bit (a jointed “snaffle” type mouthpiece with shanks) is an example of \na bit that both gives unclear signals and can cause significant pain to the \nhorse.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The mouth structure of horses can vary considerably, and \nthis should be taken into account when a bit is selected for a horse.  The \nhorse’s tongue is a surprisingly large muscle, and it is closely associated with \nthe horse’s sense of balance.  Bits which over-restrict or crowd the tongue can result in \nquite a few difficulties for the horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Some horses will have very clear preferences for different \ntypes of bits, or more specifically the mouthpiece of the bit.  Horses also \ntypically have a preference for where the bit hangs in their \nmouth.  For most situations I prefer simple snaffle bits.  I look for \nmouthpieces that aren’t excessively small (thin) or excessively large (fat) in \ndiameter.  In general, most horses do nicely in a mouthpiece that is about the \nsize of a woman’s little finger.  I find that many horses prefer bits with two \njoints in the mouthpiece, as opposed to a single jointed mouthpiece.  A \nmouthpiece that is too narrow (across the mouth) can pinch and compress the lip \nfolds into the cheek teeth.  A mouthpiece that is too wide will tend to slide \nback and forth in the horse’s mouth, creating discomfort as well as sending \nconfusing signals.  Most horses prefer bits that have quite a bit of tongue \nrelief (space for the tongue) and do not over-restrict the tongue.  I have not noticed the majority of \nhorses displaying a noticeable preference in cheek pieces (D ring, full cheek, \negg butt, loose ring, etc.).  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">On most horses, I initially adjust the bridle so that the \nbit just contacts the lips.  If the horse has trouble with that, raising or \nlowering the bit in the horse’s mouth is something to experiment with.  The bit \nshouldn’t be so low in the horse’s mouth that it will bang into the horse’s \nteeth.  It shouldn’t be so high that it draws the horse’s lips up tightly, \ncreating multiple wrinkles.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Other bridling options that can be considered include the \nbitless bridle and the sidepull.  These can be very comfortable for the horse \nand very effective for many types of riding.  These bridling options are \nespecially useful for horses that are very sensitive in their mouth, horses that \nhave mouth injuries, horses that have dental issues and riders who need to \nimprove their hands.  I avoid sidepulls that have nosepieces that are made of \nmetal or rough materials.  I also avoid sidepulls that have very thin \nnosepieces.  These types of sidepulls can create quite a lot of discomfort for \nthe horse.  Mechanical hackamores should also be avoided, as they tend to \nbe quite severe and can give confusing signals to the horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When I switch bits or bridles on a horse, I like to ride in \nthe new headgear for 2 or 3 rides to evaluate how the horse is responding to the \nchange.  The exception is if the horse demonstrates a very clear and immediate \ndislike to the new bit or bridle.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">There are books, videos, and \ninternet resources available on bits and bitting.  This website contains links \nfor additional resources related to bits and bitting.  Some clinicians address \nbits and bitting in their clinics.  This is helpful because it gives you the \nopportunity to ask questions.  If you think your horse may be having a problem \nrelated to the bit you are using, consider doing some research on this topic \nbefore making any significant changes.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the bridle fit the horse \ncorrectly?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; "><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Bridle fit is something that can be easily overlooked when \nevaluating equipment.  The bridle should not pinch the horse’s ears in any way \nand should not be too tight across the horse’s forehead or in the throat latch \narea.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If you use a noseband it should never be so tight that it \nrestricts airflow or clamps the horse’s jaws together.  As the horse flexes at \nthe poll, his top teeth must be able to slide slightly forward over his bottom \nteeth.  Nosebands that are too tight can lock the horse’s jaws together and \nprevent this movement, as well as restrict his breathing.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does any other equipment being used \nfit the horse correctly?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; "><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Any other equipment being used on the horse should be \nevaluated for fit and comfort.  Something as simple as bell boots that are \nclamped down too tightly on the horse’s pastern can cause discomfort and result \nin changes in his behavior.  Another example would be a breast collar that is too high and/or too tight.  \nThis \ncan restrict the horse’s breathing, as well as affect his movement through his \nshoulders.</span>\n<br />\n<br>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana">APPROPRIATE \nEQUIPMENT USAGE<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the equipment being used \nappropriate for the level of the rider and the level of the horse\'s training?<br>\n</font>\n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">\nEquipment should be \nsuitable for the experience and ability of the rider.  For example, I can’t \nthink of a situation where it would be a good idea for a beginner rider to use \nspurs.  Another example is the bit used on the horse.  Most folks are aware that \nANY bit, no matter how “gentle”, can be destructive and severe in the wrong \nhands.  Care should be taken to try and match the level of the bit used on the \nhorse with the quality of the rider’s hands.<br>\n </font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Whether or not to use a curb bit is an example of \nevaluating the equipment based on the horse’s level of training.  A well fitted \ncurb bit can be very effective for horses that have an appropriate level of \ntraining.  This same bit can be overwhelming and confusing for a young colt. \n</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is unnecessary equipment being \nused?<br>\n</font>\n</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">I’ve noticed that some of the best horsemen I’ve had the \npleasure to meet have only a small collection of tack and equipment.  The things \nthey use are generally simple and basic items.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When you look through most tack catalogs the variety of \nitems displayed on the pages can be quite astonishing.  There are numerous \ngadgets advertised to “solve” just about any problem imaginable.  The concern I \nhave with many of these items is that they are designed to correct a <i>\nsymptom.  </i>In many cases these items do very little, if anything, to address \nthe true cause of the problem.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Some equipment is specifically designed to restrict the \nmovement of the horse’s head and neck or force the horse into a “frame”.  This \ntype of equipment can be particularly problematic and counterproductive.  \n</span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When a horse is forced into a frame mechanically, he has \nnot developed the athleticism or musculature to correctly support himself.  \nInjuries often result. \n</span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Many \nof these gadgets adversely affect the horse’s ability to balance himself.  This \ncan be very disturbing to the horse.  He may react quite violently and even \npanic if he feels over-restricted or if he feels like he is losing his balance.  Equipment of this nature \nalso tends to mask the \nhorse’s behavior and not allow us to see where he is having difficulties. \n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">I find that staying with basic, well-designed and \nwell-fitted tack is a much better choice.  If my horse is struggling, I want to \nallow him to let me know he is having difficulty.  That’s important feedback \nfrom him that he needs some help.  Using equipment to cover up symptoms does \nnothing to address the source of the problem.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\n<br>\nADDITIONAL RESOURCES<br>\n </font></b></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Several</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> of the books listed in the section on evaluating the \nhorse\'s physical condition contain information on equipment.  Here are a \ncouple of additional resources that might be helpful:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11pt"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana">About Saddle \nFit</span></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt"> by \nDavid Genadek (video)</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size: 11pt"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana">A Whole Bit \nBetter </span></i></span>\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">by Dale, Ron and Bob Myler</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n</span>\n<p class="JDH2">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><b><font face="Verdana"><br>\nFINAL THOUGHTS \nON EQUIPMENT EVALUATION<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When a horse is having \ndifficulty, the equipment being used should be evaluated to be certain that it \nfits the horse and is appropriate.  Ill fitting or inappropriate equipment can \ncreate discomfort or pain for the horse.  It can also cause conflicting or \nunclear signals, resulting in a confused and frustrated horse.  The horse’s \n“problem behavior” may simply be his effort to communicate that the equipment used is \nuncomfortable or ineffective.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase"><br>\n</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Back to\n<a href="PowerOfQuestions_Main.htm">The Power Of Questions - Intro</a></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n<font SIZE="2">©<font face="Verdana"> 2003 Jodi Denning.  All rights reserved.  \nNo portion of this article may be reproduced, copied, transmitted or stored in \nany mechanical or electronic form for commercial use, without written permission \nof the author.</font></font><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><i>\n <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi Denning has a varied background with horses, including competition in both \nWestern and English disciplines. Jodi considers herself to be a lifelong student \nof good horsemanship, and she has had the opportunity to study and work with \nseveral top horsemen and horsewomen over the years. Jodi currently resides in \nTexas with her husband and their 5 horses, and will soon be relocating to </span>\n<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">New Mexico</span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">.  \nShe teaches riding lessons, occasionally takes horses in for training, and also \nvolunteers at a therapeutic riding center schooling therapy horses and working \nin therapeutic riding classes.  </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .</span></i>\n\n</body>\n\n</html>', '2003-01-08', 0, 1, 0, 5, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 0);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (21, 28, 'The Power of Questions - Evaluating the Rider', 75, 'Jodi Denning', '<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">\n<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">\n<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">\n<title>THE POWER OF QUESTIONS                                 \nby Jodi Denning</title>\n<style>\n<!--\n p.MsoNormal\n {mso-style-parent:"";\n margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman";\n margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}\ntable.MsoTableGrid\n {border:1.0pt solid windowtext;\n font-size:10.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman"}\nh3\n {margin-top:0in;\n margin-right:0in;\n margin-bottom:8.0pt;\n margin-left:.25in;\n text-indent:-.25in;\n page-break-after:avoid;\n tab-stops:list .25in;\n font-size:11.0pt;\n font-family:Verdana;\n font-weight:normal;\n font-style:italic;\n }\nh2\n {margin-top:12.0pt;\n margin-right:0in;\n margin-bottom:3.0pt;\n margin-left:-9.0pt;\n page-break-after:avoid;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:Verdana;\n font-variant:small-caps;\n font-style:italic}\n-->\n</style>\n</head>\n\n<body>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n THE POWER OF QUESTIONS<br>\n</span></b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; text-transform: uppercase">\n Learning to Analyze Problems and Find Solutions</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n                             </span></b>\n<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1">\n <tr>\n <td width="100%"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n First, a note of caution.  This article presents information for your \n consideration.  This article does not attempt to suggest to you how to \n approach any individual horse in any individual situation.  Each horse is \n different and each situation is different.  Horses can be dangerous, and \n there is inherent risk associated with working with horses.  You must use \n your own judgment to decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for you and \n your horse at any particular moment.  You assume all responsibility for the \n risks involved in the horse related activities you choose to pursue.  By \n reading this article and using the concepts it presents, you agree to the \n above statements and agree that the laws of the State of Texas will apply to \n any dispute.  The publication of this article is an act within in the Equine \n Liability Law of the state of Texas.  That law and all other immunity \n provisions apply to the publication and use of this article.</span></i></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nAuthor’s note:  For simplicity and readability, I refer to the rider as “she” \nand the horse as “he”.<br>\n </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -.25in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <b><font face="Verdana">EVALUATING THE RIDER</font></b></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><br>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When we \nface challenging situations with our horse, it is important to objectively \nevaluate our own abilities.  Quite a few of the training issues we face with our \nhorses actually fall into the broad category of what we might call operator \nerror.  These can be difficult questions to ask.  There may be some effort \ninvolved to find the answers.  Even more effort may be necessary to make the \nnecessary changes in ourselves to be more effective as a teacher for our horse. \n But when we face these situations openly and honestly, we can learn some \namazing and powerful lessons from our horses.<br>\n<br>\n<br>\n</span>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Verdana"><b><font face="Verdana">\nUNDERSTANDING THE HORSE<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the rider understand basic \nhorse behavior?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">To have a successful relationship with horses we need to understand \nwhat makes them tick.  It is important to understand that horses have a highly \ndeveloped flight response to situations that threaten them.  Horses rely on \npostures, gestures and sounds for the majority of their communication.  We \nshould strive to educate ourselves as much as possible in the fascinating area \nof equine behavior.  \nI\'ve included several books in the Additional Resources section of this article \non this topic.  Spending time watching horses with each other can be a \ngreat way to learn more about how horses interact.<br>\n </span><font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the rider understand basic \ntraining concepts</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">?</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n </font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">Learning about training principles and how animals learn can be very \nhelpful to any horseman.  We should develop an understanding of the principles \nof positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment and how they \ncan be used in our training program.  The Additional Resources section \ncontains books that cover basic training principles and concepts.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">Understanding basic training principles is an important component of \nour education, but it only represents one piece of the overall equation.  Part of the joy of working with horses is that \nthe relationship between a horse and rider goes far beyond the mechanics of any \ntraining technique.  <br>\n<br>\n</span>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Verdana"><b><font face="Verdana">\n<br>\nATTITUDES, OBJECTIVES AND EMOTIONS<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider\'s "mental chatter" \npositive and helpful</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">?<br>\n </font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Many years ago I noticed that there was \nquite a bit of negativity that ran through my “mental chatter” as I \nrode and worked with horses.  My mental chatter was basically a fairly \nconstant stream of criticism and doubt, and I began to see how this was really \ngetting in the way of being effective.  I spend a good bit of my time and energy \nlearning to control my mental chatter and focusing on ways to make it more \npositive.  This has been a very significant \ncatalyst for some wonderful changes.  Mental chatter is an area that often \nreceives quite a bit of attention when I work with riding students.  Some seemingly \n“little” changes in this area can have a startlingly significant impact.  </span>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">It is important to understand \nhow the human brain processes negative information.  If I tell you “Do NOT think \nof a purple cow” you will first think of a purple cow, and then tell yourself \nNOT to think about it.  In other words, you must think about the thing that you \nare trying not to think about!</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Instead of thinking about \nwhat we DON’T want to do, we need to train ourselves to think about what we DO want to do.  How we \nphrase our mental chatter about our horse and our riding sends important \nmessages to our bodies.  Here are some examples of how we can change a negative \nphrase into a positive:</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; margin-left: .95in" width="583">\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>\n <span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">POSITIVE</span></b></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>\n <span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">NEGATIVE</span></b></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Soften, melt and relax</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t tighten up/Don’t get stiff</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Soften my knees and feel their movement</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t lock my knees</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Take \n a deep, full breath</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t hold my breath</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Keep \n my head up</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t look down</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Sit \n up and grow taller</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t slouch</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">\n Keep my shoulders level and even</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">\n Don\'t drop my inside shoulder</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Keep \n my hands up</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t have low hands</span></td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Close my fingers on the reins</span></td>\n <td valign="top" style="width: 276; border-left: medium none; border-right: 1.0pt solid windowtext; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in">\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\n Don’t have open fingers on the reins</span></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">It is important to eliminate \nself-criticism from our mental chatter.  When we make statements like “my horse \ncan’t…”, “my horse won’t…” or “I can’t…” it sets us up for failure.  A friend of \nmine gave me a nice little saying that I really like - “We haven’t been able to \ndo that… YET”.  This implies eventual success.  Saying things like “I can’t” \nimplies permanent failure.  It isn\'t very reasonable to expect perfection \nfrom our horses or from ourselves.  All we really need to have is a little \nbit of improvement.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Thinking in terms of “we” and \n“us” is much more effective than “me” and “my horse”.  For example, say “we are \nhaving some trouble stopping” instead of “my horse has trouble stopping” or "my \nhorse won\'t stop".  It \nhelps reinforce that we are a team with our horse and helps us take some \nresponsibility for the problem situation we’re facing.  Even if the problem is \noriginating with the horse, WE are still going to have to initiate the change or \nchanges necessary to help resolve the problem.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Changing our mental chatter \nto have a positive focus will allow us to make changes in our riding and develop \nnew habits much more quickly.  If you think you can or if you think you can’t, \nyou’re right.  Choose to think you CAN.<br>\n </span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">\nAre the rider\'s goals and expectations reasonable?<br>\n </font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Our goals and expectations need to be realistic and \nappropriate.  When establishing goals, the following should be considered:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The horse\'s physical \nabilities and/or limitations</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The horse\'s level of \ntraining</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The horse\'s level of \nphysical fitness</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The rider\'s physical \nabilities and/or limitations</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The rider\'s level of \ntraining (experience)</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The rider\'s level of \nphysical fitness</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">The amount of time available \nfor working with the horse</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">In the section on evaluating the horse’s physical \ncondition, I’ve already discussed the evaluation points related to the horse. \n The same principles also apply to the rider.  The rider’s build, athletic \nfitness and experience needs to also be considered when determining if the goals \nand expectations for the horse/rider team are appropriate.  Any rider expecting \nathletic performance from their horse should put in the effort to be athletic \nand fit themselves.  The higher the athletic level of performance expected from \nthe horse, the more athletic and fit the rider should be.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Any time we talk about goals, the question “how long should \nit take to teach my horse to _______” seems to come up.  Most of us must \nfit our time with our horses into a busy schedule, and our time with our horses \nis much more limited than we would like.  That doesn\'t mean there won\'t be \nprogress towards our goals, but it may mean that attaining our goals will take \nlonger in terms of the calendar. \n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Each of us is an \nindividual and each horse is an individual.  The teaming of a horse and rider \nmakes a dynamic and unique combination with strengths as well as weaknesses.  \nIf you are fortunate enough to ride a horse that is further along than you are \nin his training, don’t be in a rush to learn how to push all of his buttons.  \nGive yourself time to develop your skills to compliment his ability.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">  Even a well-trained jumper will eventually begin \nrefusing fences if the rider bumps the horse in his mouth and allows her weight \nto fall heavily on his back when he lands over the jumps.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Establishing goals and objectives can be very helpful for \nany rider.  This is an especially important consideration for any competitive \nrider.  However, unrealistic goals can lead to continual disappointment and \nfrustration.  Becoming too goal oriented can entice us to rush through the \ndevelopment of the necessary foundation skills.  We need to learn to trust and enjoy the \nprocess of learning and developing our skills.  It is important to never lose \nsight that the really “good stuff” happens in the day-to-day process.  </span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider angry, frustrated or \nemotionally clouded?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">There is an old story about anger that I would \nlike to share:</font>\n<blockquote>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">A young boy was struggling with \ncontrolling his temper.  \nHis father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer.  The father told the boy \nthat every time he lost his temper he must hammer a nail into the wooden fence \nin the back yard.  The first day the boy had driven several nails into the \nfence.  </font>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Over the next few weeks, as he \nlearned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered into the fence \ngradually dwindled.  He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to \ndrive the nails into the fence.  </font>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Finally the day came when the boy \ndidn\'t lose his temper at all.  He told his father about it and the father \nsuggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to \ncontrol his temper.  Days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell \nhis father that all the nails were gone from the fence.  </font>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">The father took the son by the hand \nand led him to the fence.  He said "You have done well, but look at the \nholes in the fence.  The fence will never be the same.  When you do \nthings in anger, it leaves a scar like the holes in the wood.  You can put \na knife in a man and draw it out.  It won\'t matter how many times you say \nI\'m sorry, the wound will still be there."</font>\n</blockquote>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Frustration and anger \nemanate from a rider to a horse like a police siren.  Many horses will \nreact quite strongly to a rider that is angry or frustrated, even if that anger \nis not directed at the horse.  The horse\'s reaction may even end up hurting \nthe rider or himself.  Handling a horse in anger will certainly diminish \nthe horse\'s trust and confidence in the rider.  It can cause the horse to \nworry and become afraid.  There is nothing positive that comes from \nallowing anger to control the way we approach our horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">There are times when all of \nus will struggle to leave our emotions out of a training situation.  \nHowever, a horseman will make every effort to develop the self-discipline to not \nallow her emotions to control a situation.  From my \npersonal experience, I can say that anger and frustration has been at the root \nof many situations over the years that I look back on with regret.  </span>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">If we find ourselves \nbecoming ruled by our emotions, it can be a very wise choice to get off and put \nthe horse away for the day.  When we give ourselves time to reflect on the \nsituation without looking at it through a cloud of emotions, we will almost \nalways be able to see different ways to approach the problem.<br>\n </span>\n<span style="text-transform: uppercase; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Verdana"><b><font face="Verdana">\n<br />PRESENTATION TO THE HORSE<br>\n<br>\n</font></b></span>\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Does the rider have a clear picture \nin their mind of what they are asking the horse to do</font></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">We need to have a specific response in mind <i>EVERY TIME</i> we pick up a rein, put on a leg, shift our \nweight or present any form of request to the horse.  We should know <i>in advance</i> \nwhat response we are looking for from the horse. </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> The correct response can be the slightest try from \nthe horse to do what we are asking, or it may be a complete maneuver that the \nhorse has already learned.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">  It is critical to know what the correct response is \nso that we can release and reward the horse when he offers that response to us.  \nIf we don\'t have a clear picture in our mind of the correct response, it is </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">highly unlikely that we will be able to offer a good \nrelease/reward to the horse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">However, there is a bit more \nto the picture than just this</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">.  We also need to have an understanding of how we want our horse \nto look and feel as he responds to our request.  We want the horse to be soft \nand relaxed every time he responds to any request we make of him.  There will \nbe times when we will need to adjust our priorities, and the original response \nwe were looking for may have to change in midstream.  During the learning \nprocess there may be times when we make a request and the horse responds by \nsearching.  He may offer several “undesirable” responses before he begins \noffering something that more closely resembles the response we are looking for.  If the \nhorse has trouble with a request we can choose to force the issue and attempt to \n"make the \nhorse do it”.  This approach makes the mechanics of the task the main priority.  \nOr we can adjust to the situation and make softness our priority, even if that \nmeans we don’t complete the original task we were working on.  In other words, \nwe changed our priorities so that softness became a higher priority than just \ncompleting the task. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Some examples may help \nillustrate this idea.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">I decide to ask the horse to walk in a 15’ circle to the \nright around a set of cones.  I softly pick up a right rein to begin my \ncircle.  Instead of softly bending onto the circle, the horse responds to \nmy request by getting very heavy on the rein and he begins pulling.  I meet \nhis pressure on the right rein, but I immediately change my priorities.  \nAfter all, the horse was not aware that my priority was to walk in a circle \naround the cones.  The circle and the cones are no longer my priority.  I begin focusing \nexclusively on trying to get the horse to soften to the rein, all the way through his body.  \nAt this point, I’m just going to be looking for a softening to the rein, and a \nsoft bend through his body.  If he softens, I will release him to reward \nhis effort.  I can drift back and try my \ncircle around the cones again.  If the horse doesn’t soften, I may ask him \nto step his right hind foot under his belly (another adjustment to the priority) instead of trying to get him to \nsoften on a circle.  When a horse braces or gets stiff my immediate \npriority becomes helping that horse find some softness through his body.  \nOnce we find the softness, I can go back to the circle around the cones. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">This is an area that can be \nconfusing, and even may seem a bit contradictory at first.  Remember that \nit is important to you to have a clear picture of what you are asking of your \nhorse with each request you make.  At the same time, the horse is not going \nto know what our objective is when we make our request.  You may have to \nmake adjustments and change your priorities during a request to ultimately meet \nyour original objective.  </font>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider presenting cues that \nare clear and appropriate?<br>\n </font></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Horses are able to feel something as small as a \nfly landing anywhere on their body.  It\'s crucial to give that some serious \nthought.  Horses are <i>incredibly</i> sensitive creatures.  \nWe often use <i>considerably</i> more pressure than the horse needs, and many \ntimes he will learn to tolerate the over-cueing.   But some horses \nwill express their opinions about over-cueing and they might not be so willing \nto learn to put up with it.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Horses learn to pick up on subtle changes in the rider \nquite easily.  On the other hand, if you always start with a kick to ask \nfor forward movement, the horse will never have the opportunity to operate with \nanything softer than a kick.  This is like yelling at the horse when he \nwould be quite willing to respond to a simple, soft request.  He will begin \nto learn that even though he is perfectly able to feel a tiny request, obviously \nwe are not.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">He may begin to become resentful.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Then we typically begin to label these horses as \n"dead-sided" or "hard-mouthed".  But it was a person who taught the horse \nto operate that way!  Offer your softness to the horse and let him tell you \nhow much he needs from you.  The old saying "less is more" can be \nshockingly and perhaps surprisingly applicable to working with horses.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Learning to soften our cues \nrequires us to first develop an awareness of how much "cue" we are using. \n</span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Developing the habit of "rating" the amount of pressure \nused to make a request of the horse is extremely helpful.  For example:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">How many ounces of pressure \nwe are putting on the rein</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">How many ounces of leg \npressure we are using</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">How much we are shifting our \nweight in the saddle</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">This will allow us to accurately compare how much pressure \nit takes to get a response from the horse from one request to the next. \n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">I like to use a scale from 0 – 10.  0 represents no \nexternal pressure at all and 10 represents the most pressure I would be willing \nto use to make a request.  My “0” is usually just my thought.  For example: if I’m \ngoing to ask my horse to trot, my first “cue” is to simply think about trotting.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Many folks who rode as children will recall times when they \nwere just thinking about doing something, and their horse did it.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">I will picture in my mind where I would like to make the \ntransition, how the transition will feel, and what speed of trot will result.  Just \nthinking about trotting will create subtle changes in my position, balance and \nenergy level.  When we discipline ourselves to start every request at “0”, we give \nthe horse a chance to pleasantly "surprise” us by responding to our subtle cues.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The only way our horse can become light is if we give him \nthe opportunity to respond by starting EVERY request we make with the lightest \ncue possible.  If we start with a bigger cue or present several cues at the \nsame time (ex: shift forward, squeeze with legs, and kiss to ask for a trot) we \ncan’t ever “take it back”.  We will discuss some additional details on the \nwalk to trot transition in the section below on providing a release to the \nhorse.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">One thing my students hear regularly from me is “take twice \nas long and use half as much”.  In other words, slow down the presentation \nof your cue so that it takes twice as long and only use half as much pressure.  \nIt doesn’t matter if it’s a leg cue, rein pressure or shifting your weight in \nyour saddle.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">  Using half as much gives the horse the opportunity \nto respond with less cue.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">  Slowing down the presentation of the cue gives the \nhorse a little more time to respond.  Because the rider is going slower she \nis often times able to feel the horse’s try and provide a better timed release \nto him. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Allow yourself the opportunity to experiment.  You can \nlearn quite a bit this way.  Ask yourself questions about how you are presenting \nyour cues to your horse: </span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Does it help if I slow down \nmy cue?  Speed up my cue?</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Does it help if I use less \npressure?  More pressure?</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Does it help if I change the \nsequence of my cues?</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<font face="Verdana"><span style="font-size: 11pt">Make adjustments, change things, try different things and \nexperiment.  Let your horse give you feedback on what works best for him.</span></font>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">You may need to stop and regroup.  It may be that you \nhaven’t ever really thought about your cues in this way.  What you choose to use \nas a cue, within reason, isn’t as important to the horse as how you present the \ncue to the horse and when you release the cue.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It is a very worthwhile goal to see just how light you can \nmake every cue you offer to your horse.  Begin each request a little softer than \nthe last.  Constantly be searching for a new and smaller “0”.  Try to see how \nlittle it can take for your horse to respond.  But remember, you need to do enough to be effective and \nget a change in your horse.  If you keep seeking and keep searching you may find \nthat you can get more done with much less than you think possible.</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider predictable and \nconsistent?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">A horse is able to learn very quickly when the rider is \npredictable and consistent.  That means that a request is made in the same \nway, using the same sequence of cues every time the request is made.  It sounds straightforward, but that’s a \npretty tall order for most of us.  This is especially true when a horse is having \ntrouble with a task.  We need to pay close attention to being as predictable and \nconsistent as possible to help the horse’s learning process.  Horses derive \na lot of security and confidence from a rider who is predictable and consistent. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">This doesn’t mean that we don’t adjust to fit different \nsituations.  Working with horses involves constant adjustment.  It just means \nthat we become aware of our consistency and recognize areas where we are \ninconsistent or unpredictable.  We need to strive to present things to the horse \nwith as much consistency as possible.</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider releasing when the \nhorse is attempting to respond to her request?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">“Why does a horse stop when we pull on the reins?”  This is \none of my favorite questions I like to ask new students.  The horse does <u>not</u> \nstop because of the pressure on the reins.  He stops because he understands that \nwe will RELEASE the pressure when he stops.  It is the promise of the release \nand the horse’s understanding of that promise that causes the horse to respond \nto the pressure on the reins by stopping.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It is the release that teaches the horse.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The release is the horse’s reward for a correct response.  \n \nMore specifically it is the <i>timing</i> \nof the release that teaches.  The horse will associate the pressure (leg, \nrein, seat, etc.) going away \nwith what he is doing <i>at the moment we release</i>.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It sometimes helps to view this from the horse’s \nperspective.  The horse is training US to give him a release.  The horse is \nlearning “if I do ______, the pressure goes away”.  Thinking about it in this \nway will help us see why the horse is responding the way that he is.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">What things can we do to provide a well-timed release to \nour horse?  </span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Know what response we are \nlooking for from the horse</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Be totally focused on the \nhorse, and intensely aware of what he is doing</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Look for any effort in the \nright direction - "the slightest try"</span></li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Provide the release to the \nhorse as soon as he begins <i>thinking about</i> responding to the request</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When we ask something new of the horse it isn’t reasonable \nor fair to wait to reward him until he does it perfectly.  All we really \nneed is to get \na response from him that is “in the right direction” and build on it.  Learning a new skill is a \nprocess composed of many steps.  Learning is incremental.  The other \nside of the coin is that we may be making such an effort to \nrelease for the slightest try that we inadvertently teach the horse to only \noffer us a very slight try.  This can happen if we release before the horse has \nreally made a change or response, or if we get stuck rewarding only a slight try \nand never building on it.  To some extent, we get what we settle for.  \nWe have \nto remember to keep things building and progressing.  What we look for as the “slightest try” evolves as the \nhorse learns and we are able to ask for more from him.  If he begins to struggle \nwe can always take a step back.  If a math teacher is \nworking on multiplication concepts we would not expect her to begin the class by \nasking “What is 2 plus 2?”.  Addition concepts should already be well understood \nwhen students are working on multiplication.  But if a student were having \ndifficulty with multiplication, returning to review addition concepts would be \nvery appropriate to help the student. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When we present a cue to the horse, his response will \ntypically fall into a couple of broad categories.  He responds by searching \n(trying different things), or he does not respond at all (there is no change at \nall in the horse).  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">If the horse is searching, then we \ncan give him time to explore his options.  In other words, we just wait.  We \nneed to give the horse time to search and there is no need to rush him.  We look \nfor any attempt or try on his part to do what we are asking so that we can offer \nhim a release.  It doesn’t have to be perfect!  It just needs to be an attempt \nin the “right direction” giving us something to build on.  For example, we want our \nhorse to walk off from the halt.  We think about walking, and try to bring our \nenergy “up”.  We think he may have leaned forward slightly, but he didn’t \nactually start \nwalking.  We lift our chest slightly, and pick up our hands just a little.  We give him a couple seconds, and we feel a \ndefinite “lean” forward.  In other words, he\'s thinking about going \nforward.  We release to reward his effort.  \nThen we again focus \nforward and think about walking.  Then we lift our chest and hands and wait to see if he \nresponds.  This time he begins walking, and we release and allow ourselves \nto move with the rhythm of his walk.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The horse may be responding, but it is in the “wrong \ndirection”.  Or the horse is not responding at all; there is no change in the \nhorse.  Taking our previous example, we give our first cue to walk.  If the \nhorse doesn’t move at all, he isn’t searching.  If he “sucks back” or even \nshifts his weight backwards he is searching, but it isn’t in the direction we \nare looking for.  We need to motivate the horse to search for the answer.  \nWe also need to let him know that he isn\'t thinking in the right direction.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">  We need to get him thinking "forward".  We may \nneed to increase our cue or add another cue. </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> So we choose to add a little leg pressure.  If \nthat doesn’t get a positive change, we can add kissing as another cue.  As \nsoon as we get any attempt from the horse to think about moving forward, we \nshould release our cues.  We may end up having to escalate our cue to be \neffective.  We may have to explore options like lightly bumping the horse \nwith our legs, redirecting the horse to one side (to put him slightly off \nbalance to encourage movement) or even using a rope or crop to tap his \nhindquarters to encourage him to move forward.  We can choose to dismount \nand work on establishing a forward cue from the ground.  There are always \noptions.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Let’ return to the example of a transition from a walk \nto a trot.  Instead of waiting for the transition to the trot, we could release our cue the instant the horse increases \nhis speed at the walk.  This will allow the horse to begin associating our cue \nwith increasing his speed.  An increase in the horse’s speed is a “slight try” \nfor the transition from walk to trot.  With several repetitions and well timed \nreleases, the horse will begin increasing his speed almost as soon as we give \nhim our cue.  We can release his response and then follow that up right away \nwith another cue before he loses his forward momentum.  He will end up \nincreasing his speed a bit more.  We can then build on that.  Before long the \nhorse is walking so fast that he begins thinking “it sure would be easier for me \nto trot than it is to walk this fast”.  At that point he will probably offer up \nthe trot.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are times when it is appropriate to completely \nrelease all cues in order to give the horse a clear release.  However, a release \ndoes not have to be a “drop” and it doesn’t have to totally abandon the \nhorse.  In other words, the rider doesn’t have to <i>totally</i> let everything \ngo (reins, seat, legs) to give a good release to the horse.  Our cues and \nreleases should have a very “conversational” feel.  I will once again use the \nexample of asking the horse to increase his forward speed.  If we have 4 ounces \nof leg pressure on the horse and he increases his speed, we can cut our leg \npressure to 1 ounce for a couple seconds to provide a release.  This will give \nthe horse the message that he is on the right track.  Leaving a soft leg (1 \nounce) on him instead of releasing our leg completely will help support him so \nthat he doesn’t lose his forward momentum.  We can then cue again by adding a \nlittle leg pressure to encourage the horse to increase his speed.  This approach \nallows us to build on what the horse is offering us instead of “starting over” \nwith each request.  If the rider puts her leg on and leaves it on \nafter the horse increases his speed, she will eventually teach the horse to \nignore her leg.  There is no relief and no release.  The horse will \neventually habituate and learn to ignore and endure the rider\'s leg pressure, \nmuch in the same way he learns to ignore the constant pressure of the girth.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Here’s another example of how a release teaches the horse.  \nLet’s say we have a horse that takes his nose and pulls down on the bit.  The \nrider isn’t prepared for this and so the horse ends up pulling some rein through \nthe rider’s hands.  This creates slack in the reins which provided a release to \nthe horse.  The release wasn’t intentional – it was accidental.  But the horse \nis learning just the same.  So the horse pulls again and again the reins slip \nthrough the rider’s hands.  The horse receives another release.  Very quickly \nthe horse can learn to pull on the bit in order to get a release.  Just because \nit wasn’t what the rider <i>intended</i> to teach doesn’t mean the horse didn’t \nlearn the lesson.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">It sometimes seems that horses learn “undesirable \nbehaviors” more quickly than they learn the things we want to teach them.  But \nwhen we understand how the horse learns it is usually relatively easy to see how \nthe horse acquired the “undesirable behaviors” and why he learned them so \nquickly.  The horse can learn the things \nwe intentionally teach (the things we consider “good”) just as quickly as he \nlearns the things we consider undesirable.  The horse doesn’t differentiate \nbetween the two types of behavior.  To the horse, learning is learning.  It is \nthe quality and timing of the release that teaches.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Learning the timing of presenting meaningful releases to \nthe horse is something that we will spend our entire lifetime attempting to \nmaster.  If we don’t release when the horse makes an effort to do what we are \nasking, we can extinguish his desire to try.  If we don’t keep him searching for \nthe release by raising the bar of what we are looking for from him, we may set \nhim up to forever remain in “kindergarten”.  It can be challenging to find the \nappropriate balance.  The horse will always let us know what is working and what \nisn’t working for him.</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider being effective - \ngetting a change in the horse?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">One question that I suppose all of us have asked at one \npoint or another is “how much pressure should I use when I ask my horse to \n_______?”.  The answer is we should use the minimum amount of pressure \npossible.  But at the same time we must use enough pressure to get a change in \nthe horse.  We always want to start at “0”, but how do we know when to add \npressure and how much pressure to add?  This is a place where experience is \nprobably the best answer, but there are some guidelines that can be helpful. \n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">The cues need to be appropriate for the horse, the \nsituation, and the rider.  There are times where it may be appropriate to put \nquite a bit of pressure on a horse to motivate him to make a change.  But, we \nneed to be skilled enough and confident enough to handle the potential \nconsequences if the horse responds with more than we are expecting.  If the \nhorse gives us a much bigger reaction that we were looking for, we learned \nsomething.  The horse gave us feedback that we used too much pressure.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Sometimes we have to do too much in order to learn how much \nis enough.  </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Next time we can try using quite a bit less pressure and we \nwill probably get a more appropriate response from our horse.  If the horse \nis searching, then we can just wait on him and look for a try he offers so we \ncan give him a release.  If the horse is not searching, we don’t want to \ninadvertently teach him to just block us out and ignore us.  We need to do \nsomething to motivate him to begin searching.  The horse decides how much \nis enough and how much is too much.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">It can be challenging, \nbecause </span>\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">what is "appropriate" can vary rather dramatically from \nhorse to horse.  Not unlike the story of the three bears, what is just right for one horse may be too little to be \neffective or may be a complete overload for another horse.  If you are unsure of \nyour abilities, increasing the pressure slowly and in small increments is \nprobably going to be the safest approach.</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider allowing the horse to \nhave some "soak time"?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Just like people, horses have different learning styles.  I \nthink all horses can benefit from having some “soak time” or “processing time” \nto think about and absorb what is presented to them.  Taking a break can be a \nvery valuable and often overlooked training tool.  The break doesn\'t have to \nnecessarily be a long one.  Sometimes as little as a couple \nminutes of "soak time" after a good response can be very meaningful to the \nhorse.  I\'ve also seen horsemen I respect working with a horse that is \nstruggling with a particular task.  When the horse finally offers up the \ndesired response, the horseman gets off, pulls the tack off and puts the horse away.  \nThis can be a powerful tool.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">We want to make sure that we aren’t ever drilling the horse on a \ngiven task.  Horses can become mentally sour, as well as physically sore from \nthe drilling of even relatively simple tasks.  If the horse understands and is \ngiving you what you are asking for, acknowledge his effort with a release/reward \nand move on to something else.  Horses have an excellent memory, and when they \nhave truly learned something they will retain it.  </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="background-position: 0% 0%; font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; background-image:url(\'none\'); background-repeat:repeat; background-attachment:scroll"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When things are going well it can be very tempting to get \ngreedy.  Perhaps the horse is giving us some wonderful responses and it just is \nso much fun and so exciting that we ask for more and more and more.  Pretty soon \nboredom or sourness begins to show up in our horse.  How can we avoid this?  \nLet’s back up a few steps to when everything was still fun.  At that point it \ncan be very effective to simply say “That was great!  Thanks.”  Give \nthe horse a short break, then move on to \nsomething else.  When something is working well, we don’t want to wear it out.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">When things aren’t going so well and the horse is \nstruggling with a task, there are challenges as well.  It can be tempting to \ndrill and practice to try and get it working better, but this can backfire.  Go \nback to where the horse was comfortable and try again.  Just look for a positive \nchange from the horse, no matter how small.  If the horse has been struggling to \nunderstand your request, and he finally makes a little change towards the right \nanswer, it is a wonderful time to take a break.  Again say “That was great!  \nThanks.” and move on to something else.  Give the horse a little time to think \nabout what happened and how things worked out.  Then go back to the original \ntask after a few minutes, or even after a few days, and try it again.  You may \nbe very pleasantly surprised.</span>\n<br />\n<font face="Symbol" size="4"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight:700">Þ </span></font>\n<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight:700">\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt">Is the rider answering the \nquestions the horse is asking?</font></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:27.35pt">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">Several years ago a horseman I had the opportunity to work \nwith introduced me to the idea that horses as', '2003-02-16', 0, 1, 0, 6, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 0);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (15, 28, 'The Power of Questions - An Introduction', 75, 'Jodi Denning', '<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">\n<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">\n<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">\n<title>THE POWER OF QUESTIONS \nby Jodi Denning</title>\n<style>\n<!--\n p.MsoNormal\n {mso-style-parent:"";\n margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman";\n margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}\njh1\n {margin-top:.25in;\n margin-right:-.25in;\n margin-bottom:6.0pt;\n margin-left:-.2in;\n page-break-after:avoid;\n border:medium none;\n padding:0in;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:Verdana;\n font-variant:small-caps;\n }\ntable.MsoTableGrid\n {border:1.0pt solid windowtext;\n font-size:10.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman"}\n-->\n</style>\n</head>\n\n<body>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">THE POWER OF QUESTIONS</span></b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; text-transform: uppercase"><br>\n Learning to Analyze Problems and Find Solutions</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n </span></b>\n<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1">\n <tr>\n <td width="100%"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n First, a note of caution. This article presents information for your \n consideration. This article does not attempt to suggest to you how to \n approach any individual horse in any individual situation. Each horse is \n different and each situation is different. Horses can be dangerous, and \n there is inherent risk associated with working with horses. You must use \n your own judgment to decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for you and \n your horse at any particular moment. You assume all responsibility for the \n risks involved in the horse related activities you choose to pursue. By \n reading this article and using the concepts it presents, you agree to the \n above statements and agree that the laws of the State of Texas will apply to \n any dispute. The publication of this article is an act within in the Equine \n Liability Law of the state of Texas. That law and all other immunity \n provisions apply to the publication and use of this article.</span></i></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nAuthor’s note: For simplicity and readability, I refer to the rider as “she” \nand the horse as “he”.</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">How \ndo we begin developing our abilities to get out of a challenging situation with \nour horses when we encounter one? How can we find a way to effectively resolve \nsituations that come up when we are working with our horse and things are not \ngoing smoothly? How do we learn to recognize small problems and fix them before \nthey become big problems? How can we perhaps ultimately learn to avoid these \ntypes of difficulties altogether? In other words…</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0001pt">\n<b><i>\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\nHow do we learn what to do </span></i></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: .25in">\n<b><i>\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\nwhen what we are doing isn’t working???</span></i></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">I \nwill share some thoughts on that topic in this series of articles. I don’t \nintend to focus on how to resolve specific “problem behavior” or training \nrelated problems. Instead, my goal is to share with you the process I use when \nI’m trying to evaluate a challenging situation I’m facing. I chose this \napproach because I have found that the more I improve at understanding WHY the \nhorse is having difficulty in the training process, the easier it is to evaluate \nmy options and develop a workable solution. Asking questions is the heart of \nthis evaluation process.<br>\n<br>\n </span>\n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -.25in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <b><span style="text-transform: uppercase"><font face="Verdana">The Evaluation \n Process At First Glance</font></span></b></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"><br>\nIf a \nhorse is struggling or having trouble with what is being asked of him, my \npriority is to stop and address the problem. I want to identify where the \nproblem lies, and come up with a solution that is effective. Sometimes this \nprocess is completed very quickly. In other situations it can take days, weeks \nor even months. Like a detective trying to solve a mystery, I try to see how \nmany “clues” I can find as to why the horse is having trouble with what I’m \nasking of him.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Here \nis an overview of the evaluation process that I rely on to help me develop an \nappropriate solution to problem situations:</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<div align="center">\n <center>\n <table border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="85%" id="AutoNumber2">\n <tr>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="181"><b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Check the</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n <i>CORNERSTONES</i></span></b></td>\n <td width="530" align="left" valign="top">\n <ul>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Are the \n foundational principles of our horsemanship approach understood and \n practiced?</span></li>\n </ul>\n </td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="181"><b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is It PHYSICAL? \n </span></i></b></td>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="530">\n <ul>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Are the \n horse’s living conditions, feed program, or basic health care creating \n behavior problems?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is there some \n physical reason (such as soreness, hoof imbalances, dental issues, \n injury, unsoundness, disease, fitness level, etc.) why this horse may be \n unable to do what is being asked of him? </span></li>\n </ul>\n </td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="181"><b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is It EQUIPMENT? \n </span></i></b></td>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="530">\n <ul>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Does the \n equipment fit the horse correctly and comfortably? </span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the \n equipment appropriate?</span></li>\n </ul>\n </td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="181"><b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is It THE RIDER? \n </span></i></b></td>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="530">\n <ul>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the rider’s \n attitude positive and helpful?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Are the \n rider’s objectives appropriate?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the rider \n presenting her requests to the horse in a way that he can understand?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Does the rider \n understand basic training principles?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the rider’s \n position and balance effective?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the rider’s \n experience and skill level appropriate to try and address the problem?</span></li>\n </ul>\n </td>\n </tr>\n <tr>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="181"><b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is It THE HORSE</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">? \n </span></b></td>\n <td align="left" valign="top" width="530">\n <ul>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the horse \n doing what he has been taught to do (even if that “training” was \n unintentional)?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Is the horse \n prepared for the situation?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Does the horse \n understand what is being asked of him?</span></li>\n <li><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Does the horse \n have the appropriate foundational skills?</span></li>\n </ul>\n </td>\n </tr>\n </table>\n </center>\n</div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">This \nevaluation process is very helpful when I find myself getting stuck or feeling \nlike I’m running out of alternatives for a problem situation I’m facing. There \nis an old saying: “The first thing you should do when you find yourself in a \nhole is to stop digging”. That certainly can be appropriate when it comes to \nproblem solving with horses. The answer is always there, we simply have to find \nit.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Each \narea of the evaluation process will be explored in some detail in the rest of \nthe articles in this series.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<a href="PowerOfQuestions_Cornerstones.htm">Part 1 - Evaluation \nCornerstones</a></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n<a href="PowerOfQuestions_Physical.htm">Part 2 - Evaluating the \nHorse’s Physical Condition</a></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Part 3 - Evaluating \nEquipment (coming soon)</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Part 4 - Evaluating The \nRider (coming soon)</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">Part 5 - Evaluating The \nHorse (coming soon)</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">Part 6 - Quips, Quotes & \nAfterthoughts (coming soon)</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nHopefully the information in this series of articles has been intriguing, \ninformative and helpful. The questions in the different areas of the evaluation \nprocess certainly do not represent a complete list of the possible areas where \nproblems may exist. Many times these questions are just the starting points \nwhich lead to entirely new areas that need to be explored. Learning to ask \nquestions can help us effectively evaluate problems and find ways to help our \nhorse when he’s having difficulty. Remember, the horse is always doing the very \nbest he can.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n<font SIZE="2">©<font face="Verdana"> Jodi Denning. All rights reserved. \nNo portion of this article may be reproduced, copied, transmitted or stored in \nany mechanical or electronic form for commercial use, without written permission \nof the author.</font></font><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><i>\n <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi Denning has a varied background with horses, including competition in both \nWestern and English disciplines. Jodi considers herself to be a lifelong student \nof good horsemanship, and she has had the opportunity to study and work with \nseveral top horsemen and horsewomen over the years. Jodi currently resides in \nTexas with her husband and their 5 horses, and will soon be relocating to </span>\n<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">New Mexico</span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">. \nShe teaches riding lessons, occasionally takes horses in for training, and also \nvolunteers at a therapeutic riding center schooling therapy horses and working \nin therapeutic riding classes. </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .</span></i>\n\n</body>\n\n</html>\n', '2003-01-03', 117, 1, 0, 1, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (16, 28, 'The Power of Questions - Cornerstones', 75, 'Jodi Denning', '<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">\n<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">\n<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">\n<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">\n<title>THE POWER OF QUESTIONS \nby Jodi Denning</title>\n<style>\n<!--\n p.MsoNormal\n {mso-style-parent:"";\n margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman";\n margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}\njh1\n {margin-top:.25in;\n margin-right:-.25in;\n margin-bottom:6.0pt;\n margin-left:-.0in;\n page-break-after:avoid;\n border:medium none;\n padding:0in;\n font-size:12.0pt;\n font-family:Verdana;\n font-variant:small-caps;\n }\ntable.MsoTableGrid\n {border:1.0pt solid windowtext;\n font-size:10.0pt;\n font-family:"Times New Roman"}\n-->\n</style>\n</head>\n\n<body>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">THE POWER OF QUESTIONS<br>\n</span></b><i>\n <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana; text-transform: uppercase">\n Learning to Analyze Problems and Find Solutions</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><b>\n<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-family: Verdana; font-variant: small-caps">\n </span></b>\n<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1">\n <tr>\n <td width="100%"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\n First, a note of caution. This article presents information for your \n consideration. This article does not attempt to suggest to you how to \n approach any individual horse in any individual situation. Each horse is \n different and each situation is different. Horses can be dangerous, and \n there is inherent risk associated with working with horses. You must use \n your own judgment to decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for you and \n your horse at any particular moment. You assume all responsibility for the \n risks involved in the horse related activities you choose to pursue. By \n reading this article and using the concepts it presents, you agree to the \n above statements and agree that the laws of the State of Texas will apply to \n any dispute. The publication of this article is an act within in the Equine \n Liability Law of the state of Texas. That law and all other immunity \n provisions apply to the publication and use of this article.</span></i></td>\n </tr>\n</table>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nAuthor’s note: For simplicity and readability, I refer to the rider as “she” \nand the horse as “he”.</span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: -.25in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <b><font face="Verdana">\n <jh1 style="border: medium none; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25in; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; padding: 0in">\n CORNERSTONES</jh1> </font></b>\n</div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"> \n<p class="MsoNormal">\n<span style="font-size:11.0pt;\nfont-family:Verdana">There are several cornerstones that serve as the foundation \nfor the evaluation process. </span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nRIDING IS A TEAM SPORT<br>\n </font></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">All \nathletes must learn the physical skills, balance and coordination for their \nchosen sport, as well as learning to balance and control themselves mentally and \nemotionally. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Some \npeople might relate riding to other two-person team sports such as doubles \ntennis or pairs ice skating. You have two individuals with different abilities, \nthoughts and emotions, working together as a team. Teammates often develop very \nstrong mental and emotional connections with each other. That can certainly be \ntrue between riders and their horses. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">However \nthere is a rather unique additional element in working with horses that doesn’t \nexist in other team sports. There is a direct physical, mental and emotional \nconnection to another species – the horse. Then consider that the smaller and \nweaker member of the team is attempting to direct the movement of the larger and \nstronger member. And of course the two teammates don’t speak the same \nlanguage. It all makes for some very interesting dynamics.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When a \nhorse is having difficulty, it can be easy to take his behavior personally. \nWe’ve all probably had the thought “Why is my horse doing this to me?” at one \ntime or another. Emotions can significantly cloud our objectivity. Horses act \nlike horses and think like horses. They do not think and act like people.\n</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">We may \nrealize that we sometimes find ourselves in an adversarial relationship with the \nhorse. We end up viewing situations as<span style="color:red"> </span>“us” \nagainst “them”. This mindset can be damaging to any team and does not help \nbuild a strong team bond. When our partner is having trouble, we need to take \nownership of the problem. Challenges that arise should become OUR problem \ninstead of HIS problem. We are a team, and we are both on the <i>same side</i>.</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nTEACHING OR TRAINING?<br>\n </font></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">I try to \nthink of myself as a teacher to my horse and not as a “trainer”. This seemingly \nsimple thing can make some rather significant changes in how I approach working \nwith horses.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If the \nstudent is having difficulty understanding the lesson, is it helpful for the \nteacher to say “You are stupid, learn faster”? How effective is it to give the \nstudent a firm smack on the hindquarters for not understanding the lesson? \nSounds pretty silly, doesn’t it? And yet I can think of countless situations \nwhere I have done exactly that when I was working with horses – because I got to \nthinking I was a “trainer”. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When I \nwork with a student I choose to believe she is doing the very best she can. \nSimilarly, if the horse understands what I am asking of him and is comfortable \ndoing what I’m asking, he will willingly do it for me. The horse is doing the \nvery best he can.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">One of \nthe first things I say to a new riding student is “If you are having trouble \nunderstanding something, it is MY fault, not your fault.” The student typically \nlooks at me as if she is positive she must have misunderstood what I said. I \njust repeat myself, and let her know I’m very serious about what I’m saying. I \ncan almost always think of a different way to explain a concept. I can give \nmore examples that might help her understand what I’m trying to convey. I can \nalso give her more exercises to help develop her skills. If we assume the \nstudent is doing the best she can, then it is up to the teacher to make \nadjustments when the student struggles. Patience and compassion are important \nall the time, but especially so when a student is struggling. The student is \ntrying her best to learn and understand, and is never intentionally trying to \nmake things difficult for the teacher. It is also important to recognize that \nthe student may not be able to learn as quickly as the teacher is able to \nteach. It is the teacher’s responsibility to help find a way to present the \nmaterial so that the student is able to understand. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Now, \ntake just a moment and reread that paragraph. How might approaching training \nwith the attitude that we are the teacher and the horse is the student change \nthings? </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Good \nteachers put a lot of effort into setting situations up so the student can \n“win”. Learning becomes a very positive experience and something the student \nlooks forward too. As the student learns, their confidence grows. I believe \nthis is a very worthwhile goal to apply to working with horses. It is easy for \nmost of us to become overly focused on the things that aren’t working as well as \nwe would like with our horse. This can quickly kill the joy and fun that most \nof us are looking for in our relationship with our horses. If instead we focus \non the things that are going well and build on them, training sessions will \ngenerally be a much more positive experience. </span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Each of \nus has complete and total control over our attitude when we approach challenging \nsituations. We can learn to use this in some very powerful ways.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Solving \nproblems isn’t about finding someone to blame, whether they have four hooves or \ntwo feet. It’s about exploring options, making adjustments and helping the \nhorse. Blaming the horse or blaming ourselves does nothing at all to help us \novercome the situation we are facing.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Whatever \nit is that we are asking the horse to do, <i>the horse has a reason for his \nbehavior</i>. We have to discover that reason and find an appropriate \nsolution. Remember, the horse is doing the <i>very best he can. </i>This \nattitude helps us stay objective in our evaluation and helps us avoid taking the \nhorse’s behavior personally. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Horses \nare thoroughly and completely honest with their actions and reactions. If a \nhorse acts worried, he IS worried. If a horse acts afraid, he IS afraid. A \nhorse never “acts”. He simply “is”. He will always let you know how he feels \nabout any situation. The horse’s honesty is one of his numerous admirable \ntraits. The horse is never “out to get us”, being “stubborn”, or trying to “get \neven with us”. Horses simply don’t waste their time thinking in those terms.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">I have \nyet to meet an honest horseman who claims to have all the answers. None of us \nhave all the answers and we never will. It seems to me that the more I learn, \nthe less I know! That can sometimes be overwhelming. We may sometimes feel a \nlittle lost and unsure of what to do next to help the horse. It is important to \ngive ourselves credit for doing the best we can and the best we know how in a \ngiven situation. No matter how much experience we have, there will continue to \nbe times when we find ourselves facing a new or different situation with a \nhorse. The journey of horsemanship is rarely boring! We are all growing and \nlearning every time we interact with any horse. That is where some of the magic \nof the whole experience of working with horses lies. We shouldn’t waste our \ntime criticizing ourselves for something we didn’t know, didn’t understand or \nweren’t aware of. It isn’t helpful or productive. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Problems \nwill always seem bigger to us when we don’t see a potential solution. We have \nto learn to step back, slow down and take some time to evaluate the problem. It \nhelps put things in perspective. Then we can begin to identify our options and \npotential solutions.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Our \nattitude can have a significant impact on how we approach helping the horse \nthrough a problem. Working with horses can provide us with many opportunities \nfor personal growth, sometimes in rather surprising and startling ways. There \nmay be times when a lesson the horse puts before us can is intimidating, \noverwhelming, and difficult to face. However, these lessons can also be the \nmost meaningful. Keep in mind that horsemanship is an ongoing and lifelong \nprocess, not an event.</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nMISTAKES ARE NECESSARY</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When we \nwork with our horses, we need to allow ourselves to experiment. As we are \nlearning, we will be venturing into unexplored territories and trying new \nthings. Sometimes it will take quite a bit of time and practice for us to \ndevelop the new skills we are attempting to master. There are very few \nguarantees in working with horses, but there is one surefire certainty. We ALL \nwill make some mistakes with our horses. Horses are incredibly forgiving \nanimals, and they are typically quite generous with their forgiveness. That is \nanother equine character trait that I am very thankful for.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Mistakes \nare opportunities to learn, gain experience and develop skills. Learning what \nNOT to do can be valuable information too, and is sometimes just as important as \nlearning what TO do. Experience is made up of our successes as well as our \nmistakes, and both create opportunities for us to learn. As we gain experience, \nwe develop our skills.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Lee \nIococca once said “We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly \ndisguised as insoluble problems.” The only real mistake is when we don’t learn \nfrom it.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">A \nquestion that is interesting to ask ourselves is “What would I do if I knew I \ncouldn’t fail?” Asking this question can help us to see how our fear of making \nmistakes may be holding us back.</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nAWARENESS AND ATTENTION</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">One of \nthe ways we can really help ourselves and help our horses is to make sure we are \ntruly paying attention to our horse. There should be no such thing as “going \nthrough the motions” whenever we are working with horses. The horse should be \nthe center of our attention. If we aren’t paying attention, we are going to \nmiss so much of what our horse is trying to tell us.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Our \nprimary responsibility must be to stay focused and aware of what is going on \nwith our horse. With practice we can develop a level of awareness which will \nallow us to carry on a conversation and still stay focused and aware of the \nhorse underneath us. Clinicians do this all the time. It just takes a little \npractice.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\nAwareness enables us to recognize that there is a potential problem developing. \nWhen the horse begins struggling with something we are asking of him, we will \nrecognize that he is having difficulty. We won’t ask him for more at that \npoint, because we are aware that he is already having trouble. He is asking us \nfor help. Asking more of him when he’s already struggling would run the risk of \noverloading him.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Our \nawareness allows us to get help to the horse when the problem is still \nrelatively small and easier to resolve. Most horses will begin displaying small \nbehaviors to let us know they are having a problem. When we miss those small \nrequests for help from our horse we learn that he must resort to making his \nbehavior BIG enough for us to recognize that there is a problem. </span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nTIME ZONE - PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE?<br>\n </font></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">One \ncomponent necessary to develop awareness is to remain totally “in the moment” \nwith our horse. This tends to be quite a bit easier said than done. When young \nkids ride horses they tend to stay in the moment quite naturally. Somehow, as \nadults we often lose this ability. Dwelling in the past (what “<i>was</i>”) or \nthinking too far ahead to the future (what “<i>might</i>” happen) significantly \ndulls our awareness. It will degrade our timing and keep us out of sync with \nour horse. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">The \nhorse may have had some trouble yesterday, but how is he doing RIGHT NOW? Our \ncues and responses to our horse need to be based on what he is actually doing, \nnot what he did yesterday or what we are concerned that he might do. </span>\n\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Staying \nfocused on what is happening right now helps us stay much more in tune with our \nhorse. It helps us to be more accurate with how we present our cues to the \nhorse and improves our ability to feel what is going on. As a result we are \nable to quickly recognize the horse’s attempts to do what we are asking. </span>\n\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nHORSES ARE INDIVIDUALS</font></b>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> \n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">Every horse is the same and yet every horse is different. The same \nhorse can be quite different from one moment to the next. Horses are living, \nbreathing creatures with their own thoughts, attitudes and temperament. Horses \nare not machines!</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">What works for a horse in one situation may need considerable \nadjustment to work in another situation. For example, a horse that canters \ncomfortably at home may have some tension when you take him to his first show or \ncanter him on the trail for the first time. This doesn’t mean there is anything \nwrong with your training approach. It simply means your horse needs more \nsupport and direction from you in one situation than he does in the other. As \nthe horse gains positive experiences in new situations his confidence should \ngrow.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">The bottom line is that what works with one horse may not work with \nanother horse. Some horses are a bit more individualistic than others, but all \nhorses will have their own strengths and weaknesses. </span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nPROBLEM SOURCES VERSUS SYMPTOMS</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">When a horse is having difficulty it is always best to find the source \nof the problem, as opposed to just addressing the symptoms. We can \ninadvertently create additional problems if we try to continue with the horse’s \ntraining without addressing the areas where he is having difficulty. For \nexample: using a tie down to stop a horse from tossing his head can eliminate \nthe behavior, but it does nothing to address the real cause of the head tossing.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\nVerdana">If we can identify and address the source of the problem, we can \nusually resolve the problem much more effectively. However, there are sometimes \nsituations where finding the cause of the horse’s difficulty isn’t always \npossible. If the horse’s training and handling history is unknown, sometimes we \nhave to do a good bit of guesswork. Finding the source of the problem is ideal, \nbut occasionally it is not always possible or productive.</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nTAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME<br>\n </font></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When I \nam sorting through a problem it can be tempting to make a lot of changes all at \nonce. For example: I could try a new saddle, a new bit and make some major \nadjustments to my riding position. This can make it difficult to determine \nwhich one change was THE change that really helped the horse through the \nproblem. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">I find \nit generally works best if I methodically change one thing at a time. It’s also \ncritical that I allow myself a little time to evaluate if the change is making a \ndifference. I can’t recall ever hearing anyone say they felt like they caused \nsome problems for their horse by going too slow. However, I can recall quite a \nfew times I’ve heard someone say they felt like they created some trouble spots \nby going too fast!</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nIS IT WORKING?<br>\n </font></b>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">There \nare only three possible outcomes when we ask the question “Is the change I made \nhelping my horse?” The problem is getting better, staying the same or getting \nworse. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If the \nproblem is getting better then the horse is giving us feedback that what we are \ndoing is helping him. He is letting us know that we’re probably on the right \ntrack. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If the \nproblem is staying the same, it may be that what we are doing isn’t helping the \nhorse. It may be that we are doing the right thing, but we are not doing it \nenough or doing it too much. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">If the \nproblem is getting worse, we may be:</span>\n<ul>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">asking \ntoo much of the horse</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">\npresenting cues that are inconsistent or ineffective</span>\n </li>\n <li>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt">doing \nsomething that is creating confusion and frustration</span>\n </li>\n</ul>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">When the \nproblem isn’t getting better, the first action we take may need to be to stop. \nStep back and think through what has happened. Keep searching, keep evaluating \nand keep exploring and experimenting. We may need to approach the problem in a \ncompletely different way. We need to find an approach that will make sense to \nthe horse.</span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nDIGGING DEEPER</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">I can \njust about guarantee that you will have to pursue other resources to find the \nsolution to a specific problem you may be facing. Many of the topics I mention \nin my evaluation process have dozens of books written about them. There are \nmany excellent resources throughout this website (</span><a href="http://www.goodhorsemanship.net/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">www.goodhorsemanship.net</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">), \non other websites, in books, in videos, etc. which can help you in your search \nto find information for a specific problem you are dealing with. </span>\n<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><b>\n<font face="Verdana" style="font-size: 11pt"><br>\n<br>\nSEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP</font></b>\n <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">It is \ncrucial to acknowledge that there may be situations that require more experience \nor more skill than we currently possess. Safety is always a concern when \nworking with horses. Some problem behaviors that horses have can be quite \ndangerous, to us as well as to the horse. Nothing is worth getting the rider or \nthe horse hurt.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\nSuccessfully solving some training problems requires us to realistically assess \nour experience and skill in relationship to the seriousness of problem. We must \nbe able to recognize when our horse needs more help than we are going to be able \nto offer him. We may need to acknowledge that we just don’t know what to do \nnext. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! This is not only smart; it \nis doing the right thing by the horse in considering his needs above our own. \nIt would be pretty unlikely for a person to go out and buy a book about flying \nplanes, read it through and then go hop in a plane, fire up the engine, taxi \ndown the runway and fly! No aspiring pilot would feel the least bit silly about \ngoing to take flying lessons. </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">\nAdditional help may come from a trainer, riding instructor, or clinician. \nSeeking professional help can be critical to staying safe around horses and \nkeeping the horse safe. We all want to be able to enjoy the experience we gain \nalong the way.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">We \nshouldn’t ever feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit when we need help. Choose \nyour resources carefully, and be very selective. It can be a good way to help \nboth you and your horse through a difficult situation.</span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Back to\n<a href="PowerOfQuestions_Main.htm">The Power Of Questions - Intro</a></span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n \n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">\n<font SIZE="2">©<font face="Verdana"> Jodi Denning. All rights reserved. \nNo portion of this article may be reproduced, copied, transmitted or stored in \nany mechanical or electronic form for commercial use, without written permission \nof the author.</font></font><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">\n<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span>\n<div style="mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-bottom: 1.0pt solid windowtext; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; padding-bottom: 1.0pt">\n <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><i>\n <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i></div>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi Denning has a varied background with horses, including competition in both \nWestern and English disciplines. Jodi considers herself to be a lifelong student \nof good horsemanship, and she has had the opportunity to study and work with \nseveral top horsemen and horsewomen over the years. Jodi currently resides in \nTexas with her husband and their 5 horses, and will soon be relocating to </span>\n<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">New Mexico</span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">. \nShe teaches riding lessons, occasionally takes horses in for training, and also \nvolunteers at a therapeutic riding center schooling therapy horses and working \nin therapeutic riding classes. </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span></i>\n<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana">\nJodi can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .</span></i>\n\n</body>\n\n</html>', '2003-01-03', 74, 1, 0, 2, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (22, 38, 'The Gift Horse', 0, 'Dawn Willis', '<br />“THE GIFT HORSE” Horses were a big part of my life as a child growing up on a small farm. I spent many carefree days riding my horses by the seat of my pants. Literally. Unfortunately, I had no idea what a well-trained horse felt like, nor did I know that horses could be any different. I just rode. And, lucky for me, kids are resilient. I certainly had my share of bumps and bruises, but nothing that a kid my age couldn’t handle. When I graduated from high school and moved away to attend college, the horses were sold. Though the love I had for horses remained with me, that was the last time I had been perched on top of a horse for at least twenty years. At thirty-eight and married with children, I was about to embark on a whole new adventure with horses. \n<br />It all began quite honestly. A friend offered to “give” us a kid’s pony, as they were trying to downsize their herd, and invited us to come and take a look. The kid’s pony was cute enough, but she’s a story all by herself! What caught my eye was a little narrow chested sorrel gelding, who stood all of 14.2 and weighed a mighty 725 lbs soaking wet. It was love at first sight! After I expressed much interest in him, our friend finally caved and said that we could have him as well. What could be better I assured my husband, than two free horses! We also ended up buying one of the registered mares so we could breed her. We would be raking in the dough in no time. We had a plan. And so the trio was delivered to our home several weeks later. It took that long just to get them loaded in a trailer. \n<br />Bandit, the sorrel gelding, became my “project” horse. I thought a twelve year-old professional pasture ornament would be perfect for me to start. The fact that I had absolutely no prior knowledge or experience training horses did not deter me at all. Because you see, I had a plan. \n<br />He did not load in a trailer but this would not be a problem because we did not own a trailer. He adored me and always wanted to be very close to me. It was so cute how he would plow his shoulder into me! He wouldn’t pick his feet up either, but I was quite sure that would be easy to teach a horse. To any “experienced” horse person, watching me handle Bandit was comical, I’m sure. But it didn’t phase me because I didn’t know any better. What’s more, Bandit didn’t know any better either. How could he have? My days riding as a child in no way prepared me for the journey my horse and I were now beginning. \n<br />Our training and education began with the purchase of a book written by a respected clinician. It explained everything from day one in the round pen to the first ride. As you might imagine, my excitement abounded! Let’s see, read a book, follow the simple steps with my horse and we would be riding off into the sunset in a few days. I wanted the Cliff notes. The book was very informative, particularly the parts that I actually read! \n<br />On the first day I made myself some notes and hung a clipboard on the round pen for quick and easy reference. I had my lead rope slung over one shoulder and my lariat hanging around my neck. I was adorned with leather work gloves in the event my horse got out of hand and I needed to rope him. And I wore heavy work boots just in case he stepped on my feet. I had also attached to myself other pieces of necessary training equipment such as a bullwhip, a plastic grocery bag, Bandit’s halter and my water bottle. I looked like G.I. Jane with an attitude. I was so prepared and organized I scared myself. When Bandit saw me, I scared him too. \n<br />Needless to say, our first session didn’t go according to my plan. Bandit’s small, lean frame was in much better shape than I had calculated. I also very quickly determined that the amount of patience instilled in my horse far outweighed that of my own. We chased one another around the pen until it became a game for him. But, I did get “movement” from him. I also got “direction” from him. “Up” is a direction. And I’m quite sure I wouldn’t have been breathing so hard if I didn’t have to keep running back and forth to refer to my notes. By the end of the session I was sweating profusely and I could hardly breathe. I did, however, manage to scribble one more note on my handy clipboard. It read: “find track shoes”. \n<br />We were both totally confused. I obviously had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Bandit must have thought I had lost my mind. Words, such as “options”, “tries”, and “releasing pressure” were definitely not in my limited horse training vocabulary. But we kept at it and as frustrating as the entire episode was, we somehow managed to make some progress. To this day, I am still trying to figure out how that actually happened. By this time I knew that Bandit was a very willing horse. I was just at a loss as to how to apply that willingness. \n<br />Once I accepted the fact that I needed professional help in training my horse, I found a clinician who was offering a week long round pen training clinic in November of 2000. By the time we arrived at the clinic, Bandit and I had already established a relationship. He pushed me around and I let him. The clinician was quite surprised that his behavior didn’t concern me. I didn’t realize I had any reason to be concerned. I did learn some positive and helpful training tips in this clinic. For instance, I learned the importance of getting and keeping the horse’s attention. This turned out to be a very fundamental point that I managed to forget once the clinic ended. I also learned that every trainer has his or her own philosophy about how to teach a horse. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a philosophy of my own. I could not put my finger on it but I just felt deep down inside that something was not right. Looking back, I realize how much my horse and I did benefit from this clinic. But at the time, I left the clinic frustrated and confused. I just wasn’t getting it. \n<br />Back at home, Bandit and I continued our own training program with more round pen exercises, sacking out, and the introduction of the saddle. We spent lots of time with sacking out. As a matter of fact, we did accomplish quite a bit in this area. People had always told me what a nervous horse Bandit was, but I just didn’t see that in him. Or perhaps it was because I didn’t know how to recognize it. Whatever it was, Bandit got real used to me swinging ropes over his head and acting like the “Walmart bag monster”. Sometimes, when I didn’t know what else to do, I would just sit on top of the round pen and think. I would rub Bandit’s back with my foot and he seemed to enjoy it. \n<br />In May of 2001, I audited a clinic that was hosted by another well-known horse trainer. This clinic focused on horses and riders who had quite a bit of experience under their belt. The clinician taught maneuvers like side-passing, flying lead changes and sliding stops, all of which were completely foreign to me. There was certainly a great deal of information to gain, but as an auditor with very little experience with horses, it was difficult to apply that information. I did, however, manage to give the clinician a little history about my horse and asked him what his thoughts were. I was too stunned by his response to remember his exact words, but they were along the lines of “don’t waste your time.” He then turned and walked away. My friend stood there with me while the words began to sink in. I was devastated. This was also the summer that Bandit dumped me for the first time. \n<br />I continued to work with Bandit throughout the summer and fall. We had our share of disagreements about many training issues. For example, getting him saddled proved to be more challenging than I had anticipated. I did get the saddle on him even before I had any professional help. It wasn’t pretty, but it got done! I’d lay the saddle in my right arm and put the lead rope in the other and I actually tried to sneak it on him when he wasn’t looking. There were lots of times he wasn’t ‘looking’ because he was never paying attention to me. I didn’t know he was supposed to. And I didn’t know he could still see me. He developed a nice talent for moving his hindquarters because I ‘taught’ him how to do that every time I approached him with the saddle. Bandit’s philosophy soon became “see saddle, move hindquarters”. He dumped that saddle more times than I care to count and I said more words than I ever knew existed in my vocabulary. It never occurred to me that my approach could have been a little different. Bandit wasn’t ready for a saddle yet because I hadn’t prepared him for that. These were the “holes” in our training program that were beginning to show up. If only I would have recognized them. \n<br />I know now that there is a big difference between ‘getting’ the saddle on my horse and him ‘allowing’ me to put it there. I am learning how this same concept applies to so many things I do with Bandit. My attitude then was ‘get it done’. I never really considered asking Bandit what he thought. \n<br />Bandit’s thoughts were more organized than I ever gave him credit for because he let me know exactly what he was thinking one hot summer afternoon. I later told my riding instructor, “I didn’t do ANYTHING to make him buck”. She was biting her lip so hard that it was bleeding before I even finished my story. I was oblivious to the fact that I was irritating and confusing him. All I really knew was that I was face down in the dirt with six broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, two sprained ankles, and a throbbing sensation inside my helmet that would not quit. Well, it really wasn’t quite that bad. I only had a few bruises but my pride was badly damaged. As for my confidence, there was not one ounce left in my aching bones. It still had not occurred to me that perhaps I was the one creating many of the problems. \n<br />In November of that year, I attended my third clinic given by yet another well-respected horse trainer. I learned a great deal from this clinician. For example, I learned the proper way to use driving reins and the importance of communicating with my horse. I learned more by watching him teach a horse than by anything he ever said. He was gentle and soft-spoken. I needed that and so did Bandit. \n<br />This clinician also included an exercise during his clinic that was very thought provoking. The group divided into teams of two with one member playing the role of the horse and the other being the rider. The objective was for the “rider” to get the “horse” to complete a specific task without touching or talking to her. The “horse” was supposed to guess what course of action he should take by simply moving around. When the horse guessed the correct answer the rider could respond only by saying “yes”. It all had to do with communication. It brought to my attention the fact that Bandit and I did not know how to communicate with one another. Even though I learned this at the clinic, it didn’t click with me until much later. \n<br />We plugged right along through most of the winter. I rode Bandit in the round pen with just his halter and lead, as well as his bridle. Things seemed to be going along just fine. I thought Bandit was doing great and I was real proud of myself. There were still a few problems, though. I was still unable to get forward motion without him bracing and pinning his ears back. I also worked on redirecting him, which worked only about fifty percent of the time. When we were doing patterns in the round pen, he would stop very abruptly and my body would sling forward. I was aware that all these things were definitely problems, but I just couldn’t figure out how solve them. \n<br />In January of 2002, Bandit informed me once again that I was an annoying him. We were at a friend’s house riding one lovely winter afternoon. This was, by the way, the first time I had ridden him away from home. We had some cones set up in a small arena and we were making the prettiest patterns! I did notice that he pulled on the bit quite often, but I would just pull harder. I was definitely in control. This was long before I knew that I would never win a fight with a horse. Of course Bandit realized this much sooner than I and he saw absolutely no point in fighting either. After he had had enough he very promptly dumped me off. Once again, I was face down in the dirt, wondering why in the world my horse was so stupid. I was giving him directions and he just wasn’t getting it. I did give Bandit a short break of about six weeks or so. It took just about that long for my bruises to heal after the buck fest. I had a lot of time to reflect on what had happened. My dog ate my plan. \n<br />After nearly throwing in the towel, I came to my senses. (Or maybe my senses were just blurred after the two blows I took to the head.) As dumb as I thought this horse was I just loved him too much to hang up my helmet, teeth guard, kneepads and shoulder pads. We had already been through too much together and we had definitely bonded. We were a lot alike in many ways, and I was determined for this to work out. I needed a new plan. In January, I called a cowboy I met at the clinic I had attended the previous year in May. He agreed to take my horse in for thirty days if I agreed to attend several times a week to watch and participate in his training program. I wholeheartedly agreed, but with two toddlers, time did not permit me to do so. As much as I regretted that, I also thought that this cowboy was going to perform magic on my horse and that I would be able to take his magic wand home with me. At the time, I didn’t think it would make much difference if I was there or not. I know better now. This cowboy did some nice groundwork with Bandit. He worked with Bandit on some very basic training issues that I had completely overlooked. But it wasn’t until much later that someone pointed that out to me. \n<br />Bandit came home and I wasted no time saddling him up. I mounted and he immediately assumed the same position the last time he bucked me off. His whole body braced, his head went up and his ears went back. Needless to say, I got off. Voluntarily this time. I was totally exasperated, but the problems remained. I felt defeated and I was ready to quit. And I probably would have had it not been for my husband’s emotional and financial support throughout this entire ordeal. His encouragement kept me going and he helped me sort through my options. \n<br />By this time I pretty much conceded to the fact that I was the one with the problem. At the very beginning of this endeavor, I had this strange notion that I could tackle this project on my own. While I am not a confident person by nature, I thought my love for horses would be enough and that alone would carry me through. Obviously, it wasn’t enough and I am grateful that I still had some degree of brain activity left to make one more phone call. It was time for me to get the help I needed if I was going to help my horse. My new plan was officially activated. \n<br />While at the clinic I attended in November, I met someone who taught riding lessons. I got her phone number and made that all-important call. We set a date for my first riding lesson and when I arrived I was so nervous that my hands were shaking. Thankfully, she welcomed me with her very warm smile. And her encouraging words put my fears at ease. I was pretty sure I could hide my stupidity from her at least long enough to make it through the first lesson. However, the first thing my instructor did was take an assessment of my overall knowledge of horses. That lasted about twenty-three seconds. She very quickly determined that we needed to start with the basics. I told her the entire story behind Bandit and me and if she was shocked, she never let me know it. She just casually and patiently started at the very beginning. Pointing to a four-legged, hoofed animal in her pasture she said, “That is a horse”. \n<br />One of the very first lessons I had was inside the barn with no horse. My instructor asked me to climb aboard her saddle that was placed on a saddle stand. I very strategically positioned myself on top of that saddle, trying my best to look cool. I only fell off twice. She then placed her hand on the small of my back and gave me a slight nudge forward to check my balance. I couldn’t even balance my checkbook. Needless to say, there was definitely some work to be done on my end. (No pun intended!)\n<br /> She did another exercise that helped me learn how to use the reins. I was still in the saddle, but she was sitting on the floor in front of me holding the bit as though she were the horse. I held the reins as a rider would hold them. She then asked me to direct the horse as if I were actually riding one while she, as the horse, would respond to my requests. The whole point was to teach me about the timing of the release. I was at the very beginning stages of learning how a horse learns. I was excited about this new information and I could not wait to apply it to a real riding situation. Little did I know how long it would take me to learn this. But I do believe that this particular exercise has left more of an impression on me than most anything I have learned so far. \n<br />As my lessons continued throughout the spring and summer, I was getting so much new information that I thought my head was going to explode. Fortunately, my instructor has the patience of a saint and she didn’t particularly have any desire to clean up a big mess. There were so many times she would tell me something and it might be days, weeks, or even months before it would click with me. For instance, she talked several times about having a ‘conversation’ with the horse. I knew that was a very important concept, but it just really took a while for the lesson to become clear even though I had heard it before. \n<br />I was riding our other gelding, Buddy, during the first six months or so of my lessons. Then I began riding a couple of my instructor’s horses. This was extremely helpful because it let me know what a well-trained horse actually felt like. One day I got on her horse, Spanky. His size was most intimidating. I rode him in the round pen without a bridle while my instructor lunged him. My task was to see how smooth I could get him to do transitions using only my seat and legs. My instructor advised me that Spanky was very sensitive. Sensitive? This horse was psychic! This is when I learned how sensitive horses are and how subtle a cue can be. We were getting some nice transitions until he reached a fast trot, which was not what I was expecting. I was not able to slow him down and my instructor was telling me to soften my seat and relax. I think I mumbled something under my breath about my ‘seat’. (It rhymed with ‘grass’.) Anyway, Spanky didn’t appreciate the tightness that he felt charging through my body. The tension was unfamiliar to him and he decided to follow his instincts and dispose of the source. He humped up and began bucking. When he finally quit I gave a pathetic glance at my instructor in hopes of hearing a few sympathetic words, and maybe even a “congratulations” for hanging on for the full eight seconds. I could tell by the look on her face that was not going to happen. At first I really wondered why she “allowed” that to happen. But as she began asking me questions about what I had learned from that, I realized pretty quickly what I had done to cause a reaction like that from the horse. \n<br />As summer came to an end it was time to start doing some work with Bandit. I hooked my trailer up, put his halter on and with all my might tried to shove that poor horse into the trailer. It actually surprised me that I could not load him. I called my instructor and said, “Forget it. It’s not going to happen”. Her response was on a much more positive note. She assured me that I was going to have the opportunity to learn a great deal that day and then very cheerfully said, “Hang on, I’ll be there in an hour”. My spirits were very low by that time and I was still skeptical. \n<br />This was Bandit’s first trailer loading lesson. It lasted a few hours but I watched in amazement at what had transpired. She was so proficient that it looked like magic from my standpoint. What really surprised me was that I never noticed how uncomfortable Bandit was before we even approached the trailer. My instructor started the lesson with Bandit about fifty feet away from the trailer. With each step toward the trailer, she made sure he was relaxed and felt OK about it before taking any further steps. She continued this approach throughout the entire lesson. It was time consuming and it took a great deal of patience on her part, but it was well worth it because it gave Bandit so much more confidence about getting in the trailer. By the end of the session, my instructor had him standing quietly and comfortably in the trailer. She made it look so easy by just watching her and I felt I had learned so much that day. But it wasn’t nearly as easy for me as it looked! The very next time I tried to load him I couldn’t get it done. She had to rescue me yet one more time and it was very embarrassing to say the least. When she arrived she had him loaded in about ten minutes. Bandit and I definitely had a lot of work to do. \n<br />With my newfound knowledge on this topic we went out to practice. As much as I learned observing the other sessions, I still became frustrated and confused. So frustrated, in fact, that one day I actually tied Bandit in the trailer while I was in there with him. We were to the point of him stepping inside with all fours and being calm, however the minute my thoughts turned to stepping back to close the door, he would back out. My reasoning was that if I tied the rope at the front it would keep him there until I could close the gate. As I began to walk back to the gate, Bandit stepped back and felt the tension on the rope. When there was no hint of a release, he went ballistic. He pulled back and his eyes were wide with panic and fear. The rope loosened just far enough to where his front feet were in the trailer and his hind feet were on the ground. He began thrashing his body around, slamming the trailer hard on each side. My heart was pounding. I could not get the rope untied nor did I have anything to cut it with. I just knew Bandit was going to sustain severe injuries from this incident. But then he stopped. And I will never forget the way his sad eyes looked at me at that moment. His spirit seemed broken. He put slack in the rope and I untied it. We stepped out, both of us trembling. Fortunately there were no major injuries, although Bandit was very sore and totally confused. Prior to this incident I was beginning to regain some confidence in my ability to handle certain situations. But once again, it had vanished. I felt horrible and I will always regret the decision I made that day. But I have come to realize that we learn from our mistakes, which is not so easy to see at those moments. And I think that Bandit has forgiven me. I had to “relearn” the hard way that I will never win a fight with a horse. \n<br />After that incident, it took a tremendous amount of encouragement from my instructor to make me believe that I could teach Bandit how to properly load in a trailer. Bandit and I spent a great deal of time learning and fine-tuning our trailer loading sessions. And we got pretty darn good at it! Most of the time I was able to load him one foot at a time and back him out the same way. He stood calmly while the gate was being closed and he didn’t feel the need to slam his head around before departure. We were learning how to communicate with one another and we were building some much-needed trust between us. It was a great feeling to be able to accomplish that goal! With my instructor’s help, Bandit’s willingness and my patience, he now loads like a dream. Not a perfect dream, mind you, but a pleasant dream nonetheless. \n<br />Fall rolled around and it was decided that it would be in everyone’s best interest to have Bandit spend a thirty-day “schooling” period with my instructor. So we loaded up, complete with our “school supplies”, and headed off to school. Kindergarten, I think. My instructor asked me what my goals were with Bandit. I told her that I would like to be trail riding with him in about a year. She just smiled and said that sounded very reasonable. I smiled back, not realizing that day would come much sooner than expected. \n<br />This would be Bandit’s second time to attend school for thirty days. But this time it was already decided that I would participate at least 3-4 times per week. And I did, very faithfully. But it just so happened that I missed her first lesson with Bandit. I will never forget the phone call I received the first day my instructor rode my horse. She asked if I was sitting down. I said I was. She then proceeded to tell me that she had Bandit in the round pen and had only intended to move him around a bit to check him out. She continued on saying that she then was just going to put the saddle on him to see how it fit and to check his reaction. No problems. Well, things steadily progressed and before long they were out riding in her pasture, all within about thirty minutes. I was so impressed with her and with my horse! It just really proved to me how my lack of riding skills interfered with the progress that Bandit and I should have been making. It also made me think that maybe I did have a great little horse! \n<br />Bandit did fantastic in those thirty days. My instructor first did groundwork with him in the round pen while I watched. She explained very clearly what she was doing and the reasons why. She also asked me a lot of questions. Many times my only response was a blank look, but her questions forced me to think. Things were beginning to make sense to Bandit and his confusion slowly started to fade thanks to her devotion, skill, patience and time. He truly appreciated the soft and gentle hands of ‘our teacher’. And it was clear that he was very willing to try and do the things she was asking of him. There were so many times before that he tried desperately to tell me something or to ask me a question, but I just didn’t know how to listen. \n<br />After only about a week or so she began riding Bandit. It was so fascinating to me to watch the two of them connect with one another. She continued to explain each and every move they made and things slowly began to make sense to me. On the days that I was not able to attend she would send me a progress report via e-mail. One day she thought she might have a little fun with me. She wrote and explained that she and her husband needed to do fly treatments on their cows. So just to keep it interesting, she decided to go ahead and use Bandit. She said that she generally roped the head and her husband roped the heels. Then they would stretch the cow out to apply the spray. Just for the humor alone, I have included and excerpt of her story: \n<br />“<EM>I have to say he did a pretty sorry job on the first cow I headed off him. He did OK until I got off to apply the treatment on the cow. He just didn’t get it that his job was to keep the rope tight on that cow…he kept wanting to follow me up to the cow. Because of the slack he put in the rope, the first cow charged me and smashed me rather handily into the ground. I ended up with a heart shaped cow manure spot on the front of my shirt that was very attractive. I spent a couple minutes teaching Bandit how to keep the rope tight, and he did much better on the next two cows. We got all six cows treated in about 15 minutes. It takes less than that on my own horses, but overall I thought Bandit did pretty well</EM>”. \n<br />I’m sure the look on my face when I read that was priceless. Needless to say, I am a pretty gullible person. And it is still hard for me to admit that I actually believed that story. She got me hook, line and sinker on that one but we all enjoyed a good laugh. \n<br />Within a few weeks, she really did have Bandit doing things that I thought would have taken him years to learn. She had him slowly herding a small group of calves around the pasture and going through several obstacles in her riding arena. One day I watched as she dismounted and actually had him jumping cavaletti poles and small barrels from the lead line! When it was finally my time to ride him we took things very slow. We spent time getting used to one another. But eventually, I was riding Bandit out on the obstacle course, stepping over cavaletti poles, weaving in and out of barrels and going through a short maze. We took some short trail rides together, with our teacher of course, and we even drove a few cows around the pasture! Bandit definitely seemed to enjoy that! Everything was coming together so nicely and in such a short period of time. I was feeling so good about myself and my horse that I just didn’t think it could get much better. \n<br />Throughout this thirty-day period and the lessons that followed, Bandit and I have come together and have bonded as a team. We have developed an uncanny respect and trust for one another that I feel would not otherwise be present had we not experienced all the trials during our education process. I am learning to not only see and feel the subtle movements in his body but to also listen to his feelings and acknowledge his emotions. I am developing skills that I never would have imagined, such as being able to tell the difference between ‘soft’ verses ‘light’. That was a really tough concept for me to grasp. But all these things have made such a tremendous impact on the way my horse and I communicate now. Much of my confidence has been restored because I now know that there are options and solutions for each and every situation that develop between my horse and I. That’s not to say that I still don’t get confused and frustrated. But I feel as though I am becoming more able to focus in and handle each situation as it comes up. \n<br />I was also fortunate enough to have found the right teacher. And I strongly believe that it has made all the difference in the world as to how I approach things now. There are many great horse trainers and teachers out there. She is definitely one of them. Her style of teaching is very compatible with my style of learning. I have learned from her that compatibility is a crucial element in any educational setting, whether it is between a student and a teacher or a horse and a rider. My entire way of thinking has changed with respect to how I deal with horses and life. Bandit and I are truly grateful that our teacher continues to have so much faith in both of us. \n<br />It has been quite an enlightening journey for me. I now see Bandit from a different perspective than when we first began. My attitude has taken a drastic turn for the better, which has led to greater opportunities for us to continue to grow and learn as a team. This is perhaps the most profound change that has come from me as far as developing a relationship with my horse. With that, I have developed the ability to think more positively. And I am now a firm believer that positive thoughts create positive effects. \n<br />I continue to take lessons and Bandit and I are riding together at home quite often without our teacher. She is slowly, but with much meaning, pushing us out of the security of the nest. She has only our best interest in mind. Bandit and I are learning to support and depend on one another in the way we were taught to do. We face many challenges ahead, but we look forward to those with much enthusiasm. We are where we should be right now, this very moment, because right now is all that matters. \n<br />“<EM>Hard times are merely a part of the ingredients in life’s concealing package. One cannot choose only the sweet things he so desires, but he must consume the bitter as well. And only then will he appreciate his most wonderful experience’s life has provided</EM>.” - by Dawn Willis ', '2003-02-17', 57, 1, 0, 0, 0, '00:00:00', NULL, 1);
INSERT INTO articles VALUES (23, 20, 'Introduction to the Doma india method ', 167, 'aby', '<img src=images/stories/oscar11.gif align=right> ...Hints when taming: \n-Gradual approach-\nThere should be a lot of accuracy. \n-We should do away with ticklish through habit and costume. \n(the horse is naturally touchy or easily offended owing to its nature of prey) \n-TRUST is the essential value. \n-To do away with fears we should act COHERENTLY. \n-To show we are trustful we should be CONVINCED. \n-Our presence generates a determined mood.It is essential to generate confidence without subjection nor submission.This is possible if we respect the nature of the horse and its integrity...\nMORE INFO:\nhttp://www.vidaecuestre.com.ar/domaindia3ev.htm\n\n',
Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 November 2007 )
 
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