I am confused - for a change

[Tommy Matterson]

Hello,

I'm interested in this enlightened equitation thing. It sounds like a good idea. I've read the book (not cover to cover I admit). I can understand where the idea comes from even though I am a new and pretty naive rider).

I've only ever ridden at one school. I began riding at the age of 35. It's been about a year since I started now.

The question I have is; to me, Heathers techniques sound like the cure all to all my equitation problems. Yet I ride three horses and all are completely different. I ride all of them differently and they require differing degrees of seat, hand and leg aids. Or so I've been told.

I know I have tonnes to learn but, having read up a bit about enlightened equitation, I am left wondering how much of my short comings have to do with me, and how much has to do with ****ty saddle design or an incompetent teacher?

It's doing my head in. Do I listen to my teacher who appears to be a good rider or do I think about what Heather says? It's frustrating that we need teachers but we are limited to what is available locally. Do we listen to them or do we assume they are wrong?

[HairyCob]

Ah, Tommy, my sentiments exactly! It is all confusing.... I think in an ideal world all instructors would be enlightened, and all horses would be fitted with one of Heathers saddles as standard!

In the absence of this dream world, can I offer a snippet of advice that worked wonders for me? Invest in a Heather Moffett seat saver (it has to be HM, none of the others are any good IMO).

I found that once I had this fairly innocuous looking bit of kit, whichever saddle I put it on was instantly more comfortable, and my seat was instantly better. I also found, that despite the diffent nuances of the horses I was riding, I had a better 'feel' for each of them, and was better able to distinguish what was required in terms of seat/leg/weight/voice/haul on the reins type aids!

Now, despite having invested in a HM saddle with built in Seat saver for the Hairy thing himself, I still cherish my original HM seatbone saver- It goes with me and is attatched to any 'strange' saddle I ride on- be that in a lesson, riding friend's horses or on a hack whilst on holiday. I personally wouldn't ride any equine that didn't have an HM saddle without it!

It wont make you an instantly perfect rider, but it will point you in the right direction.....!

As for the EE v's instructor that rides well conundrum..... who says you have to choose between the two? If the saddle's improve because of the Seatbonesaver, and the instructor is good at what she does, surely you can combine the effects of the two with some of what you learn from Heather's book to have an all round better riding experience?

[Yann]

Most of the things in the EE book are good classical riding methods which HM has brought together and explained clearly, in fact she acknowledges those who introduced them to her in many places in the book. They work and are kind to the horse, it's a very good book and has probably made a lot of horses very happy.

Good as the book is, don't automatically assume EE good and everything else bad, there are quite a few others out there who similarly promote good riding methods, such as Sylvia Loch for example. Some of the things they teach differ from HM, but they are still kind and work, in the same way that different instructors will tell you slightly different things.

Maybe I was lucky but I was taught quite a few things in my lessons that were in the book with never a mention of HM. I agree about the seatsaver though, they're great and good for your riding, well worth the money.

As to what happens in your lessons don't beat yourself up about it - instruction, tack and horse can all have a massive effect on how well you ride but we are in the real world. What you can do is take some of the things in the book and try them for yourself in your lessons - I remember really impressing an instructor once by managing some proper sitting trot on the lunge early on:D

[Wally]

The saddle design can make a HUGE difference to your seat, but 99% of the school horses you will ride will not have a well designed saddle, so you have to make the best of a bad job. I know its sounds like bad workman syndrome, but with riding bad tools affect the horse too, if it were just the rider tha'd be fine.

The great benefit of Heather's methods is, whether they are considerend right or wrong, is that she explains them in English with words on one syllable and they work. Great riders might not always be great teachers, some teachers do not, cannot put themselves in the place of a nervous or novice rider. It is sometime hard to put a feeling into words and riding is so much feeling.

I am not a brillinat rider, but when I got on Heather's Prix St. Georges horse with her Barry Swaine saddle I could have fooled some folk into thinking I was, that how much the horse and saddle play a part in your riding.

Remember less is so often more, especially with some riding school horses. If you are behind the movement, and nobody has told you how to rectify this of course your horse will not be willing to move forward. He's not being lazy he's simply responding to your slight lack of balance and ability to move with him. This is SO common in some schools, the riders are behind the movment of the horse, they are not moving freely forward so instead of getting the rider to go with the horse everyone seems to resort to a stick and the poor horse gets told he is doing the wrong thing when hethought he was doing the right thing.

Don't worry, you are still on a very, very steep learning curve. Even with the best desinged saddle in the world it is no replacement for balance. If you can ride in a bad saddle just think how good you'll be in a well desinged one.

[kathyt1]

The question I have is; to me, Heathers techniques sound like the cure all to all my equitation problems. Yet I ride three horses and all are completely different. I ride all of them differently and they require differing degrees of seat, hand and leg aids. Or so I've been told.
In my experience ALL HORSES love EE! I ride different horses alot, from completly unschooled riding school horses to brilliant Andulusians in Spain and after my two day course with Sue Carnell at Heather's place the difference in my riding and more importantly the relationship that I now have with horses is more than I ever could have dreamed of:D

[FRED]

Nice move Tommy.
I would experiment, just a little at a time and you will be amazed at how much you improve and just wonder about how much crap we are being taught.When your subtle,sat tall and proud your horses will teach you so much more and reward you for using reins and legs correctly.Its a matter of finding where the right buttons are, subtly for each horse.
I do know a good many riders who reject some horse, because its considered NH hairy fairy stuff in their opinion,for moving onto a better level with understanding,yet those horse can do mile after mile of wonderfull trot and more, maybe some horse don't like auto pilot riders and are saying so..I personaly am a great fan of NH as well as EE.
Its real sad when I read of riders who have had hundreds of lessons and they grumble that their horse is trying to pull them off over his head while trotting, it can't possible be any other fault:rolleyes: than their horses.
A seat saver is exellent for many reasons, helps your seat, position,balance and a cushion for clumbsy moments that even the best riders can have.For short or 6 hour rides I will never be without mine and just ignore the odd "don't you know how to grip with your knees" coments from folk who have had hundreds of lessons and hence are experienced in their opinion.
Horses are great levellers,from the most timid to the 'up for it in your face types', they all love a rider who is subtle and understanding.
They will not take advantage because you won't carry or use a whip, they will respect you more so, because you will learn to know 'feel' ,what is about to happen and be ready to help them rather than dominate.
:)
By the way, I enjoy reading and watching Sylvia Loch stuff too.

[ros]

Don't think I've ever seen so many sensible and well-worded posts on one thread of NR before!

EE and a decent saddle transformed my riding in the space of three hours (my assessment lesson with Sue Carnell at Heather's) and made me realise that far from wanting to give the whole thing up as a bad job after nearly forty years of getting nowhere, I could actually improve and continue to improve now that I was on the right track and had so much more confidence in what I was doing.

I no longer wonder why instructors can do it and I can't. I'm no longer in awe of people who have walls covered in rosettes for this and that. I'm no longer hoodwinked by people who tell me they know what they're talking about but really haven't a clue. I shall never know as much as I would like to, but at least now I have the confidence to listen to friends, instructors and all those people who offer advice, and pick out the sensible bits while discarding the rubbish. That's just about what it boils down to.

[Wally]

Well put Ros! EE and Classical riding as Heather executes and teaches and explains opens a whole new dimension to horses and riding.

The most fascinating bits of all are the very, very BASICS. No rider should ever be too pleased with themselves to refuse to go back and examine the brass tacks of riding. To heck with half pass, there is more delight in a good balanced, square halt than a badly executed half pass! I know some of the kids think I'm daft when I go silly over the quality of a halt they have just acheived........all they worry about sometimes is that they want to be able to jump 4 feet high! I get all over excited when those elusive extended strides are acheived, they seem to not see the importance of the small things.

If you can read Heather's book, read Alois Podhaisky (sp) read Sylvia Loch, reach Pluvinel (sp) and the ancient Greek lot...then listen to everyone else and pick out the bits which make sense or will work along side.

Above all remember it is a honour that the horse lets you ride on his back, make his every moment that he carries you the best you can make it for him.

[Mossy]

just a thought. Heather makes a lot of sense, and her saddle design gets a thumbs up from me and my neds. However even the best design of saddles need regular fitting. Connie is getting fidgetty at the mo as she has changed shape and her saddle needs adjusting. Also because it is not a superb fit to her it is throwing me out, literally on one occasion, which is further upsetting her! roll on the 10th of Feb when I am off to B'rum!

[Tommy Matterson]

Thanks Everyone. I agree with ros. Lots of clear well written advice for which I am very grateful.

I want to make it clear that I am in no way blaming the horses I ride. It's more to do with contradictory advice from the two instructors I have (maybe this is because one is teaching me jumping whilst the other is concentrating on refining my basic flat work).

The main contradiction revolves around how much inside/outside rein and leg to use on turns. Teach1 encourages the use of outside leg and rein aids to turn in (whilst using the inside to keep the horse out to track if needed) whilst Teach2 (jumping) will yell at me to pull the the horses head around using the inside rein, for instance, to get the correct leading leg transition when cantering out of a corner.

Maybe it's me being slow (mentally!). Or perhaps it isn't actually such a contradiction and more to do with, as Fred says, finding the right buttons to use on different horses and in different situations/disciplines? Any more advice/thoughts gratefully received.

Anyway, the good news is that there is still progress being made. I am getting better. And I am told my seat isn't that bad (mind you that's when I am out of the saddle!). ;)

[Sarah]

To be honest, ylu should ride the horse exactly the same whether you are going between jumps or having a flatwork lesson. All a course of jumps is is a dressage test with some strange firgures in it adn some elevated strides!

If you use the EE way to turn, control speed, etc, etc for both your flatwork and jumping, you should see that it works. You will need to have your horse working properly though - which hopefully your teacher would ask you to do before jumping in any case!

Anyway, less of the talk of your seat, lets see a piccie to prove it!

bye!

[sozzie]

At the end of your message you said about listening to your teacher who appears to be a good rider.
This reminded me of an instructor I had in the past who rode 3 stunning Iberian horses and could obviously ride well. I can't remember whether she rode in a "classical" position but if she did she didn't know how to teach it to my group at all.
I just learn't the bog standard bhs stuff, stick your heels down and grip with your legs in sitting trot to stop the bounce.
When I moved house and found a Classical instructor just down the road I was stunned to see what rubbish I had learn't in the past. The best thing about this instructor is that she believes in explaining how to do something and then lets you go off and play with the idea and doesn't keep bellowing at you to do this or that constantly. It's amazing how it clicks more quickly that way.
I like the Monty Robert's quote "It's a teacher's duty to create an environment in which the student can learn".

[Hyper]

Hi Tommy,

Message from Kerry's Partner:

If you could manage a bit of EE in your lessons I'd almost guarantee that each of the three horses will respond.................you'll have to give each of them a few minutes to catch on to what you're doing btw (not the teachers, the horses).

Whilst everything else goes without saying (saddles etc. etc. - the logic and wisdom being like a breath of fresh air and the real thing being bliss for me and my horse):

I can't imagine that when I've had 'lessons' (at different schools recently) that my mounts' tack fit any better or were any more comfy for them than the mounts you're riding..............and EE most definitely made a difference to the horses/ponies I rode. I found that to be quite amazing...............I suppose I shouldn't have................it's just that the horses caught on so quickly and I didn't need to change my style at all - they loved it!!

[cvb]

Tommy

One thing you might see in everyday SJ is horses whizzing round the corner to a jump with their heads to the outside.

"Teach 2" may be teaching what (s)he sees and trying to counter that ?

what I'm trying to say is that most instructors are teaching what they see on the day, and might not explain the 'why'.

So ideally someone who is SJ-ing will ride a balanced corner with a balanced accepting soft horse - and the corner will be no different to any other corner ridden by any other rider.

But in reality lots of horses get hyper about jumping and start to motorbike around corners - then they need to balance themselves and lean a bit of them outwards...and it all just gets progressively worse :eek:

It takes mental strength and a calm rider (and nerves of steel) to correct these horses and ride them 'straight' again. What most do is to do a short term correction (inside rein) rather than a long term re-education.

If you ride a corner "correctly" (as per teach1), you should be encouraging correct lead.

[Tommy Matterson]

Good timing cvb... I've just got back from a lesson with Teach1. Quite a sucessful day but no jumps were involved. However endless non-stop circuits in canter. 50/50 sucess rate with 20m circles (better than normal!) and managed to maintain a fairly soft contact with my horses mouth.

In jumping the same horse does get excited and seems, if anything, more responsive. So much so in fact that the last time I jumped her I was so late in asking her to change direction for the next jump that when I did she attempted a flying change and fell over. Poor girl.

One more question. I have trained a lot of dogs quite sucessfully but with horses I am a little confused about how to give positive feedback when they do something right. Apart from giving them little breaks with a long rein and a gentle pat is there any other way that I can say 'well done' to my equine partner?

[galadriel]

Originally posted by Tommy Matterson
One more question. I have trained a lot of dogs quite sucessfully but with horses I am a little confused about how to give positive feedback when they do something right. Apart from giving them little breaks with a long rein and a gentle pat is there any other way that I can say 'well done' to my equine partner?

A lot of horses are as responsive to verbal praise as dogs are. This is often your best option.

If you are the one grooming & tacking up the horse, you can take time to learn his particular itchy spots; if there are any within easy reach of the saddle. then a nice scratch is a good reward :)

Depending on their training, horses may or may not recognize a treat as a reward. I usually carry a pocketful of treats when riding my horses, and hand them out when the horse does something particularly well or more difficult than usual. (And they usually know, too--they'll tilt a head sideways like "I was good, right? I deserve a cookie, right?")

You can ask your instructors how their horses would react to treats. Some horses may get mouthy or demanding when presented with treats, and some may just not be able to associate the treat with the deed.

In most cases, the owner of a horse knows the horse better than anyone else. I could tell you *exactly* how to reward my horses best. Your instructors may have more ideas for you, about their horses. Some horses may recognize a specific word, for example.

[cvb]

I know there are various schemes which don't use voice, but my horses definitely respond to to of voice "Good girl" gets a real response.

As with treats, as long as you are using it in response to a particularly behaviour, it'll make sense to them.:D

[galadriel]

Originally posted by cvb
As with treats, as long as you are using it in response to a particularly behaviour, it'll make sense to them.:D

...unless they've already been spoiled by somebody, which's why I said that it can depend on their training. Some horses just associate treats with treats, and at the indication that you might give treats will stop what they're doing and mug you.

Too, a lot of TB's off the track take a *long* time to get the reward idea down. And if no one's ever gone out of their way to teach it, they sometimes never connect treat with reward. Sad... So again it can depend on their experiences and training.

[ros]

Oh Galadriel, bless you!

So many people decry the use of treats that I always think twice before admitting that I use them. I always take a pocketful of Merly's favourite herb biscuits, apple biscuits, mints and sugar lumps - it's debauched, really - and we usually have at least one proper little schooling session on each ride, which he understands very well. He does his tricks, he gets treats. He loves it. But they're handy too if he does something brave, or sensible, or if he works out something new. If we come to a different gate and he lets me tell him how to position himself so I can reach an unfamiliar latch, he gets a handful. If he shoves himself right into the hedge so a car can squeeze past he gets a handful. Just now and again I'll give him something for the hell of it, because he's so gorgeous. We were out with my friend the other day and she spotted me slipping him a couple of Hilton Herballs as we were walking along doing nothing in particular, and she said "What was that for, then?" (She disapproves of sweeties for ponies.) And I said "Just because he's so good and I love him."

She raised her eyebrows and sighed. But the same friend is quite happy to admit that Merly is the easiest horse on the yard to handle, and is also quite amazed at how responsive he is to voice commands.

He doesn't get treats EVERY time, of course, but I always tell him in impressed tones what a CLEVER boy he is when he gets it right, and he always gets a gentle stroke on the neck, and he knows perfectly well that I think he's brilliant. Horses love praise just as much as dogs do, but dogs are in a position to make it a bit more obvious, bless 'em. If you're on top of a horse you can't actually see it wagging its tail, but you can see it prick its ears and you can often feel it grow two inches taller!

[Yann]

I'm another debauched treater, though I don't tend to treat very much under saddle though as Rio would be liable to stop and turn round every two minutes to see if there was another one to be had. We have been known to share jaffa cakes or even the odd mars bar, and the rustle of wrappings gets her attention straight away:)

On the ground we treat to say hello, goodbye and everything in between. It is useful in getting them to learn to do things which make life that tiny bit easier like going through gates and waiting for you or not rushing out of the stable just because the door's open (can be hit and miss at feed times!). We've also developed a limited repertoire of 'tricks' like saying please with one leg or the other which are cute and fun but also allow Rio to communicate what's on her mind! I don't let her mug though, and she's never been nippy. I use my voice a lot too both to praise and correct both on the ground and riding, I don't think people talk to their horses enough, because they certainly listen and understand:)

[ros]

You know, Yann, I'm sure you're right. Horses are perfectly capable of learning words as well as voice tones, but not everyone gives them credit for it. It's amazing what a wide vocabulary they can acquire given the chance. Let's see - what words does M know?

Whoa, walk on, trot on, canter, over, back, no, up, drop (your head), put me down! Wait, tootsies, shut the gate, car coming, cows, drink, steady, stretch, good boy/clever boy, doggie, look, sniff, go on then (= OK, you can have that bit of cow parsley if you really need it that desperately)... and a few others that I'll remember in a minute :p

[Sarah]

surely the main 'word' that M would know (if he is anything like our two) is the sound of the feed scoop in the feed? That is the best sounding word in the world according to Tingles and Doodlepops!

[cvb]

Horses are perfectly capable of learning words as well as voice tones

I have one that used to do this - I'd be asking my mother, quietly, in a conversational tone "so shall we trot soon" and off we'd go ! Got the point I'd spell it out... "what about a t...r...o...t.... at the next corner..." which stopped him for a while til he started to work that one out as well !

It was not the same tone etc as "Trrrrot!" for lunging, and was often not used at the same point in time ie hear the word then do the action - I would be asking ahead of time. But he still recognised the word (not the tone) and he'd react :D ;)

Gosh I love that pony to bits. Was lunging my mare in the school today and looked up to see 32 yr old doing 20m circle in the field. I think he was trying to tell me something !

[Yann]

Yes, we get that too at times, especially when we're fired up or on the way home, the mere uttering of the t word and we're off. I've no doubt at all that horses understand words, especially when they're in a familiar context. For example Rio will usually back away from the door on command when I'm stood beside her in the stable. It's always surprised me that you're not supposed to use voice cues in dressage, after all they're the ultimate 'invisible aid':D

[FRED]

The many horses I ride will all listen to what you say{for the most part that is;) , depends a bit on whats available in their environement at that time ie:FOOD}:D
Ask nicely and they back up,walk,and trot and if needed,just say stand and they do.For canter,if there a bit half hearted...I say 'gowan' and they do:o , not much use for dressage test I guess, but it works.
And for rewards a little scratch in their favourite place:) and well done.

[HairyCob]

Pageant responds well to my voice- in particular on the roads- if I say 'car coming' or 'tuck in fatty' he will get closer to the hedge, and continue in what ever pace we are in (yes, even when he is bolting at canter for home!) whilst whatever vehicle is approaching passes.

If I say "D*ck head approaching" he knows exactly what I mean, tucks right in to the hedge, stands stock still and puts on his meanest face whilst bracing himself to be whizzed past by some idiot in a souped up metro with the stereo on too loud! Sadly "D*ck head approaching" doesn't work when he is in flat out canter for home mode!:o :D

edited to say.... he also responds to 'walk on', 'trot on', 'stand' 'get off you big idiot, thats my foot', 'back', 'over', 'noddy up', 'noddy down' (yes, I know, I shouldn't use baby language!!) 'tea time', 'lunch time' 'wanna sweetie sweetie' and various other things!:D

[cvb]

just to say that our lot have us trained to vocal commands as well .:D

uhhuhhuhuh - means "more food now" and sometimes "you're late " more food now" ! They know the right times to ask too.

[Yann]

So that's how you spell it:D

It's Rio's favourite saying, to me at feed time and any other time, especially when I disappear and reappear from her sight. She also says it to whoever happens to be walking past her stable quite a lot! A very chatty girl indeed:)

[Lovecat]

Murphy says that too! (although he's got quite a deep voice and sounds rather like Scooby Doo going "Shaggy?" when asking for his dinner).

It doesn't help that my locker is in direct eye-line with his stable so he can see me going in and out. He gets very, very excited, bouncing up and down, making the scoobydoo noise and licking his lips when he sees me coming across the yard - and is then completely disgusted when he realises it's just the grooming kit that I'm bringing over!

On the subject of voice commands, he definitely knows the T word - hasn't sussed out the C word yet but I've ridden plenty of school horses who do!:D

I don't reward with food in the school as he's far too grabby for that at the moment, but he gets a lovely long stroke on the side of his neck or a scratch just in front of his withers. Also "Good BOY!" in a loudly soppy voice - my instructor said the other day when he'd done his fabbest canter yet and I praised him, he lifted himself up in trot and pranced along like 'yes, I AM a clever boy, aren't I?' Very pleased with his bad self!

[Casey76]

The horses I ride, especially Leon, are learning English!:rolleyes: :D

Leon understands "back" with either my hand on his nose, or (depending which box he's in) finger pointed at or resting on his chest.

He understands "Walk" usually in the context of 'And at C you will come back to a walk' (And usually being said somewhere between X and M I have to be very carefult o keep my leg on or he'll just stop dead)

He understands 'Carrot", well being as karotten and carrot are pronounced very similarly not surprised - same goes with Apple/Apfel.

He also understands "Good lad", I'm sure, 'cos when ever we get a nice transition, or a nice straight line (or anything nice at all really), I'll tell him and he gets a one finger scratch on his withers.

He doesn't as yet get "you can't eat that", "give me my glove please", "the reins are meant to go over your head, not in your mouth", "stand still I'm trying to put your rug on"...

But I'm sure it'll come in time:D

[Sarah]

Originally posted by Lovecat
Murphy says that too! (although he's got quite a deep voice and sounds rather like Scooby Doo going "Shaggy?" when asking for his dinner).

Tango doesn't do a Scooby Doo, she meows like a cat for hers!

[Tommy Matterson]

You are all mad. However I have taken your advice on board and started talking to my horse more.. Oh and I've tried singing too. I went out on a hack this morning on Danny, a 17hh TB x ID. He gets a little excited about quarter of a mile away from the galloping area. He starts squealing in his high pitched voice and bucks a little too. Instead of shortening my reins and just trying to cling on I tried my best 'hypnotist' voice. It went something like this.

"Calm down Danny {squeal buck buck}. You can gallop in a minute {squeal squeal buck}. Oh look at the sheep! How lovely they look. Like little fluffy clouds {squeal}. That's right just relax {snort}. What a good boy you are {huff}. Oh Danny boy the pipes the pipes are calling.....OK now we can gallop, Go on Danny! Yeeeeeee Hah".

Seemed to do the trick.

[Lovecat]

And you say we're mad, Tommy??:D ;)


Mind you, I was singing "I whistle a happy tune" at the top of my lungs on Saturday morning to get the Murph past the pub where he had his paddy the last time we went out - seemed to work!

[Tommy Matterson]

I don't blame Murph. I think I'd throw a bit of a paddy if I was made to go past a pub without stopping to.

Mind you if I was already in the pub and I looked out of the window to see you riding past singing "I whistle a happy tune" I'd have to assume you'd been in the pub for quite sometime already.

[Lovecat]

I wish....:D

It was actually screaming children in the pub garden that freaked him out - or maybe he was trying to tell me something, LOL! He had a bit of a nervous start at it on the way out (it was 8am in the morning so no kids around!) so on the way back, as it's at the junction, my main concern was that he wouldn't bolt onto the main road, like he very nearly did last time (thank the Lord for wide driveways you can circle into!).

Not sure whether the singing helped or if he trundled on for home with his head down in self-defence....:p

[Tootsie4U]

Originally posted by Wally
Above all remember it is a honour that the horse lets you ride on his back, make his every moment that he carries you the best you can make it for him.


Dang, thats a good one Wally! I like that!

[FRED]

:D that squeal. tell me about it Tommy.
Im not sure if the horse understood what I was thinking the 1st time I got to hear the exited squeal,anyway 'ohhh my life' is what I was thinking!
I talk to the horses often:o ,I think they understand 'steady' real well too.
;)

[Yann]

Never mind squeals, you should try riding out one of Rio's big neighs to her mates in the field whilst we're riding past along the ring road, shakes you to the core:D

[Bebe]

Bebe isn't a particularly talky horse, so when she does neigh it usually comes as a shock. It's very masculine sounding too, given that she's a mare.

She does understand words though, and the odd sentence. Instead of saying no I use the word manners a lot, and the other night when I was hosing her hooves and she tried to wander past into her stable I said " Bebe, that's rude!". She stopped and stood nicely until I'd finished but a friend who overheard me now says it all the time to take the mick out of me :D She thought it was hilarious.

I often find that if she's being a bit lazy in the school, a good growl of Get on works a hundred times better than the whip or leg.

[cvb]

The horses I ride, especially Leon, are learning English!

Yes - Fi seemed to know both Swedish and English - though some words are very similar (back - backa, over sounds the same too etc). However carrots are "morots" so not the same. Good is 'bra' - but she knew both.

Never did try her with French (she's canadian bred) but not sure she'd have learnt much as she was shipped over (to Sweden) at 2 so most of her training would be in Swedish.

But she learnt english 'trot', 'canter' etc very quickly.

The phrases are different too - when a horse is messing about the Swedes will tell it to "lay off" (in Swedish of course) - whereas I think I'd be more likely just to say "stop it" or "quit it". (Now I think about it, I can't think what I'd say - its just so automatic - but I know its not "lay off" !!).

The one universal word seems to be "WHOA!!"

[Rakeli]

Originally posted by Bebe
Instead of saying no I use the word manners a lot, and the other night when I was hosing her hooves and she tried to wander past into her stable I said " Bebe, that's rude!". She stopped and stood nicely until I'd finished but a friend who overheard me now says it all the time to take the mick out of me :D She thought it was hilarious.


Jazz's previous owner did that as well - only she'd say 'WHERE'S Mrs Manners, Jazzy!' (don't ask me where the Mrs bit came from.....). And he'd immendiately stop doing whatver he was doing and stand there looking very sheepish! :D

[kathyt1]

I often find that if she's being a bit lazy in the school, a good growl of Get on works a hundred times better than the whip or leg.
How true Bebe! I have with one particular pony used "insults" to make him braver when cantering at the front of the ride! Such niceties as "your mother was a donkey" and "get on you great big poofter" Funnily enough it worked a treat especially when the desired behavier got lots of praise along the lines of "whose my big, brave boy then!!" I really did get some funny looks from the others on the ride! In fact I think we should come up with variouse names for the training of horses by voice! I am going to call my new system "Castigate Your Cuddy" :D

[ddgpony]

OMG these threads made me giggle!! :D

I too trained Starlight with my voice. He was my first horse, and because he was only 2 years old and couldn't be ridden, I did a lot of ground work with him. I had trained dogs and presumed horses were trained in a similar way. So all the walk, trot, stand, commands were given using the words. This has, however made me an extremely lazy rider! I ride along talking to Starlight, telling him when I want to trot, walk, etc.

When he is feeling tense I chat along to him, (don't quite know if this is really for his benefit or mine!), but he usually calms down quickly.

He has never liked me singing to him though, :o (think he's trying to tell me something!!). If I start singing he'll throw his head around, and stomp. I didn't think my singing was that bad either ;)