Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
This ride on Saturday was an absolute blast. The first half at least was on a narrow trail in the forest around a mountain lake. We had water crossings, logs to cross and a lot of zoom zoom winding through the trees. Can you spell speed rack? The second half was mainly unimproved dirt roads and even a few nasty sections of freshly graveled roads that required walking. Hunter reverts (with my encouragement) to trot when he begins to tire and later in a ride, to canter. I just can't imagine it's good for him to rack for 30 miles. I try very hard to sit right in the center and be very quiet in the saddle. There are pictures, but they're pretty awful. He is ventroflexed because of racking and my toes are sort of pointing out (instead of parallel with his sides). Nancy Nancy
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
--- Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Here in Oregon it's important to get them to bend around your leg because there are knee-knocker trees<< What's a tree? And a single track? I guess that's nothing like the two track jeep trails in the desert. I do occasionally have to avoid a tamarask hanging out onto the trail. Susan in NV Nevermore Ranch http://users.oasisol.com/nevermore/ The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
--- Janice McDonald <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> i found that getting stonewall going around barrels really helped with going around trees,<< That's what I can do since I don't have any trees to practice on! Susan in NV Nevermore Ranch http://users.oasisol.com/nevermore/ Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545433
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
You're right. What I ask them to do is become C-shaped - lateral curve in the spine from the poll to the croup, just like you would ask for if you were trotting nice round dressage-type circles in the ring. Nancy
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
On 7/9/07, Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Here in Oregon it's important to get them to bend around your leg because > there are knee-knocker trees along the narrow single track trails. I like > to be able to bend my horse around the trees and most of them learn it real > quickly because it is not just an "exercise". > > Nancy > i found that getting stonewall going around barrels really helped with going around trees, and ironically, weirdly, you steer him INTO the tree in order to miss it. because if i steer him AWAY from the tree, his hip goes closer, and I get whacked. If I steer him INTO the tree, his hind endgoes the other way and i dont get whacked. Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
Here in Oregon it's important to get them to bend around your leg because there are knee-knocker trees along the narrow single track trails. I like to be able to bend my horse around the trees and most of them learn it real quickly because it is not just an "exercise". Nancy
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
--- Nancy Sturm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> What other well-known activities do you use to reassure your horses?<< The one-rein stop is my main one I use with Whisper. We have done it on the trail only when she gets nervous and antsy above the walk and has ignored my repeated half-halts. This is where I believe she has forgotten about me being on her back - her head is HIGH, ears pricked and totally focused on the T-Rex she is sure is hiding in the tamarasks! I do use the head-down que for Raven when she gets high-headed and have just started using it with Whisper on the trail as well (and before the one-rein stop). I will also zig-zag on the trail and ask them to move off of my leg pressure - really anything that makes them listen to ME instead of focusing on the T-Rex. And we havn't gotten eaten yet! Susan in NV Nevermore Ranch http://users.oasisol.com/nevermore/ The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
On 7/9/07, Judy Ryder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In natural horsemanship, how do we teach a horse to give to the bit? > > ... to tip his head left and right? i dont have a clue how its supposed to be done. I did it by standing on the ground and applying pressure to a rein and the very instant they give, release. then gradually got to where I could have him give and touch his nose to his side and hold it. Then the other side. Then straight down. Then graduated to in the saddle in the roundpen. The same things. Then while walking, the same things. A good way to teach whoa and to teach to slow down. and to bring nose in. janice-- yipie tie yie yo
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
There you go again Susan with the exercises they know well serving as reassurance. I like that concept and see it at work with Hunter. What other well-known activities do you use to reassure your horses? Nancy
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
On 09/07/07, Judy Ryder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> In natural horsemanship, how do we teach a horse to give to the bit? ... to tip his head left and right?<< then:--- Wanda Lauscher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> My limited understanding of this is that tipping the nose is a BIG no-no. What you want to achieve is for the horse to turn his head from the poll..<< The lateral flexion and giving to the bit are suppling exercises, not riding exercises. I do lateral flexion first from the ground in a halter, then graduate from the ground with the bit, and lastly in the saddle. I always ask my horse for lateral flexion in each direction several times after mounting and before ever taking the first step. I think this helps remind them that I am in charge from the saddle and it gets their minds focused before we set out on the trail. It also re-focuses them back on me when they get nervous on the trail. It's a reminder that I am there (they forget when they get nervous) and I'm in control, and they usually give a sigh and relax after flexing on the trail. It's something they know very well and thus, is reassuring to them. Susan in NV Nevermore Ranch http://users.oasisol.com/nevermore/ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/
Re: [IceHorses] Lateral Flexion
On 09/07/07, Judy Ryder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In natural horsemanship, how do we teach a horse to give to the bit? > > ... to tip his head left and right? My limited understanding of this is that tipping the nose is a BIG no-no. What you want to achieve is for the horse to turn his head from the poll.. Turn his head at the joint between his earsthere's a huge swivel available there and we forget to use it... It's a good reminder for something to achieve while riding. At the biting clinic we were at, all of our horses were loose enough that they could do this quite easily. However, there were some horses there that were quite stiff and could only tip their noses. Wanda
