Welcome to the “Performance Through Partnership”™ Newsletter!

In this issue you’ll find:

My take on the difference between "tolerance" and "acceptance" when it comes to training your horse.

What's new at Free Spirit Farm!

The Subject of my Next Internet Radio Program and Upcoming Show Time

Upcoming Clinic Dates

Answers to These Questions about Horse Behavior and Training:
1. How do I stop my horse from flipping her head?
2. My horse is spooky on trail. Can you help?

Do you have a question for me? Well, 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 at http://www.dale-rudin-horse-training.com/ask-questions.html and type in your password.

Also, newsletter back issues are posted on the archive page. You can find them at http://www.dale-rudin-horse-training.com/performance-through-partnership-newsletter.html and click on "newsletter back issues." Type in your password, and enjoy!

(If the above links don't work, please copy and paste them into your web browser.)

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"Tolerance" vs. "Acceptance"

As you know, there are a million different ways to get a horse to do something that you want him to do. Given enough time and repetition, they all work. I can teach a horse to lead like a perfect angel if I yank a chain across his nose every time he steps ahead of me, or smack him with a whip when he lags behind. Want your horse to carry his head in a certain position? Punishment will work. Yank and jerk on the reins to intimidate your horse into the perfect headset. He'll probably keep it there pretty well.

In my book, this type of training falls under the category of "tolerance." A definition of tolerance is: the act or capacity of enduring. To endure is to patiently suffer through. That doesn't sound like much fun, does it? There is no reason for a horse to have to become resigned to his fate, as it were. My question to you is, what does that do to the horse? How much are you missing out on when you have a horse that is going through the motions to avoid a negative response from you instead of participating in the process? How much fun is it to ride a horse like that?

On the contrary, acceptance is defined as: favorable reception; approval; favor. To have a horse that is receptive and accepting of the training process, you need to do two things: take the time to teach him what you want him to know and keep him in a calm and confident state of mind. The result is a horse that is comfortable and has no reason to be anything but fully focused, cooperative, and connected to you.

Getting the job done and getting the job done right by your horse are two completely different things, and the results that I've seen prove that time and time again.

Think about this the next time you work with your horse: Are you teaching him what you want him to do in a way that build his understanding and confidence or are you only punishing him for making mistakes? Put yourself in your horse's hooves, and decide which one you'd prefer.

Be good to your horses and enjoy the ride!
Dale

What's new a Free Spirit Farm!
Free Spirit Farm
is the beautiful full-service facility from which I teach, train, and offer clinics in Lewisburg, Tennessee. It's going to be an amazing place for you and your horses.

What's in store for the farm? Brand new grass turn-out paddocks so your horse can enjoy fresh air, grazing time, and plenty of room to stretch his legs. A new round pen with excellent footing is going up, and so is a new 200x150 ft. riding arena. There is also a new regulation dressage court coming that will be covered for all-weather riding.

Oh, and did I mention that all the stall are roomy at 12x16 ft and will be lined with Stall Skins to keep your horse dust-free and dry? Free Spirit farm will provide everything you need for your horse's comfort, well being, and the best training experience possible.

Free Spirit farm welcomes all breeds and disciplines.

I hope you'll come by for a visit or join me at one of the many clinics I'll be holding there. Contact me about training and/or boarding your horse at this farm where his well-being and your success as a team is our highest priority.

Training with Dale Rudin on Internet Radio

My next radio program is scheduled for August 22nd at 3:00 pm Central time. The topic is "Bits." If you want to listen to the program live, go to Natural Horse Network Talk Radio. If you have a question about bits, you can call in during the show or send it in by email. You can also register to join us via live chat.

If you missed July's show, Trailer Loading, and you're looking for some advice on making a trip down the road more pleasant for you and your horse, click here to listen to it and my other archived programs.

Leadership and Connection Clinics:

Is your relationship with your horse perfect? If not, these clinics are for you! Even if you and your horse seem to be getting along pretty well, you will come away with a better understanding of each other, learn the joy of having a relaxed and responsive horse, become a confident and effective leader, and be well on your way to having the cooperative and connected partnership with your horse that you’ve always wanted!

My techniques are based on the principles of natural horsemanship, but my approach is unlike anything you've seen before. You will find it straightforward, and easy to understand and use. I emphasized softness and relaxation. It is low-stress (for horse and human alike), and suitable for all breeds, disciplines, and levels of experience.

August 30th-31st at Free Spirit Farm in Lewisburg, TN. Join me and learn how to become truly connected with your horse and be the leader that he will follow anywhere!

Reining Horse Clinic

If you're new to reining or want to learn more about this exciting equine sport, you need to come to this clinic. It is all about teaching you how to gain precision control of your horse's body and develop his balance and responsiveness to your cues. Of course, you will also learn how to do this while keeping him in a relaxed and receptive state of mind!

This clinic will be held at Free Spirit Farm on the weekend of September 27th.

Go to my clinic's page for more information about these and other clinics. Or, send me an email to ask questions, make a reservation, or learn how to sponsor a clinic in your area.



Q & A's

I recently bought a Tennessee Walking horse. She’s got a great gait and is easy to ride, but whenever I take a hold of the reins to turn her or stop her she flips her head a lot. She doesn’t back up either. There’s just more head flipping and she pulls on the reins. How can I get her to stop doing that?

When your horse flips her head, she’s telling you that something is bothering her. It can be one of several things, such as a problem with her teeth, a bit that pinches, is uncomfortable for some reason, or is inappropriate for her, or a heavy or jerky handed rider. Since your mare already had this problem when you bought her, I’ll assume that it’s been going on for a while. That means you have two issues to deal with. The first is to find the cause of the problem. To start that means a visit from a competent equine dentist. All horses need to be attended to by a dentist at least once a year because they naturally form jaw-catching hooks and sharp points on their teeth as they grind their food. While a horse that isn’t asked to perform may do fine with less than ideal teeth, once you put a bit in his mouth and ask him to carry his head in a specific way it can create serious discomfort and behavior problems.

Once you know that your horse’s mouth is in good shape, take a look at the bit you’re using. A good quality bit costs money, but this is a case of you get what you pay for. Most bits that are sold for under $30 are made of cheap and unpalatable metals, aren’t designed to be comfortable in a horse’s mouth (i.e. they pinch the lips or tongue, don’t allow room for the tongue to function properly, or don’t distribute pressure in a way that’s comfortable or effective), and should be retired as wall ornaments. What you need is a bit that was made with the horse’s physiology of the horse’s mouth in mind. Most of the bits I use are made by Myler. They have a very comprehensive website at http://mylerbitsusa.com/

The next step is to retrain your horse to accept pressure from the bit. She needs to learn how to respond to rein contact by relaxing her jaw, her poll, rounding her back, and shifting her weight back and onto her hind end. Do this by introducing your horse to the “Performance Through Partnership” apply-pressure-and-wait-for-horse-to-release technique I’ve developed.

Begin by asking your horse to flex her head and neck to the side. Shorten one rein until your horse’s head is turned far enough for you to see the entire side of her face. Without pulling backward, close your fingers on the rein and hold it until your horse releases the pressure. If she gives at all, immediately give her slack. Repeat this in each direction until she figures out that when you apply pressure, all she has to do is relax and soften into it to make it go away.

Repeat this at the walk on circles to increase her flexibility and balance. As she becomes softer and less resistant to the bit, ask her to travel on a straight line at the walk and running walk. Take a soft but steady feel on one rein while you open the opposite rein. Doing this will create a subtle bend in her neck and body and reduce her ability to brace against your hands. When she softens and flexes at the poll, meaning that she brings her nose onto the vertical while continuing to move forward at a strong gait, bring your hands back to a centered and neutral position to release the pressure and let your horse know that she made the right decision by becoming soft.

When your horse becomes more accepting of the bit and rein contact, and the head tossing subsides, you can teach her how to back up. Take a steady feel on both reins. Close your fingers, but again don’t pull backward. If you’re not getting any response, increase the pressure by shortening your reins. If she braces against your hands or tosses her head, release one rein while you flex her head to the side with the other. Wait until she releases the pressure and then try again.

By consistently softening your horse when she becomes resistant, you are teaching her a new way of reacting to bit pressure. It may take several rides before your horse begins to trust the bit and develop new habits. It is possible for her to learn these important fundamentals, though. What she needs more than anything else is for you to be patience, consistency, and time.

When I’m on trail my 5 year old Arabian gelding spooks at the silliest things. He gets really nervous when he sees a light colored rock. I kick him forward and eventually he’ll go by, but he’s really nervous and he doesn’t seem to be getting better about it. Can you offer any suggestions on how to help him get over this?

Some horses are more sensitive to brightly colored objects, and some are simply not that brave. That usually means one of two things: their self-preservation instincts are very strong or they lack confidence. If there’s something that catches their eye with which they aren’t familiar or that find suspicious, their brain says “avoid and live, or get closer and die.” Once you understand that perspective, you can see why your horse resists those terrifying white rocks. With that in mind, think about what he thinks about you kicking him past them. In his mind he figures that you want him to be devoured by these horse-eating lumps of stone. That’s why he isn’t getting better every time he successfully moves past a scary rock. It’s because every time he goes by he’s feeling stressed, distrustful, and anxious about it. You are inadvertently reinforcing his fear if every time he feels insecure about something you push him through it without addressing the underlying problem. So, what should you do when your horse is afraid? Change his state of mind. Instead of pushing him past his fears, turn him or back him a safe distance away. Ask your horse to bend and flex using the apply-pressure-and-wait-for-the- horse-to-release I mention in this newsletter’s Q&A above. Keep your horse moving forward if he’s feeling antsy while asking him to bend deeply through his entire body, so that he’s flexing from his poll to his tail. Once he relaxes and softens to your hands, point him toward the object of his fear and let him walk forward on his own. Don’t push him forward, or he will lose trust in you. At some point he’ll lose his confidence and want to stop moving ahead. Let him stop, back him up, and then flex him until he becomes physically and emotionally soft again. Then walk him in the opposite direction to give him a mental break and reinforce his calm and confident state-of-mind. By repeatedly softening your horse you are establishing new patterns of behavior. He will respond by being more and more willing to approach what scares him on his own. That’s because you’re preventing your horse’s fight/flight response from being triggered. It’s that avoidance instinct that motivates your horse to run away in the first place. Once your horse is in a calm and confident emotional state, his brain will stop telling him that he needs to escape to survive. It will take time to “reprogram” your horse’s brain, but you will notice some improvement right away. No matter how long it takes, isn’t it worth it to be able to enjoy your trail rides with him?