Mark Rashid Hampshire clinic report july 2008

[Elaine]

Arrived back nearly in one piece at 1am this morning This was great. 60 pages of a report will be posted up later

[Elaine]

MARK RASHID JULY 11-13 2008

I was up at the ungodly hour of 5am to catch my flight out of the bowels of Dublin airport (Pier D gate 79, best avoided if possible) to Bournemouth airport, which is positioned in the Tipperary of England. Bournemouth is the dinkiest airport ever a lot like Strandhill airport but without the flying hairdryers.

I picked up my hire car, a lovely blue ford fiesta, started out the right way then forgot to turn off for the clinic and ended up in Christchurch… so I’ve been in Christchurch in both hemispheres now so that was quite cool. A quick u-turn later and I was on the right dual-carraige way going the wrong way, so one more about turn and I was on track towards Romsey…As I drove I noticed a few fairly big fields with a few ponies in them, so it was only later I clocked that it was actually the new forest area… (probably need to improve my geography!)

Anyway, long report follows, so here are the main points which kept coming up throughout the clinic………

1. Breathe properly – not shallow breaths, deep regular breathing. It’s probably common-ish to be working on something energetic on your horse and then stop and find yourself out of breath. This is because you’re not breathing properly! If you breathe properly you can make a huge difference to how your horse goes, from makes spooks smaller to doing much better transitions. Seriously.

2. Exhale on exertions. So when you want to do something, breath OUT.

3. Don’t stare at your horse’s head. I think this is fairly common, and the horses don’t go as well when you do. It’s easy to forget about. Instead pick a point somewhere ands ride towards it.

4. In transitions (especially upwards transitions) go WITH your horse. Do not cue and then sit there and wait for the transition. If you do you’ll get left behind the moment.

5. Focus on what you want. Do not focus on what you do want, or how its all currently a bit messy. Think about exactly what you want it to be like. Imagine its actually happening already in your head, and you’re body will actually unconsciously start to cue your horse to do it. Eg. slow trot, extended trot.

6. Its all about softness. Do not release on a brace.

7. Rider to control the speed, direction and destination. Ever wonder why your horse ends up at the gate? It’s because you were not controlling the direction or destination.

8. Get rid of braces in your horse. Then everything gets a lot easier.

9. Should you work on the rider or the horse? Depends. If horse is a bit messy, need to work on his first usually.

10. The timing of releases and rewards can teach a horse to do anything.

11. Horses are bracy and stuck because we’ve taught them inadvertently to be bracey or stuck through releases at the wrong time, which teaches behaviours we don’t want. Again, do not release on a brace.

13. If you ask for something and it all gets a it messy, asking with a smaller cue can work better.

[Elaine]

WHAT IS A BRACE: (not a great description by myself but here goes!)

When horse is tensing his muscles against what you ask him to do, and horse then cant bend or soften properly and everything is a bit messy.

So like if you pick up reins for horse to stop, and horse pushes on your hands a little and takes maybe 2 or 3 steps to stop.

If a horse leans on your hands when you ride he's bracing.

If you ask a horse to turn and its more like turning a tank than a ferrari there's probably a brace there too.

If you've issues moving either front legs or back legs on their own.

If horse goes around like a giraffe he's braced all the muslces along the top of his back and in his shoulders.

If your horse doesnt go back very well (ie light as a feather with light ren contact, had not up in air, HQ not jammed, dong a soft 2-gait movement) there is a brace there too.

Basically its when you ask your horse to move someway, and instead of using 3 muscles he uses about 50 muscles, he's bracing.

If he's got these physical braces, he's often a bit stuck mentally too. So when you ask him to do something, you might get the replies:

i dont wanna
ok ill do it but im not happy about it
ok but i'll drag myself around
feck off

etc.

A BETTER DESCRIPTION, not my me!!

A brace is the opposite of soft. Soft being when everything is available to you from the horse. His body is ready to respond, he is using just enough of the right muscles and he is just totally willing to do whatever you ask, when you ask it. So a brace is when the horse can't do what you want because he's tightened up some muscles that shouldn't be tight, and/or he doesn't get it and/or he'd rather do things the way he always has rather than try the new version you're offering. This covers a mental 'brace' too.

[Elaine]

Chestnut Horse Friday 10.20 LEADERSHIP, TIMING RELEASES, USE OF PRESSURE, ASLEEP V. ON TOES

I arrived into the indoor on Friday arena at 10.20am, so saw the end of this lovely chestnut horse. He was whinnying a lot, focusing on the horses outside the arena more than on what was happening inside the arena. The rider needed to be more of a leader and step up and replace the horses which were down in the yard which this horse was whinnying to.

Turning:

Don't correct the horse, help him instead.
Finish on what you want (i.e. turning nicely with softness) If you haven't got it yet, keep turning until you do.
Be a good leader
You might need to start at a 9 or 10 (messy, not soft), but always finish when it's a .5 or a 0 (very soft and willing).

Moving:

When horse going at the speed you want, reward horse by letting horse go straight.

If horse wants to move, let horse move but control the direction and give her guidance. For example if your horse insists on walked forward, let her but make it a circle in walk, not a straight line. Circles are more work.

When you feel your horse get tense, focus on something other than you, get their focus and attention back straight away by giving them a job to do (i.e. walk on, turn, HQ yield, whatever) Don't just sit there and think.. ooh I wonder what my horse is
looking at? Be a leader with a plan, not a passenger without a map.

AUDIENCE QUESTION:

Q: Can you explain more about how your energy works with your horse's energy?

A: When your horse's energy is up (ie dancing around, whatever), your energy should be down - so be cool and relaxed. If you get all wound up then the two of you will be bombing around like rockets. If your energy is low it'll bring down your horses energy.

When your horse energy is down (asleep, ploddy etc) raise your energy up. I.e. WAKE up and make yourself feel energising through out your body. Think about being in a pub and then suddenly the DJ puts on your favourite dance song.. a friend of mine goes mental when she hears Justin Timberlake's Sexy back You're horse will pick up your energy and wake up too.

If you want your horse to move on faster / wake up, don't just sit there asleep, do your walk/trot/canter cue and then wonder why nothings happening. Instead, THINK forward, RAISE your energy.

Imagine a half full water bottle. The water is the energy. The right half of the bottle if the horses energy. The left part of the bottle is your energy.

Stand the bottle on a table. The water is at the same level in both sides. So you and your horse have the same energy and are in balance.

Tip the bottle over to the right. There's now LOTS of water in your horses section, and only a little water in your section. So when your horse gets REALLY revved up, you should get really relaxed and chilled out (hard to do I know but it will help horse to calm down).

Tip the bottle over to the left. Now you have LOTS of energy, and your horse has very little energy. So if you're riding a horse who's asleep and you get LOTS of energy, you'll encourage horse to wake up and you'll get back to that balance point where the bottle has the same amount of water in both sides.

Its not rocket science, basically: horse asleep, you wake up in the saddle. Horse very awake and hopping about the place, you relax. Again, the second one is easy for people to do, but it works and you'll get back to both of you being at normal energy levels.

Chestnut Horse Saturday 9.15

Turning is lighter today (woohoo!!).
Rider wants to work on speed and not breaking out of canter. Horse also said to be a bit herdbound. This horse is either whinnying and completely awake, or sound asleep in lessons. There is no middle ground. This is a lack of trust.

Same thing if you are out on a hack and your horse sees another horse and wants to go over to him. This is a breakdown in leadership. So we need to find a way to become a better leader.

When mark was talking the horse was fidgeting, and after a few minutes the rider gave in and walked the horse away. Perfect example of lack of leadership. Horse is the leader here, not the rider.

Riding needs a purpose. You should have a beginning, a middle and an end. You need to control the speed, direction and destination. Finish what you start. If you ask for something, get it.

Something came up then about emotions and not getting upset if you need to work on leadership & trust. Don't take it as an insult to you or a flaw with you. Mark had a story............

He asked the audience: Is anyone here married?
A fair few in audience raised their hands.
Mark: Do you ever argue?
Audience: hands went up
Mark: Does it ever get heated?
Audience: hands went up & folks chuckled.
Mark: Do the ladies in this audience ever wonder how, 15 minutes after the argument your husband is out pottering away in the garden etc as if the argument never happened?
Audience: lots of head nodding & more laughing ļ

He explained when we get emotional, it releases chemicals in our body. When the argument is over, these chemicals dissapate in about 15 minutes in men. In women this takes about 1.5 hours. In women, they can be retriggered easily within the next 7 to 10 days.

So especially in women, but obviously in men too, when training horses we have to learn how to control our emotions. Getting mad won't achieve anything with horses.

********************

In this horses mind, there is no one here she can rely on.

Rider asked horse to walk off. Much better walk off, more relaxed.

CONFIDENCE AND TRUST is what so much of this is about. This is EXACTLY the same thing Steve Halfpenny was at his last clinic down in Sussex. We always end up working on confidence.

Did a very slow trot. Then the horse went back to walk and the rider let her walk. (not good). Horse in control of speed, not the rider. The issue is that the aids are coming too slow. It was only 1 lap later that the rider asked horse to trot on again.

Horse: I want to slow down now, is that ok?
Rider: no answer
Horse: ok, I'll take that as a yes and go ahead and slow down.

So to ask this horse to trot (horse a bit dead to leg) first use your leg lightly. If no reply, wave your stick in the air. If no reply slap stick against your leg. If no reply, slap stick against horse as a last resort. Even if your horse is dead to the leg, ALWAYS start at the beginning with the light leg cue, and only work up if needed. Give your horse the chance to get it right.

Now when horse thinks of slowly down (before horse actually does slow down completely) rider is cueing horse to keep going. It is much easier to keep a horse going, than to get him going.

Did it again. Trot now has more fluidity. Remember to work your cues up from a small cue at the start, don't just go straight to a big cue.

Rule: No slow steps
The goal is to use smaller aids and get the required response.
Good lesson.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chestnut Horse Sunday 10.50

This is a light horse, not a soft horse (there is a difference).

Work on soft walk.
Teach your horse to respond to pressure so you don¡¦t need to use pressure. Like martial arts, you learn martial arts so you don't ever need to use it. Though Mark told a story about how he was down with family in universal studios or something similar, and was in haunted tunnel thing. A guy jumped out at one stage with a chainsaw which wasn't on, but there were chainsaw sounds being played over the speakers, and before Mark realise what had happened he had thrown the guy to the ground. Guy didn't know what hit him!

Pressure: folks often use either very light pressure or very heavy pressure. Be comfortable as well using pressure in the middle ground when the opportunity requires it.

What is happening here is the rider is not used to using more than 2.5 of pressure. So what happens is horse pushes head out using a 4 or 5 of pressure, rider wants to keep her hands at 2.5 so he moves hands out with horses head. So horse is learning when he sticks his head out and leans he'll get some more space. This is teaching horse to lean against bit and rider. So rider is maintaining relatively light feel, but teaching her horse the wrong thing.

This horse is bracy. Backup has no rhythm and has friction.

So lets backup a lot. Look for a two beat gait (diagonal pairs like the trot) not a 4 beat gait.

Backup STRAIGHT. Keep horses nose pointed in the same direction.

Even you get nice stuff and then end, if your horse ends on a brace, back him up again. DO NOT END ON A BRACE. Only give a release when your horse is soft.

If you are halted, and you ask for backup, and nothing happening, lift up on rein to get it started.

Be calmly assertive.

Auckums razor (am sure I've spelled that wrong!)

'you should never use multiples for that which can be done with less'

Someone piped up from the audience that it must have been a bloke!

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS:

Q: Do we create braces in horses?
A: Yes. Young horses start off soft. So we gotta try to keep em soft. Often training hardens them up.

GOOD BIOMECHANICS BOOK: Functional Anatonmy, threshold picture guide.

'Blaming your horse is the lazy mans way of working with them'

Softness comes from inside the horse, and then you will have the full horse available to you at all times.

A light horse comes from the outside of the horse, can do stuff quickly but without any heart. Includes learned responses.

[Elaine]

Cute dark bay light cob type with a white star, green 8yo. WORKING ON SOFTNESS & GETTING RID OF HUGE BRACES

FRIDAY 10.45 am

This horse can be bracy, pushes on the reins. Rider want to work on softness.

So horse walked, stopped, braced (leaned on reins), rider gave reins to the horse (pushed hands forwards).

This is all wrong because the rider just release on a brace and taught the horse to push on hands as when he does he gets a reward (loosening of the reins).

"can teach a horse to do anything by when you give them a release"

So lets change this:

When horses pushes against your hands, do not move your hands forward. Instead hold them in the same place they are. Do not pull against horse, do not give to horse, just imagine your hands are like a wooden post. They do not move.

When they tried this, horse would push head forward, head feels the bit not moving, horse does not soften and instead starts to back up. Horse is braced, not soft and has been taught this early on inadvertintly.

TRANSITIONS:

When humans are sitting down they will often get up unbalanced by throwing their head forwards and up first, and then their body follows (like horses being unbalanced in transitions). INstead can you get out of your chair by perparing first (maybe move to edge of seat) then standing up with yoru whole body together, not head first body after?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Horse very braced. mark backed him up half the length of the arena braced.. horse got no release when he was bracing (using muscles to stop himself moving). Now horse starts to think......

A slight turn in your horses neck will make it more difficult for him to push against your hands.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Walk now is better.

Asked for stop, horse pushed on bit, hands stayed like a wooden post, horse automatically started to backup (well it was either that or softness and horse doesnt do much softness yet), got a step of softness, horse asked to walk forward. Horse is a fast learner.......

If you can get the walk good, the trot and canter should be getting better too.

If you hold hands like a post, horse tends to get his own release when he softens his head.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AUDIENCE QUESTION:

Q: How would you train an andalucian horse with high head carriage?
A: Head placement doesnt matter. Softness matters. Reward when you get what you want.

When training, check if your actions are getting the results you want. If they are not, change your actions.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If there is real or perceived trauma to the horses body nervous energy gets stored (eg, split up from herd pair, whatever)

Humans often dont release this nervous energy, thats hos you can end up being a basket case at 50 (chuckles from audience).

Animals are much better at releasing this energy. They run as much as they need to until its gone and they are back to normal. Animals can hold this energy in for a period of time and then release it at a slighly later stage.

For example, mark and his wife drove 2600 miles over 48 hours with their horses. When they arrived at ranch, horses were very tired, heads down, etc. They went to put them out in a field, but didnt realise electric wire on gate was on, and duie to being earthed or not earthed (apologies to those who know about such things) of you walked through gate you get a shock. Mark lead horse though, and both got a shock. Chrissies horse stayed at other side of field gate. So mark brought horse back out again (another shock) and they put both horses in an arena instead.

Then both horses blew up and galloped around like lunatics for a few minutes, expanding the energy of the trauma and then both promptly fell asleep.

So they held their energy in while being lead from gate back to arena, then expanded it when they had a suitable moment. Until then, mark & chrissie gave them directions which they obeyed.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BREAK
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FRIDAY 11.50 am

Trot - pulling and leaning on riders hands in trot (not good)

To solve it, hold your hands like a post and do not release the reins when your horse pulls against you.

Horse also heavy on the forehand. This is the same brace issue.

In trot, release a little WHEN THE HORSE SOFTENS and stops leanign on your hands.

As they were trotting about, horse went back to walk unexpectedly (both horse and rider quit).

Rider asked horse to trot on again. Then got 3 steps of softness!!!

End somewhere good.

Push is now less than it was at the start.

Its all about timing the release correctly.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SATURDAY 9.45 am

"We love horses cos they're smart & subtle then we train them like they're stupid" (not about this horse, just in general!!)

Rider said pushing pretty much stopped.
Rider wants more activity and energy, but mark said they reason she wasnt getting it was cos she wasnt asking for it.
Wants relaxed jaw & softness too.

Watched horse going about, still bracy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Spent a fair bit of time now backin up. Whole horse braced, from poll to tail. Using a HUGE amount of muscles against both mark & rider. Backup stuck, not flowing in any way, horse arguing the whole time. Doing a 4 beat backup (4 legs moving individually)instead of a 2 beat (correct diagonal pairs movment like in trot) backup.
When doing this dont worry about where horses head is, worry about what it feels like.

HORSE REAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLY BRACED. Like he's got all four feet stuck into the ground and doesn't want to move any of them.

This brace was not just in front tend of the horse. This brace was through the horses WHOLE BODY. Everywhere was stuck.

Mark remarked as he contiued backing abou the arena, waiting for softenss (it took a while!) that they weret now inside the brace.

Eventually (took a while) got softnes, and then stopped the backup.

Rest, then started to back up again, whole horses body braced, so kept backing up for a while till it started to unbrace and soften again.

Horse now actually starting to use his hindquarter a bit.

- walk on
- stop
-horse leans against bit
-backup and keep doing this till you get softness and horse stops leaning on bit
- walk on
- repeat

With yrou reins, if when you ask for backup horse stands still, spiral one rein to enourage him to move. Works better than a straight pull back.

- trot
- horse asleep
- horse went back an to unscheduled walk
- mark said TROT!!!
- then better trot

Dont let your horse control the speed!

Then more backup as he's got bracy and stuck again. If you want to ride with a weight of '2' in your reins, you might need to go up to a '4' to get it.

This horse really has a huge brace going on.

This horse was trying a fair bit, but mark remarked this has been taught to try, but not to do. so if you reward the tries in this case you'll stay at the surface of the issue.....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

from the horses perspective...


-imagine a few years ago you got a new job
-you were trained up on how to do everything
-do did this job for 2 or 3 years
-the customers liiemd how you did it
-what do you makes sense to you and you believe it to be true
- now someone comes along and tell you you are doing it all wrong

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Partciularly with young horses they take stuff onboard for life. If you teach a young horse something wrong, get it out ASAP.

- Trot
- Contact, hands like post
- horse now trying to find release, softness with head carraige and through body starting....

SATURDAY 12.00 noon

- Horse relaxing now mentally and physically
- rider dont look at back of horses head
- soften riders arms and body
- better
- horse tired, so finished up.

SUNDAY 9.45am

- stand still
- riders hands like a wooden post
- horses pushes and bumps into bit
- horse backs himself up (riders hands stay still till horses finds his own release)

Trot MUCH better than yesterday

Do a bigger circle, horse finding turns a littl etricky, a bit unbalanced.

Don't look at the back of horse's head!

Did 9 (YES NINE!!!!!) strides of soft trot. AMAZING difference in this horse today. Then gave him a looser rein in trot, then asked again for another 9 steps. ;D

Next goal - look for better quality of movement.

When you pass the gate, think speed, direction, destination.

Rider to do 2 laps of arena at the speed SHE wants.

Good trot to halt

Its harder to get a horse going than it is to keep a horse going. Its like if you've got a bowl of sweets and your kids come in for dinner. If you wait until they over besid ethe bowl with their hands in it, then they are probably going to eat a few sweets before dinner. Instead, if as they come in the door you shout out... ok, dont even bother going near that bowl your dinner is ready now first... then they will probably just walk straigth past the bowl.

Give your directions as much as possible at the thought stage, then its much easier to redirect to wherever to want to go.

Being the leader means giving the horse speed, direction and destination.

Mark told a story about 3 germans in a car travelling to the clinic. the drive was in charge of speed, the front passenger the direction and the back passenger the direction. This was all working really well until both passengers got car sick. So then all they were left with was the speed............

SUNDAY 12.50am

MUCH better walk and trot.
Horse now was an easy stride in trot.
This is like a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT horse.

When horse softens his jaw. dont keep pulling. Relax.

Rider did this then got a nicer trot with more life in it. Cool!!

NICE WORK BY RIDER & HORSE amazing the difference over three days.........

[Elaine]

Palamino Friday 12.10 pm

Horse pushes again, like previous horse.

- nice backup. Get horse to understand he doesnt have to fight.
- walk
-stop - better & softer.

be as consistent as possible.

- walk, 5 steps trot, walk

"When a mule flies we don't blame him when he doesn't stay up for long"

Trot to walk wasn't great, horse fell on his forehand.

Do remember to breathe!!

When breathing in, dont lift your shoulders. Breathe down to the bottom of yoru rib cage / diaphram, dont just do shallow breaths.

Breathe out on your horses exercion. Horse do this too - when they go they breath out. I do the same in the gym too, when I'm pushing or pulling something, its easier when i breathe out.

Trot WITH your horse (walk to trot transitions) Dont just cue a trot and then sit there and wait for it to happen. The whole unit (you + horse) shoudl move together.

Dont look at the back of your horses head.

walk/trot/stop getting much better now.

When we go we go TOGETHER.

Look wher eyou want to go.

Good walk- trot transition. More positive trot.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Your body follows your eyes and your intent (intent mostly). Do you look at the steering wheel when you drive your car? No.

Need: speed, direction & destination.

Lead your horse, cos horses are born followers. Leader in herd usually old knowledgable mare. The rest follow cos they know she knows whats she's doing.

True alphas attack for no reason and are often found on their own.

Nicer walk - trot trans.

a: Softness
B: Forward
C: Then when both of the above good, put a and B together.

Intent is more important than where you are looking.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Palamino Sat 10.45 am

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS:

Q: how long does it take to get rid of a brace?
A: Depends. Took mark 3 yars to get the brace out of a terrified 17 yo horse.

Q; Contact question
A: Goal is to use the least amount of contact. Be as soft as you can be (not the same thing as being as soft as you want to be)

All of the above is much easier when you teach it right at teh start with young horse.

Q: Should you release on a brace at any stage?
A: NO. If you use pressure then get mad thats no good. If you use pressure then give up thats no good.

There is no magic. Its hard work, mistakes and learning from your mistakes.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

-walk, brace gone
-trot, head still out but better.
- trot - halt. Brace reappears a little.
- trot to halt transition (1,2,1,2 beat). Breathe out on one. Use aids to stop on 'two'.
- try again. give stop cue. if horse doesnt stop within say 2 steps, turn him in a tight-ish circle. Then keep the turn and wait for hrose to offer to stop. As he does, back him up till you get softness then walk on again. This is all one movement.

- getting softer, horse startign to think.
- so when you pick up reins, horse thinks 'back'.

REPEAT A LOT!!

Q: what should be highest point of horses necK?
A: not 1st vertabrae like folks want in dressage. if neck straight and no bend its all tense up. not necessarily the most benefical for the horse. Instead have highest point a bit further back so there is bend in the neck, better softness & flexability.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Palamino Sat 12.35 pm

trot to halt much better now. takes half the time to stop now and brace only half there.

big improvement. ;D

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Palamino Sun 9am

Trots, asks for halt, stops too slow, strauight into turn and backup.

Gotta be diligent to break pattersn. When rider came out and trotted and asked for stop, and it didnt happen but rider didn't ask for turn and backup quick enough.

When horse to stop soft without having to fight him for it.

better stop (no turn and backup needed)

Horse now thinking & trying.

Did bigger circle, more impulsion... will trot to halt work???.. yes!

Palamino Sun 12.15pm

Tends to go into canter nad speed up.Not good on correct lead.

- trot
-canter
DONT LOOK AT HORSES HEAD!!
BREATHE!!

To cue canter, think of canter.
- canter much better than normal
- getting rider a lot more involved
- go WITH the horse (ie think canter in yoru head) instead of sitting there and squirting horse out like toothpaste into a canter
- easy on outside rein

- better trot to halt

START SOFT, END SOFT

Dont forget about the breathing part!!!

GOOD WORK!

[Elaine]

Friday 12.40 bay young horse longlining
(has been backed and hacked out previously)

This all started a bit messy. Horse was longlined around, was whinnying to outside, stopped unexpectedly, doesn't stand still for long, had nose to floor (evasion) horse completely distracted. Was kindof dragging owner about a bit. Mark watched this for a few minutes then asked if he could take over the longlines.

Mark stood to side and got horse to do circles around him on the two lines. Horse was arsey, didnt want to do as told. When halted and asked to move, did a dash off in trot. Reactions rather than responses. Horse pulling & fighting. Cantering circles now. Horse was doing whatever he wanted up to this point. Now didn't like being told (nicely) what to do.

Big leadership issues here - life works ok when it suits the horse. Horse gets arsey when it doesnt. Mark commented this wasnt just a new thing today - this has been happening for a while as it was quite deep rooted. Owner was WAY too nice and the horse was running the show.

Need to be as clear as you can be, as quick as you can.

Then got a nice buck out the back end when mark asked the horse to move on.

Horse has learnt how to lean into the headcollar.
Horse has to move NOW. Don't talk your horse into it.

Did walking about & circles and turns with horse in longlines.

This horse has learnt that if he escalates the human will stop asking. This is VERY bad as you are teaching the horse to escalate his unwanted behaviour.

Still a little brace in his turns, but at least horse is turning now...

Every time horses head started to go down too much, mark bumped the reins to get it up. Then head goes back to normal positions, not stuck to the floor.

Backup - head down so reins bumped. Very little softness, horse still leaning into pressure.

10 minnutes later, better backup. Horse getting a little softer head going down less.

better turns in walk

This horse has learnt that he is really strong BAD BAD BAD He really leans into pressure on the lead rope BAD BAD BAD

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Following a line now a little better.. head SOMETIMES goes the way its asked

BRACEY and LEANING like hell.

- better backup
- fighting again and bracy. Good & bad bits now (improvement)
- better backup again. walk & turns
- bit of softness coming through body on turns - turn head and folow his nose
- better backup

Mark wants to break the ice on this today so horse will be better tomorrow, so spent a good while on it.

All the bad stuff seen here has been installed. Right turns getting better. This is an example of how if you are too nice and dont get groundrules it can all go a bit wrong.........

Ended after an hour.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS:

Q; What are marks views on imprinting?
A: You get horses that are very quiet to saddle but too quiet to ride. Not really a fan.

Q: Concerning using too many muscles.
A: A soft horse moves easily, like when out in the pasture. So imagine bending your arm and raising your hand up like this: _| Have your fingers and hand relaxed. Now bring down your arm from the wrist to the elbow, so you arm is now parallel to the floor __. So your arm is still relaxed etc.

Now again bend your arm and raise yoru hand up like this _| Now as your hand is in the air, tense up your little finger as much as you can. You should feel your whole arm tense up (you can actually see the muscles tense up if you look). Now let yoru arm from wrist to elbow come down so your whole arm is straight, parallel to the floor. Its much harder to do this now, you will be using a lot more muscles.

Horses use too many non-required muscles when they brace. Makes movement a lot more difficult and tiring.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sat 12.15pm bay young horse longlining

Nice walk on. relaxed. not whinnying to outside. no arguments. horses looks COMPLETELY different.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sun 1.05pm bay young horse longlining

The owner said she didnt want to get cross or angry. Mark said fine, but be direct.

Horse still leans and pushes a bit. backup. Horse has learnt he can push people about. Owner backs him up. Needs to work on this stuff at home too.

If you ask your horse to do something, its his job to do it.

Horse now much different from day 1, and not running the show. Owner will have to continue like this.

[Elaine]

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) Friday 2.30pm GETTING BEST OUT OF HORSE WHEN RIDING!

BACKGROUND
- Horse not ridden by owner, but by a friend.
- horse and previous rider got anxious.
- horse herdbound.
- walk can be rushed.
- trot often fast and erratic

When stopping dont focus on horses head, focus on one hind foot instead.

GOOD RIDER!!!!!

To stop, think 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2- then...

A; Breath out
B; use aid to cue the halt

Good stops. Breath when you ride.

This horse is light but not soft. Dont worry if horse rushes. Horse rushes and braces a little. Work on gettgin it slower and softer. Keep going till you pass lightness and you get softness. Don't have weight along the top of your arm, have it along the bottom of your whole arm. This will help horse not to hold his head up. Your hands can be high if needed but have the weight in your arms down.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Trotting.... Breathe walk. trot- walk transitions. Its not about changing speed, its about changing RHYTHM.

So go from a 2 beat gait (trot) to a four beat gait (walk).

Tightness happens. Rider to relax and see if its easier to feel. When horse lets go, horse relaxes and slows down.

Need to get rider to feel it. Then you can control it possibly using your breathing.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT NOT ON WHAT YOU DONT WANT. SSsssssssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo important.

Horse are often tight in transitions because we are not breathing!!: BREATHE OUT.

Nice work

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) Friday 5.05pm

A bit more tense when warming up at other end. Not herd bound at the minute which is good.

When you feel horse tighten, rider to soften riders shoulders.
Ta da.. it worked!!

Wrap riders toes around stirrups - horses hind steps get smaller/shorter.
Tighten riders right arm - horse goes lame!
Tighten riders jaw and oncrease contact - horses head goes into the air.

We influence their movement A LOT!!!! So if you're tight somewhere in your body horse will often be tight in similiar place in their body.

If horse tightens, release your own shoulders first. Keep stuff in same place but soften shoulders.

More rhythmic trot, less bracey.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) sat 2.50pm

- trot a little tense.
- dont focus on bad stuff, keep thinking about what you want.
- trot better, rider happy

Mark just focus on softness.
- slow trot (how slow can you go?)
- big trot (picture horses inside front foot landing right under horses nose)

Have a mind like still water. Then you'll see everything perfectly - a perfect reflection.

Now getting more suspension and lift in trot Focus on what you are looking for.. longer strides? Focus on inside from leg steppign further out.

SLOWER and BIGGER trot.

REALLY COOL!!!! Got round of applause!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) sat 5.05pm

Picture horses inside hind foot stretching forwards.
Trot
Dont look at horses head.
Extended trot... and then the horse nicely went into a............
Canter (a big thing for this horse!)

COOL!!!

Rest. Rider not out of breath (excellent, she was breathing!)

GREAT slow and working trot, and good transition into canter.

Canter transition felt effortless as they'd reached their balance point.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) sun 10.25am

- horse a little tired
- lovely trot
- extended loose trot. few strides of canter, then back to trot (a few times) cool.

In trot, cue for canter when you sit the trot (eg when outside front leg is on the ground, and outside hind leg is just about to life off the ground)

Excellent work & improvement, brilliant horse & brilliant rider

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fab Piebald 9yo (i think) sun 12.35am

- square halt. Rider stopped horse but didnt feel it so didnt stop square (horse did an incomplete step)

- need to sort out how it feels.

- now stops with front feet square, but not back. So use a thought in teh reins to sort out back legs.

Rider went softer and let it happen.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Elaine]

Big appalousa with western saddle friday 3.05

Braces going to left in trot, keeps looking outside circle (wrong bend, not balanced)

Brace on near side finds it hard to look towards near side.

Work on lateral flexion to near side. When you pick up rein, horse automatically turns to far side.

Tell your horse the speed, direction & destination!

Ride towards specific points.

Inside hand low
Horse still looking out
1 second, got less outside bend
(its a start!)

- inside rein shorter, hand down
- outside rein looser, held out to lead horse out on a bigger circle

- horse now straighter instead of bending the wrong way (good, improvement)

key -= know where you are going, have a direction.

Big appalousa with western saddle friday 5.55

- can flex to left better now according to its rider
- lateral flexion - now follows a feel on the inside rein
- trot in circle better. now about 55% to 60%

Same on other rein but not as bad.
lateral flexion better at halt.

HORSE ONLY HAS LEFT LEAD IN CANTER. (will do tomorrow)

You control speed, direction & destination.

Big appalousa with western saddle sat 3.15

- trot to left. horse not looking to the outside
- canter. look where you'regoing. when you look at horses head it all goes wrong.
- canter. rider not breathing so horse cant move properly.
- canter better breathing (human) better movement (horse)

Need to give horse speed, direction & destination. AND BREATHE!!!!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Big appalousa with western saddle sat 4.45

- canter & breathe. BETTER!!
- riders lower back very tight.
- canter

LOOK UP!!!!!!

- looked up, canter now much better.l
- imagine your pelvis is a bowl of water. keep it balanced, dont let water spill out the back or the front.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Big appalousa with western saddle sun 3.10

- wants slower canter
- did slower canter
- breathe, exhale, look up, count slower 1-2-3 in your head

Much better canter on correct lead. Rider happy

If horse canters on wrong lead, back to trot, do 2 strides of regular (not rushed) trot, 2nd step will be with outside hind diagonal pair, so ask for canter then (also on 5th step)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Big appalousa with western saddle sun 5.40

Hq yield (leg back, tip nose)
FQ yield
Sidepass - good

GOOD WORK!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Elaine]

Ok, a western chesnut paint who has been a 7 year project, huge chestnut horse who is brilliant in every way but spooks on cross country and skewbald pony who only trots at the speed of light coming this afternoon.....

[Elaine]

Western chestnut paint fri 3.20pm (7 year project)

- rider want to work on regulating speed in trot, wants horse to be nice & quiet.
- this horse has been a 7 year (or thereabouts) project. Was a lunatic at the start. Rider has done AMAZING work to get horse this far along.

- trot
- took 5 or 6 steps to halt
- riders leg tightening on one side
- soften up riders inner thigh, inadvertintly gripping inside of riders leg might be making horse rush
- better!

If your jeans ride up, you are gripping with the top half of your leg too much, this grip comes/originates from the lower part of your back.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

JUST thought of this, heard it a while back somewhere.. if you want to check if your horse is lame, ask someone to lead your horse in walk. Then walk beside his front feet with your strides matchign his. Then do same for his back feet. You'll feel in your stride if they are not equal. Ok, back to the clinic.........

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- when energy comes of the HQ, if riders back is tense or stiff the horse will usually go too fast or too slow.

Think of it as energy passing through you, rather than stopping at you.

Riders movement in trot is the same as in walk, just bigger and faster.

Stride lengthened

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Western chestnut paint fri 5.30pm

In trot rider is breathing when horses left front foot is hitting ground. If you find you're getting a side cramp, breathe out on the other foot instead. Same if you get cramps wherne you are jogging, breathe out on the other foot instead and your cramp will go away.

Rider is not using her core (ab muscles etc) (its started raining outside again, thank goodness for indoor arenas!
- much nicer trot now, balanced, not rushing.
- pretty good trot to walk transitions now too

Don't change gait, change RHYTHM. Go from 1-2, to 1-2-3-4.

Big difference in horse. NICE transitions!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Western chestnut paint sat 2.10pm

The goal is to ride the horse using the least amount of muscles

Before you get on, as you stand check yoru whole body from your fingertips to your toes to see if anythign anywhere is tight, then relax it. Rider did this before she got up and said it made a big difference.

- walk good
- trot not bad

Move hips like a figure of 8 and BREATHE! exhale.

- nice trot, rider more relaxed.

EXHALE AT ALL TRANSITIONS

Three steps to ask for canter.

At A, think what canter will feel like
At K, look somewhere you want to canter to
At H, cur the canter

cur too much and horse will squirt out
cue too little and horse will run into canter

AND BREATHE OUT!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When asked horse ran around school. stayed in trot.

- dont use outside rein so much
- just use inside rein
- try again

BREATH

Eventually horse ran into canter and tried a little buck.
- rider is giving the aid, but isnt going WITH the horse

think 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3

- got unbalanced canter horse wanted to lead with outside leg
- better on other leg

A lot of horses trouble is coming from riders lower back which is very tight so the horses lower back is also tight.

The goal is to get the rider down and aroudn the horse, EXHALING will help this.

- better canter (breathing does help!)

When you go, go together. Dont just cue and wait for things to happen.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Western chestnut paint sat 5.15pm

- rider very tense lower back
- canter
- look where you want to go
- canter in school now much better
- finding turns hard- did it 4 or 5 times got nice balanced canter
- horse now starting to breathe

VERY GOOD CANTER AND RIDER WORK!!!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Western chestnut paint sun 2.30pm

- canter relatively soft, both breathing
- rider holding breath during trot to canter trans so a little choppy and horse runs into canter
- bug breath out
- straight into ongoing canter. did full lap!!
- ok, make it a little less - breathe out just through noce
- better trot canter transition

GO WITH THE HORSE

- now ENJOY IT!!!
- rider cantered around with a smile on her face

If you want slower canter, slow down 1-2-3 in your head and horse shoudl do the same

SPEED, DIRECTION, DESTINATION

- worked on slower canter
- better trot to canter transition

This was HUGE achievement that after 7 years of hard work this is now a lovely horse. Rider gave Mark a hug Aaawwww!!!!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Western chestnut paint sun 5.25pm

- better canter
- tired horse, but ended on a grea canter which the horse offered to the rider.

SUPER HORSE, SUPER RIDER, SUPER TRAINER

[Elaine]

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo friday 3.45pm

Does everything well except spooks out on cross country.

Initial thoughts.. maybe he'll never be good at not spooking on cross country? ever tried blinkers / blinders? Horse could just be afaird.. Mark had a friend who when lawn hated grasshoppers jumping on her when she mowed the lawn. Person is now 40+ and she STILL hates grasshoppers jumping on her when she cuts the lawn.........

So the plan.... audience were going to do scary stuff, see how horse reacts, and if there is any improvement during the few days......

Mark counted 1-2-3 as horse trotted around in front of audience seating. On 3, audience stood up.

When horse saw people standing up with two eyes he wasnt too bad. When he saw people standing up out of one eye got pretty spooked.

When mark started to count, rider stopped breathing. This was influencing things too......... BREATHE

Mark asked people to raise right hand
1- no reaction from horse
2- spook from horse
3- little reaction from horse, rider breathing better
4- no reaction from horse
5- hardly any reaction from horse

Changed the rein (went the other way):

6- small reaction from horse, rider breathgin better
7-same as previous

BREATHING - one of them has to be calm!! EXHALE.

Establish rider breathing pattern. Will help horse when he is feeling anxious.

You can much more likely not to fall off if you exhale.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BREAK

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo friday 4.45pm

on count of 3 audience to raise both hands
- gettgin better
- on count of 3 audience to stand up
- spooky a few times

Is horse actually getting better? (Owner said he's always been spooky. Owner is a fab rider and this is a fab horse BTW)

Horse keeps going through scary place when asked my rider. Shows level of trust horse has in rider.

Rider exhaling should help horse to get through this.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo sat 3.40pm

- trots past crowd
- crowd puts hands up
- riders breathes out
- rider keeps focused on direction she was riding towards
- better reaction from horse than yesterday

its not about traingn horse not to spook. its about training rider how to cope with it better to minimise it.
EXHALE

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo sat 5.40pm

-whole crowd put up 2 arms, horse trotted
- good horse, just looked and trotted on
- much improved

- peopel stood up. much better didnnt flinch
2nd time only flinched a little.

Rider keeping focus much better, Shows throughout horse.

MUCH better than yesterday.

Changed rein.

Crowd moved, horse spooked, well handlined by rider.
Did same in canter, much better.

In spook rider shouldnt look at spooky thing, just keep lookgin where you want to go and ride towards it.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo sun 3.40pm

trotted past crowd, crowd put hands up
rider breathes out
horse hardly flinches

All 3 sections in crowd stand up & breathe out (this was funny, instead of breathing out normally whole crowed did a really LOUD exhale!!!)

Horse & rider brilliant.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HUGE CHESTNUT PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 9yo sun 5.45pm

trotted past crowd
crowd stands up with one head in air
No movement from horse

HUGE HUGE improvment in how rider manages spooks resulting in much smaller (or none at all) spooks from horse.

Again, super horse super rider

AUDIENCE QUESTION:

Q: (from a mysterious guy known only as breakfast) Is it really all this simple?
A: Yes

[Elaine]

Skewbald horse Sat 11.15am HOW TO SLOW DOWN THE TROT!!

- rider wants to work on trot
- horse good in school not so good outside (trot fairly hairy in school though!)

VERY (very) rushed trot. Legs going like the clappers. Rider turns horse asap, back to walk. Then asks for trot again, horse speeds off, rider turns horse back to walk again.

This isnt working. Horse is either walking or tearing away at the trot. Rider is telling horse what not to do (fast trot) but isn't telling horse what to do (slow/normal trot)

INSTEAD!

Ask horse to trot. When she rushes off, turn her but KEEP HER IN TROT until she goes the speed we want. Turn her if need to slow the trot down a bit.

Turn horse ONE step into fast trot, not after 4 or 5 steps of fast trot. Did this, horse got stresssed, bucked, rider did a perfect dismount!

Back up again. Rider gotta catch the speeding up sooner.

VERY good rider

- trot
- when horse thinks of doing a fast trot (ie one step in!!) TURN horse. If you don't turn horse, horse will buck.

Timing is SSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO important. Previously doing a handbrake turn after 4 or 5 strides just revved up horse more.

Did 1/2 lap in relaxed trot, using the turning while keeping horse in trot. MUCH MUCH better!!! Good rider!!!

VERY GOOD LESSON.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Skewbald horse Sat 12.45am

"power comes from the core and is generated by the hindquarters" Dont just work the topline of the horse, work the core of the horse.

Dont be building muscles on the top of the neck. STRETCH them instead.

BREATHE.

LOVELY TROT!!!!!!!
AMAZING... 1 full lap in a PERFECT TROT!!!! NO RUSHING!!!!!!!!!

If horse starts to speed, catch it ASAP and turn, while keeping her trotting.

Previously it was like building a dam in a river. You build a dam, water stops, then water burst dam open, then you buld another dam, etc.

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS:

Q; Bridle or rope halter, or bitlesss bridle.
A; Doesnt matter, if it works keep it, If it doesnt work change it.

"Assume everything will work out ok then move forward."

Dont marry into an absolute idea. Then if it doesnt work out you can change it. If you are locked into something it limits your learning and ability and we can stop thinking.

The unbendable arm teaches the power in softness (did this at the centered riding clinics a few weeks back)

Latent learning.... imagine we've all these chains in our head. When we learn somethign new (a new link) it goes into our head and bounces aroudn for a while on its own. After a while, it finds a suitable chain to join. Then it makes more sense, and when you come back later on and do this again (whatever it is) you can do it better.

Skewbald horse Sun 4pm

-Normal trot (MUCH BETTER THAN YESTERDAY!)
-Rider pushing her head forwards and shoulders back. Dont do that. Soften the tops of your shoulders instead.
-Feels better.
-Ask for slower trot. Rise from a lower place in your body. Easier to balance
-Nice trot!!! Slow with your seat if you want to. BIG DIFFERENCE!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Skewbald horse Sun 5pm

wants to work on canter.
cantered - veru bucky and bouncy.
ok... while trotting start to change the RHYTHM in your head to 10203

Thsi horse has no rhythm in canter
Cantered felt better. Both breathing.

use no leg. Just change the rhythm in your head.

Previously horse took the lead and pancked (aaah i hate bloody cantering!!)

So rider has now turned down the volume a bit

MUCH nicer canter transition. Breath OUT on transitions. Horse had thought previous cue was too loud, so smaller cue works better.

MUCH IMPROVED.

All about self control. Doesnt have to be something big.

[Elaine]

Oh my god i cant believe i've finished typing up all of that, probably full of typos and wrong stuff but I did my best!! My kepboard is now gone up in smoke If you like any of this stuff, Tom Widdicombe does similiar stuff in his clinics (dont think Mark will be back for 2 years), so check out www.bewithyourhorse.com Hoping to get Tom over to Dublin this August. More details posted when I have them.

[Elaine]

Tom coming over to Dublin aug 30-sept 1st. More details on this noticeboard.

[Elaine]

Excellent report with photos from Breakfast

glenatron.livejournal.com/143504.html