Who wants to mock?

*Somebody* was supposed to take a bunch of pictures of me doing equitation...but the camera did not cooperate.

All I have is this.

Honestly. I *can* ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGPZ6oYuGLE

What I apparently can't do is mount...

The whip.

With the possible exception of spurs, whips of all kind are the most highly controversial tool used in training equines.

Every school of thought exists, from those who consider whipping a horse to 'break' it perfectly acceptable to those who believe a whip or crop is evil and we should throw them all away.

I thought I would talk about my own stance on the use of whips.

There are several kinds of whips in common use by English riders and trainers.

First, there is the lunge whip. This is a long-tailed whip, akin to a circus whip. It is correctly used when lunging a horse to instill forward...rarely should it touch the horse. More commonly, the lunge whip is simply pointed towards the hindquarters, following them. A lunge whip should only be used when lunging.

Second, the show cane. In the English show ring leather-covered canes are carried by riders in riding horse, riding pony and hack classes. Plain wooden canes are common in hunter classes. They are sometimes carried in in-hand classes. The show cane is not used on the horse! It is a purely decorative thing that is part of show turnout. 

Third, there is what is called in England the 'bat'. A bat is the shortest whip generally seen, often no more than a foot long, and generally affixed with two thick strips of leather. A bat is used in training jumpers and is only used on the shoulder, very lightly. It is considered a training aid to remind the horse to pick its feet up, but I personally question the efficacy.

Fourth, is the hunting whip. A hunting whip is a short cane which has a handle at right angles from the top and a long...usually five or seven foot lash...on the other end. Hunting whips are never used on the horse. The 'handle' is in fact used to lift gate latches from the saddle. The lash is used as a physical barrier to discourage hounds from getting too close to the horse.

Fifth, is the most common kind of whip used...the standard 'crop. Generally a couple of feet long, a crop is a flexible rod with a grip on one end and either two short, flat leather thongs or a loop of leather on the other. Traditional crops have a wrist loop, but these are considered dangerous by modern riders (The end of the crop can get caught in something, and if there is a loop around the rider's wrist it can cause a strain, a fracture, or even a fall). A crop is a versatile training tool, as it can be used on the shoulder, behind the leg and as a visual discouragement...being the most commonly used, however, it is the most commonly abused.  A common form of abuse is to turn the crop over in the hand and bring it down on the hindquarters multiple times.

Sixth, is the dressage whip...about four feet long and thinner than the crop, it too is a flexible rod. It has a short lash on one end. Dressage whips are so called for an obvious reason...they are a training tool most commonly used by dressage riders. The dressage whip is generally used lightly behind the leg to encourage sideways movement of the hindquarters either to instill straightness or teach lateral work. Side saddle riders commonly use a dressage whip to apply aids to the right side of the horse where there is no leg.

So. Moving on from that. When are you using a whip correctly?

First of all, there is no need to ever use or carry a whip on a well trained, respectful horse that is familiar with the exercises being performed (with the exception of a hunting whip which, again, is not for use on the horse). The goal of training should include making the whip completely unnecessary.

If you must use a whip, there are generally three uses:

1. As a reinforcing aid. Most commonly, this is used on a lazy horse that does not go forward from the leg. In this case, the whip is used lightly but firmly just behind the leg, but the point of its use is to encourage the horse to respond to the leg next time. The other primary reinforcing aid is for moving the hindquarters sideways, which is generally an interim measure between initial lateral training, which involves pushing the horse with one's hand on the ground, and the horse willingly performing the exercise from the leg and seat alone.

2. For discipline. I am not, and never will be, a proponent of beating horses. In fact, one of the signs of a horse that has been beaten is that the whip becomes ineffective; the horse does not know what it is being punished *for* and only becomes upset and confused. Some abused horses may even feel secure when their rider beats them and act out in order to *try* and earn themselves a beating. If you must use a whip on a disrespectful horse, the effective method is one sharp, firm tap, immediately after the behavior you seek to discourage, accompanied by a verbal 'No' or 'Don't'. The goal is to tone down the whip until it is no longer needed and the verbal command is enough...at that point, you have respect. If you truly have a horse's respect, a slightly raised voice should be all you need.

3. As a barrier. A horse will generally not move towards a whip. A lunge whip forms a barrier behind the horse to move the horse forward. A lunge or dressage whip can be used in a similar way to instill forward into an animal that hangs back when being led. Horses that have a habit of drifting sideways (most commonly towards the center of the arena or paddock) will often respond to a whip simply held on that side, with the end angled slightly outwards so the animal can see it is there...although this remains a temporary training aid, as part of teaching the animal that such behavior is not acceptable. A whip can also be used to enforce the idea of personal space on a horse that is inclined to 'mug' its rider...in all of these cases, the whip should seldom or never actually touch the horse.

As usual, this is all MY opinion on the matter. I realize it's a contentious issue and some believe you should never, ever hit a horse.

Ever...

...been bucked off?

If the answer is no, you either haven't been riding long or have only ever ridden quiet, well trained horses.

Bucking is a classic equine evasion, in which the horse lowers its head, often between the forelegs and then flips its rear end up. It probably evolved as a way to rid itself of a predator that had jumped onto its back, ducking the head to protect it.  Some horses refine the buck with a lateral twist, in which one shoulder drops and the hindquarters are shifted to the opposite side.

There are really three kinds of buck.

1. The spirit buck. Horses buck in play, and sometimes an over-enthusiastic horse will forget that the person he's playing with is *sitting on his back*. This is the horse that pops a couple of small bucks after jumping a clear round or when asked to run under saddle. (One very famous English showjumper was notorious for his three bucks after every clear round). Generally, these bucks are small, and accompanied by slight leaps or an extension of the canter stride. Often reducing the horse's grain ration will reduce the enthusiastic bucking...but the horse also needs to be firmly reminded that doing that under saddle is rude.

2. The 'I don't want to do that' buck. Usually occurs when the horse is asked to do something he doesn't particularly feel like doing. I know one mare who's prone to small bucks when asked to canter on the right lead. This is just a slight lift of the hind legs...the horse is not serious about it. A horse that suddenly starts demonstrating this behavior needs to have its back and saddle fit checked, as it often accompanies physical discomfort.

3. 'Get off. Now'. Sometimes a horse will get really serious about the buck...some people call this throwing a 'rodeo' because a serious horse may buck every bit as high as a trained bronc. I used to know a horse who would start to rear, then leap forward and throw a massive buck...after the rider had instinctively leaned forward to sit the rear. The last horse that seriously tried to throw me was fond of the twisting to the side buck...an observer said it looked like she was trying to kick my legs (A VERY flexible little pony). The key to dealing with *this* behavior is that the horse must *never get away with it*. If the rider comes off, *somebody* has to get right back on that horse. If the horse is throwing a tantrum to avoid work, then work does not stop until the tantrum does. Of course, sometimes a horse wants a rider off for a very good reason...I have no sympathy for the person who pushes a horse too far.

Another very common cause of bucking, which can run the gamut from a little throwing up the heels to a full blown 'rodeo' is insect stings. Some horses, especially thin-skinned sensitive ones, can and will go completely crazy if stung.

I apparently...

...forgot to post yesterday. Mea culpa.

And I don't really have anything today, I was trolling the net for ideas and came up blank.

I'm going to try and make up for it tomorrow.

Transatlantic translation

I was reading another blog, and the person was complaining about the prevalent use of lip chains in halter classes.

The use of chains (be they over the nose or, worse, through the mouth) continues to mystify me. In England, where I was trained, 'shanks' simply do not exist.

In the show ring, mares and geldings are expected to be shown in a plain leather halter with a plain leather lead. At small shows, it is an acceptable alternative to show in a smart snaffle bridle (usually the horse's regular bridle) as a money-saving device. Stallions are expected to be shown in a bridle, and anything beyond a regular snaffle would be considered unusual.

I don't quite understand why things are different in the US. You don't get a horse to respect you when being led by hardware (although I admit that I have handled some horses I very much prefer to lead in a bridle), but by training.

Busy day....

I'll try to do a good, big post on Monday to make up for it, but I'm currently three *hours* behind on stuff I have to get done.

Respecty

Our exhibit.

A twelve year old, chestnut overo Paint mare, maybe fourteen hands. Decently put together, for a scruffy little stock horse. Only one owner. Great trail horse, blah, blah, blah.

Bombproof. Well, she's that...you can lunge her through the arena watering system and she won't bat an eye. Great trail horse? Sure, as long as you don't ask her to do anything but follow another horse.

Trained, she is not.

She has problems balancing herself under saddle, can barely manage a canter at all. Although responsive to the leg, and apparently ridden western as well as English (she neck reins), she is clearly unfamiliar with arena work, becoming somewhat anxious and confused.

None of that is the real problem.

She has no respect.

This was ably brought home to me. Towards the end of a reasonably decent ride...in fact, I was seriously considering calling it a night...she decided she was Done.

She attempted to dictate to her rider when the ride would end by stopping in her tracks and planting her hooves. When I informed her in no uncertain terms that she was wrong about this...

...she tried to buck me off. I'm not talking a little hop here. I'm talking back end up, outside shoulder dropping, head snaking to the inside. This mare was serious. Needless to say, she didn't get to stop working until she quit those shenanigans.

But a twelve year old horse does not act like that unless somebody has 'taught' them that such behavior gets results.

What is the key?

Here's a couple of tips that come immediately to mind:

1. Demand absolute respect on the ground. One simple respect exercise that is very effective when repeated consistently is to stop outside the animal's stall for a few seconds and make them wait. (This is also a good 'cure' for that horse that is so keen to get to the hay that it'll pull you through the door, with a risk of minor injury to both horse and rider). A horse that barges forward and pulls will often stop if the handler puts her shoulder in front of the horse's shoulder and shoves gently. This appears to echo dominant horse behavior.

2. Never. Ever. Let the horse dictate *anything*. The one exception is on the trail, when sometimes a horse will balk for a good reason. And if a horse drops you...*somebody* has to get back on that horse, whether it's the person who fell or somebody else. Failing that, find somebody to lunge the animal for a bit. Even if the fall is not the animal's fault, no horse should ever be given the message this one clearly received: Oh, hey, if the rider falls off I get to stop working. Because then it WILL happen again.