About 2 weeks ago, I received an email from a lady that bought a Connector Bit from Richard Shrake at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburg. While I was answering her email, my computer lost power and I have not been able to find my answer or her email again. I am hoping to reach her here. I am sorry, I don't remember her name but I do remember the question because I was all but done with my answer when the computer shut off.
The connector bit is my favorite because it is so mild and really helps the horse to give and flex at the poll. I also love the way I can help the horse lift his shoulders and give his nose. The purchase on this bit is longer then most so if you use a chin strap it is much higher then normal. A lot of chin straps aren't even long enough to fit this bit. Since that area is also much more sensitive I would use a leather chin strap rather then a chain. This bit can also be used without a chin strap. I have always used a leather one with my horses. I feel like it holds the bit steadier in the horse's mouth. However, I have seen it work both ways with or without the chin strap. Another great feature about the connector bit is that you can use a single rein or double reins like on pellam. You can use it like a snaffle with 2 hands or like a curb with one hand. It's a good way to transition a horse from a snaffle to a curb.
Easy is wearing the connector bit in the picture from the Horse World Expo on the About Terry Page
And Nicholas is wearing a connector bit in his picture on the Our Horses Page
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Hi Terry,
I have a few questions for you. Your last email really struck something in me - the part about feed appearing magically and respect - so I made a resolution to really work with Stuey this year. By the end of 2010 I want him to be a different horse mentally. Maybe this is unrealistic given his age (15 or so)?
I started a few days ago and here's what I'm doing: The horses are fed twice daily. I can't realistically make the morning feeding as it's still dark as I'm heading to work. But I'm committing to the evening feeding at 4:30 EVERY day. I put his rope halter on, walk him a little (the frozen ground is difficult for him right now), tie him to a rail in the 'barnyard' area. I then go in and put feed down for each horse. Cheyenne starts to eat immediately. I untie Stuey and walk him around the 'barnyard' one loop (as long as he's acting with sense) and then head for his trough. Even after only a few days, he's starting to know what's coming and is acting just a bit better. From my riding lessons I'm learning to recognize the tiniest effort on the horse's part.
Ok, my questions:
Is it worth me making the effort even though he's not getting this 'lesson' in the morning feeding? My thought is 50% of the time is better than none?
He's getting hard to catch to get the rope halter on. I started using a treat as 'bait'. Do you have any tricks I haven't thought about?
When we start toward his trough he gets VERY anxious and pulls hard. Should I 1)undo the rope halter while walking our loop around the barnyard - just stop randonmly when he's being good and remove it or 2)should I try to get him near his trough? For 2 I'm thinking if he starts acting up I should take him back out and loop him again and keep this up til he behaves. Am I asking too much of him all at once?
Thanks for your help and stay warm!!!
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
Thanks for your email! Really, this is what I live for. My heart is pumping and I am full of ideas regarding your feeding schedule. I love the resolution to help Stuey improve his "attitude." What a great gift idea!
You know horses are herd animals and it is comforting to them to know that someone else is in charge of the herd and all they have to do is follow. When you are with your horse, you are in his herd. Seriously, he will be a lot happier knowing that you (not him) are the leader of the herd. It takes all the pressure off. All he has to do is follow your lead. As humans in this day and age, we think that is awful, but horses are not humans. Their rules of society are different then ours, so believe me when I tell you that showing your horse that you are the Boss is actually doing him a huge favor. Now, that doesn't mean beating him or being abusive. I know you know me better then that but sometimes when you say "show them who the Boss is" it is interpreted as hitting or jerking. What I mean is show the horse that you are the leader in his language. Some of the ways that you can show your horse that you are the leader is with your body language, keeping your eyes up and forward, using presignals, staying in time with his feet, being consistent, controlling the food and by praising him. This is exactly what we do at our 1st Level clinics; we learn to communicate with our horses in their own language.
Just remember, this is your New Years Resolution not Stuey's. He didn't wake up this morning and say to himself "you know, I think I am going to seriously try to understand what Theresa wants me to do today" nope, I guarantee he didn't and he's not going to. If you want to improve Stuey's attitude, you need to learn his language because he is not going to learn yours.
First of all, good job! Seriously good for you. And you are right 50% of the time is definitely far better then nothing. I don't think you are asking for too much too fast. Asking him to be obedient without a halter on right now, might be too much. If he pulls on the halter, you may need to use a halter with a chain for a little while. Everything you are doing sounds good.
To answer your question about catching Stuey. Instead of using a treat, I would just carry the feed bucket in with me. He'll come to it, then put the bucket down on the ground and put the halter on. Only give him a tiny morsel of grain for letting you catch him. Take him for a little walk, even if it's right around the stall a few times in both directions. Of course, you can do more if you want but if he has to work and wait for his feed he will recognize that you are in control of the food. If he rushes for the feed, just back him up and/or turn him around. Let him go slowly to the feed. If he goes faster then you want, back him up, wait 10-15 seconds, rub his neck and then turn him loose. At this point I would probably be about 6 feet away from the feed bucket. It is important that you stick to your routine and keep your rules consistent.
When I go in the stall with my horse, Nicholas to give him grain, he puts his ears back. He doesn't touch me and he backs up, stays out of the way and waits for me to "release" him to eat but sometimes he puts his ears back. It's ugly so when I go in, I say "happy ears" and I wait until he puts his ears up, then I put the feed in the bucket. He is getting quicker and quicker at putting those happy ears on so he can eat. Remind me to show you the next time you are here.
Great questions, thanks!
TTYS
Terry
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Dear Terry,
Can you give me some ideas of what kind of training I should be doing with our new born foal? He is so cute and I want to play with him so badly but our mare won't let me any where near him.
Teresa
Congratulations!! Babies are so cool, enjoy. You are right there are lots of things that need to be done right away. First of all, catch your mare and play with your baby as much as possible. At least twice a day when you feed the mare rub on your baby and get him started eating grain out of bucket while you hold it. At first he'll just play with it which is a good place to start. He will be learning that you control the food. Horses are herd animals and in the herd, the Boss controls the food. You'll be feeling all warm and fuzzy inside petting your cute little baby and he will be learning a very big lesson; you are the Boss. He should have his own feed bucket within a couple weeks with bars on it to keep the mare out.
Take this time to work with your mare too. Sounds like someone will have to hold her so you can handle the foal; have that person talk to her and rub her head and neck. Use a chain over her nose or a twitch if necessary to keep everyone safe. Once she finds out that you are not going to hurt her foal she will be much more accepting. Don't give up. She cannot be allowed to teach your foal not to trust humans.
I would also put a halter on your foal and lead him behind the mare everywhere they go. I wouldn't let a foal run loose at all. Every time they go in or out put a halter on the foal and lead him. It's a great training opportunity. If he doesn't have shelter from the sun during the day then keep him in and turn out only in early morning, evening and then eventually over night in a couple weeks.
He can also learn to pick up his feet, load on the trailer and stand for the clippers right away. The
sooner you get started the easier it will be on both of you.
I am so glad you understand that "training" or "gentling" this foal is something that needs to be done. It's a huge responsibility and commitment but very rewarding, just like having kids. His future is in your hands.
TTYS
Terry
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Hi Terry,
A friend's son (middle school age) is wanting to take riding lessons. I checked on your website and I see all of your lesson horses are booked. Is there somewhere or someone that you would recommend?
Thank you in advance for your help!
Hope to see you when it gets warmer out.
Diane
Hi Diane,
Tell your friend to check the American Riding Instructors Association website.
http://www.riding-instructor.com/instructors/pa.php
because I know to be on this list you have to pass a series of pretty tough tests.
These people are professionals, they have been tested and proved themselves worthy.
And here's an article that I think is pretty good and might also help your friend. http://www.equiworld.net/uk/training/meredithmanor/instructor.htm
TTYS
Terry
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Terry my friend and I totally enjoyed auditing your clinic and came away with new ideas that were well worth the $25 that it cost. I only wished you were a little closer so we could have us and our horses come there for lessons.
I do have a question though. Why use a leather halter and chain? I do want to teach yearling Banjo to use one though because I probably won't be his forever home (he should outlive me). Have always used CA rope halters on the horses at the farm and they work well.
Thanks, Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the nice email. Glad you enjoyed the clinic. That's a really good question about the rope halter. I like the leather or nylon halters with chains for 3 reasons:
1. Leading a horse with a chain is easier on the horse then lugging or muscling one in a leather or nylon halter without a chain. Rope halters have too much bite for some horses (like that TB at the clinic).
2. The top of a horse's head is a very sensitive place and if pressure is applied correctly we can actually release endorphins into the brain. Endorphins are free happy chemicals in our horses brain that relax and calm him. If we apply too much pressure the horse will be on edge.
3. The chain is also an excellent way to develop soft hands. Since our goal is to develop responsive obedient horses that accept contact, I use the halter and chain. It very similar to a bridle with a curb bit and chin strap. Keep in touch.
TTYS
Terry
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Hi Terry,
I’m not sure if you remember me or not we met at Expo in Harrisburg . I have an AQHA 2 year old filly that I would like to send out for training. She is very quiet and well behaved but I just don’t have time to get her started under saddle. What are your rates and availability?
Erin
Hi Erin,
Thanks for your email about training for your filly. I would love to work with you and your filly, but I don’t recommend “sending her out.” First because a horse can’t be trained in 30, 60 or 90 days. If it was that easy, there would be A LOT more broke horses out there. Training a young horse is a process, it takes a long long time to do it right but it is so rewarding to share that bonding experience with your horse. Second because she’s not old enough to ride. She is old enough to lunge, ground drive, saddle, bridle, sit on maybe walk around a little but that’s it. All of these things you will need to continue to do with her when she comes back home so I think that it would be better for your filly in the long run if you both went to training together. If she has to be off work for any length of time due to weather or injury, you would then have the knowledge to get her back where she was before the time off.
At our Level 1 clinics, we work with the horses on the ground all morning and then at lunch time we do individual work. Everything we do on the ground is getting them ready to ride. And/or I would recommend bringing her over for a few lessons and I will give you some homework of things that you can be doing with her until she is old enough to ride. When the time comes, I can help you with that too.
Here is a link to an article that explains how old a horse needs to be before riding and why. http://www.equinestudies.org/knowledge_base/ranger.html Looking forward to meeting you and your filly.
TTYS
Terry
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Hi Terry, I am at my wit's end here. I have a mare that was never really taught to ride - the people just rode her on trails and fast.
She varies from being very good to being a downright snit - which she was last night. I bought her for me but I am afraid of her so hubby rides her. Last time he rode she was absolutely perfect. Last night she was absolutely awful. She was balky and would go fine to where she is unsaddled, but he turned turn her around and she would balk again. She was ridden about an hour last night and never really settled down.
Hubby finally agreed she needs some training - he does too as he can get her just so far and becomes afraid and tense and, well you know the rest, she is the same. Can you give me info on your clinics? Would that be the way to go with them or should you work her first? How much is it to have her trained at your place? I hate putting money into her if she is never going to work, but selling her would end up with her on the meat truck. She has come a long way since I got her, but neither of us can take her any farther.
Thanks, Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your email. I can feel your frustration. First remember that at certain time of the month it can be extremely uncomfortable for a mare to have a saddle and a rider on her back so if she's good sometimes, it could be that she was in heat yesterday.
One of our clinics would definitely help you to understand what she is feeling and how to communicate to her what you want in a way that she easily understands. We also consider the horses personality, conformation ect in helping us to decide if the horse is suited for the type of riding we are expecting.
Sounds like she's a little barn sour so typically we work with them at the barn area and tie them for a little while in their stall after riding. Also, I would make sure I lead her away from the barn to tighten the saddle (not as tight as possible only as tight as it needs to be) and dismount and loosen the girth away from the barn.
I would rather help Hubby work things out with his horse then take her into training. She needs to have some of the basics again and it would be good for Hubby and horse to review them together in case she forgets again or you get another horse. Remember you can't train a horse once a week or in 30 or 60 days. Looking forward to working with you at one of our fall clinics. Thanks Kathy,
TTYS
Terry
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Hi there,
Last night I was lunging Boone before we rode and all he wanted to do was trot or canter... he got a little 'bucky' a few times too, and I tried quieting my body language etc to make him walk but that didn't help. then I would give him a tug on the line to slow him down and then he would go back to the trot...I stopped him a few times and had him start again..but only to trot or get fast and silly... how do I get him to listen when I want him to walk?
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
You are definitely on the right track. Keep your body language quiet, eyes down, arms and hands down, whip down behind your back, talk gently to him say easy and walk, That's step 1, remember the process first we ask or suggest very nicely, then we tell them. You can tell him to walk on the lunge line be pulling and releasing. That's step 2. If all that doesn't work just start realing him in. He's not allowed to trot or be silly when you asked him to walk. Period. Just real him in until he is so small that he starts to walk or stop. That's step 3. Then ask him to walk again by moving your feet, walking towards him picking up your hands.
He was probably allowed to do this silly play stuff by his previous owner and doesn't realize that it is not what you are looking for. Be consistent. It may take a few days but he will figure it out.
I am so glad that you are enforcing the walk first rule on the lunge line. GOOD JOB !! Remember whatever a horse does on the lunge line he will do under saddle. You are right on track letting him know that when you take him out to the arena it is not his play time but that he must behave like a gentlemen.
TTYS
Terry
