mother: “Follow me, listen, relax, and focus! I am your lifeline, protector and guilder.”
You should test to see if your steering and brakes are in working order. These are important things to know before you're out on a huge ride with lots of frisky horses out of control with no steering and no brakes. There are things that you can do to be safe.
Horse Behavior Specialist
Licensed 2 Star Parelli Professional
www.nancyslater.com
32
Ground Prep
If you have round pen 40-60 feet in diameter or square cow pen/paddock, set your horse free in it with you in the middle. Send him away and see if he tries to connect back up with you. If he runs and runs, looking out of the pen, clearly he is not! Staying out of the kick zone, use a training stick and string to send a little rhythmic pressure towards his hind end. Measure not too much and not too little, just enough energy to get him to move forward. If he's more skittish, less pressure. More dominate, more pressure. You are in fact saying to your horse,
“Fine, if you don't want to be with me, go! And let me help you go!”
A big ride is scheduled and you and your friends want to go! So what if it's been six weeks since you rode your horse? He's well-trained and he was a good boy the last time you rode him, so why should he be any different?
Some people find out the hard way that their horse needs a little preparation. Never assume anything! If we don't read the warning signs of a high head, bulging eyes, snorty puffs, and prancing feet, it can be a recipe for disaster!
Even our best horses can get frisky standing around doing nothing, eating well, and not exercising their brains and bodies. Excitedly, we head out on a great big trail ride with lots of other frisky horses that have also been standing around eating well and not exercising their minds and bodies!
We've all seen the mass Bucking Rodeo. Horses feed off other horse's emotions as they spook, jump, and bolt. Don't be a character in that cartoon! Spend a little time in preparation for that big day. Warm your horse up on the ground first. Get him moving out at a walk trot and canter to see if he gets excited. Saddle him up and send him over a small jump to see what he does. Get your horse’s mind and emotions under control. Do not get on a horse with a high head and bulging eyes, snorting nose and prancing feet!
We need him to relax and connect with us. When you play with your horse, you are building a bond that was very much like the one he had with his mother: “Follow me, listen, relax, and focus! I am your lifeline, protector