When Push Comes To Shove

Lets face it... The horse industry, and we as horse people, have become obsessed with pulling! From the first riding lesson we take, we're taught the very basics.... "Pull the horse in the direction you want to go." "Pull the horse to stop." Then we progress to "pull on the bit to get a headset" "pull the horse to rate them towards a jump." Pull! Pull! Pull! The key to any horse's success in any discipline is momentum. Push!!

Pull is a foreign concept for a horse. Push is something they can understand. Ever try pulling your horse somewhere they don't particularly want to go? You against their thousand pounds isn't going to cut it. In this scenario, "pushing" by means of driving them forward from behind is usually much more successful.

Ever look out in the paddock and see your horse cantering around, perfect frame, round body, perfect lead changes? Then, we, the egotistical human, get on and think we need to train these things. Add martingale, draw reins, tie downs, and heavy hands, pull to make the horse have the headset we want. The best thing we can do for our horses is get out of their way, the rest comes naturally, as it does when their loose in the paddock. Push!!

I like to think of a horses momentum as a circle, when explaining why your horse needs to move forward to achieve proper frame. A horse is trotting... driving up underneath, then stretching out behind, with their legs. Energy travels up through the horses hindquarters, and over the top of their rump. It then travels across the top of the horses spine, lifting it up. From there it continues through the horses wither, round through the top line of the neck, and through the head to the mouth. And it all starts with pushing your horse forward. When the focus becomes on pulling the horses head in to where we want it, some strange shape of the body is formed that defies the laws of physics, and we achieve what I like to call "faking it." The horses back becomes hollow, stride shortens and becomes less smooth, and usually a tug of war ensues at the end of the reins. By instead focusing on push we ride our horse forward and "into" the bit, producing a naturally round body, smooth stride and supple mouth, all without ever touching the reins.

A good illustration of forward motion and circular momentum can be seen on the lunge line or in long lines. The horse enters the ring head up, looking around, acting silly, with a short choppy gate, sometimes even tripping. As the handler drives the horse forward a noticeable difference becomes evident. The horse begins to relax, stride and body elongate, back rounds, head and neck reach down and forward. This is usually followed by "Wow, that looks way more comfortable!"

So, get out of our horses way! They'll thank you with a gorgeous, smooth, and natural frame, that I guarantee yanking on draw reins will not.

Push!    

Being the Friend/Parent/Mentor Your Horse Needs

One of the most common "issues" I run into when meeting with people who come to me for help with their horses is "Well, I want my horse to like me..." and thus they are not willing to provide structure or discipline for their horse. We all want our four legged companion to like us, this first article will discuss some of my observations on being "liked" by your horse without creating a monster. With any "friendship" must come respect!

I like to first think of horses in their natural and original habitat, as herd animals... There is first the alpha stud, and then a hierarchy of mares. Each member of the herd attains their status not "just because" but because they've asserted themselves and essentially "demanded" their spot in the herd. There are no equals in a herd situation, there must be an alpha. When we are not willing to step up and being that alpha we have essentially paved the road for our horses to step up into the role. Where do you fall in the hierarchy of your herd?

Trust comes into play when it comes to being the alpha. The herd relies on the alpha for protection, to not lead them into harms way and to alert them when there is some sort of danger to be concerned about. When we allow the horse to become the alpha, they step up into that protection role. This can become troublesome or annoying when you and your horse don't see eye to eye on what you need "saving" from... Butterfly, bush, mailbox... You're probably better off being the one in charge of the protecting.

Lastly there is the most obvious reason you need to be the alpha.. Manners! When a horse becomes pushy it's not because they just don't know any better, or just want to be mean. It's all about respect. In a herd situation when a stallion wants to move his herd he uses his body. Even biting or rearing at them if necessary. However, a lower member of the pack would never dare encroach on the leaders space. When the horse becomes the alpha of "your herd" they WILL use their body to manipulate you as they feel necessary.

So, you want your horse to like you? Take a weight off their shoulders and be the leader of your herd. Your horse will love and respect you all the more if you can be the alpha they so desperately rely on.