Equine Fitness: A Program of Exercises and Routines for Your Horse                                      Jec Aristotle Ballou   

TIPS FROM MS. RUTHANN HORSE TRAINING TIPS If you present yourself in a confident manner to your horse and be clear on what you are asking, the horse will be more likely to respond in a positive manner.  Most human beings are the hurry up and get it done now type. So we tend to push the horse faster then the horse can learn.  In doing so; we don't allow the horse to learn.  For example we ask the horse to back up and instead of stopping and praising him when hw has taken one step, we ask for ten steps and then call the horse an idiot for not backing up ten steps.  If you break the steps down into little baby steps the horse will learn faster and with less stress.  We need to learn to listen to the horse when he is trying to tell us that he just isn't getting the idea of what we want.  If you listen when he is just not getting it; take a step back and try approaching him with a job that he already knows and get him thinking again.  Then try again with what you were asking to do, but use smaller steps.  Like moving his hindquarter off of pressure, and leaving his front leg glued to the ground.  If your horse is just not getting what you are asking of him, break it down smaller.  Just get him to move his hind end away from you first.  Then once you have that down, move on to keeping his front leg still. Don't make it a contest!  In any contest the horse will win.  If you feel it becoming a fight; back off and do something that you know that the horse will do easily.  If you find that you are loosing your temper; tie the horse up and walk away.  Don't let the horse go if he hasn't been listening to you.  Tie him up and let him stand there til you can go back to working him with a cool attitude.  Training a horse is about leadership.  If you loose your cool then the horse won't trust you to lead him through scary places.  Remember, if you can't lead him; how are you going to ride him.  Sometimes when you first start working with natural horsemanship, the horse will seem to get worse not better.  Don't get discouraged.  Keep trying and try to analyze what you are doing.  If you can; have a friend come over.  Ask your friend to pay attention to what you are doing and see if you are asking correctly for movement.  I have found from personal experience that a lot of time when I am having a problem with a horse; its not the horse, it is me.   If I look at what I am doing; I realize that I am not asking the horse with the proper body movement. When you first start working with natural horsemanship, you are learning a new language.  You are learning to speak "horse" and your horse is learning to pay attention to you instead of everything going around him.  Don't expect either one of you to learn it in two days.  It will take weeks; if not months.  If you work at it steadily, you both can learn to talk to each other with body language.  Then, all of a sudden... one day you will be working with your horse and it will be like a dance.  That is when you know the you have made a partner out of your horse. TRAIL RIDING TIPS  1. Desensitize your horse to scary situations you may encounter on the trail in a safe environment, such as an arena. 2. Gradually introduce him to traffic where you can control the situation. 3. Before you even think of hitting the trail, you and your horse should have mastery of basic skills in the arena. You should have whoa and go, steering, and control at all gaits. 4. If your horse isn’t used to riding alone, build up his confidence by going out for short jaunts frequently, working up to longer rides as his confidence grows. 5. Don’t tailgate! Maintain one horse length between horses. 6. Before you trot or canter on the trail, check with the other riders in your group. 7. In a mixed-levels group ride, put an experienced rider in the lead and another at the end. 8. If your group is well matched in skill level, take turns riding in the lead, middle and end positions. 9. Negotiate road crossings as a group so that no horse is left behind on the other side of a busy roadway. 10. Horses feel safest in a herd, and some may panic if they feel deserted. It’s best to keep all riders in your group together, although experienced horses and riders may be fine venturing off alone. 11. At water stops, wait until all horses are done drinking before leaving the watering place. Some horses won’t drink if they are distracted by the fear of being left behind. 12. If your horse tries to hurry home, refocus his attention by asking him to ride in serpentines along the trail, or flex to give his shoulder. 13. Rather than pulling straight back on the reins when your horse dives for a bite of grass along the trail, try pulling him left or right while you encourage him to move out. 14. Mind your multi-use manners: Show courtesy to hikers, bikers and others sharing the trail. You are an ambassador for equestrians! 15. If you crave competition, consider participating in a judged trail ride (trail trial), endurance ride or competitive trail ride. 16. Looking for adventure with your friends or family? Some camping facilities, state and national parks offer amenities to accommodate horses, including corrals. 17. Approach slippery, slick or rocky trail conditions slowly. Keep yourself centered in the saddle, so you don’t throw your horse off balance. 18. Clean up after yourself: If you parked your rig at a trailhead, don’t leave piles of manure and other mess behind. 19. Save our trails—join the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource to work for land access and preservation on a local or national level. www.elcr.org 20. Wear a helmet with an extended visor for added sun protection. 21. Be seen: If you ride out at night, reflective tack and clothing is a must. Wear dayglo orange in hunting territory. 22. Keep your tack in good repair. You don’t want a cinch or bridle to break out on the trail. 23. If you only trail ride on the weekends, make sure the ride you choose is within your horse’s current fitness level. 24. When you set out, always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. 25. Carry a cell phone on your body, rather than in a saddlebag, in the event that you and your horse part company. Attach an ID tag somewhere on your horse’s gear as well. 26. Pack a basic first-aid kit for horses and humans. 27. Don’t let your horse choose to charge up hills—a change in pace should be decided by you. 28. Reevaluate your horse’s saddle fit on trail. A good arena saddle doesn’t always make a good trail saddle. 29. If you use protective legwear for your horse, make sure it can withstand the rigors of trail riding. You shouldn’t come home with burrs and/or sand in your horse’s boots or wraps. 30. Insect populations can increase on the trails. Protect yourself and your horse from pests, including gnats and ticks. HORSE CARE TIPS:  PREPARING YOUR HORSE FOR WINTER Adjust Feeding Programs: As pasture quality or accessibility declines consider increasing hay and concentrates.   Help Horses Keep Warm: Horses kept outside need to eat more fodder. Horses produce a lot of heat during digestion. A generous supply of hay helps keep the horse’s internal furnace stoked. Add Minerals: If your feeding program does not include a mineral supplement consider adding one. Have Teeth Checked: Make sure your horse’s or pony’s teeth are looked after by an equine dentist. The inability to grind food properly will prevent a horse from getting all of the nutrients and energy it needs--especially if energy needs increase during colder weather. Prevent Snowballs: If snow packs into your horse’s hooves try smearing the bottom with petroleum jelly. If You Ride Frequently: Drying a horse out after a workout is difficult. Consider clipping a heavy hair coat. A clipped horse, without natural insulation, will require stabling and blanketing to keep warm. Add Insulation: Consider blanketing during wet, very windy, or frigid weather. A wet coat looses its loft--like a wet down jacket, and won’t hold body heat. Windy weather pulls warmth away. Some horses are comfortable during very cold weather; some will be more comfortable in a warm winter blanket. Provide Shelter: Even if your horses are stabled over night, provide them with a windbreak or shelter especially if you are away most of the day. Banish Bots: Plan to deworm after the first heavy frost. Use a wormer that includes medication to kill bot larvae. Continue Deworming: Continue a regular deworming program throughout the winter months. Don't Let Hooves Get Overgrown: Keep you horse’s hooves clipped. Clipped hooves will chip less, hold less snow, and will provide a bit more grip on slippery ground. Check Under Blankets: If your horse or pony wears a winter blanket (or rug) during the winter remove it daily and check for chaffing and irritation. Daily grooming keeps coats cleaner and your horse more comfortable if he wears a blanket. Make Cleaning Frozen Water Buckets Easier: Rubber buckets are easier to knock the ice out of if they become frozen. Plastic buckets used as water buckets can shatter when they freeze. This can create a hazard and wastes money when replacing them. Rubber buckets may cost more initially, but last longer.

HORSE RESCUE TIPS One of the most incredible things about a horse is his power to bring happiness to children and adults. Unfortunatley many people get a horse without realizing what a large responsibility it is. When you adopt a rescue horse, you give him a second chance at a great life. Research the needs of a horse. He will require a pasture to graze and shelter from the elements. Understand the time and energy that goes into being a horse owner. Good horse ownership requires a strong understanding of nutrition and care. Ensure that you can give your horse plenty of socialization. Horses are very social creatures and can develop behavioral problems if not given enough social interaction. Consider the finacial responsibility of being a horse owner. Besides basic living expenses, you will also need to provide your horse with ongoing veterinary care. Locate a rescue group and apply to adopt a horse. The adoption process can be involved because the rescue group will want to make sure that you and your horse will be compatible. The organization will thoroughly research you and your facilities to ensure you can provide a safe and loving home. They may even request a reference from your veternarian.

HORSE OWNERSHIP TIPS Whether you are looking for a horse for yourself or your child, there are many questions that need to be answered before taking the plunge! Why do I want a Horse? Horses fulfill many rolls and are a source of enjoyment for many people. Not only is riding fun, it is a great form of exercise. In many cases horse ownership is a lifelong dream which can finally be realized. Social and competitive opportunities become available with horse ownership, and frequently your own horse is a confidant and close companion. Being able to ride whenever you wish is one of the many benefits of horse ownership. Many horse lovers simply enjoy spending time with horses, and caring for them as another member of the family. What will my Child gain from Owning a Horse? Horse ownership offers many benefits. Caring for an animal teaches a child to be responsible. The routine and regiment of caring for an animal teaches children discipline. As with many interests, the rewards are the direct result of hardwork. Children will learn that hard work pays off, and develop a good work ethic. When children contribute towards the cost of keeping a horse they develop an appreciation for money and finances. A nervous or shy child will gain self-confidence from being able to handle a large animal. All these qualities will carry over into the child's life. Riding and stable chores develop strength, agility, balance and coordination. A family horse encourages teamwork and sharing. A competitive child will gain a healthy sense of sportsmanship and a good competitive attitude. (Horses can be very humbling!) What are the Benefits for Parents? Horse ownership can bring the family together when everyone takes a part in the day-to-day care and riding activities. Parents can be involved, and experience the joy of watching their children developing new skills. Skills which will provide pleasure throughout the child's life. Watching children enjoying their horse may encourage moms and dads to join in the fun and learn a new skill! What are the Disadvantages? Keeping a horse can be expensive. The animal must be cared for every day, twice a day, 365 days a year. If you pay someone to take care of the horse this is not such a problem. A horse that is cared for by the family must be provided for during holidays, vacations, and family crisis. Your child may lose interest or find another pastime. Horses are time consuming. Make sure that your child's other activities will fit in with a horse. Do you or someone in your family have the experience to care for a horse. If not, are you willing to learn? If you have any doubts about your chills level of interest, try some of the other options mentioned before committing to a horse full time!

HORSE PSYCHOLOGY Our definition of natural horse training is based upon examining all facets including environmental, physical, emotional and scientific approaches to enable us to view a horse’s life through their eyes. By choosing thoughts that represent a horse’s perspective while curving the human’s thoughts of conditioned understanding we can eliminate the use of forceful and painful techniques. 　                                          Defining Natural Horse Training & Leadership Think of someone that you would consider to be a great leader, then answer the following questions. What qualities or characteristics do you find in a "great" leader? Patience, Trust, Respect, Honesty, Consistency, You feel safe when you are with them, Confidence, Fairness, Understanding, Awareness, Kindness, Purposeful…. What qualities of characteristics do you find in a "poor" leader? Untrustworthy, Dishonest, Inconsistent, You do not feel safe with them, Disrespectful, Unconfident, Unfair, Lack of patience and understanding, Dominant! Forceful, Overbearing, Rude, Unaware, Dictatorship, Poor decision maker, Unfocused…… Physical needs: We both need food, water, shelter. (Although the horses need for shelter differs from humans where the horse prefers on open shelter from weather conditions not an enclosed space separated from others. Humans are the cave dwellers not horses.) Shared Emotions & Abilities: We share these kinds of emotions with horses: Love, Pain, Fear, Sadness, Anxiety, Frustration, Loneliness (social order), Trust, Respect, Preferences (likes & dislikes), Friendships, Forgiveness, Confidence, Instinctual Need for Survival and probably many more. The Human Ego: Horses do not have this "EGO". They do not live by such things as Jealousy, Pride, Resentment, Guilt, Judgments, Prejudices, Acceptance from peers, Insults, Shame, Grudges, Approval from others, Hate, or have the need to Win. Humans can have mixed emotions but horses do not. For example: We can like and dislike or love and hate at the same time for one person. Horses are not concerned about how they look or how others see them. Their instinctual needs consisting of primary elements of survival is what they are only concerned with. As humans we do not consider being "eaten" or even going hungry during the day. Could you imagine what that would be like?Horses live in "the moment" or in the "Now", however humans spend much more time living in the "past" or planning for the future. Anthropomorphizing: When we use human characteristics to explain animal behavior or justify how they feel by assuming if we feel a certain way, then so do they.     For example: My horse is feeling guilty or ashamed because he knows he shouldn’t bite. My horse likes to hug me. When my horse sees a trailer he knows he is going somewhere. My horse likes his stall at night. My horse prefers this bit to that one. My horse knows when he is being bad. My horse gets jealous if I don’t pet him. Natural Horse Training Communication I approach natural horse training by considering all of the above information first. Then I go even deeper imagining I am in a foreign land unable to speak the language of the occupants. Where would I start and how would I communicate? Since horses communicate more with each other through the use of body language than voice, I become extremely aware of all my movements. And since they are also very sight specific, every hand, finger, foot gesture means something to them. Voice always becomes second and usually used to regain a horse’s focus first before combining sounds or words with movements. This natural horse training tip came by recognizing that some horses really love to be scratched where they cannot reach. My goal here is to gain trust and have my horse consider me as useful too! Natural Horse Training Principles to Live By! #1: THINK LIKE A HORSE! #2: THINK LIKE A HORSE! #3: IF SOMETHING IS STILL NOT WORKING: THINK LIKE A HORSE!

SENIOR HORSE TIPS One year of a horse's life is equal to an average of three years of a human's life; so a sweet natured 28-year-old horse is equivalent to an 84-year-old person. With proper care and feeding you can extend the productive life of your older horse. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your elder horse in good condition. Equine Dental Care Regular dental care for your aging steed is critical. Sharp points can develop in a horse's molars making it difficult or painful to chew. My vet recommends a dental check every 6 to 12 months for older horses. Observe your horse as he eats, if he's dropping a lot of food, suspect dental problems. Check his manure for excessive amounts of grain or unchewed hay - these signal inefficient digestion which occurs when a horse can't chew properly. Regular dental checks can alert you to tooth loss or breaks that occur more frequently in an older animal. If your horse loses too many teeth, you may have to make adjustments to how and what you feed. I knew one senior horse at a therapeutic riding stable that had lost all his teeth but still maintained his weight and vitality thanks to daily slurries of senior horse food mixed with water. This pellet soup allowed the horse to lap the food since he couldn't chew. Elder Horse Nutrition The older horse also has decreased digestive efficiency so feeding food that is top quality and digests easily is very important. Fortunately, there are a number of excellent senior horse feeds on the market that were created to address the nutritional needs of older horses. Many of the senior feeds are "complete" - meaning they have hay (fiber) in addition to concentrates. Our vet also recommended adding corn oil to our senior's diet to help increase energy and shine. Since every horse is unique, consult with your vet on diet recommendations for your elder's dietary needs. As with any horse, access to fresh clean water is important. In the winter use a tank warmer to encourage water consumption. Adequate water (and fiber) helps prevent impaction colic. Check out "Feeding the Geriatric Horse" by D.G.Pugh for more information on feeding older horses. Arthritis and Joint Care Joint supplements may help your senior horse stay active and move around more comfortably. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are over the counter supplements that have been helpful to some seniors. If you try these products, note that it takes over a month to see any changes.  There are also intravenous injections of hyaluronic acid (such as Legend) that can help lubricate joints. Something to keep in mind if your horse has arthritis and you occassionally trailer her is that it may be easier for her to use a ramp trailer than a step down variety. It is a consideration if you have older horses and are trailer shopping. Maintain Activity Keep your senior active. You may not be able to ride them, but maintaining them in a pasture where they can move around at will keeps their joints more flexible than confining them to a stall. Movement also helps to increase circulation, improves digestion and generally stimulate the horse keeping them healthier and happier. If you can still ride your senior, you may need to dedicate more time to warming him up and cooling him down. Hard strenuous rides may also need to be replaced by more leisure rides. Protection from Aggressive horses Elder horses may need extra protection from horse bullies. Aggressive horses may run the elder horse off their food or attack them and the elder horse may not be able to defend themselves. Consider fencing off a section of the pasture where your elder and a buddy can live their days in peace and without the stress of an aggressive bully. Adequate Shelter Your elder horse will also need access to shelter. A run-in shed or stall access will provide needed refuge from the hot sun, harsh winds, or when the black flies attack. If you can't keep your senior horse yourself, you might explore some of the many horse retirement options. One thing I have noticed with my older horses as they matured is that they need more protection from the cold than when they were younger. This is especially true if they get wet and then cold. After I found my older mare shivering one morning, I made it a practice to blanket her on cold wet winter days. Even though her coat gets thick in the winter, she doesn't tolerate the cold as well as when she was a youngster. Regular Vet and Farrier Attention You may not be riding your elder horse, but he still needs regular health care. Regular trimming, vaccinations, and regular vet exams can go a long way to keeping your aging horse healthy. Make sure your senior is de-wormed regularly, especially if you notice weight loss or a sudden decline in the coat condition. Elder Horse Attention and Love Your senior has given you the best years of their life. Reward them with good care and love and they will return the favor with companionship for years to come.

HORSE TRANSPORTATION TIPS Horse Trailer Travel Tips Always check your towing equipment/ trailer before you depart to for safety: Check Tire Pressure Adjust Brake Controller Check all Lights Cross your safety chains Make sure load is properly tied down and secure Make sure emergency safety equipment is in the trailer Check spare tire Test breakaway battery Make sure all doors and windows are properly latched Test your brakes- Pull your trailer a short distance press your brakes to make sure they work. #1 ~ If you are towing one horse, always load on drivers side - STRAIGHT LOAD TRAILERS #2 ~ If you tow more than one, make sure the heaviest is on the drivers side for balance. #3 ~ Load the heaviest horse toward the front - SLANT LOAD TRAILERS #4 ~ A loaded horse trailers require more patience in driving please maintain extra room between other vehicles, and give your horse trailer plenty of room for braking. #5 ~ Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to accelerate your vehicle, as the weight of your loaded horse trailer will not accelerate as it would empty. #6 ~ Signal when changing lanes, and gradually move you horse trailer from one lane to the next, the slower the move, the more comfortable for your horses. #7 ~ If your horse trailer would sway don’t slow down your towing vehicle. Tap your brakes sending short signals to the brake controller which will slow your horse trailer and allow your horse trailer to pull straight behind the tow vehicle with minimal swaying. #8 ~ Make sure directions on how to care for your horses are located in your horse trailer or tow vehicle for emergency personnel incase of an accident, emergency response teams may not be trained in how to handle your horses. #9 ~ Make sure on long extended trips you check on your horse about every four hours to ensure they are maintaining good health and not at risk for dehydration #10 ~ It is recommended that you do not trailer for more than 12 hours without allowing your horses to get out and at least tie to the side of the horse trailer for a few hours to feed and water. As with any horse, most times the owner of the horse knows best, and knows how much their horse can handle, make sure you consider your horse when travel and build in rests for them during your travel. #11 ~ It is recommenced when you stop for the evening that you stop in a fair grounds or horse park where you can rent a large pen or have a large stall for your horses to rest at night.

RIDER PSYCHOLOGY Visualize Your Goal! By: Lesley Stevenson    There was once an interesting controlled study of basketball players, conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago, where he split the players into three groups and tested each group on how many free throws they could make. After that, the first group spent a set amount of hours a day practicing free throws. The second group spent that time visualizing themselves performing that perfect free throw. And the third group did nothing – sat around and watched TV.     After 30 days, he tested them again. He found that the first group had improved by 24%. And the second group had amazingly improved by 23%, without even touching a basketball! The third group had not improved at all, which was expected. Visualization proved to be nearly as effective at improving skills as actual physical practice! So how can we utilize this technique to improve riding performance? You must visualize yourself performing that perfect jump or trot lengthening in the first person, rather than as if you were watching yourself performing in third person as if you were watching a movie. You need to involve sight, sound, and feeling to really gain the benefits from visualization. If you would like to improve the way that you go with your horse over jumps, close your eyes and imagine over and over you and your horse cantering to an oxer, staying relaxed and supple in the final strides and on takeoff. And feeling how smoothly your body follows the horse’s motion during the jump. Feel yourself landing into your heels and immediately looking at the next jump. If there is a jump on your cross country course that you are worried about – say it’s a big jump with a sizable drop on the landing side – as you go through your course in your head, when you come to that jump imagine yourself riding your horse positively forward. And imagine yourself getting into the defensive cross country seat in the air with your weight solidly down in your heels and your feet forward. Picture yourself letting the reins slip through your fingers as necessary to give your horse freedom to use his head and neck on the drop. And then picture yourself smoothly gathering your reins on landing from the drop. If you mentally practice jumping your bogey jump perfectly, over and over, you will commit the perfect execution of that jump into your subconscious. And then as long as you have the skills to actually do what you have been imagining (meaning that you are truly qualified for the level of competition that you are at), your subconscious will tend to take over and allow you to do the jump just like you have imagined – IF you relax and let it happen! You can also improve a skill by acting “as if” you have it already. For example, when I was young and learning how to sit my bouncy horse’s trot, nothing that anyone said to me was helping. Teachers would describe how to sit the trot, I would read books on the subject, and try things out. And I was still bouncing. What worked for me was to watch a really good rider sitting a very bouncy horse’s trot, and to NOT over analyze it. I just got on and pretended I was that rider. And it worked! I wasn’t immediately perfect of course, but that was the beginning of me finding the feeling of how I needed to move to “ride the wave” of the motion in the sitting trot. Visualization can be a very powerful and useful tool. You might be surprised at how much your performance improves when you take the time to imagine yourself riding that perfect course or dressage test. Give it a try!

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