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Block the Problem "People most often correct and discipline a horse after the fact," Curt explains, "rather than block the problem. If you can see a problem coming, you can stop it before it happens, and your horse doesn't become uneasy or feel afraid of you." Blocking a problem, rather than correcting one, requires developing a feel for the horse - knowing what he's about to do before he does it. That's why Curt likes to address standing-still issues at his clinics. Correcting such problems allows people the chance to learn that feel and, consequently, better sense the horse's next move. Timing Is Everything "To get a horse to stand still," Curt says, "start at the source of the problem - up in his brain, where he first thinks about moving. Then the idea goes down through his body. His head shifts to the side, his shoulders shift, and his body moves. The last thing to move is the hoof itself. "If you become more aware of what happens between the brain and foot, you have that time to block the movement before it happens. If you aren't aware of these things, the foot has already moved, and you're way late to head off the problem. When you miss the timing, you must discipline the horse. So it's far better if you can see the problem coming before the horse walks off." Telltale Signs The horse's body language lets you know when he's about to move. The primary clue, according to Curt: "The horse shifts his weight off one foot and on to the other. That means he's about to pick up the first foot. You can actually see it happening. "Too, his head moves to the side, just a little bit one way or the other, as he shifts. And that's another clue. He moves his head to lighten up his shoulder so he can bend the knee to pick up the foot. When his head moves to the right, his left foot will come forward (or vice versa)." Standing Square "Make a mental note," says Curt. "Squaring your horse is part of the stop maneuver. No matter if you lead him or ride him, first square the horse's feet so he's comfortable standing." A horse stopped to stand with legs strung out in mid-stride is more apt to move; it's easier for one standing square to remain still because he feels more stable. "Don't stop and leave a horse's feet out of position. He can't stand long that way before he wants to move. When he's squared, even though he might cock a hind foot, he can be comfortable and wait there a long time." Set a Pattern Take time to establish routines that are comfortable for you and your horse. "Horses fall into patterns very quickly," Curt notes, then adds that consistent handling is key to setting the pattern for successful mounting or saddling. As always, groundwork lays the foundation for success in the saddle. "Once I get a horse to stand for saddling, then he'll usually stand still long enough for me to get on," Curt points out. "And if I don't take right off every time I get on the horse, he learns to stand still with me on him." Too many people, however, take off without pausing between mounting and moving. "Before long the horse anticipates the move when the person is barely in the saddle, and soon the horse takes off when the rider is only halfway on." "The thing to do," the clinician advises, "is change the pattern. Learn how to get ahead of your horse and sense what he is going to do before he does it. You will benefit immensely, and your horse will be better too." Saddle Up Read the signs: "Use saddling as a learning process," Curt suggests, "not so much for the horse, but for yourself; you need to see things coming before they happen. When your horse shifts his weight and swings his head to the side, he's about to move. Pay attention or you'll be chasing him with the saddle." Block the problem: Curt describes what he calls the breaking point as "along the horse's side, about where the mane ends - and this is a generalization." There he stands, with saddle in hand and facing the withers. If the horse moves forward or back, Curt counters the move by stepping ahead of or behind the breaking point. "Stand in front of that point, and the horse usually won't advance forward; he either turns away or backs up. When you're behind that spot, the horse moves forward. Generally, you stand in front so you can stop forward movement. Be sure the horse's weight is evenly distributed on his front feet so he's standing comfortably." Curt also drapes the lead rope over his left arm while saddling, to maintain slight contact with the horse and aid Curt's perception of movement. As the horse shifts his weight or turns his head, Curt can better feel those changes through the lead. When he does feel a change, Curt simply moves his arm with the lead to block the motion before the feet move. "I use my arm along the horse's neck to keep it straight. If you do that," he explains, "the horse has a hard time bending and shifting his weight to go in either direction." Change the pattern: "Sometimes I think we're too demanding," Curt comments. "That never works; the horse becomes afraid or we get into a fight. This is like any other relationship. I must compromise at times to get what I need. I might even let the horse get the best deal - for a little while in his own territory - until he's good about saddling. But once that pattern is established, I move him to my territory." Curt might, for example, saddle a young horse who is more comfortable in the round pen there a few times. Only when the two have established a saddling routine will Curt saddle the colt at the tack room. He cautions, "Don't let saddling in the pen be the end result." For a really nervous horse's first saddling at the barn, Curt might tie another horse nearby, to serve as a security blanket or pacifier. "At first I'll use anything I can," he admits, "to keep from fighting an impossible battle." When a horse really has difficulty standing still for saddling and the handler has reached the frustration point, Curt again offers a compromise. "Try just grooming the horse to build the pattern; then you both learn the routine. Pretty soon, the process won't be frustrating, and you'll have him saddled." On the other hand, Curt comments, an old veteran with a not-so-veteran rider might use saddling to check his current handler's resolve. "It's almost a little game to that type horse; he's learned to move around and is really slick at it. I'll take hold of him pretty quick and say, 'This is not the kids - this is me.' Usually that's it, and he's still. "You go with whatever works best in your situation. But always think about what you're learning while you do these things." Mount Up Read the signs: "When you mount, it's much the same process. The horse must do the same things to move that he does when you saddle him. Remember: He shifts his head before he moves a foot." Block the problem: "Again, keep the horse's head and neck straight, between his legs, and weight on his front feet. To help keep his weight evenly distributed, stay as close as you can to his body when you mount. Then you're not pulling him off-balance, which causes him to take a step as you get on. "Think about your position (on the ground) in relation to what causes a horse to go forward or back. I stand in front of my saddle horn, twist my stirrup around, and put my foot in. Then I bounce, step right up, and roll around and into the saddle. I like to use the mane, instead of the horn, and the back of my saddle as I mount, so I don't pry a horse off-balance. "If he decides to move, my reins are short enough that I can keep his neckline straight. That way, I can check that head movement before the foot moves." And, if necessary, the clinician will stop mid-mount to do that and check any forward motion before settling into the saddle. Change the pattern: A temporary compromise that changes the routine can be helpful to shorter people who have trouble in mounting. Given his well over 6-foot height, Curt often hears such complaints and suggests, "Children or shorter people can put the horse in a corner, for example, to block him from moving, or have somebody hold the horse. They can use a mounting block. "There's nothing wrong with doing those things at first, but you must wean yourself off those things at some point. You must be able to get on the horse, and you won't always have a block or tree stump around. So use the flat ground in the arena to learn. That's the place to get your horse good about mounting - not on the side of a mountain." "But no matter how you mount," Curt cautions, "Don't ride off immediately. Don't think about moving until the horse is really ready to stand still." These few moments, he believes, are well-spent to ensure that your horse continues to stand still for mounting. Stop and Stand Read the signs: "If a horse shifts his weight to move, you can feel it even better when you're on him," Curt points out. "Again, if you stop the movement before it really starts, it's much easier for your horse to learn to stand quietly." Block the problem: "Set the pattern: Your horse waits for you to ask him to go. If he doesn't, you can feel him shift and gather his body to move, so you have time to block his motion." As before, Curt squares the horse immediately after stopping. He then cautions against reins that are too long, which allow a horse to take several steps before a correction can be made. Generally, Curt keeps his rein length shorter. "Not tight," he stresses, "but short enough that I can close my fingers and have contact or open them to give the horse the release." Because using one hand on the reins makes it harder to feel and block a horse's movement, Curt uses a hand on each rein, no matter the type bit he's using. "When a horse shifts to move a foot," he explains, "I can put his weight right back on that foot. Every time he tries to move, I work the reins to keep his neck straight with his spine and his weight evenly distributed between the front legs. If he shifts back, I push him forward. If he tries to step forward, I bring him back. Eventually he stands solid over his front feet and comfortably. "He might try moving a few times, but soon will become settled and relaxed. At first," Curt adds, "it might be only for a few seconds before he tries me again, but as soon as he relaxes, I do too. Don't make a big deal of this. Just fix the problem when the weight shifts; then you're not in a fight with your horse." Change the pattern: "Don't do the same thing every time you stop the horse," Curt advises. "I might sit for 30 seconds or get right back off. I might ask the horse to stand for several minutes until he's waiting for me to ask him to move." However, Curt admits, that's not always the case. "If I think the horse and I are really getting into trouble, I might ask him to move - just a little - as a safety feature. Sometimes you need to let a horse move to keep you safe, so he doesn't rear with you or buck you off." Usually, though, Curt doesn't cue a horse to move until after he stands quietly. "Even then, I don't just kick the horse to go. Instead, I shift his head a little to the left, for example, to bring the weight off the right front foot and open the door for him to move. It's a subtle cue, but the horse has time to think about it, rather than simply react to a kick. And that's when a horse really starts reading you a lot better." A final tip: "When you finish a ride, take some time to be still with your horse. If you hurry to put him away, then he becomes hyper, and that's the way he'll be when you saddle him the next time. "So it's good to just sit at the end of the ride. Then the horse learns to relax and trust you. When you put him up, he's relaxed and," Curt points out, "the next time you get him out, he'll be the same way."
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Reprinted with permission of Western Horseman
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