Welcome to this issue of the “Performance Through Partnership”™ Newsletter!

In this issue you’ll find:

The Exclusive Newsletter Tip: Why Does My Horse Spook?

New Clinic Dates

Introducing Maverick Horse and Cattle Co.'s New Line of Saddles!

Also New at Maverick: Rescue, Rehabilitate, Reborn! Learn About Our New Program to Save "Unwanted" Horses

Answers to Your Questions about Horse Behavior and Training:
1. How do I Catch My Aggressive Horse?
2. How do I Stop My Mare From Causing Trouble When She's Tied to the Trailer?

Do you have a question for me? Please, send it in! I'll choose at least two to answer in each issue. This is only available to newsletter subscribers like you, so ask away!! Go to the ask questions page and type in the password you received when you subscribed to the newsletter.

Also, if you missed any past newsletters you can find them on the newsletter back issues page. Type in your password, and enjoy!

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Today's Tip: Why Does My Horse Spook?

Horses spook because they think they are in danger. Granted it's hard to sympathize when your horse spins around and takes off like a rocket because of the white rock that caught his attention. However, in your horse's mind that rock has created feelings of genuine terror.

The reason why horses spook when they are with us, and yet seem to be perfectly calm when they are out with their herd groups, is because they don't feel safe and confident when they are in our presence. That's either because we aren't calm, confident, and competent leaders, they don't have a solid enough foundation of trust and respect, or they are harboring anxiety that is easily triggered by even the tiniest amount of stress.

I was recently working with a horse at Maverick Horse and Cattle Co. that wasn't too thrilled about the plastic bag on a stick I was waving around. He was definitely spooky about it, standing tensely with his head in the air and running past me, but the real problem was that he was more interested in what the other horses were doing and that it was his feeding time. He wasn't respecting my space, so his spookiness wasn't really about the bag at all. It was about him not wanting to stay focused and connected to me.

After less than 3 minutes of Leadership and Connection work, this horse became relaxed and focused...and I was rubbing the same bag all over his body with his head down and his body soft that 3 minutes ago had sent him into orbit.

A spooky horse is tense and a tense horse is on alert and ready to react quickly (fight or flight) to any situation. By keeping him, or returning him, to a calm, confident, and connected state-of-mind, you can successfully guide him through nearly any situation and pretty much make spookiness a thing of the past.

In the next "PTP" newsletter, I'll tell you how one seemingly small physical issue can create serious problems for you and your horse.

Be good to your horses and enjoy the ride!
Dale

New Clinic Dates

August 29th and 30th - Leadership and Connection on the Ground and Under Saddle

Day 1 will focus on building a foundation on the ground.
Day 2 will focus on putting that into use under saddle.

This clinic is a blast! You will be amazed at how much progress you and your horse will make and at how much your horse-human relationship can grow.

September 19th and 20th - Leadership and Connection in the Round Pen and an Introduction to the Groundwork

During this 2-day clinic you and I will work with your horses in the round pen. I will also introduce you the foundational "Performance Through Partnership" groundwork that will transform your horse's behavior, and your relationship with him, forever. You will not believe how easy it is!

For more information about these and upcoming clinics, visit the clinics page on www.DaleRudin.com. Host a clinic at your own facility, and you and your horse can attend for free!

Introducing Maverick Horse and Cattle Co. Saddles!

At Maverick Horse and Cattle Co. we want you and your horse to be the best you can be. When it came to finding saddles for our clients and ourselves that could provide comfortable and balanced rides for both horses and humans, we were having a really tough time.

We just couldn't find saddles that would fit our standards. Yes, are standards are high, but that because if something isn't right it's our horses who suffer the most! We also know that it's a struggle to ride properly on a saddle that doesn't put you in the correct position.

So, we decided to design our own saddles. It's been a long process to get them just right. These saddles have been design and tested by us on our own horses that we train every day...and they are now available to you!

We are very excited about these saddles and hope that you'll take a look to see why. Let us know if you have any questions. We'll be happy to tell you why we love them and why you will too.

Rescue, Rehabilitate, Reborn!!

With so many unwanted horses these days, we want to do what we can to help.

Maverick Horse and Cattle Co. adopts horses that have been neglected, abused, or surrendered by their owners, rehabilitates them and trains them so that they can go on to lead happy and productive lives.

These are wonderful and beautiful horses that are fully capable of being your very own dream horse. Each horse is worked with using "Performance Through Partnership" techniques so that they have a trusting and respectful relationship with humans.

In the coming days and weeks, we will posting photos and information about the horses that are being offered for sale. You will receive updates on individual horses and their progress in upcoming newsletters as well.

If you aren't able to purchase one of our Rescue, Rehabilitate, Reborn! horses, but you'd still like to adopt a horse or help, visit the Volunteer Equine Advocates website.

This organization is made of a group of dedicated volunteers that work very very hard to improve the lives of equines in need of help. They would appreciate anything you can do to help them out.

You are invited to come out and visit these horse and the ranch anytime. Contact the ranch owner and manager, Brian Driggers, at 615-636-3046 or send him an email.


Your Horse Training and Behavior Questions and Answers:

I have a couple of horses myself and am in love with my TWH/SB gelding.

Of course, I'm not really sure what's the matter with him. We got him back in Aug. of 08 and he had an absess in one of his hooves. Well being the oldest and strongest girl in my household I had to restrain him when the farrier came over. Now he is fully healed and lets me touch him over the fence but nothing more. I can't put a lead on him or he gets very aggresive.

I really love this horse and I would like to start riding him, but with his defensive attitude I can't do ANYTHING! Please help!

If you horse is in a pasture, go out there with him. Carry a long lead rope or lunge line. You'll use that to push your horse away just like a dominant member of the herd would. Actually, a dominant horse would bite and kick. You'll just be tossing the rope in your horse's direction. If he's close enough to make contact with the rope, that's okay. In fact, if he charges you, forcefully throw the rope right at him to move him away from you. If you have to yell and stomp your feet to get your point across, do that too. You need to make your horse understand that he isn't to come toward you aggressively, only calmly.

Additionally, you need to teach your horse that under no circumstances can he approach you when you are facing him. I know this flies in the face of common natural horsemanship techniques, but a subordinate horse will NEVER approach a dominant horse head-on. If they don't allow it, neither should we. You can allow him to approach if you are turned away from him. So he can approach from the side or from behind, as long as your shoulders are turned away at at least a 45 degree angle.

(I'm in the process of putting together some DVDs that will demonstrate this technique and make leading and catching your horse a piece of cake. I'll announce a release date in an upcoming newsletter and you'll be able to buy them online.)

Don't be afraid to push your horse away if he's acting stinky. It's what a dominant horse would do. In order for your horse to willingly and calmly come to you, he needs to believe that you are dominant. In addition to pushing other horses away, the dominant horse is the one that everyone FOLLOWS when he or she goes to a better grazing spot or to get a drink from the trough. So...the subordinate horses respect the dominant herd leader (you!) by moving away from her when she puts pressure on them and by following her when she moves away.

You'll start improving your relationship with your horse by moving him away from you. Your attitude is, "That's my space and I'm taking it!, just as a dominant horse would do. Once he moves away easily and calmly, and this could take a long while, you can turn away from him and invite him to come to you. Only do that when he's in a calm, submissive, and relaxed state of mind. Signs of this are a low head, extended neck, licking and chewing, and blowing air through his nose.

If he turns to look at you when you turn or walk away, he's trying to connect. If he ignores you, walk in his general direction but not directly toward him. Approach at an angle. If he turns to look at you, turn away immediately. It will be like a dance. When he connects, you walk away. When he disconnects, you put some pressure on him by moving toward him. He might move away, which is fine. Just keep repeating the process until he steps toward you.

Ask for a little bit each day. Rome wasn't built in a day and horses hold onto their fears until they are convinced that they don't have to anymore. If you rush this, he'll lose his trust in you.

At some point things ought to progress to the point where you are close enough for your horse to reach out and touch the back of your hand, while you're turned away from him, of course. Once that happens, you ought to be able to touch his forehead. Progress slowly from there to touching the rest of his body and putting a rope over his neck, and then haltering him.

I have a Standardbred mare that is 9 yrs old and I'm training on barrels. When I take her to the rodeos she is awesome but when she is tied to the trailer with our gelding she will turn her hindquarters to him. She also gently tapped one of her hind feet on the trailer making noise so we can't sleep and is damaging the trailer. She will turn and do it to the back of the trailer too. When I put two chairs on either side of her she stopped but that is too dangerous to just leave in between the two horses. I would appreciate any advice that you can give me. Thanks alot.

It sounds like you’ve got a couple of things going on. Your mare is acting dominantly over your gelding and she’s bored, anxious, or both when she’s tied to the trailer. You didn’t mention that she’s kicking your gelding, so that’s good. Swinging her hip at him is a just a warning. It may be all she ever does, especially if he doesn’t do anything to challenge her. The best solution for preventing injury to your gelding would be to tie him to the other side of the trailer if that’s possible, or tie them as far apart as you can.

I’m not sure from your letter if your horses are being tied to the trailer all night when you are away at a show. If so, that might be more confinement than your mare can handle. Yes. Leaving chairs for your horses to get tangled up in is a bad idea. Consider portable pens to see if have more room makes her more comfortable and might help save your trailer from being damaged.

Make sure she has hay in front of her and that you offer her water frequently. Putting some shavings around the trailer where she’s standing will give her some cushion to stand on and make it more inviting for her to urinate especially if the ground she’s standing on is hard. The best way to stop unwanted behavior is to prevent it in the first place. Create an environment in which your horse feels safe and secure and see if that helps her cope better when she’s away from home.

She might also benefit from what I call "Leadership and Connection" work in the round pen, in halter, and under saddle to alleviate some of her anxiety. A horse that is more connected, confident, and relaxed is much happier and is far less motivated to act out.