Training a horse is a nuanced and rewarding journey, one that involves a series of progressive steps. In this blog post, we’ll delve deep into the five phases of training Kate, a four-year-old Cow Horse bred mare. From her initial challenges to her remarkable transformation, each phase builds upon the previous one, culminating in a well-rounded and responsive horse.
The Five Phases of Training Kate: A Comprehensive Journey from Rebellious to Responsive
Phase 1: Establishing Basic Obedience and Respect
First Impressions
When Kate first arrived, she was not paying attention to me, her trainer. She seemed to have her own agenda, showing a lack of respect for my leadership. This was not surprising, as many horses, especially Cow Horse bred mares like Kate, go through a rebellious phase during their four-year-old year. The first step was to saddle her up and start establishing a rapport.
Initial Groundwork
The first training session involved a lot of groundwork, including lunging. Lunging is a technique where the horse is sent out on a circle around the trainer. It’s a way to establish control and teach the horse to pay attention. Kate was initially resistant, showing signs of learned behaviors to escape pressure. However, as we progressed, her turns improved, and she started to show signs of compliance.
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
The first training session with Kate was an eye-opener. It revealed her strengths, such as her previous training, and her areas for improvement, such as back-end engagement and mental focus. The next steps would involve more focused exercises to strengthen her back end and improve her transitions.
Phase 2: Physical and Mental Warm-Up
Importance of Leadership
The key to working with mares like Kate is giving them a reason to trust you. This phase focused on exercises that required her to listen, follow commands, and respect boundaries. The results were promising; Kate began to show less resistance and more willingness to cooperate.
Physical and Mental Warm-Up
Before diving into specialized training, it was crucial to ensure Kate was both physically and mentally prepared. This involved a series of warm-up exercises, including trotting and basic steering, to limber her up and get her focused.
Here is a link to the bit I used through Kate’s Training
Phase 3: Introducing Cow Work and Advanced Training
Working on Collection and Body Control
Kate had received some prior training that focused mainly on her face but neglected her body. The next phase involved working on her collection and body control, teaching her to move in a more rounded and balanced manner.
The Turning Point: Introducing Cow Work
The real turning point in Kate’s training came when she was introduced to cow work. The trainer had observed how Kate looked at cows and suspected she might have seen them before. The first encounter was carefully orchestrated. The trainer walked into the pen with Kate to give her confidence and to assess her initial reaction to the cows.
Learning the Rules
Kate was taught the basic rules of cow work: control speed and direction, stop on command, and no aggression towards the cow. She was quick to catch on, displaying a natural ability to control the cow’s movements with subtle cues.
The Mental Challenge
The cow work was not physically demanding, but it was mentally challenging for Kate. She had to focus, listen, and respond to cues promptly. This mental engagement was precisely what Kate needed.
The Results
Today, Kate is a different horse. She’s responsive, respectful, and shows no signs of the rebellious behavior that marked her early days. She has learned to channel her energy into productive tasks, and in the process, she has become a much nicer horse to be around. Working cows was Kate’s big turning point. That video you can watch on YouTube called, Training Rebellious Teenager to be Productive
Phase 4: Building Strength and Balance
The Initial Challenge
When I first started working with Kate, I noticed she had a tendency to favor one lead over the other. In her case, it was the left lead. This is a common issue in horses and can be attributed to a lack of muscle strength and balance. When asked to lope or canter, Kate would often scramble forward, increasing her trot speed but never really transitioning into a lope. This is a clear sign that her back end was weak and couldn’t keep up with her front end.
Trotting Exercises
The first step in the training process was to engage Kate in trotting exercises. The aim here was to strengthen her back end muscles and improve her balance. During these exercises, I focused on making contact with one leg or the other, depending on what I wanted her to do. If she resisted turning, I would use a spur on the same side to encourage her. The key was to steer her shoulders, not her head, to guide her movement.
Loping Exercises
After some time spent on trotting, I moved on to loping exercises. The goal was to get her to transition smoothly into a lope while maintaining balance. Initially, I let her lope in her preferred left lead to tire it out a bit, making it easier to work on her weaker right lead later.
The Right Lead Challenge
Getting Kate to pick up her right lead was a more complex task. It required opening up her right shoulder and driving her right hip forward. This was done through a series of cues and body positioning, which sometimes took multiple attempts to get right. The key was to get her back end to push more, allowing her front end to lift and move forward smoothly.
The Importance of Spurs and Body Weight
Throughout the training, I used spurs to encourage Kate’s back end to push more. Contrary to some beliefs, spurs are not a substitute for a crop; they serve different purposes. I also shifted most of my body weight into my left stirrup when working on her right lead. This helped balance her, as she didn’t yet have the strength to support herself.
Monitoring Muscle Soreness
It’s important to note that like humans, horses can get muscle sore when they are worked hard. This is especially true for young horses like Kate, who are still building muscle. While some muscle soreness is to be expected, it’s crucial to monitor it and adjust the training regimen accordingly to prevent overworking the horse.
Phase 5: Advanced Training and Fine-Tuning
Initial Challenges
Kate had become a handful for her owner, displaying general behavioral issues that made her difficult to manage. The more specific issue was her reluctance to pick up one lead. She always wanted to pick up either the left or the right lead, but had trouble picking up the other.
The Training Approach
I started by moving her shoulders and body, essentially getting control over her movements. This helped establish my leadership and allowed her to start following my commands. This control was crucial for working on her lead picking issue.
Introduction to the Leverage Bit
I introduced her to a leverage bit about a week and a half ago. This was important for advancing her training and rounding her body. It gave me more control over her shoulder and ribs, and helped work towards achieving the collection we aimed for.
Progression and Challenges
When asking for the left lead, she initially had her head up a bit. She’s been in the leverage bit for just a week, so she’s still learning to hold the frame it requires. She’s also grown a bit in the last couple of weeks, which has affected her balance and coordination.
The Right Lead
The right lead was the one we had trouble with. To set her up for it, I used my right leg and right rein to push her shoulders over, and my left leg to engage her back end. She initially resisted but eventually picked up the correct lead. She still finds this lead awkward, and it’s a work in progress.
Speed and Balance
Kate’s speed consistency is directly related to her balance. As she learns to maintain her frame, her speed consistency will improve. It’s all a matter of balance, engaging her back, and lifting her shoulders. Here is Kate’s Going Home Video.
Closing Remarks
Training Kate has been a journey of ups and downs, but the progression through these five phases has been incredibly rewarding. Today, Kate is a different horse—responsive, respectful, and ready for the challenges ahead. Each phase of her training was a building block, contributing to her overall development and preparing her for a successful future.
Thank you for following along on this journey. Until next time, happy riding!