ridecamp@endurance.net: RE: Going Home

RE: Going Home

Jennifer Heim (JHEIM@gunder.com)
Wed, 14 May 1997 16:10:00 -0700

Let the mare go home, and then work her hard in the arena/barn area. And
I mean real work, spins, rollaways, loping sidepasses, flying lead
changes; make her really, really work. Then cool her out with full tack,
offer her water, and tie her to a tree for an hour or so while you do
barn chores. Let her realize that going home doesn't mean food and rest.
She comes home at her speed; she works harder....she comes home your
speed, she gets put away. When she starts mellowing out going home, then
put her up without the arena work. Also, when you turn around to go
home, STOP! Point her towards home but STOP. Take a break, smell the
flowers, take in the view. After a few minutes (and if she's a basket
case, she can do circles while the other horses rest - keep doing circles
until she quits and just stands there), then WALK home. Do all your
speedy stuff away from the barn until she figures out her manners.

I managed a rental barn for years and the above method always, always
worked for the most barn-sour horses we had. Of course, some of them
took some time, but they always came around. The thing to remember is to
get her to think that going home isn't the "end of work."

Jen & the Sunman
"The Colt Kindergarten and Obedience School for Equines"

----------
From: @netbistro.com[SMTP:@netbistro.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 1997 3:01 PM
To: Endurance
Subject: Going Home

Myself and two other friends ride together quite often.
All is well going away from home the three horses get
along great. As soon as we turn for home no matter how
far we have gone and even if it is a completely new trail my
friends mare just goes crazy to get home upsetting the other
two horses. Any suggestions for my friend as to teaching her
mare to slow down and relax.

Thanks
Julia
thomlabs@netbistro.com

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