#52 Horns, Horses, & Hangups

#52  Horns, Horses, & Hangups

Well, I am still trying to settle down.  A very exciting, nerve wracking ride I had today - to be sure !!!


I have thousands of hours under my butt when it comes to riding the darlings.  I've been snagged on horns and my girlfriend has been snagged on horns from her hood on branches. No huge deals but enough to be conscious of the danger of getting hung up.


But, never have I had such a terrifying experience as I did today.


I know all about horns - I know when I am training an unbroke horse, riding a horse I don't know well, or working with an outlaw horse, to always keep my jacket open - never, ever closed - and I follow this rule of mine religiously with no exceptions whatever.


But, on my own guys, I just don't think about it.  Duh, duh and duh !!!


I rode Dusty today, my tall Tennesee Walker, and decided to switch saddles.  After riding for about 15 minutes, I went to get off him to adjust my stirrups.  And I got hung up.  My jacket caught on the horn, he is tall, and apparently I was on a bit of a decline, and I am very  short.


I am on tiptoes.  There is so much tension on my jacket that there is no way in heck I can unzip it.  So I tried to pull it over my head.  No go.  Thank the Lord Dusty just stood there


I carry an army utility knife but I was hanging so much that I couldn't even get the knife out.  So, then I thought I'd better give my husband a call because there didn't seem to be anything else left to do and I was afraid Dusty would be getting restless.  I'd been hanging there for quite spell by then.


 I don't really know if I could have even reached my phone, but nonetheless I didn't even try, since, though Dusty was superb I wasn't sure if a 4 wheeler would have disturbed him and  if he even simply started to walk, I was going to be dragged.


Since I couldn't undo myself, I finally asked Dusty to move down the tiny incline just one step - I was scared to death because if he took two steps I was in even more trouble than I already was.  Well, great fella that he is, he did just as I had asked.  Then I asked him for one more step - he did it , and bit by bit by bit, I was able to pull the zipper down an inch at a time and finally was able to fully open the jacket.


Thank heavens, Dusty knows that whoa means whoa with no if's, and's or but's.


And, would you believe, only about 1 month ago I had my husband saw off the horn on my beautiful Circle Y saddle.


So, as aware as I am about horns - things still got screwed up.  I wrote this just to let you know.

This  is Dusty - I owe this boy forever for being so good during the hangup !!!



Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)                                       www.RideNYS.com

#47 The Slow Whoa

 #47  The Slow Whoa

Remember, "whoa" means STOP, not slow down;  use a different word for slow down.

  Your darling gets confused when you say whoa and you allow him to only slow down or to immediately move forward right after his stop.  Then at another time, you yank on the reins and yell whoa because he only slowed down.  He can't figure this out.  He can't figure out the difference and it is your responsibility to help him out.

Whoa means stop, right now, immediately, don't make another move, not even one step.  Period. 

You can achieve this several ways but you MUST BE CONSISTENT. 

  FIRST simply quit riding, ie, sit down deep into the saddle and let your energy go out, ie slouch your shoulders and relax your hands and arms and your whole body.  That will become his first cue.

  SECOND, touch your hand on his wither directly in front of the saddle - it really doesn't matter where you do it, it is just more convenient there. This is his second cue.

Naturally, nothing is going to happen because he probably is trying to figure out what you are asking

.THIRD, gently pull on your reins until he comes to a complete stop.

 FOURTH,  Then ask him to move one step or two steps backwards.

 FIFTH,  - count to 5 or 10 or 15 until you have him move forward again.

If he does start to go forward, just repeat the above steps.

If you practice this and stay consistent, you will have a lovely, immediate whoa and you'll get him to whoa without ever using those reins.  He'll love it and you'll love it.

Give it a try - it takes the time it takes - be consistent - if you screw up - that's okay - just try again..

 

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com      www.RideNYS.com

#42 Won't ya just stop ?

#42    Won't ya just stop ?

You need a horse to move and a horse to stop.  He has to know these 2 actions if nothing else.

If your darling has a sloppy stop- do the walk/stop exercise.

Ask him to walk 3 steps then ask him for a complete stop.  Ask for a walk again, and a complete stop. The stop should be about 2 or 3 seconds long.  Keep doing this until he's perfect.  This gets him to focus on you and listen to you.  And, he starts to listen and wait for  your style of "whoa" because he knows it's coming. 

After he starts doing this perfectly, practice this at the at the trot and later, the canter too. 

You'll be pretty surprised at how good he gets when you say "whoa". 

BE CONSISTENT - you want a complete stop.

Mary Dixon       Adventure Horse Riding in NYS      www.RideNYS.com

Smilla13@gmail.com