Sleve Hill Gives Clues To Troining And Horse Core rEtlitor ' s \ otc-Thc grealesl nt ' ed today in thc -l enncssee \\ -alkirrg Horse industtl is a comorchensive book olr training and carc of tire Tenncssce Walking Holsc for show ancl pleasure . This need is , going to grow rnore ' and morc acute as thc ever-gaining popularity of this breed continucs to slveeP the land . The Editor is happy to announce that l-re is rnakirtg dcfinite ' iirangements to satisly this need " rtithin a verl -few months ' f he Voice of the Tenncssee ' Walking Horse rvill meaunhilc scek to provide such information on thc fttndarnental^ principles of training in articlcs by Stcve HiII of Beech Grove , Tcnn . He rode Talk of ahc Town to threc unpreccdented successive Grand Championships <. rf thc Worlcl at . the National Celebrations of l 951 -52-53 .)
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Sleve Hill Gives Clues To Troining And Horse Core rEtlitor ' s \ otc-Thc grealesl nt ' ed today in thc -l enncssee \\ -alkirrg Horse industtl is a comorchensive book olr training and carc of tire Tenncssce Walking Holsc for show ancl pleasure . This need is , going to grow rnore ' and morc acute as thc ever-gaining popularity of this breed continucs to slveeP the land . The Editor is happy to announce that l-re is rnakirtg dcfinite ' iirangements to satisly this need " rtithin a verl -few months ' f he Voice of the Tenncssee ' Walking Horse rvill meaunhilc scek to provide such information on thc fttndarnental^ principles of training in articlcs by Stcve HiII of Beech Grove , Tcnn . He rode Talk of ahc Town to threc unpreccdented successive Grand Championships <. rf thc Worlcl at . the National Celebrations of l 951 -52-53 .)
BY STEVE HILL
' I ' his year-l962-prornises to he the grcatest in all histor , v for thc Tennessee Walking tlorsc as a show animal and there is growing popuiarity as a pleasurc horsc . Registrations _ for horses entered in 196l arc said to have cxceeded 3,000-a ner , r ' high for the last l0 years ancl more . There is a growine throng of young ridcrs and rnany of them r , vant advice
on how best to ricle and train their horses . Lettels come to rne asking manv qucstions . There are few really simple answcl ' s bccausc so many factoIS are involved . flor ' r , ever , I will seek to outline some oI thc elementary llrinciples which all slrotrld Iollorv t ' ith ll . rcii '
Tcnnessec \ Ata Iking Hr ; t ' scs .
First , the ridcr shoultl a1ll ; r ' ct : iirtc the horsc , rcalize hc is a living ar . rimal and is not to be treatctl likc a machine-like an automobile lor instance . The rider must realizc that the horses are not always the sarne on all ilays , that rlrey can lccl gootl or lt ' el bat [. iust likc ' human llcings . rlrtl they sllorv
how they feel .
A Tenttcsscc \\' alkirrg Horse is very largely dcveloped by - tlaining-altlroush lllc true Walkcr has a natural inher " itance of gaits which rnust bc " brought out " by careful han-dling . fncorrecl- ptocedttre carr impede the dcvclopmcnt of a hne l ) rosPect . G . ood training can bi ' irrg oul hnc qualltles in a young horse that might not look
so goo < 1 at first . The first thing to do with a YoYng colt is to be friendlv-show him that vou do uot fear him and that there is no neecl for him to fear You .
This is best done bY treating the colt as a new friend , handle him when he gets to be about seven to l0 daYs
, ridlfind treatment is just as esserrtial to the youllg colt as it is to a Young habv in thc home . The colt will soon
. ut . h on to the fact that you do not wish to hurt him .
Enter Stdll , Paddock \,\/ e enter the stall and paddock at frcouent intcrvals , makc the colt beconie accustomed to our being close to him . I ' et him and handle him , rub his iegs gcntlv and Pat him . -on the nosc and eals , like You would Pet a rlog or cat . Soon You will have his lriEndship and he will bc anxious to have you visit him . Bear in mind also that no two
horses are alike any more than two people arc alike in Iooks , tcmPel ' a- incrir , likes and dislikes , ctc . -yet all respond to kind treatment .
You will find that the Tennessee
\\ ralking Horse has a native intelliecn . c a * nd a naturally docile disposiiion . ' The breed is noted for these cualitics . You can be kind antl under ' - siantling to your colts without " spoiling " them .
Ii . rt there are some real " don ' ts " about leecling . Do not ever-feed sugar or apples . It does not " gentle ". a horse ancl^it docs not make him like you or resPect you more . It rea . lly- teaches liim bad manners and he lvill bite you vvhcn y , ru get him accustomed to this typ .',, 1 lcctling-tlrcn withlroltl thc "' qot , tl ics " llonr ltitlt .
( Jse Halters at Six Weeks \\' hcn yorrr colts arc about six rveeks
. ltl lrttt ' lraltcls otr thcm and begin teacliing tlrcm to lead . After they h-ave
become ' - usecl to the halter , attach a lorir or fi . ve-foot leacl line to the halter ".
Have an attendant lead the colt ' s mother off in front of him and the younsstcl rvill lollorv her '. -\ fter a { ert
itavs " Lhe colt will respond to )' our rndvements o [ the ] ead [ ine , and rr ' hile following along in the stePs of . his
mother [ e will not even realize he has been taught to lead . Be very careful not to oier-work Your colts , and do not ever let them get tired .
Bear in mind that every colt dernancls cel ' tain particular attention , because elery colt should be treated as
a differeni individual ' However , the above practices at ' e those rvhich are gcnerali ;' applicable to almost every iolt . It one particular phase or recommendation hoes not work with Your colts , try another similar lnethod ' As the coll grorvs older we think he
Mqrch , . l962
should be led on a loose rein , the attendant holding the rein some four or five leet fronithe colt ' s head , letting it walk naturallY .
Exlleriencc has taught us noI to leacl ' a colt fast enough to cause it not lo so in a long , loose flat { oot walk or lastEr thatt a " slow running walk ; anci rte nevel^ rry holding onto a colt ' s halter antl trying to force it to nod ' \\ ie hale seen a large number of loose colts that rrever del cloped into top horses . \\' e think this was due to the fact that thev l ' ere led so much ' Many colts are tatlght so much excessive motion that rrihen thev are Put under sadclie the \ ale inclined to be choppy in their eaits . Pampered colts being iecl ancl h " elcl back are inclined not to . line ut > ploperly and o [ 1en go wide behind . Thbse ' faults musI be corlected later in order to make toP horses .
Let the Cohs Rw
Frcsh air and plenty o [ exel ' cisc ai ' c good lor growini colis . Therefore we let ortrs rull out Practically the yeal ' ' round dur ing the day and night when the weather '' is pretty ; and put thcm in thc barn or some other good drY
. h . lt . t when the weather is cold and bad . After colts are weaned , which
is at about six months oI age ' wc leavc orrr shelter dool open so tllat colts mav c () me atttl go at t ' artdom '
A rr . x ' gh is flaccd irr thc barn or shelter wiiere tLe colts have access tc ) a goocl balanced grain ratiorting , tog " ih ". with a good legume . haY '
\ Mc stat ' t to break out colts arouno the { irst of each year ' or when they are a Year and a hait oI ' two years old ' At this age they will range-in .. weight
from 7 " 00 to 7 ' 50 pounds and will stand
approximately i4 hands and three inches .
I like to take rn1 ' colts completely off the paslure ft ' orn 30 to 60 dars ahead of time , and leed tltetn a good balanced ration . During this time when the colts are in the barn and before we begin riding thcm thcy are Placed in a siall convinient to a small paddock for use dur-irlg Prctty rveather . I ) urinq this period- a bitting rig is used I5r a shoit time each day . Be very careful not to place a colt in a strain bv reining his head too high . or haviris the siie r-eins too tight ar the beeiining . Tighten the t ' eins gtadually is the iolt bEcomes rrsed to the bitting f ig ' il ' o be continued in rrcxt issue )