Re: RC: Show and Tell

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Mon, 6 Aug 2001  8:13:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net> writes:

> His training also including lots of "camping out", and we "ran" with
> other horses on the trail at speed to get used to being excited, then
> calming down and getting used to being "left behind".  I insisted on
> impecable manners, both on the ground and in the saddle. There were many
> "altercations", but you can deal with a "learning moment" better here
> than (almost impossible) during a ride. 
> 
> For example, if you're riding behind another horse and the other horse
> trots off, what does your horse do?  Pick up the trot, too, right?  You
> should NEVER allow this.  What if the horse in front of you bolts and
> runs away?  Would you want your horse to bolt and run away, too? If you
> didn't ASK for the trot, then he should continue to walk.  How about
> when TWO or THREE horses trot off?  This drill is difficult for a horse
> to learn...because it's against his nature.  But when the other horses
> CANTER off and your horse continues to walk, you are there.....he will
> WAIT for the cue. I don't think I need to expound on the value of this
> during an Endurance Ride. Believe me, it you're consistent, and do it
> properly, he may get excited and may pull on you asking to go, but he
> will listen....his mind is too conditioned to do anything else. "Don't
> do nothin' without checkin' with Da Boss first!"  

Jim, I think this passage should be tattooed on everyone's forehead!!  FAR too many young endurance horses are WELL-conditioned and very fit but are NOT at all well-trained!  And therein lies the problem for many of them...

Heidi