The second item on the Horsemanship Level 1 checklist is:
2. Enter, approach and safely halter horse in stall or paddock
There are a myriad of videos out there, but really, you can’t do it much better than this little girl:
(Just watch to about 1:35 — it gets a bit chaotic when her sister comes into the scene).
However, for slightly more explanation, this video from Michigan University is informative and useful:
Her reasoning for not using throatlatch clips is quite sound for their situation. However, in your test I don’t mind whether you use the buckle or clip, as long as you halter in a safe and organized manner. If you do use the clip, I would want to see the halter put on this order: noseband, right ear, left ear.
In a stall or very enclosed space the rope over the neck is usually unnecessary (and, as this instructor points out, can get in the way). However, if your horse is in the paddock or field I recommend getting that rope over the neck as a first step to pre-empt any attempts to avoid capture.
Here’s what we’re looking for in a testing situation.
1. Close and latch gate after you enter the paddock 2. Approach horse’s shoulder (preferably left) 3. Put the rope around the neck, move to horse’s left side if not already there; move horse if necessary. 4. Put the halter on in an organized, smooth fashion, using buckle or clip 5. Hold the rope safely, neither dragging on ground nor looped around hand, ready to move off
For level 1 you will only be asked to catch a horse in a paddock, and won’t be dealing with hard to catch horses or horses in a herd.
Bonus review question: What colours are the horses in the above two videos? Bonus Level 2 question: What breeds would you guess they are?
This is the first in a series of posts that will look at the individual requirements in the Horsemanship stream of the Cavaliere Program, beginning with Level 1. Even if you already have your Horsemanship 1 it is worthwhile reviewing this material, as subsequent levels are all built upon this foundation. The first item on the checklist is:
1. Identify colour, near and off side, and twenty simple parts of the horse
Near and Off Side
The horse’s left is his near side, the right his off side. We lead horses, do up their tack, and mount from the near side. Believe it or not, this all goes back to the days of wearing swords on horseback. Since a sword is usually hung from the left hip, mounting from the left means the scabbarded sword does not have to cross the horse’s back as the rider swings his leg over. Also, if you are mounting with sword in hand, your left hand is able to control the reins, and the right hand your sword, as you mount.
The only horse coat colours that have obvious names are black, brown and grey, and there are even subtleties within these. Fortunately there are plenty of websites and books with colour pictures to study, and the Wikipedia entry is quite comprehensive. For the purposes of level 1 you will need to know:
Bay: brown or reddish coat with black mane & tail Chestnut: light brown or copper coat with matching (or flaxen) mane & tail Grey: including variations such as dappled (circles of dark hair) or fleabitten (flecks of dark) Piebald: large patches of black and white Skewbald: large patches of another colour and white Buckskin: gold or dun with black mane & tail Palomino: gold with white mane & tail Spotted (Appaloosa colouring): small spots of dark on white or white on dark Roan (blue and red): an even mixture of dark and white hairs
Twenty Simple Parts of the Horse
Again there are plenty of online references for this, or you can simply turn to the inside front cover of the Manual of Horsemanship. For level one you should know at least 20 of the following points:
While this type of knowledge may seem rather trivial or esoteric at first, it is actually quite important to be able to share the common language of horsemen. If you are asked to catch the chestnut mare and check her off hind pastern before tacking up, you’d better not come in from the field with the bay and be looking at her knees!
Going further
For higher levels of Horsemanship you will need to know face and leg markings, colour points, breeds, types, and conformation. The Manual of Horsemanship is a good starting point, and there is a wealth of information available online.
In the first part of this series I stated that horses need food, shelter, and security. At first glance creating a secure environment for a horse seems fairly straightforward. After all, there aren’t that many large predators left in most places where we keep horses (though losing a foal to a cougar does happen now and again in the interior of BC), so really all you need to do is keep a horse from escaping, while making sure his paddocks, pastures or stalls are free of things he can hurt himself on.
Physical security
The safest type of fence with which to enclose a horse is post and rail in front of a thick non-poisonous hedge. A thick hedge discourages horses from reaching through the fence to get at (inevitably greener) grass on the other side. Without a hedge an electric hotwire may be needed to prevent horses from leaning on, chewing, or otherwise breaking through post and rail fences.
Where it is impractical to use full post and rail, a top rail with v-mesh wire or electric fencing is the next best alternative. Page-wire, or wire grid with large openings are dangerous to horses as they can get a leg through the fence and get tangled up. A tangled horse is prone to panic and injure himself in the process. Barbed wire is designed to stop cattle, and is never suitable for keeping horses as it can cause horrendous injuries if a horse becomes entangled.
Gate and stall latches should be easy for a human to open, but difficult for a horse. Horses can be enormously clever with their lips, and its surprising how many learn to open a variety of latches. It’s always a good idea to have a second gate between the area horses are kept and access to the road, in the event the primary gate is accidentally opened.
Before turning horses out into a pasture walk the perimeter and check for breaks in the fence, as well as checking the entire area for dangers such as sink-holes, sharp objects, steep ditches or areas a horse can become entrapped or injured.
Emotional security
Horses are herd animals and prey animals. Their sense of safety depends on the knowledge that there are other members of their herd nearby to watch for danger and provide safety in numbers. Key proof of this is that a solitary horse will not lie down to sleep: she may sleep standing up, but will not get the deep restful sleep she needs at least once a day unless she knows there is another horse around to be sentry. A solitary horse is also more prone to vices such as cribbing, weaving and pacing.
That said, it is not always possible to provide a companion horse. Luckily horses are not that picky. Donkeys, goats and llamas are all acceptable herd-mates for most horses, and even dogs and barn-cats appear to give them some comfort.
Your horse depends on you, too, to provide her security. When you are handling and riding her it is your job to be the alpha mare (not the stallion) — the one who watches out for dangers and directs the rest of the herd. A horse that is confident you are looking out for her will be much more willing to go where you ask, whether it be over a 4′ liverpool, through a creekbed out on the trails, or into a dark and scary trailer. A horse that trusts you will let the vet and farrier do their jobs with a minimum of fuss, and be far easier to extricate calmly from a mess of broken fencing should that horrible incident ever happen. And a horse that sees you as leader will be far happier leaving her herdmates to go off to rides and shows on her own.
Creating Trust
It’s not difficult to create trust in a horse, but it requires patience and consistency. Here are a few tips:
Be calm. Leave your stress behind when you come to the barn to work with your horse.
Be the authority. Don’t let your horse walk into you, rub his head on you or move into your space. Remind him not to with an elbow or firm push, but don’t get mad.
Be a friend. Grooming, scratches behind the ear, treats and loving words are all part of bonding, as long as your horse remains respectful of your space while receiving them.
Be trustworthy. If you don’t know what’s at the bottom of that puddle, get off and walk through it yourself before you ask your horse to. If it’s deeper than you thought, or there’s a sharp object at the bottom, your horse will never forget (or forgive).
Be consistent. If you allow a behaviour one day, then punish a horse for it the next he won’t trust you.
Be respectful. Remember no matter how much you adore each other, you are still different species. Your horse’s needs are not the same as yours. You don’t want to be treated like a horse (they bite each other on the crest to show affection); and you don’t want to treat your horse like a pet, or a person.
A secure, trusting horse is a happy horse, and a happy horse is a joy to work with. Recalling the wild herd animal your horse still is biologically will help you meet both his physical and emotional needs, and allow for a productive partnership between you.
In respect to last week’s topic, food, and this week’s, shelter, humans and horses are opposite. Horses eat and drink an enormous quantity compared to us, and the consequences of going hungry or thirsty are potentially more serious (ulcers, colic, and other digestive upset) than they are for us. Unlike we hairless apes, however, horses are quite well adapted to inclement weather, and their shelter needs are minimal.
Rain and snow
During the autumn horses grow thick coats to protect them from the weather. A closer look will show a shorter dense underlayer to keep them warm, interspersed with longer hairs to help shed rain, and keep snow from sitting next to the skin. Horses can withstand a lot of precipitation before they are literally ‘soaked to the skin’. However, if you bring a wet horse in from the rain and start grooming him you may notice he gets irritated. This is because brushing the hair pushes water through the hair and onto the skin.* He wasn’t feeling the cold till you rubbed it in, so to speak! If a horse gets soaked through too often without time to dry, he’s prone to develop rain rot: a condition where bacteria grows next to the skin and can cause scabs and even bleeding.
* If you need to ride a horse that’s been standing in the rain the best thing to do is put a dry cooler on him and stuff handfuls of hay and straw under it. This lets air circulate while his body heat dries him and the cooler soaks up moisture. After half an hour he should be dry enough to groom.
Our Jack in his Winter Woolly coat.
Wind
Another factor that affects horses’ ability to withstand the damp is wind. A dry horse can stay fairly comfortable in the wind by turning her tail towards it and, if possible huddling with her herd-mates, with the occasional gallop to warm-up. (This is why horses are more prone to bucking and other such friskiness on cold windy days). However, if her coat is wet, the wind drives the moisture next to the skin and then carries heat off with it, making it much more difficult for the horse to stay warm. To produce heat a horse must eat much more forage than usual, and can lose weight drastically if he has to resort to burning body fat to keep the chill off.
Heat
Heat is generally more difficult for horses to cope with than cold. Their body mass to surface area is greater than ours, meaning they are more prone to overheat. Adaptations in more heat-adapted breeds such as the Arabian include fine summer coats, legs with almost no flesh on them, distensible nostrils and very fine skin on the face to promote heat loss through respiration and sweating. Horses sweat to lose heat, and in the dry climates they evolved in this works well. However, when the humidity is high evaporation of sweat does not happen fast enough too keep a horse cool, and heat-stroke can set in.
Mud
Not so much weather, but a consequence of it, mud is something to which horses are very poorly adapted. When standing in constant wet their hooves absorb water and become less tough. The anaerobic conditions around the frog can promote the growth of bacteria and fungus, leading to thrush or hoof abcesses. They may get clags of mud on the pasterns, which in turn pull away, cracking the skin and letting bacteria in, a condition known as ‘scratches’ or ‘mud fever’.
What’s a horse-owner to do?
It’s actually not difficult to provide the weather protection needed by horses. A walk-in shed in a paddock will provide enough of a wind-break and dry spot for your horse to stay comfortable all winter, and will give him the shade he needs in the summer if trees aren’t available. Note that some horses, even if they have a shelter, will sometimes choose to stand in the rain. As long as your horse isn’t shivering you can assume she simply doesn’t mind the rain.
If horses don’t have a shelter, they need to be blanketed with at least a rain sheet to keep moisture off. Blankets creates other issues: horses can become entangled in them, are prone to tearing them, and sometimes get rubs from ill-fitting ones. Furthermore, blankets press down the hair, eliminating air-space and can often make horses colder than if they were undressed. Nonethless, it may be necessary to blanket for warmth if your horse is clipped so he can cool down faster in winter.
Bringing horses into a barn for the night in rainy climates will help their coats and feet dry out. If they must stand in a muddy paddock all day (and here in the Wet Coast it’s sometimes unavoidable) pick their feet frequently, gently towel-dry their legs, and monitor pasterns for scratches.
Horses get along quite nicely in arid climates: for anything else, they appreciate our accomodations.
Like all mammals, equines have three core needs: food, shelter, and security. In the grasslands of Eurasia where the modern horse evolved these needs were met quite differently than they are for most domesticated horses today. A wild horse lives in a herd, travels many miles each day, grazes constantly, and seeks shelter from whatever the sparse landscape may offer. A domestic horse may live on pasture, in a paddock or in a stall, is fed a set number of times a day, and may or may not live with other horses. In the next three posts I’ll be looking at how we meet our animals’ needs, and the compromises between the ideal and the practical necessary when keeping horses.
Food
Forage
The horse is designed to spend most of its day eating. In the wild, forage is often scarce and dry, meaning the horse must cover a lot of territory (thereby getting excercise) and consume a lot of low-calorie food to get enough energy. Our pastures, however, tend to be much smaller, greener and richer, so that a grazing horse gets less exercise and more calories in a day. For some ‘easy keepers’ this is too much food, making the horse fat and prone to laminitis (also known as founder, the inflammation of the hoof leading to separation of the hoof wall from the foot, possible rotation of the coffin bone, and often permanent lameness).
A solution to rich pastures is to limit turnout, and feed hay, which is similar in nutritional value and roughage to dry wild grasses. However, a horse kept in a small paddock or stall has even less opportunity to exercise, and will require some kind of exercise: whether by riding, longeing or daily turnout. Hay can be made from grasses such as timothy or brome, or legumes like alfalfa, or a mix.
The problem with feeding in a paddock or stall is that we often are only able to feed 2 – 4 times a day, depending on our human schedule. This leaves horses with a lot of downtime to get bored and start chewing on paddock rails or otherwise making mischief. It also leaves their stomachs empty for longer periods of time — a situation they’re not designed for — making them more prone to ulcers. Free choice hay is the ideal for horses who don’t tend to gorge themselves. Small opening haynets can also work well to slow consumption, although haynets can present other hazards, if improperly secured.
Grain
Aside from the seed-heads of grasses, horses do not encounter grain in the wild. However, a horse that is in heavy work may require more calories than can be obtained by hay alone. Oats, corn and barley are traditional horse feeds, and can be fed whole or ‘flatted’. Because they are high in starch these grains can also put some horses at risk of laminitis or Cushings disease, the equine version of insulin resistance. Grains also tend to make horses ‘hot’, or flighty and energetic, which can be a problem for behaviour and safety.
There are many pelleted feeds on the market designed to replace grain. These have the advantage of sometimes being less starchy, and often have added nutrients that can make up for shortfalls in the local pasture or hay. However, they provide even less chewing time than whole grain, and are just as easy to over feed. With all grain, whether whole or processed, the rule of thumb should be to feed the minimum possible and monitor with care.
Succulents
While wild grass is dry, it’s not as dry as hay. Therefore horses who don’t have access to fresh grass can benefit from a succulent feed every day to provide some of the vitamins found in fresh grass. This is something as simple as a single carrot or apple, and is usually offered as a treat or reward.
Minerals
Hay can be analyzed to make sure all the necessary micronutrients are present, and most pelleted feeds are fortified to provide the nutrients such as selenium, zinc, copper, etc. that a horse would normally ingest with its varied diet in the wild. Salt should be provided in the form of a block that the horse can lick at will. However, some horses have no restraint and will consume a salt block in a matter of days, in which case, adding salt to their grain may be necessary.
Water
Water is the most vital of all feeds. A horse will drink around 40 litres of water a day; more in warm weather or after heavy exercise. If water in the pasture is provided from a stream it should be clear, fast-moving, and with a gravel bottom to prevent the horse from ingesting sand (which can cause colic). Water buckets or troughs can either have auto-refill mechanisms or be refilled 2 or 3 times a day; and regardless of the refill method should be cleaned frequently and checked at least twice daily. A horse without sufficient water can dehydrate or colic quickly.
Teeth
A further consideration is the condition of a horse’s teeth. Without constant foraging, horses teeth often grow faster than they are worn down, and dental care, as discussed in this previous post, is usually necessary to keep teeth working well. An older horse may need special foods, like chopped hay or mashes to keep weight on.
The field of equine nutrition is complex and growing every day, but most horses do quite well with the above five points taken into account.
In the Riding & Horsemanship program level 1 participants learn basic feeding and care in lesson 3; levels 2 – 4 expand and go farther into the topic in lesson 1 of the series.
Last week we looked at the relative merits English and Western saddles. This week we’re looking at the much thornier issue of reining style. It’s one of the hardest adjustments to make when switching from one type of riding to the other, and proponents of each will often argue fiercely against the other.
In dressage, hunt seat, and basic English riding the horse rides into contact, which I discussed in this previous post. There is never slack in the reins, and the rider has a constant connection to the bit, and therefore the horse’s mouth. Contact is quite a delicate balancing act, and requires the rider to have soft hands that gently follow the motion of the horse’s head. Unfortunately, a rider who is not secure in her seat may lean on the horse’s mouth, using the reins for balance, which in turn creates a horse that is ‘hard’ in the mouth, meaning dull to the commands from the bit. Riders who are too controlling or busy with their hands can also create a hard-mouthed horse who learns to tune-out the constant nagging.
This picture, taken mid-air over a jump, shows how a sensitive, following hand maintains gentle contact throughout the motion of the jump. The rein forms a straight line to the elbow, and yet the bit (a full-cheek snaffle) is not pulling at the mouth or impeding the pony in anyway.
The goal of western riding, however, is to have a horse that is ridden on a loose rein. A well trained western horse should respond to the slightest backward rein pressure with a slow or halt, should turn with a touch of the rein on the neck, and is a true pleasure to ride. However it is much harder to teach a horse to collect properly without contact — not imposible, but much more difficult. And just as bad riding can create a hard mouth in an English bridle, insensitive hands on western reins are equally detrimental, and even damaging if the horse is wearing a high ported or long-shanked curb. Hackamores, which control the horse with a noseband rather than a bit, can be just as harsh on the sensitive face of a horse.
Watch this video to see how western reining horses perform sliding stops with minimal rein contact:
What I love about a good western horse is his lightness of mouth: the way I can ask him to change what he is doing with a twitch of the reins (and of course the appropriate seat and leg cues as well). But the reason I ride with an English bridle is for the two-way communication I get from the bit. With two hands on the reins, and a soft give and take feel, I simply have more cues at my disposal, and more feedback from my horse.
When riding and training one of my goals is to have the best of both worlds: a horse that is soft and light in the mouth, and yet trusts me enough to reach for contact, and knows the many subtle cues she will receive through it. It’s precise work that requires mindfulness throughout every ride; but even if my horse and I only achieve that beautiful balance for a few moments, it’s worth every ounce of effort along the way.
I’m often asked why we use English saddles in our Cavaliere program. After all, doesn’t the western saddle, with it’s high pommel and cantle, better mimic the shape of the mediaeval jousting saddle? Isn’t it easier for beginners to stay secure in the embrace of all that extra leather? The short answer to both these questions is yes, but let me address each issue separately.
Historical Accuracy
There are many modern saddles that are even more similar to mediaeval saddles. These include the Portuguese, Camargue, Australian stock, and several types of cavalry saddles. With the exception of the Aussie, they’re all much more difficult to find here in BC, and quite expensive.
The main benefit of a high cantle (the back of the seat) in jousting is that it helps keep the rider from being thrown backward out of the saddle. However in our program we mainly do swordplay from horseback, which is best accomplished with a slightly forward seat. A rider who uses his stirrups to brace against the cantle of the saddle will actually deliver a less powerful cut than the rider whose weight is directly over his stirrups; so the cantle really doesn’t help the mounted swordsman the way it does the jouster.
Beginner Security
Without a doubt most beginners feel more secure in a western saddle: it hugs the seat, and there’s that handy horn and all those latigos to grab, just in case.
The western saddle, like the Camargue and Aussie, is designed to support and keep the rider comfortable during long days, and sometimes nights, out on the range. In other words, it allows the rider to rest in the saddle, which is an admirable feature out on the trails. However, this also means it’s much easier for beginners to develop an ‘armchair’ seat and other posture habits that are hard to break.
A good rider is a good rider, regardless of the tack she uses, and an accomplished Western rider uses the same basic body and leg position, with minor variations in stirrup length and hip angle, as an English rider. But I maintain it’s easier to develop a good seat in the relative insecurity of an English saddle.
In fact, it would be even better if I could start all riders without a saddle at all — but I’m not that cruel. A flat saddle, with stirrups for easier mounting, and padding between seat bones and bony whithers, makes a happy compromise.
Personal Preference
I grew up riding western, and I still own the ancient stock saddle that came with my first pony. But ever since I was a teenager I’ve preferred my extremely close-contact English saddle — even a jumping saddle with knee rolls makes me feel as if I have too much leather between me and my horse.
However, there’s more to English and Western riding than just the saddle. Next week we’ll take a look at the bridle and reining styles of each, and their pros and cons.
Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in December 2011. I seriously considered whether or not this was worth reposting to the WL archives, but heck, there’s too much fun in here not to. Happy Christmas in September everyone!
A mixed bag of (sometimes barely) equine related frivolity for you this week:
Bronies
Seriously? When I heard this interview on Q a couple of weeks ago I had to do a reality check to make sure it wasn’t actually April 1st. But apparently there’s a sub-culture of twenty-something guys who watch My Little Pony unironically for the quality of the writing. A chacun son gout …
Writing Goal? Foal!
You may have seen the motivational writing tool ‘Written Kitten’ which provides you with a fresh picture of a cute cat for every 100 words you plunk down. My best friend has gone one better and made Writing Goal? Foal! Yep, an adorable baby horse for every 100 words. (Hint: cutting and pasting works if you just want to see more cute foals without straining your writing muscles).
Hey Diddle Diddle
Luna may not be jumping quite over the moon yet, but I wonder how she’d be at jousting?
The Cavaliere Carol
And saving the best for last: those of you who were at the Duello party on Sunday were treated to the clever stylings and dulcet tones of own Michael Molnar as he regaled us with custom Christmas carols including “Ridolfo the Capo Ferro” and “The Twelve Days of Fencing”. But of course my favourite has to be:
And with that I wish everyone all the best of the festive season, and many happy hours in the saddle for 2012!
Jennifer Landels, Maestra di Scuderia Academie Duello Cavaliere Program
Unlike we, horses have teeth that grow throughout their lives. In the wild equines forage constantly on tough plants, which causes them to wear their molars down. Domesticated horses don’t get the same chewing regime and can wear their teeth down unevenly, causing sharp hooks or points in the tooth surface. This can cause chewing difficulty, bitting problems or pain, so most middle-aged horses get treated to a tooth job, or ‘floating’ once a year.
Floating, or filing the teeth, is done either by hand with a rasp, or with a coin-sized filing head on the end of a power drill. To make this safer for both horses and humans involved, the horses are sedated. The vet then suspends the horse’s head in a padded halter-sling and fits a speculum to hold open the mouth.
The actual filing takes about 5mins and is painless for the horse. The sedation and headgear are used because most horses are not on board with the whole giant electric toothbrush thing.
1 of 2
After care involves the vet escorting the drowsy patients back to their stalls. We keep an eye on them for a couple of hours afterwards so they don’t choke themselves by hanging their heads over the doors.
“Dude, that was some party”
And by afternoon they’re generally back to (almost) normal.
Jolie is a 12 year old registered Canadian Horse. She has a sweet temperament, excellent manners and she loves to go. Her job will be mainly eventing and Pony Club testing, but you can expect her to put in a few hours of Mounted Combat here and there once she becomes accustomed to swords.
Quick Canadian breed trivia question: you can tell Jolie and Jack are the same age by their names. Therefore, how old is Flavie?
o o o
Summer Update: Jolie has been an absolute star this spring and summer. Not only does she have the most beautiful ground manners, she’s taken me through my EC Rider 6 and my eldest daughter’s Pony Club C2 level test. In her first event with us she went straight to Pre-Training level, and is right now at Pony Club rally.
