NEVER MIND THE HORSE, HOW BOMB-PROOF ARE YOU?

If you think a bomb-proof horse is your ticket to safe riding, you are probably in for an unpleasant surprise. That's because the scariest thing most horses encounter are riders who think horses are supposed to keep them safe. No amount of bomb-proofing prepares horses for that. Between you and your horse, you are the one who is supposed to be keeping the two of you safe...not the other way around. So, never mind the horse. How bomb-proof are you?

Before going any further, I want to make it clear that folks who think bomb-proofing is about desensitizing horses have it all wrong. To desensitize a horse you'd have to stick ear plugs in its ears, slap blinders on it, or do some such thing that actually dulls its senses.

Bomb-proof horses haven't been de-sensitized at all. Rather, they have been made sensitive to the fact that a human is willing and able to keep them safe. Relieving horses of that responsibility is what allows them to behave calmly despite all kinds of crazy distractions. Whether or not a bomb-proof horse behaves calmly for you depends entirely upon you letting him know that you are willing to do the same.

While going through the bomb-proofing process, horses get used to enjoying the type of calm, assured leadership that helps them get over their drama and find confidence in themselves. Horses thriving in that positive energy aren't necessarily chomping at the bit to carry around riders who carry nervous, fretful energy. If you are one of them, you need to know that even the most bomb-proof horse will eventually protest and challenge you to get over your own drama.

Even if you are not the nervous type, you can expect bomb-proof horses to offer you subtle challenges anyway. If you are unaware of how or why horses do this, you are unaware of the leadership horses need from you to behave calmly for you. You're certainly not alone. Most riders learn how to ride but learn next to nothing about how to get horses to behave calmly. Crazy but true...hence the reason I encourage riding instructors to join the challenge to create a safer industry.

Far too many riders miss out on receiving a basic, yet pretty freakin' important, leadership education. It's a good bet you are one of them if you're thinking the "bomb-proof" horse you recently brought home must have been drugged when you tried it out. Before you're tempted to accuse the seller of misrepresenting the horse, know that it is highly likely you are misinterpreting the situation.

Never take bomb-proof horses for granted. Not only is your safety your responsibility, but for a horse to carry you safely you've got let him know you have his back as well. Learn to provide your bomb-proof horse some bomb-proof leadership. That's your ticket to safe riding!

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SLOWING DOWN THE TOO SPEEDY CANTER

Lunging sessions work wonders for helping horses understand that cantering is a balancing act, not a rush job. But you can’t just send a speedy horse out on the lunge line and expect him to get it. You have to mix things up quite a bit to get the horse to think about slowing down and carrying himself in a balanced manner. This exercise is a good example. So, if your horse's canter is more like a gallop to the finish line, you might want to give it a try. 

Set Up: On a lunge circle, set up a jump with the pole about 1 1/2 to 2 feet high on the outside and resting on the ground on the inside. Note: in the first step of this exercise, you will be only be using the three-quarters of the lunge circle that does not include the jump.

Step One: Trot your horse toward the jump, but rather than sending him over it, ask him to halt, turn toward you, back up 3 steps, and then change direction. (Hopefully, you have already taught your horse to back up when you jiggle the lunge line. If not, now is a good time to start.) 

Keep up this part of the exercise until your horse is performing it calmly and rhythmically. If he gets excited and breaks into his normal speedy canter, spiral him down to you as quickly as possible to encourage him to stay at the trot.

Step Two: Begin asking for the change of direction as your horse is backing up. This will get him sitting down a bit on his hind end and lifting his shoulders up and away from you as he turns around. It’s like getting your horse to do a little rollback on the lunge line, and it effectively gets him re-balancing himself each time he changes directions.

Here Kelly is asking Milo to simply change directions.

Here Kelly asks Milo to change directions while backing up. Note how
he must lift his shoulders up and away from her to make the change. 

Once you get the little rollback during the changes of direction, and your horse is handling everything calmly, proceed to the next step.

Step Three: Start trotting your horse over the jump, but continue asking for a change of direction (with the little rollback) after each crossing. Ideally, you want your horse to trot three-quarters of the way back to the jump before you ask for the change of direction, but calmness is top priority. If needed, prevent excess excitement after jumps by bringing him down to walk for a minute. Remember, the whole point of this exercise is to help your horse slo-o-o-o-ow down.

At some point within the first several crossings your horse might, on his own accord, begin cantering out of the jump... in a noticeably slower, more rhythmic and balanced canter. He will probably be able to maintain it for only three or four strides, and that's okay.

Those few steady strides are worth a thousand of the speedy, unbalanced ones. So allow him to return to trot on his own several times before pushing for more. 

Now, if your horse does not begin cantering out of the jump on his own, you can encourage him to by: a) driving the trot slightly faster a couple of steps before the jump; b) raising the high end of the pole a little higher; or c) raising the low end of the pole off the ground (just make sure you set it on a block so you won't have to wrestle the lunge line over a jump standard.) 

Once your horse is consistently cantering calmly out of the jump, start encouraging him to maintain his new canter for one or two more strides and return to trot only when you ask. Work toward getting him to maintain that steady canter for half the circle. 

Stay patient and reward often. Your horse is learning to carry himself in a whole new way and these things take time to develop.

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Learn to provide the leadership your horse

needs FROM you to behave calmly FOR you.

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