Last in the Series ~ Winter Horse Play

Well somehow I got behind on posting the last two articles for our Winter Horse Play series in Just Horses Magazine here on the blog. Sorry about that, but hopefully you have been practicing your Work in Hand all winter long, and are out now applying these principles in balance while up on board!  (Tip for the Ride videos for Parts III & IV are coming. Please stay tuned!)
If you have found these interesting and rewarding, consider coming to the 5-Day Work in Hand Clinic here at the ranch in Haines, Oregon on May 4 - 8, 2013. Give us a call...we'd love to have ya!  (541-856-3356)  Alice

PS: Idaho Horse Expo is April 19-21, 2013. I'll be presenting all three-days. The focus in the main arena will be on specific exercises/patterns to ride to supple your horse. Hope you can come join us and please stop by the booth to say 'Howdy'.  

Winter Horse Play ~ Part III

No doubt about it, winter is here, and I imagine for even the most hearty among us, it is often a little difficult to bundled up to go out for ride.  This Winter Horse Play series will give you some great ideas for ground-work exercises you can do to warm up you and your horse, while ultimately developing self-carriage and self-confidence in the both of you.  Give these work-in-hand maneuvers a try for just 20 minutes a day, a few days a week, and I guarantee you will see a huge difference next time you ride.

Review: If you are just joining us, review the elements of Work in Hand, how to make the rein triangle, and watch the Tip for the Ride videos, Part I & II. (www.tnthorsemanship.com) As always, remember to start your sessions in a positive attitude, reviewing your Horseman’s Protocol, and picturing a balanced, rhythmic outcome.

Haunches-in:  You will recall that in Part II of this series, we concluded the exercise pattern that involved a leg-yield to the wall with a step in front of the horse’s shoulder, and then a slight backup or rein-back. This was a great exercise as it laterally engaged the inside hind foot towards the outside (outside of the bend) shoulder. The backup asked the horse to round through the back, release the energy through the small of his back, and drop the croup.  All good suppling movements.  Now you are going to ask for a new type of lateral movement. With the haunches-in maneuver you will be asking the horse to carry his energy from the outside hind foot to the inside (inside of the bend) shoulder. As example if the horse has just completed a leg-yield with a slight left bend, he was carrying his energy from his left hind foot to his right (outside) shoulder. This time as you step in front of the horse’s shoulder at the wall, notice that his haunches may be slightly off the track towards the inside of arena. Now is the time to ask for the horse to move forward with his haunches remaining slightly in, as you step backwards down the track.

Use of the Whip & Positioning: As with most work-in-hand, the use of the whip is an important tool in accomplishing communication with the horse. The whip is not a discipline device, but rather an extension of your thoughts to help convey to the horse the movement for which you are asking. In accomplishing the shoulder-in or leg-yield postures you used the whip to push energy on the line in which you were asking the horse to move. In the haunches-in and half-pass postures you will be using the whip to draw the energy in the direction of travel. Picture that you have Velcro on the end of the whip and on the horse’s inside hind leg. Your job is to create a search in the horse to follow the movement as you pull the whip from the Velcro on the horse.  It may take a tap-tap-tap with the whip to get your horse to think about what it is you are asking of his hindquarters.  The second before he makes that first attempt to move his haunches away from the wall towards the inside of the arena…pull the whip away and backup a step in your feet. You will be amazed at how fast your horse will come to this, and soon will mark on your body positioning and intention with very little use of the whip.

Half-pass: While the haunches-in maneuver is important for suppling, it is critical for many of the types of jobs we will be asking of the horse under saddle, that we quickly ask for the half-pass. The half-pass carries the energy from the outside hind foot to the inside (inside of the bend) with the shoulder leading, but on a diagonal line. This is not easy for either horse or human!  However, if you have your haunches-in working well along the wall, simply start to backup as you draw the horse’s hindquarters, on a diagonal line towards the inside of the arena. At first your horse may only make one or two steps before loosing the bend in the direction of travel. No problem…simply reposition your body for the leg-yield, change your picture and leg-yield back to the wall to start over.

It may sound daunting on paper, but watch the video. You’ll pick it up quick, as will your horse, and you simply will not believe the benefits.  Watch for Part III of Winter Horse Play on the Tip for Ride videos, and join the blog. (http://horsemanshipjourney.blogspot.com/) 

 Winter Horse Play ~ Part IV

It’s hard to believe that we are just about through with our ‘Winter Horse Play’ series, even though I am truly ready for some spring riding!  If you are just joining us, take a moment to review the past three articles and Tip for the Ride videos discussing various Work in Hand maneuvers to accomplish with your horse from the ground to keep him light, supple, and ready for riding.  Visit: www.tnthorsemanship.com

Review:  In Part III we added ‘haunches-in’ and ‘half-pass’ maneuvers to the Work in Hand dance. These postures required the horse to carry his movement into the bend, or into the pressure or suggestion of whip and/or leg-aid if you were on board. As example, if the horse had a slight bend to the left, and was traveling on a left-lead, then the half-pass posture would find the balance moving from the right hind foot, laterally towards the left front foot…from outside hip to inside shoulder. This is much more difficult than a leg-yield or side-pass maneuver, and requires greater balance, self-carriage, and engagement from the horse. So why would us ‘Western-type’ riders need have this posture in our bag of movements for use under saddle? One, it is a great suppling and strengthening exercise. Second, it sets up the posture for balanced canter departs, lead changes, and correct haunch-turns. In short, it helps to position the hip and hindquarters for many necessary jobs be it on the ranch, out on the trail, or in the dressage arena.

Half-Steps & Beginning Piaffe: Ok, I bet I have really turned you off with these ‘dressage-ie’ terms! But give me a chance, and you simply will not believe the benefits acheived when you are in the saddle, no matter what discipline you are pursuing. Half-steps are accomplished when the horse re-balances over his hindquarters, drops the croup, flexes the hock, and lightly lifts his hind feet in rhythm. Easy! To get the feeling on your two-legged horse, stand on one foot with a flexed knee, erect back,

balanced shoulders, and pick up your heel on the other foot. Now switch…heel up - toe down on one foot, while you balance on the opposite leg. Note the amount of strength this requires in the weight-bearing leg. Next, add some rhythm switch from toe to toe. Ta-Da…Half-steps and you are feeling the beginnings of piaffe.

Team Approach: I find the best success in teaching my horse the beginnings of piaffe by employing a human friend to assist. Start at the wall where you will be standing at the head of the horse, your reins in the ‘rein-triangle’, and you body perpendicular to the horse’s shoulder. Your job will be to impede the horse’s movement either  forward or backward, and create a search in the horse where he lowers his croup and half-steps.

The job of your human team mate is to help the horse search. Using a whip that might be a little longer than a dressage whip, and preferably with a light, wispy popper , your friend will lightly and rhythmically tap the croup. At first the horse may want to bring the haunch in, or back up, or even kick up. Hang in there with a clear picture of those half-steps in your mind. The second before you feel him begin to search in the right movement, have your friend quit with the whip, praise the horse, and move forward on a loose rein. It will not take long so that when you move into position at the head and your friend just raises the whip over the croup that the horse will respond with the half-steps. You may also accompany this with a click or kiss to help establish rhythm.

Again, it may sound daunting on paper, but watch the video. You will be amazed at the gymnastic benefits this will give to your horse and the life-long benefits you will experience under saddle. Watch for Part IV of Winter Horse Play on the Tip for Ride videos, and join the blog. (http://horsemanshipjourney.blogspot.com/)

 

Winter Horse Play ~ Part II

It truly is feeling like the winter season here in Eastern Oregon, and I find it is more difficult to get motivated to get out and ride.  This Winter Horse Play series is a great motivation because it only takes a time commitment of 15 to 20 minutes, and gives me some quality time with my horse. These exercises are similar to a good 15-minute Pilates and Yoga workout combined, with mindful movements that develop rhythm, balance, and lightness.

Review: If you are just joining us, review the elements of Work in Hand, how to make the rein triangle, and watch the Tip for the Ride video. (www.tnthorsemanship.com/articles/winterhorseplay-part1)  Remember, it is important to start every session utilizing the Horseman’s Protocol to become present, think, picture the end product, allow it to happen, and finally reward the effort.

Shoulder-In or Sideways on a Small Circle:  After stretching your horse over his topline with the Bolero exercise in both directions, develop good posture and self-carriage in yourself and pick up your rein triangle.  Establish a feel or contact on the outside rein and look for your horse to pick his balance up and back. The poll should be the highest point, with a relaxed jaw, and an attitude of “I am ready”.  The movement you are picturing will be for the horse to move around you sideways on a small circle, with the hips of the horse swinging a larger circle then the shoulders. The balance moves from the inside hind foot across under the body to the outside shoulder. The rhythm at the walk is four-beats, but you will primarily be concentrating on a two-beat flow from inside hind to outside rein. Your positioning, in good posture, is at the shoulder, and ideally your body acts as a post that the horse is rotating around, with you pivoting on the foot closest to the nose. As you compress the air with your whip hand, think about accepting the energy and the movement you have created into that outside rein. This is not with a huge amount of down-pressure in side-two of your rein triangle…just a suggestion or a ‘feel’. The horse should weigh nothing your hands. Finish the exercise with slightly more contact on the outside rein to invite a ‘balancing-up’ on the outside hind foot to a halt.

Shoulder-In on a Larger Circle to Square: Now that your horse is beginning to understand the Work in Hand positioning and use of the outside rein for communication, let’s take this movement into more dynamic applications. Begin by picturing yourself and the horse moving sideways on a fairly large circle of about 7 meters. His hips will still be making a larger arch than the shoulders, but now you get to move with the horse. Position your toes under the nose, and walk the circle or square geometrically, forward, and in good posture.  Your shoulder blades should be over your seat bones, with heavy elbows, and belt buckle up. You will be tempted to push with your shoulders or slow the movement by drawing your hand on the bit towards side-two of the rein triangle.  Remember that the brake (actually spelled ‘break’) is simply a feel or a little more downward pressure in side-two. Think of a ‘half-halt’, a little interruption on the outside rein to balance the horse.

Leg-yield to wall and backup: Now geometry really comes into play. It is your responsibility to become vigilant about placing your toes, shoulders, and energy on the lines that you will be asking your horse to follow. You will be asking the horse to travel sideways and forward, with the shoulders leading a bit, on a diagonal line to the wall or fence. Before reaching the wall, step slightly in front of the shoulder, with a little down pressure in side-two of the rein triangle. Stop on the wall, with your belt buckle now parallel with the side of your horse, and facing towards the stirrup.  From this position, after the halt, back the horse primarily with your intentions and body language, using very little rein pressure. You step forward, as your horse moves back. Next, prepare to pivot on the foot that is furthest away from the horse, bringing your belt buckle now facing forward in the same direction as the nose of the horse. Walk out on a straight line with relaxed rein position, allowing the horse to stretch forward and down.

One-hand Work in Hand: A variation on the departure after the backup, is to develop your rein triangle in one hand, and depart with self-carriage.  To accomplish this one-hand positioning, start by developing contact on side-one of the triangle. Now, with the hand closest to the tail, reach up to the mane line, and run the rein over the top of your thumb and between the ring and little fingers. Let your hand run down side-two of the rein in this position to approximately the point of the shoulder. Next reach up with your free hand, shorten side-three, and place this rein in your other hand, running between the ring and little finger also. As you depart forward, turn your shoulders perpendicular to the horse. By keeping a heavy elbow and slight downward pressure you effect side-two, or the outside rein. By releasing pressure or giving a ‘feel’ back to the horse with your ring finger, you develop an ‘active’ inside rein, or release on the side-three of the triangle.

OK…time to head out and give these postures and movements a try.  Watch for Part II of Winter Horse Play on the Tip for Ride videos, and join the blog. (http://horsemanshipjourney.blogspot.com/)

Oregon's Only Elk-Viewing Tours

T&T Wildlife Tours opened the elk-viewing season on December 15, 2012 with a great turn-out! There are about 200 head of elk coming in to the Anthony Creek feed site, where Jed & Waylan - the Percheron draft horses - bring people down to view them.  Here's a short video of December 16, 2012. 

Come see us on the weekends through March 3, 2013.  Special Holiday Dates:
Christmas Eve - December 24 (9:30am - 1:30pm)
New Years Even - December 31 (regular hours: 10:30am to 2:00pm (pst)
New Year's Day - January 1, 2013

Tip for the Ride ~ Winter Horse Play Part I

Here is the Tip for the Ride video for Winter Horse Play, the first in a four-part series on exercises to accomplish with your horse during the winter months.  Take a few moments to view the video, and then give yourself 15 to 20 minutes to play with your horse!

Winter Horse Play

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and at least a little snow in the mountains, many of us aspiring horsemen and women are thinking about activities we can do with our horses during the winter months.  For some, the option of riding is limited to access to an indoor facility and the quality of the roads to get there. Many of us are also a little afraid of the cold factor in keeping the human warm and the horse from getting too warm.  I think the dilemma can be solved by dedicating at least a couple of ground school sessions to your horse every week.  This gets his mind warmed-up, both of your bodies exercised in a quality manner, and allows for a little 'hands-on' horse time which is just plain good for the soul!

In a series of articles for Just Horses magazine, I will be detailing the elements of several 'Work in Hand' maneuvers, dances really, that will give you that half-hour winter workout.  The benefits beyond exercise in a balanced manner for both horse and human, include developing self-confidence and self-carriage.  These exercises will have huge returns when you do get back in the saddle!  We will accompany this series of articles with Tip for the Ride videos, that demonstrate the concept, position, balances, and movements attained by just a few minutes of 'Work in Hand' several times a week.  Let's get started with the Just Horses article:

Winter Horse Play

For many of us in the western states, actually riding our horse in the winter months can be quite limited.  Having access to a safe facility, traveling over questionable roads, not to mention bundling up to face the elements, all lead to very little saddle time.  However, our horses sure can use some winter conditioning and most of us are still greatly in need of some quality horse-time.  Here are a few suggestions for activities you can pursue with your horse that do not require saddling up, but still exercise the body, mind, and spirit of both horse and human.

Work in Hand – If for only 30 minutes, twice a week, develop a routine of interacting with your horse in a manner that will build self-carriage and self-confidence.  Work in Hand is a ground school that positions the human in a very close and intimate posture at the shoulder of the horse.  It establishes the outside rein to aid in the balance or self-carriage of the horse.  It does not matter what discipline or jobs you may be pursuing with your horse under saddle, as work in hand will help you to act as a masseuse, a chiropractor, and a mental health therapist for both you and the horse.  By asking your horse to stretch over his top line and then seek a balanced position for lateral flexion and movement, you will be providing positive bio-mechanical feedback necessary for every discipline to be successful.

Equipment – You can accomplish work in hand maneuvers in a horseman’s halter, hackamore with bosal, or snaffle bit.  When the temperature is really low, I don’t like putting a bit in the horse’s mouth, so the halter or hackamore make for a good alternative. A dressage whip will also be handy to give clear direction to specific parts of the body.

Start with Stretching – Begin you session with stretching over the topline and through the ribcage.  This can be accomplished by directing the horse’s energy forward, down, and around you, as if you were a bullfighter, the rein were your cape, and the horse were the bull pursuing the cape. (See Tip for Ride video on the ‘Bolero’ at: tnthorsemanship.com http://youtu.be/zqCG7UvmsMI  )  You are looking for a release in the back muscles of the horse, a dropping of the head and release of tension at the poll, and a slight crossing of the hind feet as the horse moves forward, down, and around you.

Self-Carriage Dances – Once you have warmed up both sides of the horses by accomplishing the ‘Bolero’ in both directions, you should have a happy horse that is ready to work on some Pilates-type exercises, where the tummy muscles are engaged, the shoulders are balanced, and the horse (and human!) carry themselves with good posture.  If you are using the horseman’s halter with 12’ lead, you will need to make a loop rein with the lead rope, so that you can establish an outside rein. First, make your ‘Rein Triangle’ (Articles on Work in Hand at: tnthorsemanship.com). Now you are ready for a variety of maneuvers, dance steps really, to accomplish with your horse.  Here is a list of maneuvers and over the next few months in Just Horses and in video via Tip for the Ride, we will pursue how to employ these steps to develop effortless communication, lightness, and great winter exercise for both you and the horse.  Follow us on the blog at: http://horsemanshipjourney.blogspot.com/

 

• Small circle Shoulder-in (Human pivots)
• Larger circle/square Shoulder-in (Human moves w/horse)
• Leg-yield to wall and backup
• One-hand Work in Hand
• Haunches-in to Half-Pass
• Reverse bend circles
• Piaffe and Passage
• Spanish walk and high school maneuvers

Oregon's Elk Viewing via Horse-Drawn Wagon

With the change in the weather it's pretty clear that winter is just around the corner. Susan and I, along with Waylan and Jed (the draft horse team) are looking forward to a great elk-viewing season.  So to wet your whistle, here is the news release to put you in the jiggle bell mood:

PS: New Tip for the Ride will be out shortly.  Thanks to all you for watching and giving us such positive feedback.  I am glad these little videos are helping build your relationships even deeper between horse and rider.  ~ Alice  

Current Date:  October 27, 2012

Contacts:  T&T Wildlife Tours        

Alice Trindle or  Susan Triplett 

(541) 856-3356 or  (541) 519-7234                                                  

Email: tnthorse@eoni.com

  

North Powder, Oregon…It has become a tradition out East to eagerly look forward to the winter season for family fun.  A time to get out and play in Oregon’s driest powder snow on skis, snowboards, snowshoes, or snowmobiles.  Eastern Oregon is a place to bundle up to try your hand a catching a winter steelhead.  It is also a tradition to visit the Elkhorn Wildlife Area near North Powder for ride on Oregon’s only elk viewing excursion via horse-drawn wagon into about 150 head of wild, Rocky Mt. elk.

For the past 22 years, T&T Wildlife Tours have been attracting people from all over the world to see these magnificent elk, and ride with Waylan and Jed, the team of Percheron draft horses.  Located near the little town of North Powder, and not far from Baker City or La Grande, visitors can get to within five feet of over 150 head.  The narrative provided by owners Alice Trindle and Susan Triplett help to bring the full picture of why the elk are being fed, colored with some pretty incredible stories that have been gathered over the past 22 years.  Triplett commented, “While most people come to see the elk and other frequent wildlife visitors to the site, the other truly rare attraction are Waylan and Jed.”  She continued, “It is rare in today’s mechanized, fast-paced world, that you get to slow down and pet a 2000 lb. draft horse on his big ‘ol soft nose!” 

The horse-drawn wagon, which is equipped with a wheelchair lift, takes people through a winter wonderland, located at the base of the Elkhorn Mountain range in northeastern Oregon.  Other common wildlife to the site include wild turkeys, many raptors such as Red Tail and Rough-legged hawks, and bald eagles. coyotes, fox, and bobcats. 

The tours will begin December 15, 2012 and run weekends through the March 3, 2013.  Special holiday tour dates are scheduled for Christmas Eve, December 24, 2012 and New Years Eve, December 31, 2012.  Ring in the New Year on  January 1, 2013 with a horse-drawn wagon ride!  Call  541-856-3356 or the Union County Chamber office at 1-800-848-9969 or Baker County Visitor Information at 1-800-523-1235.  (Photos available in jpeg format.)

Website: www.tnthorsemanship.com/wildlifetours/

Horsemanship Journey eNewsletter Available

We are happy to finally get our late Fall 2012 eNewsletter off the press and on-line.  Alice talks about:

* Trail Safety Tips
* Reviews this summer's lessons in Emmett and various clinics here in Haines
* Pictures of the Annual Horse & now 'Mule' Swim Party 
* Reminders that there is still room in the October 6-11, Colt Starting Clinic
* and MORE!

If you are not on our eNewsletter mailing list and would like to join, just give us a call at: 541-856-3356 or email us at: tnthorse@eoni.com

Next 'Tip for the Ride' will be posted shortly.  Keep an eye out and share with your horse friends. (two-legged and four-legs!)