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Photo By: Marilyn Merrick
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Riding Tips
From Craig
Cameron
Craig
Cameron on
Horsemanship
- Part 3
Attitude
Develop a
positive
attitude
about riding
and
horsemanship.
It makes no
sense to
walk out to
your horse's
pen if
you're
looking for
a fight.
Consider
yourself
lucky and
privileged
if you get
to ride only
once a week
or once a
month.
You're lucky
to be around
horses.
Your
attitude has
to be
positive
because your
horse has
the ability
to pick up
on your
attitude. He
has that
awareness,
the ability
to sense
whether
you're
feeling
aggressive
or mean or
unsure. If
you're
having a bad
day and
having
trouble
adjusting
your
attitude,
make sure
you do
something
with your
horse that's
easy for you
and your
horse to do.
Don't push
the
situation by
tackling
some
difficult
task.
Whatever you
do, don't
get angry at
your horse;
it will only
get in your
way. Don't
get
frustrated;
frustration
will only
get in your
way. You
have to have
more
discipline
and maturity
than the
horse. You
can work
your horse
through
inspiration
or
desperation.
It's up to
you. The
greatest
horseman in
the world
get the most
out of every
horse
because they
have the
right
attitude.
Remember,
horsemanship
is a
thinking and
a working
man's game.
You've got
to be able
to work at
it and
outthink
your hoarse.
When a
problem
arises with
a horse,
stop and
think it
out.
Look
for the Try
What you
look for in
horsemanship
is the try
on the part
of the
horse. I'll
accept
anything but
the quit
from a
person or a
horse. I
can't stand
the word
can't. Don't
give me the
can't; give
me the try.
Don't always
expect 100
percent from
your horse
as long as
he's trying.
Be willing
to accept
only 75
percent of
what you
know he's
capable of
because you
know he's
trying.
Maybe he's
just having
a bad day.
Horses are
going to
have good
and bad
days, just
like you and
me. Maybe
your horse
doesn't feel
well today.
Maybe he's
hurting in
places
you're not
aware of. If
you accept
your horse's
75 percent
today, maybe
he'll give
you 110
percent
tomorrow.
Always give
something
back to the
horse. The
best things
are release,
relief,
relaxation,
reward or a
pat on the
neck. Do
something to
let your
horse know
when he's
doing right.
Communication
and Control
Horsemanship
is all about
communication
and control
you need
control of
the whole
horse -
head, neck,
shoulders,
rib cage,
hindquarters,
all the way
through to
his feet.
And then you
need to
communicate
so he'll
understand
the game
you're
asking him
to play. He
shouldn't
fear it or
hate it; you
shouldn't
have to drag
him into the
arena to do
it. If you
could do it
right, I
think most
horses would
love the
sports we
ask them to
do.
A great
barrel horse
understands
his job; he
runs from
his heart. A
great
cutting
horse likes
to cut
cattle; he
dares a cow
to get past
him. The
ones that
quit and run
off on the
ends are
sometimes
scared to
death.
Horses that
have bad
reactions to
performance
are afraid
of what
they're
doing. Many
times it's a
loss of
confidence
and trust.
They don't
understand
it and were
probably
pushed too
hard and too
fast to
perform. A
loss of
confidence
can be hard
to regain.
If you can
get past the
fear to the
understanding,
then you'd
have total
control of
your horse
because he'd
understand
the game
you're
playing.
Give horses
a year or
two to
understand
your game,
not 30 days.
By not
progressing
too hard and
fast, you
avoid the
element of
fear. There
are times
when your
horse will
get a little
nervous and
unsure about
what you're
doing. Right
then, stop
and go back
to something
the horse
understands.
When he
regains his
confidence
and
calmness,
return to
the lesson
and start
over again.
Learning to
Learn
Allow your
horse to
learn. It's
a time
consuming
process. For
example,
don't try to
get your
horse
spinning
very quickly
until he
learns how
to give to
pressure,
follow his
nose, and
place and
move his
feet. Just
like fine
wine,
learning
takes time.
Anything
that's
worthwhile
usually
takes time.
Give your
horse the
opportunity
to learn. He
didn't come
into the
world
knowing what
you want.
You train
horses to
learn by
going
through a
series of
basics. For
example, in
teaching a
horse turn
around or
spin, like
reiners do,
first you
ask for a
little bend
or yield,
then a
circle; then
you get a
quarter-pivot
or turn. Be
happy with
that,
recognize
and reward
it. Before
long you're
getting a
half-pivot,
then a
three-quarter
pivot; then
your horse
turns all
the way
around one
time.
Horses are
capable of
latent
learning.
That means
it might
take a few
days or
weeks for
something to
click
mentally for
a horse. You
might not
think he
understands
when you're
training him
one day, but
then the
next day or
in a few
days, he's
got it. Give
the horse a
chance to
solve it,
soak it in,
to pick it
up, to
mentally
process what
it is you're
trying to
tell him.
Some pick
things up
right away;
others take
longer. Some
horses are
just slower
than others.
Excerpt
from: RIDE
SMART by
Craig
Cameron with
Kathy Swan.
Pages 37-45
Published by
Western
Horseman.
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