The Rules - Horse training

The Rules

for interacting with and training your horse...

are the same rules as for any meaningful relationship

(e.g. [in no particular order] with your dog, your children, your partner, your work colleagues, your neighbours, etc...)

The Rules are:

• negative feedback should occur at most as frequently as positive feedback
• consequences should be timely, appropriate and proportionate
• rewards should be timely, appropriate and proportionate (and if you really want results - 'a little over the top' )
  
• you have the right to defend yourself
• you do not have the right to attack the other party

hence my strapline....

labruyere - for an enhanced relationship with your horse 

more posts on related topics to follow....

meanwhile - if you have any views or comments on this

> please share them via the comments section below....

(you may need to click on the text 'comment' next to the envelope icon first) 

For your own copy of my 

FREE training guides and newsletter 

" walk a mile in his hooves... "

please check the form at the bottom of this page and Register

To access all blog posts, click the tab at the top of the page

or check out the TOP 5 most popular posts, as listed in the right hand column.

You can join me on Facebook by clicking on the following link > labruyere on facebook

Or feel free to share this information with anyone you feel would find it of interest

by clicking on the relevant button below.

 

bridling passion....

why do 'all' bridles (in the UK at least)   

now come with 

• a flash noseband
• and rubber reins

as standard...? 

as all bridles seem to come with a flash...

virtually everyone uses them

and so many riders think all horses need one...

it's a self perpetuating myth...

(not unlike the perception 

that all ponies

need a Pelham bit with roundings....!)

in addition

very few people know how to fit such nosebands correctly

for example

I find people frequently turn up for their first lesson with me
with a flash 'flapping' loosely on their horse's nose

personally, if I were a horse,
this constant flapping every stride would drive me to distraction...

so I would much rather a flash band is removed
than loosened

in fact my horses spend most of their lives completely 'nose band less'...

for a start it's one less thing to clean ;-}

and for newly broken horses

or those with bridling 'issues'

it's one less thing for you and the horse to have to 'cope' with

I don't have violent objections to flash nosebands being used

as long as

they are fitted correctly

and the rider genuinely needs a little more in the 'brakes department'

when jumping or out hacking (trail riding)

(although their use 'on the flat' is much more dubious...)

as, on balance,

I think a 'stronger' noseband

has less potential to cause damage to the horse 

in the 'wrong' hands

than a stronger bit...

I just don't see why

if I don't want to use a flash band

I am faced with 

the 'Hobson's choice' of 

• either riding my horse with a strange little tab adorning his nose
• or taking a knife to the noseband in an attempt to remove the attachment without ruining the bridle

after all

separate attachments to convert a cavesson into a flash 

are widely available...

so please, manufacturers and suppliers

just provide a cavesson noseband as standard...!

 

equally...

why do 'all' standard bridles (in the UK at least)

now come with rubber reins...?

I hate them with a vengeance
as they are 

• too bulky 
• and don't 'bend' round one's fingers properly

thereby preventing riders developing/experiencing any true 'feel' through the reins...

personally I would always advocate a good pair of 

• medium thickness
• webbing
• Continental reins

as the ideal, day-to-day

set of reins to use....

what are your views on these two issues?

feel free to add a comment below...

For your own copy of my 

FREE training guides and newsletter 

please complete the form at the bottom of this page

To access all blog posts, click the tab at the top of the page

or join me on Facebook by clicking on the following link > labruyere on facebook

Please share this information with anyone you feel would find it of interest

by clicking on the relevant button below.

sensible riding precautions

for most of us, at some time in our riding life,
comes the sudden realisation that we now have to learn about:

sensible riding precautions when riding alone / on your own

these are my top tips:-

and BTW,
most of these are also
sensible precautions when riding in company...

re hacking

always carry a charged mobile phone
and PLEASE attach the phone to YOU,
NOT the horse (- daftest idea ever, phone carriers that attach to a D ring on the saddle!)

also, before you head out for the first time on a new horse....

get someone to call (ring) you,

whilst you are sat on the horse,

just to check that the horse can cope with this!

if not, then:

either (preferably) spend time desensitising the horse to the phone ringing

or switch the phone to silent mode

wear high visibility gear

obviously this is essential if the route includes roadwork

... rather an uncool, fashion victim

than a road traffic accident victim...

but wear high viz even if you're riding off road...

as this means cyclists, dog owners, walkers, other riders etc.

can see you from a good distance

and, ultimately...

if you're lying in a ditch,

the helicopter has a better chance of spotting you..... ;-}

when hacking on a new route...

take note of where you do and don't have a signal/network coverage

and remember this for future reference...
so that you always know the 'nearest' spot to head for in an emergency

also take note of landmarks, road names, etc..
so that you could direct someone to you if required

for the first few months at least...

make sure someone knows that you are out, your route etc..

e.g. if you are based on a yard
leave a note of your intended route and the time when you left the yard
attach this to your stable door or on the yard noticeboard
and stick to that route whenever possible

re jumping

NEVER do this on your own...
you don't have to have someone stood watching you, necessarily,
but make sure there is someone around who knows what you're doing
of course it's also a lot easier to organise a jumping session

if you have someone else around to put up, rebuild and adjust fences

please, for your and your horse's safety...

get someone knowledgeable to teach you
at least the basics of fence building,

covering :

• ground poles (no, this doesn't mean poles on the ground!) 
• and distances
• as a minimum

re schooling

I still remember how weird I found this at first

(and that's a good few years ago )...
not having someone telling me what to do...

take time before each session to think what you would like to work on

so you have a plan

then be flexible if required

but at least that way you shouldn't suddenly realise

you have jut wasted 20 minutes 'ambling large'

and acheiving nothing

and finally...

you will soon find that

taking sensible riding precautions when riding alone / on your own

soon becomes second nature...

NOTE:

I have just found out that the RAF (Royal Air Force) UK

are asking riders to wear hi-viz

to help their pilots spot them and divert if possible during low-flying missions

(Horse and Hound magazine June 2012)

For your own copy of my

FREE training guides and newsletter

please complete the form on the right hand side of this page.

To access all blog posts, click the tab at the top of the page

or join us on Facebook by clicking on the following link > www.facebook.com/labruyere123

Please share this information with anyone you feel would find it of interest

by clicking on the relevant button below.