In this month's "Trainer on Demand" feature, Tommy Garland shared with us his online training program "Tommy's Tips." One of his techniques is training with a giant ball. Review "Having A Ball" from the April 2010 issue here.

As a second-generation pro horseman and trainer, I've been exposed to horses with problems and special issues all my life. And if there's anything I've learned from my father, also a trainer named Tommy Garland, it's that any means of teaching a horse to overcome issues, no matter how outside-the-box it might seem, is better than forcing him—and always worth a try.

The worst that can happen is your at- tempt to teach the horse doesn’t work—and that’s simply a cue telling you to move on and try something else.

This is my intro to the subject of what you can teach a horse—any horse, but especially a timid, anxious, or spooky one—by using a large, air-filled ball as a deliberate training tool. Working with the ball has rider benefits, too. At first glance, this idea may seem “out there.” It has certainly produced some raised eyebrows and sideways glances from some, including fellow show-horse trainers, when I’ve demonstrated it.

To highlight the ball’s value, I’ll tell you how I used it as a problem-solver and confidence builder for a Half-Arabian mare, who was once so fearful she wouldn’t go from one end of my arena to the other without spooking. After going through my training-ball program, this mare, Jeweliette, changed so much that she won a reserve national champion performance title at last year’s U.S. Arabian and Half-Arabian National Show. I also presented a flag to her during a performance of the national anthem—something a fear-possessed horse wouldn’t tolerate.

Here’s how I had a ball, literally, helping this transformation take place.

Accidentally On Purpose
When Jeweliette was brought to me for training by her former owner Natalie Hunt of Ontario, Canada, she was 7 and had experienced minimal success as a show horse. It was easy to see why.

The mare had problems. She was nervous, "looky," mouthy with a bit, and when something upset her, her gaits tightened up until she moved like the cartoon character Pepe Le Pew—boing, boing, boing. Plus, with an Arabian sire and a Saddlebred dam, she was bred to be on the hotter side, and it showed.

The mare also had an obsessive fear of the large, sponsor-type banners that hang in my arena to simulate the ones horses will see at major shows. She wanted no part of those. By the time Jeweliette entered my program about two and a half years ago, I’d been employing a training ball for a couple of years. I’d become familiar with what it could do to desensitize a horse’s fear response. But originally, I’d gotten the idea by accident. I had a horse in training that was scared of a basketball-like ball that’d somehow found its way into in my arena. To get him over it, I began rolling and tossing it toward him, experimenting with his reactions. His fear soon turned to curiosity. Before long, he got into dealing with the ball—so much so that he pursued it, then bit at it, like a horse sometimes tries to bite at a steer

he’s following, and then he busted it! Now, I have balls specially made for horse-training purposes and offer them on my Web site, <b>tommygarland.com. Each ball is 40 inches in diameter with a thick bladder, handholds that allow you to pick it up and move it, and a tough cover that can stand up to the force of a horse. This is the kind of ball I brought into play to help Jeweliette with her issues.

Fear Vs. Control
A training ball is simple to work with. That's part of the beauty of it. Though its size, shape, and rolling action may startle a horse at first, the ball also activates a horse’s natural curiosity. As he explores its properties, the horse learns the ball won’t hurt him (basically, it can’t hurt him), and he loses his sensitivity to it.

The desensitization benefit can expand to other areas, too. That was the case with Jeweliette, as I’ll explain.

I introduced her to the ball from the ground, inside an enclosed arena-always safest for horse and handler alike, because a horse can blow up and spook the first time he encounters the ball. With Jeweliette in a halter and lead, and standing several feet away from her, I led her toward the ball and then rolled it away from her.

Some horses snort and jump sideways the first time they see this large, unfamiliar object move. Jeweliette just planted her feet, stretched out her neck, and looked. Pretty soon, her curiosity prompted her to walk up to the ball and reach toward it with her nose. As she sniffed it, she bumped into the ball with a knee (exactly what I wanted to happen), making it roll. The next time she approached it, the same thing happened—she picked up a leg, connected with the object, and caused it to move.

To a horse, this is an important piece of information. When he has the power to direct the movement of another something—horse, human, steer, dog, even a giant ball—he believes himself to be in control. That’s the opposite of being afraid.

Once a horse learns to make the ball roll by bending a knee, it’s amazing to see how he’ll eventually get into the whole idea of making it move, and then following it to make it move again. I’ve never had a horse that didn’t react this way when introduced to the ball. Jeweliette was no exception.

After the mare was comfortable with following and moving the ball, I stepped things up and rolled the ball toward her. The objective was for her to accept having the ball advance toward, touch, and bounce away from various points on her body. This was a bigger challenge for her, but another step toward helping her learn to be less reactive.

In the Problem Solvers section of the March 2012 issue, Tommy Garland answers a reader's question about her horse not wanting to stop from an extended trot or lope. One of his recommendations was the figure-8-in-a-circle exercise that he detailed in January 2012's The Confident Rider department. The exercise and its uses are detailed here.

If you control your horse’s nose, you control his pace and direction. This gives you confidence plus boosts his suppleness and willingness.

What do I mean by controlling his nose? I mean you can flex your horse laterally while moving him actively forward. In response to minimal cues, your horse bends through his neck and body (while keeping his head/neck level), and willingly changes direction as you request.

My figure-8-in-a-circle exercise will develop all those skills and enable you to feel, Wow—I have so much more control now!

Get prepped. Create a 25-foot-diameter circle inside your arena. (Draw the circle in the dirt, or use cones or other markers.)

Outfit your horse in a snaffle or other mild bit (or bosal), so you can communicate clearly without stressing his mouth.

Warm him up thoroughly before attempting the exercise.

If your horse is inexperienced at lateral flexion, work from the ground and then mounted at a standstill to teach him how to give his nose around smoothly, without raising his head, in response to rein pressure.

Then try the figure-8 exercise, first at a walk, then advancing to a trot.

Here's how. Enter the circle at a walk and guide your horse in a figure 8 within the circle, trying not to go beyond the limits of the circle as you do so. To create each half of the 8, take a firm enough feel on the rein to initiate the small circle. Flex your horse’s head around smoothly, lifting the rein up to draw his nose toward the point of his shoulder (see photo). At the same time, press your same-side leg at the cinch to help your horse create a bend through his body.

At the midpoint of the 8, in the middle of the circle, ask your horse to change his direction and his bend by reversing your cues. Release the pressure on the rein that created the first circle, while smoothly picking up pressure on the other rein. Change your leg pressure at the cinch (switching from one leg to the other) to help change the bend in his body.

Initially, at the point where your horse’s neck straightens out before bending the other way to start the new circle, he’ll want to lift his head. Don’t jerk or bump the rein; just keep the rein pressure steady until he softens in his jaw, then soften your pressure in return for an instant to tell him, “Yes! That’s what I want.” Eventually, he’ll figure it out and learn to keep his head at the same level throughout the exercise.

Success tips. Work on this exercise for about 30 minutes per day, allowing at least two weeks to really get the hang of it.

Don’t get discouraged if you go outside the limits of the circle on some of your turns in the beginning. your horse won’t be listening to your legs and bending as much as he needs to, and you won’t be cueing as effectively as you need to. Just keep at it; you and he both will improve.

Also, don’t bore yourself by staying at a walk for too long. As soon as you begin to figure it out, go ahead and move to the trot and continue to polish the exercise and your horse’s responses at that gait. You’ll get better as you go.

Tommy Garland
A popular clinician as well as a show trainer, Virginia-based Tommy Garland stresses “confidence, patience, and respect” via his CPR Horsemanship program. Learn more at tommygarland.com.

These days, commercial feeds can contain a lot more than just alfalfa meal and cereal grains, and looking at feed-tag ingredients lists can be confusing. We asked equine nutritionist Clair Thunes, PhD, whose Sacramento-based Summit Equine Nutrition (summit-equine.com) advises clients throughout the U.S. and Canada, to give us a breakdown of modern feed ingredients.

Here’s what she told us.

Complex Carbs. These are one of the three main sources of energy in horse feeds. (The other two are nonstructural carbohydrates [simple carbs/starch] and fats.) Complex carbs, which require bacterial fermentation in the horse’s hindgut in order to be broken down, typically come from common hays such as alfalfa, grain hay (such as oat), and grass hay (such as Bermuda), or sometimes from less-common forages such as soybean hay. Other sources of complex carbs are highly fermentable “super” fibers such as beet pulp and soybean hulls. Super fibers provide a greater quantity of calories than typical forages and are useful where calories are needed but starch must be limited.

Simple Carbs/Starch. These are typically provided by traditional grains such as barley, corn, and oats, as well as molasses—a customary ingredient in sweet feeds. Some feed manufacturers may use the collective term “grain products” on their ingredients list, which can include any of these grains in various forms plus others such as wheat and rice.

Fats. Fat tends to be highly digestible and contains two and a quarter times more energy than an equal weight of carbohydrate. It also helps reduce the dustiness of feeds and aids in the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, such as vitamin E. Sources of fat include vegetable, soybean, and corn oils, all of which supply energy only—no protein or minerals. Rice bran (about 20-percent fat) is another popular source.

Levels of fat in horse feeds have increased in recent years as manufacturers have sought to decrease energy from starch. With the growing awareness of fatty-acid balance in the diet, some feed companies are moving away from using corn oil as a fat source (as it’s high in omega-6 fatty acids) and relying more on soybean oil (which has a slightly higher omega-3 count). Some companies also are beginning to add omega-3 fatty acids from flax and even fish oil to some of their higher-end products.

One complication of fat in horse feeds is that it makes the resulting product harder to form into pellets. For this reason, high-fat feeds are often textured, or a mix of pellets and other ingredients, such as beet pulp. In these instances, the fat may be applied to the feed toward the end of processing, which can cause the feed to look “wet.” Traditionally, such an appearance has been caused by molasses, thus can create concern in the eyes of buyers trying to avoid simple carbs. So always check the feed tag to determine if a wet appearance is likely the result of fat or molasses in the product.

Protein. Many different sources of protein are found in horse feed, and they’re not all of equal quality. Protein consists of amino acids, which fall into two types: “essential,” which must be provided in the diet, and “non-essential,” which may be created by the horse’s own system. Protein quality is judged by the proportion of essential amino acids that the protein source provides.

High-quality protein sources include milk proteins (dried whey) and by-products of oil production from oil seeds such as soybeans. All these are high in the essential amino acid lysine.

Other sources of protein include linseed and canola meals. Sometimes feed companies add amino acids individually, and you may see these listed on the tag (for example, l-lysine monohydrochloride).

Minerals/Vitamins. These are included in commercial feeds to ensure that the deficiencies and imbalances typically found in the forages consumed by most horses are corrected. Macrominerals (required in gram amounts) may include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride.

Trace minerals (required in milligram amounts) include copper, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, and iodine.

Vitamins include A, D, and E, plus several of the B vitamins. Natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) is most absorbable.

Digestive Aids. These ingredients, which aid in the utilization of feed by supporting the horse’s gut-bacteria populations, have become more common in feeds. They include various enzymes and yeast cultures, as well as the extracts and products of specific bacterial populations, such as lactobacillus acidophilus.

Other. These include preservatives (propionic acid), flavorings (anethose, fenugreek seed, yucca), stabilizers (lecithin), and pelleting agents (glycerin).

A Word About By-Products
By-products, now increasingly common in horse feeds, sometimes cause concern among horse owners. The term conjures up images of mill leftovers and waste, but many by-product ingredients are nutritious and have been accepted for years.

For example, wheat bran, a staple of feed rooms for decades, is a by-product of wheat-flour processing. Beet pulp, which many horse owners love to feed, is left over after the sugar is extracted from sugar beets.

Newer and less-well-understood by-products include wheat mill run and wheat middlings. These are popular because they “pellet” well and allow performance diets to maintain

a high caloric intake while reducing starch. Other grains have a starch content that’s often over 45 percent; by contrast, wheat middling and wheat mill run provide a comparable amount of digestible energy but with a starch content of only about 25 percent.

...Dr. Clair Thunes

In the March Gallop Poll we asked which alternative therapies you've tried with your horses. To learn more about those alternative therapies for horses, look through the December 2011 article, "Alternative Therapies, 7 Steps to Success," here.

The horse, an accident victim, was barely able to stand in his paddock, and when we asked him to move, he'd bear no weight on the leg at all. He was sweating, with a hart rate of 100, meaning his pain was severe and unrelenting. Even worse, the accident had happened seven days ago, and instead of calling a veterinarian, the owners had opted to call a local “chiropractor” who’d performed an adjustment and recommended four grams of bute a day for the following week until the horse could be seen again. The adjuster owned a gas station in town, and had learned to “crack backs” from his next-door neighbor.

Sadly, the adjustment did nothing for the fractured tibia seen on radiographs, and even if it could’ve been repaired, it was too late by the time the owners finally decided to call their vet. The horse was also in severe kidney failure, most likely due to toxic doses of bute.

This is a frightening example of an alternative-therapy choice gone bad, and similar episodes happen way too frequently. Yet acupuncture, chiropractic, and equine massage therapy can be valuable parts of your horse’s management plan when used appropriately by a qualified practitioner. In our practice, we work closely with a variety of therapists who help us manage chronic back pain in hard-working performance horses, keep our older horses comfortable in their retirement, or provide relief from compensatory pain following a severe injury.

The key is knowing when to use these modalities, and who to call for help.

I’ll outline seven key steps to follow that’ll help you make the most of alternative therapies in your horse’s management plan. I’ll also explain basic information on acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage, outlining what they are, when to use them, and how to choose a qualified practitioner who’ll help your horse and do no harm.

7 Steps for Success

Step 1: Diagnose
First and foremost, if your horse has a musculoskeletal problem, you’ll be most successful getting him back to work if you know what’s wrong—and more often than not this should begin with your veterinarian, who can do a lameness work-up in pursuit of a specific diagnosis.

Why is this so important? Because an injury like a torn suspensory ligament or broken bone is generally best identified and managed using conventional medical treatments. And in some cases, such as a neck or pelvic fracture, it’s downright dangerous for a horse to have certain manipulations performed.

Does that mean alternative therapies should be avoided altogether in these cases? Absolutely not. They can be extremely valuable for pain management and to address compensatory issues. In some cases, they can even contribute to the healing process. It just means they should be applied with care-which requires an accurate diagnosis from the start.

Step 2: Choose Wisely
A key element to success is to choose your practitioner carefully. A properly trained chiropractor, acupuncturist, or body worker will refer you to your veterinarian when it’s appropriate, and won’t apply therapy until an underlying problem is diagnosed and treated. Begin by seeking a practitioner who’s certified, ideally through one of the organizations listed later in this article.

These organizations all boast rigorous education and testing procedures, meaning a practitioner with one of these certifications is guaranteed to have received a certain amount of training and to have demonstrated a level of knowledge and competence with which you can feel comfortable. If your therapist claims to be “certified” but not through one of the organizations listed, ask questions before you allow him or her to work on your horse.

A wide variety of training programs exist, and some programs are better than others. Many issue their own “certificates” when the course is completed, but a piece of paper doesn’t necessarily equal valid certification.

If this is what you discover, ask some specific questions about the amount of training your chosen therapist has really had. Be aware of a non-veterinarian therapist who recommends prescription medications without consulting with your vet. This can often be a red flag that the therapist is unclear about where the boundary between him or her and the veterinarian should lie—which could not only mean trouble if medications are misused, but also raises a concern about whether he or she will appropriately involve the veterinarian for other aspects of your horse’s care.

Step 3: Involve Your Vet
Your veterinarian should remain an important part of your horse’s management plan—even when you turn to alternative therapies that are outside his or her direct expertise. In fact, your vet usually will be familiar with most or all of the individuals offering alternative therapies in your area, and can probably direct you to the most competent person who’s most likely to help your horse.

In our practice, we have close working relationships with a number of alter- native therapists in our area. We chose to develop these relationships because the individuals are well trained, know when it’s not safe or appropriate to work on a horse with a specific problem, and maintain open channels of communication regarding horses in our care.

The result? When we all work as a team rather than as solo artists, your horse is more likely to get better.

Step 4: Be Prepared
Once you’ve decided on a therapy and selected a qualified practitioner, it’s important to be prepared for your appointment. The therapist is likely to request a full medical history, including information from your veterinarian about chronic conditions or recent treatments. He or she generally will perform some kind of exam on your horse, and decide on a treatment plan according to his condition.

If the therapist detects any type of lameness, heat, or swelling on the body, or sign of a systemic illness, chances are he or she will recommend your horse be seen by your regular veterinarian prior to administering treatment. Don’t be frustrated if this happens. Instead, see it as a good sign that the person you’ve selected is conscientious and well trained.

As with any visit for medical care, make sure your horse is in the barn, clean and dry, and ready for your appointment. Also have any medication information or other medical history at your fingertips.

Step 5: Tell the Truth
Have you ever paused when filling out that medical history form, wondering whether that nighttime glass of wine really qualifies as “drinks alcohol”? Yes…it does. And if you don’t answer truthfully, it could have a significant impact on your health care.

The same holds true for your horse. If your acupuncturist, chiropractor, or massage therapist asks you about the type and intensity of work your horse does, about previous lameness or medical problems, or even whether you were able to follow suggestions for after-care, it’s important to be accurate with your answers. Not only will it help your therapist devise the best treatment plan, it’ll also let him or her know whether treatments are being effective.

After all, if your massage therapist recommends a specific stretching exercise for your horse and you don’t do it... it’s hard to know whether the treatment plan is working.

Lyle and Smart And Shiney

Particulars: 2003 palomino Quarter Horse stallion sired by Smart Shiner and out of Tronas Pearl, by Dox Tronalena.

Owners: Lyle Lovett, Houston, Texas, and Tim McQuay, Tioga, Texas. Tim is also the horse’s trainer.

Accomplishments: Under Tim’s guidance, the stallion has accumulated more than $100,000 in NRHA earnings. He was the 2009 NRBC open prelim co-champion, a 2008 NRHA Derby top-10 finisher, and is an AQHA World Show qualifier in reining and performance halter.

‘Shine’-ing bloodlines: “I got into the horse business through Carol Rose. It was appealing to me that Smart And Shiney is by Carol’s great sire Smart Shiner, by Shining Spark,” Lyle says. “Shining Spark horses are extremely athletic and really good-minded. Smart And Shiney is a perfect example of that combination.”

Feelin’ right: “Riding Smart And Shiney has helped me learn what it feels like to execute maneuvers properly so that when I’m on another horse, I can do my best to try and get that same feeling,” Lyle says. “Riding such an exceptional, consistent horse improves my riding, reinforces the right ‘feel,’ and makes my judgment that much better.”

Favorite memory: “Any time I get to ride him,” Lyle says. “It just sticks with me. It’s one of those experiences I’m able to replay over and over in my mind...what it felt like to stop him, and circle, and spin.”

Consistent confidence: “I’m certainly the biggest variable in the show pen,” Lyle says. “I can hear my heart beat when I walk to the center of the arena to start a pattern. Smart And Shiney is calm and level-headed. He waits for you, he listens, he does just what you ask. That’s a nice feeling of confidence.”

Use the downtime of winter to reinforce basic ground manners in your horse.

When ice and snow make riding impractical, that doesn't mean you can't still be busy with your horse. In fact, winter is a great time to polish up your horse's basic ground manners, skills that might otherwise get rusty when you're not riding or working with him every day.

Here's a list of expanded how-to help on teaching the skills from the "Wintertime? Tune-Up Time!" article in the February 2012 issue. Click on the links below for more training tips.

Stall manners: "Build Good Habits From the Start," Clinton Anderson.

Personal space: "Teach Your Horse to Respect Your Personal Space," Clinton Anderson.

Head-down cue: "Build the Bond," John Lyons.

Proper leading: "Lead-Line Lightness," Clinton Anderson (video).

Flex neck to the side: "Flex Your Horse's Neck From the Ground," Clinton Anderson.

Flex vertically at the poll: "Face Time," Sandy Collier.

Tie safely: "Trouble-Free Tying," Clinton Anderson.

Foot manners: "Help for Fussy Feet," Clinton Anderson.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Zzzzzz.

That sound you hear is that of time passing by and of you, worn out by the daily grind and put to sleep by the notion of yet another “stay-cation” spent at home catching up on chores. Is that going to put snapshots in your scrapbook or be something the kids remember fondly for life? Not likely!

Before another year gets away with no getaway, why not rekindle life’s fun factor by going on a vacation trip based on your love for horses? There are lots of ways to make that happen and plenty of price-point options.

As proof, we rounded up details on 50 great escapes that range from across the country and around the world to just down the road a piece. Tip: Many of the vacations presented here will allow you to bring your own horse, so if that interests you, be sure to inquire about it when you find a listing that sounds like it’s up your alley.

With eight categories to pick from in this article and multiple locales named within each, you can go on 50 vicarious vacations right now. Send us a postcard from the one you pick!

Cattle Drive/Cowboy Work
Help real ranch hands drive and sort cattle, plus perform other ranch chores. Don’t forget to bring your chaps.

Appeal: If you’ve always wanted to cowboy up, here’s your chance to try your hand at traditional ranch chores—up to and including cattle drives—on veteran, well-behaved cow ponies. Tip: Inquire about seasonal opportunities; cattle drives typically take place in the spring and fall.

Offered by: McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch in Libby, northwest Montana. Polish your skills with Buck Brannaman-influenced horsemanship coaching, then practice cattle sorting, cutting, and ranch penning on talented horses. You can also ride trails, plus help with colt gentling in the spring.

More info: mmgranch.net; (406) 293-5000.

CALIFORNIA. Hunewill Guest Ranch, Bridgeport. Try the Big Fall Cattle Gather; the Hunewill (pronounced “honeywell”) was established in 1861 by Napoleon Bonaparte Hunewill. hunewillranch.com; (760) 932-7710.

COLORADO. Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Loveland. Learn about low-impact rotational grazing as you help ranch hands move and work Red Saler cows and calves. sylvandale.com; (877) 667-3999.

MISSOURI. RS Ranch Gaited Getaways, Bourbon. Ride one of the ranch’s Missouri Fox Trotters or bring your own horse to help out on a 500-acre ranch that still uses draft horses to perform heavy work. rsranchtrailrides.com; (573) 732-4590.

OHIO. Smoke Rise Ranch, Glouster. Participate in cattle drives, team penning, cutting, and guided trail rides, plus enjoy pool parties, music, and dancing deep in the Hocking Hills. smokeriseranch.com; (800) 292-1732.

TEXAS. Running-R Guest Ranch, Bandera. Play cowhand in the Texas Hill Country; the Running-R adjoins a 5,500-acre state natural area with over 40 miles of trails. rrranch.com; (830) 796-3984.

Luxury and cowboy can go together at ranches like Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa. Try your hand at cutting and ride the range, or play the 18-hole championship golf course.

Photo courtesy of Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa

Resort Luxury With Horses
Pamper yourself at a handsome facility offering multiple actives, deluxe accommodations, and fine dining.

Appeal: Vacation at a multi-purpose resort, and the non- riding members of your family will have plenty to do, such as fish, swim, play golf, go touring—or spend a relaxing after- noon at the spa. Tip: Be prepared to open your wallet; resorts, especially the most luxurious ones, can be pricey.

Offered by: Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa, Lajitas, Texas. This full-service resort’s equestrian center offers riding lessons and trail rides through the desert mountains bordering Mexico. Its extracurricular activities include 18-hole championship golf; fossil explorations and bird-watching expeditions; and historical tours of Lajitas, where Comanche Indians and Pancho Villa once roamed.

More info: lajitasgolfresort.com; (432) 424-5000.

ARIZONA. Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg. Ride all week and never see the same trail twice, or try your hand at team penning; other activities include tennis, golf, and trap/ skeet shooting. sunc.com; (928) 684-5484.

CALIFORNIA. Alisal Guest Ranch, Solvang. Trail ride over 10,000 acres in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, or play golf on a course designed in 1956 by the legendary Billy Bell, Jr. alisal.com; (805) 688-4215.

COLORADO. Devil’s Thumb Ranch, Tabernash. Explore trails on 5,000 acres of privately owned wilderness, then luxuriate at the nature-based spa and in a lavish private cabin or cozy lodge room. devilsthumbranch.com; (800) 933-4339. NEW YORK. Rocking Horse Ranch, Highland. Ride with confidence on a trail ride matched to your ability; kids will love the indoor water park—with 250-foot water slide. rhranch.com; (800) 647-2624.

NORTH CAROLINA. Pisgah View Ranch, Candler. See the Blue Ridge Mountains on horseback, mountain bike, or foot; enjoy nightly entertainment and games from horseshoes to volleyball. pisgahviewranch.net; (866) 252-8361.

WYOMING. Red Reflet Guest Ranch, Ten Sleep. Help with the working-ranch chores or ride out on the range, then retreat to a deluxe chalet with private hot tub and stocked wine cooler. red-reflet-ranch.net; (866) 766-2340.

"Giving the face." In the world of riding, it describes the point when your horse softens in the jaw and flexes willingly at the poll in response to light pressure on both reins. It’s also called “coming soft to the pull,” and it’s the single most important thing to teach your horse.

Why? Because it’s how you and your horse both know that you are in control. By softening through the jaw and flexing at the poll, vertically or side-to-side, your horse says, “I’m yours. what do you want me to do?”

By contrast, if he even thinks that “putting his head on upside down” (that is, lifting his head and bracing with his neck) is an option, then you don’t have control of his mind or his body. And that can be downright scary on a thousand-pound animal!

Getting a horse to flex at the poll and soften in the jaw is relatively easy, but keeping him that way at all speeds, through transitions, and in all maneuvers—that is a lifelong endeavor.

I’m going to show you how to get started. I’ll demonstrate this flexing at a standstill, walk, trot, and lope, plus give you tips for making it work long-term.

Your Goal
Ultimately, your horse should stay soft and flexed in response to your picking up the reins, so that his face is roughly at the vertical (more or less perpendicular to the ground). He shouldn’t be so flexed that his face comes far behind the vertical, with his chin tucking toward his chest.

As he gets better at flexing and dropping his head, he should also soften in the jaw, which means his mouth will feel soft—not braced or pulling—on your hand. As he softens to you, his face may come slightly behind the vertical at times. ideally, he’ll ultimately remain soft even with a little slack in the reins.

If you ask him the way I’m going to describe, using your legs to keep his hind end engaged, he should over time also begin to round his topline, reaching far up underneath himself with his hind legs (what I call “shortening the wheelbase”). He should stay relaxed, rather than become agitated. Eventually, you’ll feel him getting better balanced under you.

From The Ground
Outfit your horse in a snaffle bit and saddle, then stand facing him, just off to one side so you’re not directly in front. Grasp a rein just behind the bit with each hand, and apply gentle backward pressure. If need be, slide the bit gently from side to side (but avoid a harsh “see-sawing” effect). The instant your horse responds by bringing his nose back and/or down, release the pressure and praise him. It’s more important to get your horse to respond willingly numerous times than to hold him longer in the flexion.

Timing is critically important. Your horse learns from the release of pressure (the reward), not the application of it (the pull). Also, he assumes what he was doing immediately before a reward is what he’s being rewarded for. So to reward that very first “give,” release pressure and praise him the instant you feel him respond.

Continue asking, and try to get a little more flexion as your horse begins to understand the drill.

Once he’s responding well, grasp the near rein only and draw it back and up, in a pull-and-release fashion, toward the saddle horn (to approximate the angle of your pull when you’re mounted). When your horse’s head is partway around, hold the rein still and wait for him to give that last little bit on his own. The instant he does, drop the rein, releasing all pressure, and praise him.

Repeat, trying for a more willing response and a bit more bend as he comes to understand what you want. Then move to the other side and flex him similarly in that direction.

Repeat these flexing exercises before every riding session for a while.

Mounted, At A Standstill
After your horse is flexing well from the ground, mount and ask him to flex at a standstill. Take the same approach; that is, with your hands about 12 to 24 inches apart, first draw back gently but firmly with both reins, drawing the bit softly from side to side if need be to get your horse to flex at the poll, drop his head, and soften.

Release pressure and praise him the instant he responds (make sure he’s actually giving to you—that is, softening to your hand—and not just dropping his head), then repeat.

To ask for the lateral flexion, slide your hand halfway down one rein, then draw your hand back in a pull-and-release motion toward your waist. Try to get your horse to volunteer that last little bit of bend, then pitch the rein loose and praise him. Repeat several times, then do the same exercise with the other rein.

Repeat these flexing exercises each time you mount and before you begin your riding sessions.

At A Walk, Trot, Lope
When your horse starts getting solid in his flexing at a standstill, try it at a walk, but with one key difference: in motion, always use your legs in concert with your hands. This keeps him moving forward (rather than just slowing down) and, eventually, encourages his hind legs to reach well up underneath him.

Start on a straight line. Walk him forward, and as you ask him to flex by exerting pressure on both reins (just as you did at the standstill and from the ground), keep your lower legs in a neutral position (that is, at or just behind the cinch) with as much pressure as necessary to keep him moving forward at the same pace.

As you ask for flexion to the side, move him onto a small circle (say, about 20 feet in diameter), using your inside leg at the cinch to encourage him to bend through his body as your inside rein asks him to flex his neck to the inside. The bend in his neck should enable you to see just the corner of his eye.

When he’s responding well at a walk, try it at a trot, then a lope, using the same approach (you’ll need slightly larger circles at the faster gaits). Remember—you’re using your legs to create impulsion up into the bridle.

A good exercise to combine all the learning focuses on transitions, which are a great place to work on flexion. So practice getting and keeping flexion going from a trot to a lope to a trot, then down to a walk for a step or two, then stop and back up. Strive for softness in the transitions—especially the downward ones, such as from a lope to a trot and a trot to a walk.

Mix it all up and practice a lot, and you’ll be well rewarded as your horse becomes softer, lighter, more responsive, and better balanced overall.

To ask your horse to give his face from the ground, stand next to his head and grasp the reins just behind the bit, applying gentle backward pressure. The instant he responds, by bringing his nose back and down, as my mare has here, release the pressure and reward him.

Horses that won't tie are a pain. At the slightest provocation, they'll pull back, struggling violently against the pressure the halter exerts on their polls. In the worst case, they can injure themselves or their handlers. In the least, they ruin good equipment.

Pulling back has been difficult to cure...until now. The Blocker tie ring now available on the market is the closest thing I’ve ever found to a genuine quickfix for a horse-related problem. It works by eliminating the very thing that causes a horse to panic and pull back—that trapped feeling.

Photo 1

How the ring works is consistent with basic equine nature. As a prey species, horses are a “flight or fight” animal. When frightened, their first choice is to flee. If a tie rope makes that impossible, they’ll fight against the rope. The pressure exerted by the halter adds to their fear, and the reacting side of their brain tells them to get away from that pressure—now!

Their struggle, in other words, is just as violent as it would be if they were trying to escape the clutch of a lion.

By contrast, when a horse tied to a tie ring is startled and pulls against the rope, it gives a little, without turning the horse free. As the horse steps back from where he’s tied, he feels less fear, and so stops. When he does, the pressure on his poll vanishes, rewarding him instantly and reinforcing the message that he has nothing to fear from the rope or being tied. At that point you can pull the rope back through the ring to its original length.

The tie ring works better than bungee cords, rubber tires and inner tubes, or twine. Bungee cords have some “give,” but they continue to exert pressure on the poll after the horse has reached the end of the stretch and stopped, so there’s no built- in reward. The same is true of a horse tied to a tire or tube.

Photo 2

Tying to a piece of breakable twine assures that a panicked horse won’t hurt himself, but it automatically sets him free. This teaches the horse that pulling back is useful (“I got away!”), rather than unnecessary (the message of the tie ring).

I’ll show you how to tie to a tie ring, and how to teach your horse he has nothing to fear from standing tied. You’ll do this by mildly startling him, inviting him to retreat. The moment he stops moving away (in response to discovering that he’s not “trapped” by the rope), you’ll discontinue the startling motions/sounds and praise him, bringing him back up to the tie position.

Photo 3

If you aren’t comfortable startling your horse, no problem. The tie ring will still work on its own over time to convince him he has nothing to fear of being tied. Then, as long as you always use the tie ring (I have one at every tie spot on my place, inside and outside my trailer, and extras for travel), you’ll never have a tying problem. (Chances are, you’d also be able to tie your horse solidly, but why would you when there’s a better, safer way?)

1. Take your haltered horse to the tie ring, and secure the lead in the ring as shown (see inset). (For this training exercise, we’re using the lowest degree of “hold.” Package instructions with the tie ring explain alternative ways to wrap the rope for additional hold.)

Photo 4

2. Now, approach your horse and, by raising your arms and/or using your voice in a rhythmic way, give him a reason to step back from the fence. Keep “spooking” him gently in this fashion...

3. ...until your horse stops moving away. When he does, immediately lower your arms (as I’m about to do here) and

switch to a praising, reassuring voice. This shows him that even if some- thing does startle him while he’s tied, it’s no reason to panic.

4. Then, continue to praise your horse as you pull the slack back through the ring, encouraging him to step forward.

Photo 5

5. Once he’s back at the fence, rub him enthusiastically to rein- force the message that standing quietly is a good, safe thing for him to do. Repeat the sequence from the other side.

6. To reinforce the tying-is-safe message, use the excess lead to do routine desensitizing while your horse is secured with the ring. Here I’m desensitizing my horse about the head by tossing the line gently around his neck. If it causes him to step back, once again he’ll discover he’s not trapped and there’s nothing to fear.

Photo 6

To Get the Most From This Lesson
Follow the instructions that come with the tie ring (available at various retail outlets and my Web site for about $20) to mount it in a safe location, at about the height of your horse’s eye.

Outfit your horse in a halter with a lead that’s at least 14 feet long. (It needs to be long enough to enable him to move away until he feels safe, without pulling the rope all the way out of the ring.)

“Clinton, how important are the little things horses do that might not be perfectly right? For example, my horse turns away from me in his pen when I go to halter him. It doesn’t bother me, but a friend says I shouldn’t let my horse continue doing this or it will become a habit. Which one of us is right?”

Your friend is correct. Whatever a horse practices, he gets good at. If he practices turning his rear end toward you, he gets good at that. If he practices being respectful and always turning to face you, he gets good at that.

Here’s a little saying I have on the matter: “When a horse does something once, it plants a seed in his mind. When he does it again, it starts to grow as a habit. When he does it a third time, the behavior starts to mature into an ingrained response.”

So, if it’s a good behavior, it becomes a good habit. If it’s a bad behavior, it becomes a bad habit.

Here’s another way to think of it: Picture an old LP record going around and around. Now imagine that the horse’s mind is the needle—the kind old record players have—with a really sharp tip. This needle doesn’t move inward, however. It stays on that one section of the record.

Each revolution of the record represents an action of the horse. As the record turns, the needle wears a groove into the record. With the first revolution, the groove is started. With the second, the groove is deepened--the action is becoming a habit.

With the third revolution, you have a pretty deep groove—an ingrained habit. Now, the more times the record goes around (the horse repeats the action), the deeper the groove gets (the horse’s mind is invariably drawn back to it).

You can see the effect of this especially in older horses. If a horse is 10 and has had a habit all his life, that record could’ve gone around thousands and thousands of times. By now, the habit has made a great big groove in the record.

If your horse turns his rump to you when you enter his pen, create uncomfortable "pressure" by swinging the lead rope tward his hind end.

Obviously, you don’t want a bad habit to become ingrained like that, so you must get after the behavior immediately. It’s also why it’s so important to get to foals as soon as they’re born, to begin imprinting them with good experiences that can lead to good habits.

So—a horse that turns his rump to you when you enter his pen? Correct him the first time he does it, and every time it happens, until he forms the right habit.

Accomplish this by making the wrong behavior (facing away from you) difficult, and the desired behavior (turning and facing you) easy.

In other words, when your horse shows you his rump, swing the lead rope toward his hindquarters to create pressure that makes him feel uneasy.

The moment he turns and faces you, giving you two eyes, step back and stop swinging the rope. This removes the pressure—and the discomfort.

Over time, his mind will create a groove that makes the correct, respectful response a well-ingrained habit.

The instant he turns and faces you, stop swinging the rope and step back; this removes the pressure and reards him for his respectful response. If you always correct errors when they occur, your horse will develop and maintain good habits.

Train All The Time
To keep good habits developing in your horse, require some sort of obedience from him every time you’re together. when you’re cleaning his stall, for example, have him move around you, rather than vice versa.

As you’re leading him, insist that he follow obediently, without hanging back or dragging you forward.

If he puts his head up when you’re putting his blanket on or taking it off, pause a moment to desensitize him to the blanket and remind him to remain still.

Your horse is constantly reading you in an effort to deter- mine, “is he/she serious, or not?” he’ll test you in small ways—push into your space, wait a heartbeat before responding to your request, attempt to “get an inch” here and there—then observe how you respond. if you don’t correct him on these small cheats, he’ll eventually pull a much larger one.

At that point, you might feel he’s acting out of the blue. But, in reality, he’s been telling you for some time, via those little cheats, that he’s losing respect for you. Problem is, you haven’t been listening—or correcting him.

The old horseman’s adage is true: you’re either training—or untraining—your horse every moment you’re with him.