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By:
Marilyn
Merrick |
Riding Tips From Craig Cameron
Craig Cameron on
Horsemanship -
Part 4
Be Willing to
Change
Be willing to
change, to let
go of your ego
and pride. The
horse doesn't
have an ego or
pride like a
human does,
which is one
reason he's easy
to teach. So if
you find
something that's
not working for
you, be willing
to change. It
doesn't matter
who taught you -
your dad or
granddad or the
world's latest
champion. If
you try a method
or technique
with your horse
and he isn't
getting it, try
another
approach. Read
another book,
watch another
video, take
constructive
criticism, but
find another
approach to help
your horse
understand what
it is you're
trying to teach
him. You'll
know when he's
confused
because
he'll start to
show signs of
nervousness and
what you might
take for
belligerence.
Actually, he
just doesn't
understand what
you're asking of
him.
Remember: If
you can't
change, then you
can't grow. If
you can't grow,
then you can't
be your best.
And if you can't
be your best,
what else is
there?
Horseman Versus
Trainer
A great horseman
is a fair and
patient
communicator.
Her'es an
interesting
analogy when it
comes to
training
horses.
Say you measure
knowledge in
terms of
electric volts.
One trainer has
100 volts and
another has only
75. But the
trainer with 100
volts can
communicate only
40 volts to the
horse. And the
trainer who has
75 volts can
pass along all
75 to the
horse. Which
trainer do y9ou
want riding your
horse? I'd
rather have the
trainer with 75.
There's a
difference
between a great
horseman and a
great horse
trainer. I've
known a lot of
horse trainers,
even champions,
whom I don't
respect. Horses
are just things
to them, just
objects,
something they
use on their way
to glory. The
championships
are always about
them, not their
horses.
To me, a big
part of
horsemanship and
horse training
is trust and
it's a two-way
street. It's a
trust I must
have of my horse
and he of me.
In the
dictionary,
trust is
described as
faith, hope, and
a reliance on
another. It
also mentions
confidence and
doing things
without fear or
misgivings.
These are all
qualities I try
to develop in my
horses.
To trust is to
believe in
something. As
horse people,
it's easy for us
to destroy the
trust or belief
our horses have
in us.
If you train
through pain or
fear, you
destroy the
trust the horse
has in you.
Trust, like
confidence, can
be gained and
lost. You can't
make something
or somebody
trust or believe
in you, you can
only gain this
trust or respect
by the way you
work with or
train your
horse.
Enough is Enough
How do you know
when you've
trained or
ridden enough
for a day?
Recognize when
your horse is
trying. Even
though you might
now have gotten
to the point you
had in mind that
day,
if your horse is
trying, maybe
that's enough
for that day.
Don't push it to
where things
become bad. You
always want to
end on a good
note.
One thing I see
people do, even
at my camps and
clinics, is
after they learn
new training
techniques, they
make the mistake
of never
stopping their
training. I'll
yell out to
them: "When are
you going to
stop training on
that horse?"
they look at me
and say, "What?"
There have to be
resting spots
for horses.
Resting spots
are extremely
important to the
horse,
especially when
you're doing
things that are
mentally and
physically
taxing to him.
Learn to find a
stopping spot.
Drop your reins,
turn loose of
the horse and
let him relax
and catch is
breath. This is
part of giving
something back
to the horse.
Rest, relief,
release,
relaxation,
reward, a pat on
the neck. Let
him res a minute
or two.
You've also got
to take into
consideration a
lot of different
things. How
long have you
been riding the
horse? What is
his
disposition?
How hot is it
outside? When
you add the
humidity and
temperature
together and
they total 180,
be careful.
Then enough can
be enough real
quickly. The
hoarse can
become
overheated and
not able to cool
himself down.
He could even
die. If you get
a horse too hot
and too tired,
he can't learn
or think
anymore. And if
you push, the
horse will
become angry.
You can't train
an angry horse.
An angry horse
can't learn.
Be a great
teacher to your
horse. To do
so, you need to
be a great
student of
horsemanship.
Teaching is the
art of
communication.
Work on the
little plateaus,
the little
changes, the
little tries.
Reward them and
build upon
them.
Those are your
building blocks.
Goal-Setting
Set goals for
yourself in
horsemanship
because that's
the only way
you'll know if
your
relationship
with your horse
is working. But
come up with
small ones -
they're more
believable and
therefore
achievable.
Work on reaching
small plateaus,
not climbing
insurmountable
mountains. I
think a big
mistake that
many of us make
is that we ask
way too much way
too fast of
ourselves and
our horses. We
need to slow
down. Take our
time.
Don't get in a
hurry with
horses.
Excerpt
from: RIDE
SMART by Craig
Cameron with
Kathy Swan.
Pages 37-45
Published by
Western
Horseman. |
