Spring is around the corner - ready to ride?? Training tips.

How much do you trust your horse when you take him someplace? Are there places or situations you will stay away from because you are afraid you can't control him? Here are some things that can be done now, to help you later.

Start from the ground! If you take your horse to an event where there is stuff going on all around you - stuff he is not used to - will he stand for you? Does he get nervous and start crowding your space and not listening a bit to what you try to tell him? Try this - it may help.

So many times I'll see folks hanging on tightly to the snap under the horse's chin and try to physically hold him still. Stop trying! He out weighs you by ALOT! You can not physically stop him from moving if he wants to. However, what if you were to try this: (Make the right things easy and the wrong things hard!) Stand with your horse beside you on a loose lead. If he starts to move around, make him go around you a few times at the trot, ask him to whoa and let him stand beside you again. When he starts to move around again, send him out around you just like before. You aren't trying to wear him out or punish him; just gain some respect from him that you are the head of the pecking order (you can direct and re-direct his feet.) .

Another problem area is your horse dragging behind you or always getting ahead of your shoulder and dragging you along when you lead him. If your horse pokes along behind, use the tail of your lead rope and tap him on the hip to move him forward. Don't stop doing it until he's listening to you and stays even with your shoulder. If he is getting ahead of you, stop him, back him up every time he goes ahead of your shoulder.  If he tries to get out of this by trying to get away or stand crooked, put the fence or wall on his outside to let him know that he needs to be straight and listen to your cues, not try to get away from them.

Happy Trails til I can get back at 'cha. Spring's a-comin' I'm sure. This cowgirl just can't wait. More tomorrow. Rock Solid Arena, LLC