Horse Training Bombproofing Series #7

Bombproofing Horse Training
Series #7


Yesterday I was gonna send this tip
on bombproofing but...I fell asleep. Oops.


So, yesterday's tip is now today's.

The last tip I sent talked about repe-
tition and how it satifies your horse that
he won't get hurt doing what you're asking
him to do.

That's REAL important, by the way.
If your horse gets hurt doing things you ask
him to do he's not gonna be a very obedient
friend. Can you blame him?

Anyway, before you ask your horse to
do something remember to pet him as he approaches
the object in question.

For instance, if you're teaching him to
walk on paper and he eventually walks up to it
be sure to pet him because it reassures him.

I've seen too many people get mad at their
horse because the horse stopped or wouldn't move
once the scary object seized his mind.

Then they'd kick the horse's ribs to try
and get 'em going forward or cuss or whatever.
Pretty soon, the horse has associated the scary
object or task with punishment.

The next time he's asked to do the same
thing he remember's pain and punishment. Then
things begin to spiral out of control and you
have a horse that's easily spooked, tense, and
nervous.

Instead, one must pet and reassure him.
Give him good feelings about doing what you want.

So like I said a minute ago, if you were
teaching your horse to navigate over, say, a ditch
then begin with finding his comfort zone - prefer-
ably while on the ground. Then you can do it
from the saddle later.

I like to use a lunge line to do an exercise
like this.

Once I've taught my horse to move the direc-
tion I point I can then safely send him over obstacles
on the ground.

When I taught my horse Blaze how to cross a
small ditch she definitely wouldn't do it while in
the saddle.

So, I went back to the basics and got her
to do it from the ground.

While attached to the lead rope, I'd point
right and she'd move right.

I inched her closer and closer to the ditch.
I watched her eyes watching the ditch. She knew it
was there but she didn't want to step over it.

Then I'd change my angle to be more towards
the ditch. Then she'd stop just before the ditch.
She'd put her head down, snort, contemplate going
over it, and so on.

I didn't push her to jump. I didn't yell at
her for stopping. I didn't get behind her and make
all kinds of noise to get her to leap over the ditch.

Nope.

I just let her check it out. We had all the
time in the world.

She knew I wanted her to cross it but she
wasn't quite sure about doing it just yet.

So after she decided not to I lunged
her around and made her work a little bit. Then I
pointed her back to the ditch.

Same thing.

She snorted, sniffed, and contemplated. I'd
talk to her in a pleasant tone and would say, "Go ahead.
Let's see it. It won't hurt you."

Just as an aside, those are the words I use
while riding a horse and he sees or hears something
scary. It's part of building their confidence and getting
them understanding that when I say "it's not gonna hurt
you" they get more comfortable with the idea that it
won't hurt them.

Eventually, she crossed over the ditch. And
when she did I made a BIG DEAL out of it. Petted her
a lot. Told her what a good girl she was, threw her
a birthday party...okay...so I didn't throw her a
party. But I let her know she did great.

Each time I asked her to cross after that she
did it easier and easier. Pretty soon I was on her
and crossing the ditch. In fact, as she was ready
to step over the ditch I'd say "W-a-l-k" and she
calmly stepped over the ditch.

She saw she didn't have to rush over it.
Plus, I don't want them rushing over it. I want
them calmly doing their thing.

It's another secret that when I horse
moves fast doing anything, it automatically excites
them. Thus, it's good to keep their excitement
level at bay.

Okay. I've rambled enough for today.
I'll see you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Andy Curry
www.horsetrainingandtips.com

P.S. Remember, my next "No-Charge" horse training
teleseminar is coming up February 8th, 2005. Sign
up by clicking here:

http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/teleseminar_signup.htm


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Horse Training Secrets

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108 Year Old Horse Training Guide!

http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm

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