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  Discussion on Where do I start with training at home ??????
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Member:
Dovene

Posted on Monday, Dec 12, 2005 - 12:31 pm:

I am new to horses,I have a ten year old gelding Morgan, who has had some training, he has been home with us since the summer. I work full time so I would not allow my daughter to ride him when I was not home on there summer vacation. We would ride him on the weekends for a little while. Not really knowing what we should do , as far as training. I just took the few things that the trainer showed us, which was nothing more than putting a saddle and bridle on. ( Money not very well spent ) we brought our precious Morgan home, and we did not really know what to do on a regular basis. I feed him and talk to him, give him tons of hugs and kisses and that is it. HELP where do I begin, I love having a horse and someday would love to have more if it is even possible to love another horse as much as I do Roy-Boy. I am so overwhelmed, where do I begin ? My husband has brought me many magazine, and I have a John Lyons book. If anyone could help me with a game plan, I love being a horse owner, so much I love to step out onto my deck and say " Good Morning Roy-Boy how are you doing? " and then he answers back, that feeling is just incredible, now I have a horse and my horse is probably saying this lady is really weird. All she does is kiss me, hug me, and talk to me. Where is the fun stuff. So Roy is asking as well please help my mom so we can have some even greater times riding together.
Member:
Lilly

Posted on Monday, Dec 12, 2005 - 1:22 pm:

Have you considered hiring a trainer to come to your place and work with you AND the horse. He or she could give you a good starting point and maybe even a "lesson Plan" for the week (if you were meeting on a weekly basis).
New Member:
Ilona

Posted on Monday, Dec 12, 2005 - 1:34 pm:

Dorene, I have a number of books that I have found invaluable for help with ground work and solid horsemanship. Ground work is critical prior to riding so that your relationship is based not only on love but on leadership and skill too. I have a Rocky Mountain filly (2yr 10mnths) who has been with me for 3 months now and although she has been ridden I do not intend to ride her for a while yet to ensure her foundation work is solid. I am not suggesting that you need months as I do, but do suggest at least some time spent before riding Roy-Boy. You will be rewarded with an extra-ordinary experience.
Here are the books:
"Teach Your Horse Perfect Manners. How you should behave so your horse does too" by Kelly Marks
"Horse Gaits Balance and Movement" by Susan Harris
"Horse Handling and Grooming" by Cherry Hill
"Centered Riding" by Sally Swift
"The Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book"
by Joyce Harman
There are some very helpful video's available on the market too. Perelli, Monty Roberts, Jack Lyons
I hope this is helpful. You can e-mail me at the address on my profile if you would like more info.
Member:
Quatro

Posted on Monday, Dec 12, 2005 - 11:39 pm:

Hi Dorene, It was so wonderful just to here the joy in your post for being a horse mom. So many of us here are on the same page. I started out with loving just one horse and just added #4. Levi is however my "RoyBoy" I just love that I love him, and he loves me. It is great. I do lots of treat training with Levi. We work on bending, backing up, sidepassing. Of course, I train dogs, so Levi also shakes, counts, bows and does all the stupid pet tricks. It is just a good way to bond, and enjoy time together in the barns center aisle. Too cold outside to work.
Thanks for sharing your good feelings!
suz
Member:
Dove2

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 10:11 am:

Dorene, All the info and advice out there can be so overwhelming. I know. I too am a new horse owner (of about a year and half). I tried to read up on all I could, but there's so much to know and so much to learn. But that's part of the fun: to keep learning. Anyway, it's so easy to throw away a lot of money and be really disappointed with the results. Been there, done that! Re: a trainer: you really need to know the trainer well and know about his methods. I used a recommended trainer and, OMG, he did more damage than good. And I had to pay for it! Don't rush into getting a trainer unless you're sure you agree with the techniques and results. I went down the path of one well known trainer, and even though the step by step methodology offered by Pat Parelli was just what I needed, I wasn't progressing in the manner I wanted. He's very good to follow and understand, though. His "games" are helpful, especially to a new horse owner.
I finally discovered that my time and money were best spent on Clinton Anderson's methods. I made faster progress, and it doesn't get monotonous. The best investment you can made right now is the $25 for his book. His rope halter is very effective and his series on Lunging for Respect is a great place to start.
I made the mistake of loving my horse as if he were a pet or another human. Don't get me wrong: horses appreciate and can feel our love. However, horses also need to respect their leader or else you'll end up like I did. I had a very respectful horse, but I did not know how to be a good leader for him, so he decided to be the leader. He got testy, then pushy, then more forceful. All in a period of about 5 months. You don't want that. His respect for you will be his love for you.
Pretend like your horse is a 3 to 5 year old child of yours. In addition to loving, you also need to be very mindful of discipline. Discipline doesn't mean hitting, hurting, pushing or any other aggressive tendency. It means being consistent in how you treat the horse and persistent in getting what you expect from his behavior. They are absolutely the most wonderful beings in our world! Enjoy!
Member:
Dtranch

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 11:16 am:

Dorene and Dove ....
I am a trainer and I agree with Dove's comments. Don't hire a trainer unless you know his / her background, etc. I have seen many I would not send my horse to. To me the key is "Love and Bonding" then "Respect and Trust". The lunging for respect is perfect and I have used these techniques for years, before there was a name for it. Many people (and yes, some trainers I've seen) get their horses to go around in circles on a lead and think they are lunging, when in fact, the horse is actually running away from them at the end of the rope. Learn to do all groundwork and lunging exercises with purpose and you will make great strides. A "good" trainer can be very helpful in understanding the proper way to do these exercises as this is important. Regardless of what you plan on doing with your horse in the future, these principles of respect and trust are a necessity, even if you decide you just want a pet. You have to understand it is a very big and powerful pet, so you must be able to handle him. Good luck, and I know you will have a wonderful experience. I love people who love horses and realize they are not just big toys or servants.
DT
Member:
Alden

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 11:37 am:

Dorene,

I ditto Dove2 100%, I find Clinton's approach one of the easiest to understand and more importantly, to apply.

Also, I've help many a new owner get the respect back that they lost, without even knowing they were losing it. One rule I tell people is to have their horse move out of their way. I see so many people walk around their horse, even in a 5 acre pasture, to a horse that places you below them in the pecking order. Every day when feeding, my horses move out of my way, it's not a big deal now and they still enjoy my scratching them.

This simple exercise keeps me at the top of the herd in their mind and it also keeps me on my toes in respect to the herd dynamics. This applies if you have five in a herd (like my mares and geldings) or single animals (my two stallions), they all respect my space.

As an example, many, many horses are pushy when it comes to feeding grain, but even my dominant mare will wait for me to walk away before going to her grain. There was a time that I had to show her she had to wait, we spent close to an hour with me pushing her away and her trying to find a way in before she would respect my grain. Once she stood and waited, I walked away and it hasn't been an issue since.

Clinton's lounging for respect will establish control for you to move a horse out of your path; if you don't have it now. I also use this to gain the attention of a horse that is 'out to the fairies' as Clinton would say.

The second rule is to enjoy being around your horse, so many horses are 'put to pasture' because they aren't a pleasure to around any longer. Sad for the horse, and the owner.

Good day,
Alden
Member:
Green007

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 11:42 am:

Hi Dorene,

Since you are new, it will seem that everyone who has ridden a horse for any length of time will know more than you do, so it may be hard to know who is good and who isn't. However, doing a little footwork while listening carefully to your gut is a wonderful thing.

Here is what I would do. Call your vet or farrier and ask them for referrals. Call your local tack store and ask them. Pick up the phone book and go through the yellow pages. Once you have gathered a nice list of potential trainers, go visit each and every one of them. Watch them teach. Watch them train. After you have watched enough different people, you should have a good feel for who seems to have the most confident horses and students. Good signs are relaxed, happy horses and students who are happy, excited about what they are doing and willing to work.

Once you have found your favorites, see which ones are willing to travel to your barn. If a favorite trainer is not willing to travel, you can always take lessons from them on one of their lesson horses just to get yourself started learning how to speak "horse." Perhaps they will have a talented student or assistant that would love to make a little extra money helping you with your horse at home. Or perhaps you will decide to board your horse at the trainers barn for a month or two until you understand each other better.

The ideal would be having someone come to your farm and work with you and your horse, but you need to see what is out there first! Don't limit yourself because bad training is a huge waste of money and time for you and your horse. I would even go so far as to say that bad training is even worse than no training.

Find a good trainer, trust your gut and enjoy the journey with your Roy Boy!
Member:
Lhenning

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 4:02 pm:

Hi Dorene,

I was also a newbie when I first got my horse. Only he was a two year old and had barely any training at all. Needless to say, it's been a fun and adventurous two years together with some days being wonderful and some that aren't.

There are two issues for you to deal with. One is yourself and your daughter learning to ride properly, that is to gain an independent seat and not pull on the reins for support. The second is to understand how horses think so you can speak their language to get the desired results and behavior. I also have used Clinton Anderson's book and found it easy to use and understand. I also read Sally Swift's book, Centered Riding, which helped me develop an independent seat. Most of all, it is a lesson of experience and you will learn the most by just riding your horse as much as possible. I cannot under-state how much this webpage has helped me through some difficult times. As you go along you will find issues that are confusing to you and here there is a wealth of information in the articles, as well as all these wonderful people and their personal knowledge to help you along. You are well on your way to training your horse already, just by joining this group. Take it one day at a time.

Good luck and happy trails,
Linda
Member:
Christel

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005 - 10:46 pm:

Dorene, welcome to the awesome world of horses. I am new here too, but not so new to horses, I purchased my first horse in 1988, at the age of 33. It was a life long dream come true for me, I completely understand your passion and desire to learn all you can.
You have gotten some very good advice here and the only thing I can add, which is aimed mainly toward your daughter, is joining a local 4-H club if one is available in your area. It would be great for the whole family and a great way to meet the 'horse people' in your area.
There's a lot to learn, and many times I feel the more I know the stupider I get. Just be a sponge and absorb all you can, it will all come together. You can learn something from everyone, you just have to figure out what works for you.
Best wishes- and happy trails,
Chris
Member:
Canter

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005 - 8:09 am:

Dorene,
In addition to Chris' reco of joining a local 4-H Club, also consider the US Pony Club. It is another wonderful organization devoted to the proper care and riding of horses and education of kids (and parents).

Enjoy.
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005 - 9:25 am:

Dorene,

Horses can be so much fun, and so challenging at the same time. And like mentioned above, the more you know, the more you know you don't KNOW. Kinda like when you are in your teens, no fear, you know it all. 20's, you still know it all, maybe,. 30's you start questioning things, then 40's you know you don't know that much after all and feel kinda embarrased to even offer advice!! (I don't know about being 50ish yet, lol!)

I too would suggest reading all you can. Along with Clinton Anderson, I like Enlightened Equitation by Heather Moffett. I bought that after my daughter started Dressage lessons. There is also a DVD called Riding in Balance that is good. And if you can find it, there is a wonderful classic by the late John Richard Young called The Schooling of The Western Horse.

JRY put it my head to always ask "why" when some trainer, rider or horse expert tells you to do something a certain way, or that you need a certain bit, or training tool. He always felt strongly that there are no short cuts with horses. I think that is still good advice. A snaffle bit, common sense, and good hands and seat are the most important elements of riding.

I've also learned tons from watching RFDTV--Clinton Anderson, Chris Cox and Dennis Reis do an awesome job with horses. If you can get RFDTV make it a point to catch some of those shows.

We did not have a good experience with Pony Club but I think that was because we didn't take our own horse. My daughter rode a different horse every time, had a different instructor also and it was confusing for her. I found a one on one lesson much better but that's my opinion I am sure Pony Club does have a lot to offer.

Good luck,
stay safe,
and enjoy your horse!!

Angie
Member:
Bucky

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005 - 10:27 am:

Have you ever listened to the Rick Lamb radio show? It is good for beginners and well seasoned horsemen alike. It is on the local am station once a week and the re-runs are on the internet at:
https://www.thehorseshow.com/listen.aspx

The most recent shows are free but you now have to pay for older shows.
New Member:
purdue77

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 - 11:41 pm:

Hi all! I am 66 years old now and all my life have loved horses. I took English riding lessons in my teen years and after that--NOTHING--until one year ago, plus a few months. Then I saw the movie "Bucket List" and decided that the one thing I still wanted to do in this life was have my own horse and ride. I had planned to take a year to get educated and get our property ready to house a horse, but it turned out that I was snookered into purchasing one horse and then purchasing another horse to keep the first one company. So we did everything backwards. Now it's a little over a year later. We have the barn and stalls built. We have 12 acres here with three different turnout areas plus the dry lot. We also have a 50 ft. round pen, which has helped for training purposes. Hopefully I will be able to ride the horses all around our property eventually and take them for trail rides in our new horse trailer at the State Parks. I have no tack to speak of yet, but am just enjoying getting to know my horses (a Percheron mare and a Rocky Mtn. Gaited), both mares and gaining confidence. And watching RFD-TV! I was extremely fearful a year ago because let's face it, I am old and rather fragile and weak. But now I have learned about leadership and demanding respect, so things are much better. We bought the Parelli Level One set and followed most of that, then we were exposed to Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship and have been using his techniques. It has really made a tremendous improvement! I am ready to start riding. I've met several people along the way who have helped me, but I still have questions.
1. With the gaited horse, should I only take lessons from someone who has gaited horses? And since I like to ride English, will that be detrimental to riding a gaited Rocky Mtn. horse?

2. I don't know anything about giving the horse cues when riding. Is it different with gaited horses? Do you have to teach RM gaited horses to do their special gait? Do you post to trot with a RM gaited horse?

If anyone out there can advise me about these issues, once I get the scoop on the RM gaited horse, I will be ready to ask my questions about the Percheron, who is a wonderful mare, but as far as I know, has never been ridden at all and is so much bigger than the other mare that I have that I find it scary to contemplate getting on her back. Where do I start with her?

Thanks, and I hope to be a contributing member of this forum in the future.
Moderator:
DrO

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