As per previous blogs, there has been no slowing down. The young horses and cattle side continue to keep me busy with a couple of more horses arriving before Christmas. We have also had a home course recently, this was a 2 day green horse course.As mentioned in previous blogs for those that keep showing up over time, everyone makes progress. We have also filmed and edited more videos for next year for the Art of The Horseman Online Horse Fair. I would like to think that we are slowly getting better at this whole process. Understanding technology and the language associated with and what is available to use, is quite a process.
Whats Coming Up; In a couple of weeks there is a 2 day course at Anstead Acres in Brisbane, if you go to the website course schedule you will see contact details. In December I am back in Western Australia at Horsemanship First for 10 days. We have a great venue and facility and great people.
Hopefully by the end of November, maybe sooner, the website will have a small merchandise page. ( This is something we are just starting with and over time, we trust things will grow.) There will also be an educational element as well.
The image above is an enamel mug that we have had branded up. ( “Lenny”, the kelpie is not for sale. )
Trailer Loading is non denominational. Regardless of what discipline you follow, or what you do with horses. If you own a horse, chances are, that you are at some point going to have to put your horse on a horse trailer.
Understanding that horses by nature are claustrophobic, fearful of small enclosed places.
Check that your trailer is safe to travel your horse and that there are no sharp edges inside or outside that are going to catch a halter of injure a horse.
Preparation; do not wait until you need to travel your horse on the trailer. It is not about the trailer so much as it it is about the preparation for the trailer. Does your horse leads well – Does your horse tie well.
The images below may not appear to have much to do with trailer loading. As a result of these horses being able to confidently go through a stream or under a hitching rail, it helps them to become more confident with the trailer. While the above may not answer every question about trailer loading or travelling your horse in a trailer, Hopefully it does gives some insight. As was said to myself on occasions, “Confidence is knowing that you are prepared.”
I had always thought that an Australian winter in Central Queensland was a little similar to a U.K. summer. From what I am seeing this year in the U.K. that is probably not the case. It looks like it maybe the start of an Indian summer for the U.K.
Whats been going on: Since my last blog we have had a home course with another scheduled for mid October. Horses continue to arrive for starting and return to their homes. This coming weekend we have a virtual course in the New Forrest in the U.K. at the home of Kate McMorris and Steve Parley . Kate is riding her horse Marilyn from John o’Groats to Lands End in the U.K. a distance of 1407 km, she is now nearing completion of this ride. You can follow Kate’s adventures and donate to her chosen charity on Facebook. The course schedule has had a few more courses added and continues to be updated with new upcoming courses.
Horsemanship: I have written a horsemanship article below, happy reading.
Recently in a conversation we were discussing, “The Road To Success, ” everyone has their own definition for this. What I found interesting was that this person who coached sport said that to improve their skills they did not take well meaning advice from those at the pub or coffee shop, they went to those that were attendees at a sporting academy or were ” further along the chosen road. ” This can be applied too many other activities as well, success leaves a trail. ( Sometimes you never know who you may be speaking to at the pub to I guess.)
In a recent video presentation, I made reference that for many, time and knowledge is a challenge. A genuine desire to want to improve, in this case their horsemanship is essential. If the desire is not strong you are not going to want to get out of bed to go and ride your horse on a cold winters or a warm summer day.
Over the years of teaching, which I think are now around 30. I have observed that those that make a commitment to improving their knowledge and understanding, given time make progress and have nice riding horses. A commitment to continuing to improve our knowledge and understanding and ” Polishing the Stone,” creates better saddle horses.
While the above writings are not new or perhaps not directly horsemanship related. They do reflect the reality of many of us.
It is a late website blog for June, but non the less, I have just made it in time. Again as last time, it has been a busy month. Currently we have a yard full of horses with more to come in July. The middle of June saw us at Anstead Acres in Brisbane, Qld for 3 days. Pam Andrews, thank you for all your efforts in putting this course together after having to reschedule due to floods earlier in the year. It is always great to see the improvement that riders make over the course. While many have a tendency to believe that they are not making much progress, when riders look back and see where they have come from. When they could not lead their horse into the arena for the course or could not get their horse onto a horse trailer to get to the course, this helps to give some perspective.
In July we have a home course coming up, this is a 2 day green horse course, more information is available on the website. There are currently still a couple of rider places available. Email me at: [email protected]
In the U.K. starting Friday we have a virtual course starting in the county of Shropshire for 3 days. We started these courses last year as a response to Covid times and they were received very well, while a different format to usual courses, we do get some things done.
Below is a horsemanship article on trailering your horse, hope all enjoy reading.
Trailor loading is non denominational, it does not matter if you are a western rider or an english rider, or ride for pleasure or work. At some point you are going to have load your horse onto or into a horse trailer or horse float.
Horses do travel better on an angle or facing backwards and depending on how much you travel with your horses and what pulling vehicle you have, will influence what is going to work best for your situation.
My first suggestion would be not to wait until you need to load your horse to find out that they do not load. Preparation is important, have your horse lead well, know that your horse ties well and can stand tied for some time. Moving the hind and fore-quarters and being able to back up and come forward easily is good preparation for your horse to able to move their feet in the trailer. When your horse is in the trailer see if you can move their hindquarters over, see if you can back them up a few steps and then be able to have them walk forward. For horses that rush out this can also help. It may take some time to get to this point. With feed, if horses can eat in the trailer this shows some level of relaxation, although not always a guarantee. Having your horse feel relaxed and confident in the trailer is what you are looking for and that your horse will walk willingly into and back up, or walk out of your trailer willingly is something to strive for.
Whether you lead your horse into the trailer or stand outside and drive them into the trailer has a lot to do with the situation and the trailer that you have. I remember receiving some guidance a long time ago in the California with a foal. When we had loaded the foal into the trailer we turned the foal around in the trailer in both directions. This was to help him be able to learn how to move his feet in the trailer. That may not always be possible, it can help horses to travel better.
Just because your horse loads into your trailer is not a guarantee that your horse will load into your friends trailer. Knowing that you can take your horse off the trailer and get them back on if you are by yourself is also reassuring. Maintain your trailer, I have seen horses that have gone through the floor and tried to fit through the jockey door of the trailer. Some trailers are too small for the size horse you are travelling.
The above is a guide as to what you should be aware of, for when you travel your horse. Preparation is the best advice I can suggest. Some horses are going to need more preparation than others, if your horse is one that panics and goes into flight mode easily, spend more time on the preparation.
While it may be the start of Australian Autumn, in Central Queensland it feels more like the beginning of Summer. I thought my temperature gauge was broken as it has been stuck on 40 degrees celsius or above for the last few weeks.
Working from a saddle horse
In the last few weeks we have done a green horse course in Bowen in Central Queensland and we were to do a course in Brisbane, that has now been rescheduled for the middle of June due to the recent floods.
We have been busy with stock work on my families cattle property and are continuing to add additional improvements. My welding and fabrication skills are not strong, but I have found someone with that skill set.
In the coming weeks and months I have private courses in North Queensland and in New South Wales. At the end of April, depending on covid I am back in Western Australia and we are looking to have a home course in the middle of the year. There will also be additional courses added once confirmed.
Below I have written a horsemanship article on working with the blind spot, I hope all enjoy.
The Blind Spot;
Can really get riders into a lot of trouble, horses have a blind spot, almost directly behind them and also in front of them and under their neck. Getting horses confident in these areas is really important. At times horses will spook, go to bucking, bolting etc because of not being accepting of movement or motion in these areas.
On the ground when using a flag if you are too sudden with your movement and go underneath a young or green horses neck with the flag, they may strike with their front feet or escape backwards. Have your horses solid when changing eyes and going through that blind spot, you would like them to be really smooth when changing eyes.
Using a saddle horse also helps for your green or young horse to be able to see you from above them before you get on. I have put a small video on social media and if you go to my facebook page David Stuart you should be able to view the video. This video probably gives more understanding than my words do. ( we are also amateur video editors as well ).
Spring is on the way, at least in the southern hemisphere. Since my last blog a few months ago we have had a course in Central Queensland at Emerald and have upcoming courses in the next few months at Emerald , Brisbane and at the end of the year in Western Australia.
We have also been doing some virtual courses in the U.K. I was unsure how these would go and thus far the feedback has been great. This weekend we are in the New Forrest. We have a yard full of young horses in for starting with some due to go home over the next few days.
I have written a horsemanship article below for all
When putting theses articles together I try and come up with a topic that is beneficial to everyone. This time there is not a topic, just a conversation.
In recent horse conversations, we were speaking about horses taking over. As they are a herd animal, it can be their nature to do so. With developing your horse you may need to revisit exercises, ground and ridden for the horse to understand and learn and become solid. You would try and do this in a way that was not drilling and had both consistency and variety.
Some horses will pick up on things very quickly and others not as quickly. When the horse makes a change or a try, then give some recess for the horse. Some horses will pick up on things and start to anticipate and that is mostly a good thing. What happens for riders is that they stay there a little to0 long and then what works for them starts to work against them, the horse starts to take over.
Riding with accuracy and learning to be particular without being critical is an awareness that can be of benefit. With a young or green horse you will not be as particular as you might with a horse that was further down the line. You would still begin with the end in mind, you might want to back up 5 steps and be straight. You may get 7 steps and not be straight.
I am also of the view that when you approach your horsemanship in this way it creates discipline within both the rider and horse. You don’t want fear, although the horse’s self preservation may come out at times, in time you will have confidence and understanding.
It has been a while since I last put pen to paper and since then we have been busy. With horses continuing to arrive for starting, we have had courses as well. One last weekend in Brisbane at Anstead Acres, thank you to Pam Andrews and all involved, it was a great 3 days and a great venue. In September we had a home course that involved some local cattle stations and was a follow up to a course a couple of months earlier. It was great seeing the improvement in everyone.
We also had an interview with the online Equestrian Life Magazine, a link to the article is below.
There is is also a new Horse Deals article coming out in the next month or so.
The cover over the the round pen works well and will be much appreciated during summer for not only when starting horses but also courses as well. While the year is not over yet, we feel that there has been a lot accomplished during some quite challenging times. To all our friends and family wherever you are, stay safe and healthy.
Below is a horsemanship article that we trust you all enjoy.
Having not been able to travel for the last 6 months or so has given me an opportunity to start more horses here at home. There has been a wide selection of horses coming through and all are different. Some horses are more friendly and others not so, so have bucked and others not etc.
Reading the horse that you have in front of you and where they are at today and working at their level is important. Many times we are all guilty of saying that our horse was not like that at home or yesterday our horse was perfect. Developing that dependable riding horse takes time and consistency on our part. Over time that then transfers into a dependable saddle horse that you can take anywhere.
When you on the ground with your horse or in the saddle, look at your horse’s expression, when you change the flag from one side to the other, does the expression change. Paying attention to the expression in different situations can really help in reading your horse.
I have spoken quite a bit about flexion and balance at times this year. Recently I was watching a horse who was prone to bucking. I had a rope around the girth and you could really see the horse would brace against the rope, in a couple of different ways. The flexion and balance was not there and in the initial few rides this was the same. When I rode this horse the first few times I would only sit there quietly, standing still and bending and doing a lot of rubbing. As the horse started to let down more and become more accepting you could feel the flexion starting to change from the withers back. It is not just the outside that you need to be able to see it is what do you feel on the inside of the horse.
I have now been back in the U.K. for a little over a week. It is a different schedule from years past with no horse intakes in the schedule. We have now finished the week long Dudgeley Camp and have just returned from Scotland. The courses have gone really well and the progress that all riders have made has been great to see and we have managed to make hay while the suns shines.
Transitions & Balance Continued: In my last blog I wrote about transitions and balance and perhaps this horsemanship blog might be a continuation. During the week at the venue of Dudgeley in the English county of Shropshire, we rode a lot of transitions from halt to walk to trot, trot to walk to halt to back up. The walk and trot transitions also helped the canter transitions and all horses improved in the quality of their gaits. The transitions were ridden on a circle and on the straight.
I noticed many riders not riding their corners well. To improve this I created a smaller arena and put cones in the corners. Riders had to ride around the cones and ride deeper in the corners. Another benefit to riding corners well is further engagement of the inside hind leg – the weight bearing leg.
In this case I also worked with riders one on one on the smaller arena. Again still riding transitions and riding the corners deeper, the outcome was that horses started getting more on the aids and starting to gain more drive and power in their gaits. Riders also started to ride their horses to the corner and began to ride with more accuracy.
It has been a while since I have put pen to paper, so now might be a good time to add a few words. At home in Australia I have had horses in for starting, plus stock work and have also had courses as well, it has been a juggling act. In the next few weeks I head out for the U.K. for a shorter visit. I have been travelling to the U.K every year for the last 20 years. This is the first time that I have seen a July in Australia for 20 years. I now know why I have followed the sun.
An image from a recent Western Australia Course.
Updates: The website has a full U.K. course schedule and also an Australian course and young horse schedule. So please check out the appropriate schedules. I have also added articles below for you to download. They are articles that I have written for Horse Deals Australia.
Transitions and Balance: Over the years I am sure I have spoken of transitions and balance and shared my thoughts and experience. So maybe I am adding to those now.
As a generalisation riders mostly feel resistance through the hand and as a result it can be easy to think that you need to be firmer with the hand or get a bigger bit. You often see horses over bent and running through the riders hand or hiding behind the bit, as well as horses above the bit. If you can keep your horse more in balance then you are more likely to avoid the already mentioned. Maintaining your riding position is easier, if your horse is in balance.
As a rider, work on keeping those transitions through the gaits and within the gaits smooth. You will have more success at keeping your horse in balance if the transitions are smooth and not rushed or sluggish. Equally not over riding your horse and pushing the horse out of balance will help with your transitions. Not staying in the gait to long is important, for the horse that may get lost or have a lot of energy. Think approach and retreat.
Where your horse is still running through your hand, bending your horse down the transitions maybe more appropriate. I often use circles to work on my transitions to start with. Bending down and going through the centre of the circle to make the downward transition. When I have smooth transitions up and down through the different gaits, I will ride transitions on the straight.
Many riders become obsessed with longitudinal or vertical flexion of their horse. If the weight is right, the flexion is more likely to be correct. If you put the flexion first your horse may end up over bent or heavy in the hand. The horse below, while not running through the riders hand is not at a stage where she can carry herself with any degree of flexion at a trot. At a walk she was able to carry what Ray Hunt called a soft feel. As she develops and her transitions improve, this will change.
There are many ways to help your horse with balance and transitions is one approach. As I heard spoken sometime ago; “Until your horse is in balance they will not be emotionally stable.”
It has been a couple of months since I last put pen to paper. In deciding what area to cover, the title; To Develop or Train a Horse came about, it is an interesting concept.
Perhaps it starts more with the humans attitude towards the horse. In my courses there is always a little bit of well intended banter and a few stories of one nature or another told. In telling of my own experiences over the now many years or those of my teachers. It is for the purpose of trying to pass on the philosophy behind the message and not just a technique.
This is a young horse that I am starting at present. At first she was a little defensive and with time and understanding, she has become more confident.
To just employ a technique without any empathy for the horse can result in different outcomes for both horse and rider. For example if you are bending your horses head around and you are just pulling on the rein without feel. The horse may bring his or her head around but with a different attitude perhaps the horse gets defensive and scared and braces on your hand or leg, every action represents an attitude.
If your own feel and timing is still a work in progress, it is amazing how much the horse will fill in for us. For those horses that are a little more sensitive or defensive if you give them a little more time and don’t try to make it happen, often they will come through for you.
While the above is not a how to article. The message that I am trying to convey is that horsemanship is much more than a technique. You cannot preach what you do not practice, the horse will know the difference.
Welcome to this months blog, presently I am home in Central Qld – Aust starting horses on my families cattle property. I have already begun the years course schedule with a one day home course in January and then a visit to New Zealand’s South Island. Thank you to Scott and Michaela for all your efforts in organising the 3 days. Below is a schedule of courses coming up in March, more info is available on my website www.davidstuart.com.au I have also added an article on the canter below, that may be helpful to those struggling with it.
UpComing Events:
March 2nd & 3rd Green Horse Course , Nebo – Qld – Aust.
March 15 – 19, Horsemanship & Masterclass, W.A. – Aust
March 29, 30 & 31st Green Horse Course, ACT – Aust
The canter is a topic that can cause a lot of anxiety in both horse and rider. What many riders may not be aware of is that they can do a lot at the walk and trot to help prepare the horse and themselves for the canter. Don’t think that it is a case of take a deep breath, pull your hat down, hold on and kick like crazy and canter. Many riders experience horses kicking out or bucking going into the canter.
For a long time I have said that forwards is your friend, if in doubt ride forwards. That is not to mean that your horse runs off with you, getting your horse to carry you in the gaits is really important. If you have to peddle / continually kick your horse in the walk & trot then you are probably going to struggle with the canter. Equally keeping your transitions smooth both upward and downward. If you “ambush” your horse into the canter through the sudden use of a crop etc, you are likely to find your horse starting to run into the canter.
I also encourage riders to use trotting poles or a cross rail to transition into the canter. The horse then often finds the canter without the rider having to override their horse. If you can feel your horse is really on the forehand at the walk or trot, you may wish to get your horse more in balance before asking for the canter. Asking for the canter transition going up a hill will have your horse more in balance. At the walk and trot try and feel for your leads, then when asking for the canter see if you come out on the lead that you thought you were on at the trot.
Knowing the foot falls of the canter will also assist in your leads. In the image above you can see the horse taking the first stride on the left lead. (The right hind being the first stride for a left lead.) The middle image showing the moment of suspension before the left hind starts the sequence for the right lead. I trust that the above is helpful to those struggling with the canter.
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