Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return?
Perhaps your horse simply didn't respond? You did it again, and nothing resulted even the second time.
Perhaps your horse gave you an unwanted response - did he pin his ears, scramble forward or even throw out a little buck or kick?
Most of us would then repeat the aid, and expect the horse to "learn" the correct response, because after all, it is the horse that needs to understand what we are doing, and not the other way around!
If you ever find yourself in a vicious cycle with the horse not improving and possibly deteriorating in response, there could be one other variable that you might not have considered - the TIMING of the aid.
The timing of the aid has to do with everything - time it wrong, and you might as well be doing nothing, or worse still, irritating your horse.
Every gait has an inherent rhythm to it. You can probably already feel the "swing" of the horse's back in that gait. You might already know how to post and/or sit rhythmically in the trot, and follow the canter gently through your seat so you don't smack the horse's back with each stride. You can already use your seat and leg aids and steadily, with feeling, use your hands to keep the energy "recycling" back into the horse rather than let it all out the front.
For the most part, your horse is quite pleased with your riding skills! But you know that you and your horse are not yet "one" - there is something missing that prevents you from moving together in tandem - the type of communication that makes onlookers think that you can read each other's mind.
Breaking down the stride
Simply put, the horse cannot respond to your aid if the inside hind foot is on the ground. Once that foot lands on the ground, it is immobilized and unable to do anything other than bear weight.
"Not" Moment: Aiding at this point in the right lead canter stride would only irritate or confuse the horse
The time to use an aid is when that foot is heading off the ground into the air. You need to energize the leg as it is cycling through the air into the next stride. It is through that moment when the horse is able to reach further underneath the body, or take a lateral step, or change gait. The moment resurfaces every time the horse takes the inside hind leg off the ground, but it is there only for that moment!
You have to find that moment and make it useful. Applying an aid should be done in rhythm within those moments - stride by stride rather than maintained steadily through several strides. You may find yourself, in effect, dancing your aids to the horse, in the rhythm that works best for him.
Trot Moment: In this moment, the left (inside) hind leg is preparing to lift off the ground. The left front leg (and right hind) is going to be weight bearing.
It may sound complicated to time your aids, but it really isn't too difficult. Rather than having to focus on the inside hind leg (which can be difficult if you haven't developed the "feelers" in your seat), you can look to the inside front leg for a clue as to what the inside hind leg is doing.
When to time Your Aids
Walk or Trot: Apply your aids when the inside front leg is on its way back.
Canter: Apply your aid when the horse is in the "down stride" of the canter
In both examples, the inside hind leg would be in the moment of elevation. Should you apply the aid in that moment, the leg would be able to respond as it is still gliding through the air.
Canter Moment: Aiding should have already been applied as the left (inside) hind leg is lifting off the ground.
That is all there is to it! Pay close attention, wait for the moment, execute the aid during the moment, and let the horse respond.
Try it and tell us know how it works out!
Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!
Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the new Horse Listening Practice Sessions.
This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.
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We all like to say that we are "good enough" at what we do - and riding is no different. We ride our horses, get on, ride on the trails, ride in the ring, get off and do it again another day.
We like to think that what we are doing is good and true and accurate and improves our horses... at least, in our opinion!
So what if the horse forever shies at the same corner in the same way under the same conditions? We can easily avoid that corner. So what if our horse's coat condition isn't just "perfect"? The shine and sheen you can get from a coat is overrated anyway, as long as he is getting fed. Why bother with improving the transitions just a little bit when we do get from the trot to the canter eventually? ANY canter is better than no canter.
And seriously, what does it matter if the horse never really responds when we want him to? We can cut him some slack and let things happen when he feels like it... who does that hurt, really? We get our enjoyment from riding whether he is point-perfect or not.
Hiding "behind the barn" hurts not only ourselves but our also our horses.
We fall into ruts and routines that prevent us from going further in our education. We get used to running into the same old trouble, and rather than challenge the status quo, we:
- suffer the problems.
- avoid the circumstances.
- "victimize" ourselves into thinking that in order to get our ride in, we have to go through those rituals.
We come up with all sorts of excuses to explain why we don't want to or can't get past the problem.
Have you ever heard someone say, "The horse feels like it," or "The horse doesn't enjoy it," and they truly seem to believe that nothing can be done to change the situation?
Why we must get out of our backyards.
Unfortunately, this type of thinking is what sets apart the people who "do" and the people who simply don't. The ones who do progress and improve and develop are the ones who can set aside their egos and take a leap of faith - in themselves, in their horses, in their peers and even in their coaches.
They are the ones who get up early in the morning and set off for the show - despite being nervous, stressed or unsure. They are the ones who take an undesirable result and turn it into a learning experience. They are prepared to put it all "out there" and head off to a clinic where a multitude of faces watch their every move and an unfamiliar (but respected) clinician picks apart their skills.
There is no way to improve other than to put ourselves "out there".
When we head to the show, or the clinic, or especially the riding lesson, we are putting ourselves in a position to be scrutinized, compared and even evaluated. We expose our skills and training and get feedback.
We learn that perhaps there is a way to get past that spooky corner. Perhaps the riding ritual we find ourselves in can be redirected into something positive and useful. Maybe high-quality grooming can be an accomplishment in itself, and kept up at home. And we realize that it might be in fact possible to ask our horse to respond more promptly, and discover that we both enjoy the improved communication.
The learning curve can be steep and may make a big impact. It may be uncomfortable at times, difficult to be sure and possibly may turn out to be exhilarating. But one thing is constant - that self-improvement occurs. "Good enough" starts to become "better". We progress past the learning plateau and move on to new heights.
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If you "listen" carefully, can you feel your horse's subtle weight shifts when you begin a turn? Can you tell if your horse uses his hind end while heading into a turn, or does he feel stiff and awkward, almost like he's leaving his legs behind the movement?
Most horses will enter a turn in the latter manner, if nothing is done to "set up" the turn in the first place.
What You Don't Want
You will know this type of turn by identifying these signs:
He will brace against the reins. You might find that he increases the pressure on your hands, gets hollow in his back, and shortens his stride length (in the hind end) as he goes into the turn.
He may throw his shoulder down into the ground. This looks and feels like the horse goes momentarily "stick-legged" - rather than flowing easily underneath you, the leg feels rigid and unmovable. Generally, he will "lose steam" through the turn - it looks like he is lazy and unwilling to go forward.
Finally, he will probably lift his neckand head in an effort to counteract the imbalance to the forehand.
It is likely that he will continue through the turn, and the legs will take you where you want to go, but the posture and balance of the horse is compromised through the entire movement.
What You Do Want
"Stepping out" into the turn
In contrast, the well-prepared turn looks and feels very different:
Before beginning the turn, the horse shifts his weight, steps further under his body with his hind legs, rounds his back, and reaches for the bit.
He increases his impulsion (even if it appears like no change to the onlooker) and appears to be eagerly (not necessarily quickly) moving forward.
When he begins the turn, the change of direction seems effortless and intentional. The legs just flow in rhythmical, ground-covering fashion.
And as always, the rider appears to be doing nothing!
4 Steps to a Great Turn
Step 1: Shift the horse's weight to the outside (using the inside rein and leg).
Step 2: Support the bend with the outside rein and leg.
Step 3: "Bounce" off the outside aids (inside rein should be light and almost unused).
Step 4: Inside front leg reaches in to the first turn step, followed lightly by the body.
Step 5: Half-halt, right through the turn. This last half-halt helps your horse stay in balance after the turn.
Step 1 and 2: These occur on the straight line before heading into the turn. This is also the moment of engagement - when the horse reaches further underneath the body, lifts the back, rounds and reaches for contact. The weight shifts to the outside just enough to allow the inside of the horse to free up to step into the turn. Once Step 2 is complete, the horse is prepared with a nice light bend, ready to take the first turn step.
Step 3: The "bounce" is the result of your outside aids becoming active. It feels like first you embrace the horse as he fills your outside rein and leg, and then you become active and gently urge him to step away from it all. Through this step, you maintain an inside flexion first with your inside leg and then with your inside rein.
The perfect Step 3 feels like you have a fluttering contact with your inside rein, and the horse is lightly wrapped around your inside leg but pleasantly swelled to the outside. Your own body is exactly in balance with the horse - your hips and shoulders open into the turn in parallel with your horse's shoulders.
Step 4: The horse is now taking his first step into the turn. It is as if you set it all up, and now you are setting the horse free! Here, you just follow - with your seat, hands and balance.
Step 5: A half-halt shortly after the first turn step will help the horse stay in balance rather than give to gravity. Keep riding - don't stop your leg, seat and hand aids just because you started the turn.
You now have a choice - take another step into the turn, or come out of the turn.
Don't be in a rush!
In general, it may take several strides to achieve Steps 1 to 3. Your horse may continue to brace/throw his head/drop the shoulder, maybe even worse than before you tried to set him up. Learn to wait through the upheaval. Keep your aids on calmly but insistently and wait for the moment that you can reward him - even for a small change in the right direction.
Try this at the walk, then trot and canter. Your horse should always enter a turn the same way - shift out to turn in.
One last thought: do not rush the turn, for the turn itself is not the end goal. The goal of this (and any) movement is to help your horse achieve balance within the movement. The movement itself is a breeze after that!
Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!
Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in new Horse Listening Practice Sessions.
This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.
How many times have you caught yourself pulling on an already tight inside rein? Have you ever noticed your horse swing his neck to the inside, while you find yourself drifting out toward the rail (thank goodness for that rail, since without it, you would probably drift to oblivion!)? We've all been there and done that (and I have the T-shirt)!
The circle is used so frequently, not only in dressage, but in almost all disciplines, that we would be remiss to not include it in our "studies" about riding and training. The quotes below come from dressage sources, but you can surely find similar information in writing from any discipline.
"Every [dressage] test contains circles: large ones, small ones, some placed in difficult spots, some very easy ones, and some placed before or after a transition into the next movement. But all of them have a number of requirements:
- Circles must be round and executed exactly as stated in the test. This means the rider has to know where the "points" are. The rider must touch these points for one stride only.
- They must be ridden on one track. This means that the horse must be able to bend and have sufficient freedom of the shoulders and hips to accomodate the requested size of the circle without the hanuches falling out or the horse 'popping' his shoulder.
- The regularity of the rhythm must be the same throughout the circle, including engaggement and impulsion, while the horse stays on the bit. As a matter of fact, the horse should be in a better frame coming out of the circle than going into it."
Riding a circle is not just following the path of the circle (although that can be difficult enough) - it is more about helping the horse improve the use of his hind end, teach him about flexion and bend, and to enable the outside aids to become more effective. The aids for the circle come not only from the rein and leg aids, but even more importantly, from the seat and balance of the rider. Your shoulders and hips should be aligned with the horse's shoulders, while your weight is distributed slightly to the inside. Other things to be aware of:
- your inside seat bone is slightly more weighted than the outside, and is moving within the movement to encourage the horse to use his back.
- the outside hind is as engaged as the inside, because the outside has further to travel!
- the inside rein is softly maintaining flexion but that is all - don't let it interfere with the horse's movement.
- half-halts at every "point" of the circle help the horse to improve his balance and become more round and free-moving.
"One can say that a horse is on the aids and correctly bent on the large circle when he applies an even tension to both reins, when both hind feet tread in the tracks of the forefeet, when the crest tips over to the inside, and when the horse maintains the bend when the rider surrenders the contact with the inside rein.
One should not, however, expect the horse to maintain the bend on his own for any length of time. To keep him precisely on the line of the circle, the rider must remain extremely attentive and continuously though imperceptibly, alternate between shoulder-in and travers-like aids according to the tendency of the horse to fall in or out from the prescribed line."
They say that the greatest riders look like they are doing nothing at all. The more you ride and you begin to feel the success that comes with the refinement of the aids, the more you will know this to be true. The secret to looking like you are doing nothing is to do a lot in tiny little increments. Once you get used to the subtle movements that are required, it will feel like you are doing nothing - but in fact, your body is making constant minute adjustments to ensure that it is either following the horse or helping the horse to maintain balance.
__________________________
"Excessive bend is wrong and creates tension rather than making the horse more supple. Another common fault, especially in lateral work, is excessiv flexion. Too much bend in the head and neck prevents the horse from bending through the ribs as required, and therefore also makes it impossible for the horse to be evenly bent throughout its length. The horse's neck is 'broken' just in front of the withers.
Exaggerated bend can also result in the horse falling sideways instead of answering the rider's inside leg. This defeats the object of the exercise, which is to bend the horse."
We know we should not be pulling on that inside rein, yet we continue to do it all the time. The trick to "unlearning" the reliance on the inside rein is to take a look at the neck. Just look down! I know everyone says not to - when you look, just don't tilt your head downward, so you can maintain your balance. But take a glance and actually see where that neck is. Learn how the "cranked" neck appears from above - it looks like the neck is disconnected at the withers area. The body seems to go one way while the neck is headed toward the middle of the circle.
When you see that, lighten the inside rein. Work on using a more active inside leg, use your seat to help rebalance the horse to the outside, and take up the (very likely) loop in the outside rein. Then allow the neck to straighten (note: don't just pull on the outside rein!). Straighten the horse's body, and start the circle again and see if you can continue on the circle without pulling on the rein.
And that's all there is to the circle! 🙂
What other tips do you have for us about riding the circle?
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More Listening Corner posts:
Contact And "On The Bit": I've tried to pick out the most relevant sections for today's quotes, but please go to the original books to get a much more in-depth analysis. Enjoy!
Riding Goals Defined: At some point, you're going to find yourself wondering: why am I riding? No two answers are going to be the same, and your own answer might change as time goes on.
The Rider: Although the world around the horse has changed over the years, the horse itself remains essentially the same, and therefore the requirements of riding are essentially unchanged.
The "Art" Of Riding: . We know 'art' when we see it - the performance transforms from just plain effortless and technically correct to evoking an emotional response, moving us in the depths of our beings and reminding us why we are so enthralled by the power and magnificence of the horse.
When I first heard this song by Marie-Lynn Hammond, I found there was so many things I could relate to that I contacted her to let her know how much I enjoyed the song. I have had my very own chestnut mare for 13 years now - and enjoyed every minute of it.
I would say that some of the myths about chestnut mares do hold true for Annahi. She is sensitive-skinned like they say. In fact, she is sensitive all around, and you can probably identify that through the fine muzzle and face that she has. But once I recognized that she is a "princess" in every sense of the term, and requires the dues that all dignitaries receive, we've been on the right track and never looked back. Over the years, she has taught me so much, and has given as much as any horse should and even more!
Other "chestnut mare" myths did not match any of my experiences with Annahi. She isn't "marish" like they say chestnut mares are. Although she did challenge me to improve myself fairly quickly over the first two years, she settled into becoming the horse that you can trust your life to. This is the horse that can go bridleless at all gaits including canter to halt, or for a full-out gallop (WITH bridle this time!) in the "back 40" among a herd of loose running horses without a thought to your own safety.
In any conversation that disrespects chestnut horses (mare or otherwise), you will find me bristle at the suggestion that they are unworthy. My experience dictates otherwise - it's up to the horse owner/rider to reach out to that sensitivity and learn to listen!
So here is the song. I was excited to find out that Marie-Lynn kindly used one of my photos for the music video - we are at the very, very end. Enjoy!
Avoid using the terms 'halt' and 'stop' interchangeably. They are completely distinct. The stop is as it says - a complete stop. Done. Over with, been there. Finished. Use the stop at the end of your ride, just before you get off.
The halt is far removed from the stop. It is a movement, and as such, it is just as engaged, energy-bound, and balanced as any other movement the horse can do. Think of it as a canter - without the legs moving, or the progression through space. Picture a car stopped at the red light. The engine is on and the moment of departure is at hand. Your horse should be ready and prepared to proceed to any movement you ask directly out of the halt.
Develop a rhythm, and maintain the momentum.
The halt has a rhythm similar to the rest of the movements. It also has momentum. The horse's hind legs go underneath the body and are prepared and waiting to step into the next movement at a moment's notice.
Don't break the momentum - even when you go to halt.
If you 'stop' instead of halt, the momentum is lost and the horse loses balance, strength and precision. The body becomes flat. The legs feel like they are 'stuck in the mud'. It is virtually impossible to do anything other than stagger out of the stop. The horse seems surprised if you ask for something after the stop.
Because the secret is that the halt is still a movement.
In classical dressage, the halt is considered a movement. By definition, the halt is a "suspension of progress, especially a temporary one." It is a pause, but it is just that. Keep the horse round - similar to a nice trot - and just stop the forward progression through space.
It is NOT a stop-moving-your-feet-and-throw-it-all-away feeling.
It is more of a wait-wait-wait-and-now-GO! feeling.
You NEED your legs going into the stop!
The horse should round its back and reach further underneath the body with the hind legs - all of this happens before the halt. Use your legs to lift the back before the horse halts. Keep the horse straight and half-halt into the movement. Avoid using your hands to pull on the horse's mouth. Instead, halt from your seat. THEN, halt from the hind end. The front end remains balanced and light. The back is round, the contact is consistent. The legs will stop square if the approach into the halt is energetic, forward and balanced.
Be ready to gracefully step out of the pause at a moment's notice - to walk, trot or canter.
Don't do it! Don't mistake the halt for a stop!
P.S. One last thought
The "test" for the halt: the horse is round, reaching for the bit, and SQUARE with all four legs. Then you know you did it!
Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!
Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the new Horse Listening Practice Sessions.
This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.
Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list.Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email
Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book:Stepping Forward to Effective Riding
The 99% Lucky Rule: We're lucky 99% of the time when we are around horses. How to avoid the other 1%.
Speaking Horse: (a.k.a. "Pushing the Envelope"): It is important to know that speaking "horse" doesn't mean getting all cuddly and cute. Read to find out how to "speak" so that horses appreciate your presence.
Confucius might well have been writing about "feel" in his quote above. Just replace the word 'wisdom' with 'feel' and you will get a generally good idea of the path.
Born to feel?
Many people say that it is impossible to learn how to 'feel' in riding. They say either you have it, or you don't. They insist that people who can 'feel' are essentially born with it, and others will never find it regardless of their attempts.
But you know this can not possibly be true. You have likely watched as people improved their riding skills over time and witnessed for yourself that (correct) practiceDOES make perfect (or at the very least, significant improvement).
Of course, certain requirements have to be in place:
- you need regular instruction.
- you must commit to consistent practice.
- you must be willing to hear and respond to repeated feedback.
- you must have the intrinsic motivation to strive for more at all times.
Most importantly, you need to have the openness of heart and mind to 'find' that feel - especially during the first time, since you will not particularly know what the feel feels like!
How to find 'feel'?
Do like Confucius said!
First, you must start with an idea. Before you will even know what to feel for, you must get some input from a more experienced source. Perhaps you have an instructor that puts emphasis on describing the feel for you. Maybe you can read about the feel from an expertly written book or article.
The difficulty about this stage is that you don't know what you don't know... and to break the cycle, you need to reach out to someone who does know. The road to knowing (or feeling, in this case), is trusting that there is something "out there" that you don't even know exists! Then you need the teaser idea to get you started, to start (figuratively) groping around to find that feel.
Second, watch, learn and do. There is no learning that is more successful than having a chance to watch someone ride, and then trying it yourself. Imitate! Ideally, you would be able to ride in the company of other experienced riders and try to mimic their actions. Even better, ride with your instructor and listen to her as she explains what she is doing, what she is feeling, and what the end result looks like in the horse.
Then it is your turn to try and search for the feeling that will produce the final result. Unfortunately, you will have to get it wrong many times before you get the first taste of correct feel. At long last, after your instructor explained the skills, and then the feel, you might get a brief moment when it all falls together - and you FEEL!
Then, it all falls apart again!
Now you need to develop experience. After you get it that one time, you might not get it again for a while. You have to trouble-shoot - hit and miss - until you find the feel the second time. Each time, it gets easier to repeat, and you can duplicate the feel sooner and more frequently. Sometimes, you will go through a stage where you simply cannot reproduce the feel (and result) without your instructor's steady guidance from the ground. You might be successful for the last twenty minutes of the lesson, but not be able to reproduce the skill on your own.
It WILL get worse before it gets better. As Confucius indicates, learning through experience is "bitterest!"
Be patient. Getting to a point where the feel becomes part of your blueprint takes time and repetition. Persist through the uncoordinated moments, try again, and keep searching for that evasive feel. It really does get easier with time and practice.
If you can ride with feel, you will be able to respond immediately to your horse's needs, be able to avoid problems before they occur, and be present in the ride but out of your horse's way at the same time. And, to top it off, your horse will thank you for it!
How did you, or are you, developing 'feel' in horse riding?
Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!
Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the Horse Listening Practice Sessions.
This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.
I don't believe in putting my work behind a paywall. But there are expenses in every venture. If you really liked this article, consider tipping us! Your tip will help me keep producing more riding TIPS (pun!) with free access to everyone. With thanks for reading!
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Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book:Stepping Forward to Effective Riding
Personally signed books available! Give the best gift for the horse lover in your life (or for yourself! ). Send me a message for more information. fwdnrnd@gmail.com
From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book
"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.
Riding gives us the place to just be.
Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.
But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."
And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.
This book is geared toward the rider:
- the rider's motivations
- the essential skills for the rider
- some specific strategies
- solutions to common problems
- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience
Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!
Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!
At Horse Listening, we are emphatic life-long learners of all things horsey. You will be reminded time and again about how there is so much to be learned from horses and other horse people, if only we listened.
This guest post is by Kaleigh Arbuckle, a professional farrier, riding instructor, trainer and breeder of quality horses. Visit her blog, www.farriersnotebook.wordpress.com, a blog for the horse owner who wants tips about shoeing and trimming advice for today’s equine.
The Farrier As An Artist
The farrier as an artist
The farrier, though required to scientifically balance and shoe a horse, is an artist working with a living canvas. In order to create a balanced and beautiful foot, the farrier must understand movement, anatomy, break over, "air time", and conformation. To be a successful farrier, practice and theory must work in harmony with one another.
If the farrier is open minded, a great relationship can develop between farrier, owner and veterinarian when problems arise. Farriers must acknowledge any limitations they may have in dealing with a hoof issue. It's the experiences of competent farriers and vets, working together, through trial and error and past case studies, that make lame horses sound and prevent sound horses from going lame.
Horse shoeing is a rewarding profession as long as the farrier has compassion for, and is passionate about horses. After all, what would posses a human being to sacrifice his/her body through years of physical stress, and at the risk of injury?
What makes a GREAT farrier?
Good farriers can trim or shoe a horse correctly and in an efficient manner.
Excellent farriers can shoe a horse correctly but have a finesse in the way they go about the whole shoeing process:
- they can "use their gut" to stay safe around dangerous horses.
- they use their instincts to address a mysterious lameness.
- they have many tools to pull from when shoeing gait imbalances.
- they have a gentle touch when trimming foals.
- they can keep peace with a fractious equine.
The farrier as a horse rider
Farriers with riding and training backgrounds have an advantage over non-riding farriers because they understand the terms used when a trainer or rider comes to them with a gait issue or when "something just isn't right". The "feel" used when riding a horse is developed over time, with many miles under saddle, and can be invaluable when trying to solve a soundness issue.
The educated farrier can:
- tactfully assess the current state of training of a horse.
- identify any rider errors.
- suggest age appropriate strength building exercises for the horse.
- encourage use of longitudinal and lateral suppling under saddle on the lunge line, or in hand.
The benefits of farriers that actually ride are simple - they know what the owner wants, have felt it for themselves, know the heartache when an equine partner is not able to give its best, and have the same feeling of fulfillment when a problem is solved and goals are achieved.
Be aware!
Be aware of farriers who think their idea of quality shoeing is superior to other farriers and the opinions of veterinarians. This type of thinking is an unfair and dangerous practice. One cause for concern is when farriers consistently trim heels too low. These farriers want to trim the foot to the widest part of the hoof and fit a very large shoe. The end result is a horse that has low heels, long toes, and incorrect angles. The horse suffers from fatigue earlier in the ride, causing gait abnormalities, and heel or suspensory pain.
The horse owner should feel as comfortable about having a farrier work on their horses as they do a veterinarian. Competent farriers are in demand everywhere there are horses; farriers willing to communicate with owners and veterinarians, enjoy the work involved, and are keen to put the horse first, have a bright future.
They should be able to put a personal stamp their work, and with the feel of an artist, produce a beautiful, functional, balanced hoof.
What qualities do you like about your farrier?
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