Road to the Horse Day 3

The excitement was in the air for day 2 of the competition. I was excited for the competition to begin and got there early even though I’d gotten very little sleep the night before. There was a brief opening ceremony and then they started to set up the arena for the competition. Each day the wranglers bring the horses into the arena. They use a human chain on each side of the gate leading up to the rounpens. I couldn’t help thinking that this could go terribly wrong one day but so far it never had. Until today… Chris’ horse had other ideas about coming into the arena and busted through the line of people and then back out the gate. The second attempt was a carbon copy of the first except that this time the horse busted through the closed arena gate to get back to the other horses. I could see Chris’ frustration mounting. The arena gate is a strong draw when the horses come into the arena by themselves for the final phase of the competition and now Chris’ horse was pretty sure he knew how to get out…  On the third attempt they decided to bring all three horses out together and it was successful.

Once the competition started, all of the clinicians seemed to be in a pretty good place with their horses. They get 2 hours and 20 mins to work with their horses on day two with another 30 minutes of mandatory break time. Pat started a ground program to help his horse accept the human on the right side. It included a lot of flags, balloons, and other obstacles. The first saddling was a repeat of the day before. The horse started bucking but Pat had the horse on line this time and was able to help the horse through the process. The second saddling went a little better with less bucking. With about 30 mins left on the clock, he started the mounting process for the first time since his unscheduled dismount the day before. The mood was tense as Pat put his foot in the stirrup. He was successful and got the horse moving around the roundpen in all three gates to the left and the right. Success!!  Clinton spent most of the morning preparing his horse to be ridden and saddled about half way through the morning competition. He worked on lateral flextion (a lot!!) and started the horse through the obstacles on the ground. He climbed aboard with about 30 minutes on the clock and rode the horse around without incident. Overall, it was a pretty quiet morning for Clinton and his horse. Chris picked back up where he left off the day before. He got his horse saddled and rode him in both directions at all three gates. He introduced some obstacles from the ground and then from the saddle. He spent the last 30 minutes working on the horse from the saddle. The horse started to kick up quite a bit. I’m pretty sure both horse and rider were looking for a little more room to move. The clock stopped and the arena crew prepared for the next phase of the competition.

The final phase of the competition is made up of three parts. The first portion is the rail work, which includes walk/trot/canter both directions, two 180 degree turns in both directions, back, stop, pick up all four feet, and mount/dismount. The second part is the obstacle course and the third is freestyle. The freestyle portion is basically the competitor’s choice to show the training on the colt. Clinton was the first to come into the arena. He saddled his horse and things seemed to be going well. He did some groundwork around the arena and then got up on his horse. The gate was a clear draw for his horse. Clinton had minimal control as the horse drew to the gate multiple times. Clinton eventually used the gate to get a lot if his rail work done. The horse was clearly uncomfortable with the bit and started to fire every time Clinton asked him to go forward. The obstacle course went well except that the horse didn’t cross the tarp. For his freestyle he pulled the bridle off of his horse and galloped around the arena with the colt. Although this was visually stunning, the colt and rider were out of control. He also released another horse into the arena during his freestyle. Still not sure why?...  Chris' horse had a little trouble entering the arena but Chris was able to help him through the process successfully. Once Chris was in the arena, he realized that his microphone wasn’t working and asked for a new one. Rick said that he would get a time penalty so he opted to go on stating that he would yell if needed. The crowd started to shout and demanded a new microphone for Chris. Tootie called for a new microphone and stopped the clock. Afterwards Chris got back to business. He got his horse saddled and walked him around the arena. He mounted his horse at the opposite end away from the gate and the strategy paid off. All of his rail work went smoothly and his obstacle course was excellent. For his freestyle he cantered around the arena (in control) and then stopped his horse on the far side of the arena and stood up on his horse. The crowd erupted and he jumped down and shook hands with crowd along the side of the arena while his horse stood perfectly still with his head down and relaxed.  Chris removed the horse’s saddle and walked with the horse out of the arena while the crowd cheered. Pat’s horse entered the arena and he got him saddled without incident. Pat used a hackmore instead of a bridle. The horse walked calmly around the outskirts of the arena and then Pat mounted at the far side. The horse was calm and quiet as Pat did his rail work. The obstacle course had a few little issues but overall an excellent run. For Pat’s freestyle he used a large bouncing ball and by the time he was done he had the ball bouncing high above the horse’s head. The crowd cheered as he took his last lap around the arena.

There was a lot of anticipation waiting for the final results. The judges agreed with what was in my heart and named Chris the first three-time Road to the Horse Champion. Way to go Chris!!! When I congratulated him on his win he said, “We did it”! Another example of how a true horseman is never just thinking about himself.

Final Thoughts:

There were two distinct styles this weekend: showmanship and horsemanship. Chris and Pat were ambassadors for the horse throughout the competition and I was very nostalgic as my future and my past came together in perfect harmony.

Road to the Horse Day 2

What a great first day. Once we got past all the clinics and opening ceremonies, the clinicians finally got down to business and each of the competitors chose their horses. Pat went first and picked a nice little chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. He said he chose the horse because he thought they could be friends. Chris and Clinton went another direction and chose more athletic and difficult horses. This is a calculated risk that can get them more points if they handle the horse well. The total time of the evening’s competition is 2 hours with a mandatory 30 min break for the horse spread over the two hours.

Each of the clinicians had a different approach. Clinton moved his horse around the arena for about 30 minutes before he was able to get the horse to hook on. He moved to a lariat to help the horse along and then went to the halter.  He spent most of the 1.5 hours desensitizing the horse and getting him to follow a feel. There were some tense moments but Clinton was able to get through them and end on a good note. Pat had a very different approach. When he was interviewed he said that he wanted to be a friend to the horse and then work on respect. He had a nice horse that was hooked on within a few minutes and worked with two long telescoping sticks to get the horse to follow him around the roundpen. About an hour later he had him saddled. He turned the horse loose and he bucked a bit. Pat drove him around until he relaxed. He brought barrels, tarps, and poles into the roundpen and worked him some more from the ground. In the last 15 mins he got on the horse. When he asked the horse to move his feet, he started to buck and got Pat on the ground. Pat unsaddled him and got on him bareback to try and set the tone for tomorrow. Chris chose a tough horse with lots of feel. Chris spent a lot time getting the horse to connect with him. He used a lariat and then the halter and was able to get the horse to hook on. About 1.5 hours into the competition a student of mine asked why he chose this horse. I’m sure at this point the audience thought he was way behind but I knew better. He brought out the saddle and pad and worked the horse through the saddling process. He left the roundpen for his final break and the clock ticked down to 10 mins. Chris re-entered the arena with his chaps on and I knew what he was about to do. Rick Lamb made a comment about not getting on the horse with so little time left but I was confident that Chris wouldn’t get in over his head. He worked the horse from the ground again until he was ready to ride. With six minutes on the clock Chris put his foot in the stirrup and started the process. I was on the edge of my seat. Once he was on, he was able to move the horse’s hindquarters around and get him off his leg a bit but he was up against the clock and quit with a minute to go. He took off the saddle and bridle and exited the arena with just a few seconds to spare. The crowd erupted with applause.

I can’t wait for tomorrow. Stay tuned!

ps – I got to meet Cody Lambert today (the stock contractor for the PBR)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pps – Dr. Robert M. Miler DVM made it through surgery and is recovering nicely. Please continue to send good thoughts his way.

Road to the Horse Day 1

Today each of the clinicians gave an hour long clinic for the audience. Pat Parelli came out with his savvy team and did some groundwork and bridleless demonstrations and Clinton Anderson did a cattle demonstration with a three year old horse.  Chris made his entrance on a horse named Captain in his western clothes riding in a dressage saddle and traditional English bridle. He cantered around the arena and the crowd stood as he passed by.  He talked about the importance of understanding the horse’s foot fall and the horse’s mind. He did a dressage demonstration followed by a cutting and reining demonstration in his dressage saddle.  The crowd erupted and gave him a standing ovation on his way out; the only one of the day. There is little doubt who the crowd favorite is. It is very different from four years ago when he first showed up to compete against Stacy Westfall and Clinton Anderson.

Tomorrow the clinicians will choose their horses and start to work with them. Check back for more updates.

Greetings from Tennesee Miller Arena in Murfreesboro, TN

It's a well kept secret that the best day to be at this event is the day before it starts.  Some of the best horsemen in the world are performing a dress rehearsal for tomorrow's opening ceremony which will include Chris Cox, Pat Parelli, Clinton Anderson, Richard Winters, & Stacy Westfall. There are just a handful of spectators watching as opposed to the six thousand that are expected here tomorrow. The clinicians are accessible and the atmosphere is relaxed. What a great way to kick off the weekend. The opening ceremonies are tomorrow afternoon and the competitors will give short clinics for the audience.  The actual colt starting won't begin until Saturday evening after the participants choose their horses. Chris is relaxed and looking forward to the event. I'll keep you all updated over the next few days.

On a separate note, Dr Robert Miller DVM, a judge for this competition, suffered a massive stroke here in Nashville yesterday. He was in surgery today. Please send good thoughts his way.

Building Your Horse’s Confidence

A long-time friend sent me the following quote by Tom Dorrance:

“I believe horses naturally have a tremendous faith in the human being. It is their natural instinct of self-preservation that the person needs to understand in order to gain the confidence of the horse. I have seen where a person has missed the understanding of the horse’s need for self-preservation, and this has caused the lack of confidence the horse is trying so hard to gain. Then, if a person can present himself or herself to the horse in a way that is understandable to the horse, so it can develop confidence, I find that a horse is very forgiving”.

My students often ask me, “When will we be ready to….”   My answer is always the same “Don’t get into any situation where you are not braver than your horse.”  The horse is looking to the human to be his leader.  If the rider is apprehensive, it will start to erode the horse’s confidence.  As the horse becomes less confident so does the rider.  This is a delicate relationship between the horse and human.

The other day I took a young horse that had very little experience with livestock to help gather cattle.  She can be hot and emotional but I know this horse well and I’m confident in my ability to support her if she gets scared.  When we started driving the cattle she got very excited.  I was able to bring her to the back and work on getting a hold of her feet so that she could start to think instead of react.  I was comfortable with the situation and in my relationship with the horse so I was able to build her confidence and set the foundation for her next experience.

Enjoy your journey with the horse.  If you build a solid foundation, you will have a partner for life.  Your horse is counting on you!

Working with the horse's mind

I got a call last week from a good friend and client of mine.  I started her 3 year old mare at the end of last year.  This is a very smart and athletic mare that stands over 16 hands tall.  She’s not a beginner’s horse but the owner is advanced and is very capable of working with her.  She’s a dedicated student and spent a lot of time with me before the horse went home from training.  She said that the horse had started bucking and wanted to bring her back to me for some help.  She wanted me to ride the %^&*# out of her.  I told her that probably wasn’t going to solve the problem and I was pretty sure that the probem was in her mind.  She delivered the horse to me that same evening.  As soon as the horse stepped out of the trailer my suspicions were confirmed.  She was extremely wound up and was about 10 feet tall.  The owner supplied me with several reasons why the horse was so upset and I just calmly said that it didn’t matter.  It's not the reason that's important, it's the solution.  I started with her the next morning.  I worked her body from the ground until her mind started to get quiet.  If you can get a hold of a horse’s feet, it starts to create a calming effect.  When I climbed into the saddle, I could feel her tension.  I just kept working with her body until I could feel her relax.  She did buck to the right at the canter.  Again, I got a hold of her feet until she started to relax.  When we were done, her nose was on the ground, and she was quiet.  She wasn’t sweaty and out of breath but her mind was quiet.  What I felt from the horse is that when she would get scared or anxious, her owner would grab up on her.  These young horses need to move their feet when they are scared or anxious.  It's our job to give them a structured program where this is possible.  The more that we try to suppress movement, the greater the need becomes and that can lead to rearing, bucking, and bolting  Her owner came by the next day to watch me work with her horse.  The following is her view of the process.  I will update my blog with their progress over the next few weeks.

1/28/2011

Connect – Reading her mind through her body.

Watching Susan work with my horse this evening, I learned that the most important element of my work with her is my approach of connecting with her.  I thought that I was accomplishing this through my groundwork drills – but I was missing the point.  I was putting her through her paces, but not really noticing her mental attitude - the relaxing of her mind.  To gauge her mental attitude, take notice of her head set – the lower the headset, the calmer and quieter she is.  Work to accomplish this (the low headset); insist on a quiet, calm, relaxed demeanor before riding her.

Livermore lesson schedule for February

February schedule for Livermore:
Saturday, February 5
Saturday, February 12
Saturday, February 19
No lessons on February 26.  I'll be in Nashville for the Road to the Horse.