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

In this issue you’ll find:

My Exclusive Newsletter Tip: Dealing with Change

Exciting News About My New Location!!

Information About my Next Internet Radio Program

Upcoming Events

Answers to Your Questions about Horse Behavior and Training:
1. How Should I Sit When I Show in Western Equitation Classes?
2. My Horse Runs Me Over. How Do I Stop Her from Being So Pushy?

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 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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Change

"The one constant about life is that it's always changing." This is one of my favorite personal quotes, even though during times of stress I sure to tend do forget about it!

Our horse's lives changes just as often as ours, yet we seem to look at them as being the same horse day in and day out. This is not the case at all. Many things can cause our horses stress that we may never notice or be aware of such as a move to a new barn, a new bag of grain, a different batch of shavings, or a change in the weather. Our horses are just as sensitive to change as we are, although we may never notice unless we pay close attention.

Like us our horses have good days and bad. They also live secret lives that we don't see when they are playing or fighting with their pasture mates, getting cast in their stalls, or being kept up all night because the mare in season at the end of the aisle is kicking the walls. We may find our horse nervous one day and lethargic the next. Perhaps he doesn't want to move out as well as he usually does. Is he being stubborn or did his new paddock buddy chase him around the night before? Maybe he's a bit sore from the hard ride the day before or he slipped and strained his back while rising from a nap.

Your horse's needs change each and every day depending on his environment, work load, and experiences. You want your horse to be flexible and adaptable to help you reach your own horsemanship goals. Do the same for him. Get to know what works for your horse, and be willing to try something new and make changes when it seems that your current strategy isn't quite right anymore.

Remember, life is a journey. My own life has been through many changes recently. That's why I wasn't able to get a newsletter out last month. I apologize for that, but I know that everything happens for a reason. Change is an opportunity to learn something new, evolve, and enjoy the adventure of life.

When it comes to horses, be ready for anything! Being adaptable and well-prepared is a huge advantage, because as a well-educated and well-prepared horse owner/caretaker you can help your horse deal with the changes that come into his own life and handle them with grace.

Be good to your horses and enjoy the ride!
Dale

My New Home at Maverick Horse and Cattle Company!!

I am so pleased to announce that I have a new, and thankfully very permanent, home at the new Maverick Horse & Cattle Co. in College Grove, Tennessee. It is a picturesque facility on nearly 200 acres conveniently located close to Nashville.

This facility will offer a safe and natural environment for your horses and a relaxed and comfortable environment where you can come and enjoy being with them. All breeds and disciplines are welcome.

We are committed to providing optimum care to your horse, the best training for your performer, young horse that needs to learn how to carry a saddle and rider, or horse in need of physical or emotional rehabilitation. We will also be offering quality horses for sale. If you are searching for your perfect horse, we can help you find it. We also offer pre-purchase consulting to help you decide if the horse you're currently looking at is the right one for you.

This will also be my home base from which I'll be giving monthly clinics that cover horse behavior, performance training, and horsemanship. As soon as we set the dates, I'll send you the clinic schedule.

We are accepting horses for pasture and paddock boarding at this time. We do have some barn boarding available, but are currently in the process of building a brand new barn and will soon be able to accommodate more horses.

Check back soon for a new Maverick Horse & Cattle Co. page on the website with photographs and more information.

You are invited to come out and visit anytime. Call me at 949-337-3269 or send me an

email.


Training with Dale Rudin on Internet Radio

My next radio program is September 19th at 3:00 pm Central time. This month's topic is "Light Hands." This program will give you tons of useful information about compassionately and effectively communicating with your horse through the reins. If you want to listen to the program live, go to Natural Horse Network Talk Radio. If you have a question, 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 any of my previous shows, Trailer Loading, Catching a Horse that Doesn't Want to be Caught, or Choosing the Right Bit, click here to listen to my archived programs.


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.

Clinics at Maverick Horse & Cattle Co

We're nearly ready to start having clinics at our new ranch. Here's what's coming:

Reining for Beginner and Intermediate Riders

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 building on the basics of balance, softness, and responsiveness. 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!

Develop Connection and Balance in the Round Pen

I think of the round pen as being no less essential for training a horse than a halter and leadrope. Learn how to connect with your horse without using gimmicks or force. Learn how to truly communicate with your horse in his language and develop a trusting and respectful relationship. Also learn how to improve your horse's balance, condition, and calmness using my unique yet simple techniques.

Leadership and Connection

This clinic illustrates the heart of my "Performance Through Partnership" program. Learn how compassion, connection, calmness, and communication can create an incredible horse-human partnership. This clinic is a must if your horse is anything other than respectful, relaxed, or confident in any situation. You will build your confidence as a leader, too. Being a calm and confident leader that your horse trusts and is willing to follow anywhere is what successful horsemanship is all about!

Stay tuned. Dates for these clinic and many more will be coming soon! Also, go to my clinic's page for more information, or send me an email to ask questions, make a reservation, or learn how to sponsor a clinic in your area so that you and your horse can attend for free!



Events

September 19th - 21st

I will be at the Iberian Southern Hospitality Horse Show in Shelbyville. Come visit me at my booth on the mezzanine level at the Calsonic arena. I'll be sharing the booth with my farrier and friend, Jim Apple. He's a barefoot trimmer and will be availalbe to answer your questions about shoes and hoof health. Please come by to see us and the beautiful Andalusian and Lusitano horses that will be at the show.

October 1st 9:00-10:30

I have been invited to present at the Certified Horseman's Association Convention at Kentucky Horse Park. My presentation is titled: Western Riding Exercises on a Loose Rein. The convention is Friday through Sunday and is open to the public. What's better than spending the weekend learning about training, teaching, and horses! Hope to see you there.


Horse Training and Behavior Questions and Answers

I’m having trouble figuring out what the judges want in western horsemanship and equitation classes. I never seem to do well, but when I ride in the English classes I do okay. What can I do to be a better western rider?

In some ways it’s much more difficult to switch from riding English to western riding. You’re not consistently sitting on the horse’s back when you’re riding in a forward English saddle. Western riding requires you to remain seated in the middle of your horse’s back at every gait. To do well in horsemanship classes you’ll have to develop a relaxed and balanced riding position. Let’s start with the basics – proper alignment. That’s a straight line that starts at your ear, and drops down through your shoulder, hip, and heel. You want your heels to be slightly lower than your toes while still having a slight bend in your knees. Here’s a trick to tell if you’re legs are in the right position: Sit up tall in the saddle and then glance down at your knees. You should see no more than the tip of your boots peeking out beyond your knees. If you can see more of your foot, then you need to bring your leg back underneath you. Sit tall with your eyes focused ahead. Imagine that your ribcage is floating upward toward the sky while the soles of your boots rest heavily on the treads of your stirrups. That will help to keep your legs long and give you a lower center of gravity. While you’re keep your legs long and your upper body tall, allow your hips to fluidly move in sync with your horse’s motion. If you’re riding one-handed, slip your index finger between your split reins and then wrap the rest of your fingers around both reins with your thumb underneath. You can hold the reins in either hand if you’re riding with split reins, but make sure that the tail ends of the reins, the “bite,” hand on the same side of the horse as the hand you’re using. Your other hand should pretty much be a mirror image of your rein hand and be carried in a relaxed position. If you use a romel-type rein, hold the reins in your left hand and the tail end in your right hand and rest your hand on your right thigh. Also, keep your elbows in line with your hips and hold them quietly at your side. Have someone videotape you if you don’t have an instructor to coach you. You can also videotape yourself and the winning riders at the shows in which you compete for comparison. In addition to that, practice, practice, and practice some more at home. Set up horsemanship patterns at home to challenge yourself and your horse and be better prepared for your next show.

For the most part my horse is very well behaved, but every once in a while she runs right over me. She does it when I fly spray her or hose her off. She hasn’t hurt me, but I’m afraid she might. How can I stop her from doing this?

You have a couple of options, but first it’s important to understand why your horse is doing this. Either she’s scared or mad about being sprayed, etc. However, the reason behind the behavior doesn’t really matter. What really matters is that she isn’t being respectful of you when she has an emotional outburst. I’m not saying that it isn’t reason for your horse to be frightened or resistant to being fly sprayed. It’s one of those things we do that many horses never learn to appreciate. What I am saying is that it isn’t alright for your horse to run you over in any circumstances. When your horse becomes frightened or wants to avoid something you’re doing, she needs to learn to move away from you…not over the top of you. The first thing you need to teach your horse is to never move into your space while you are facing her. This is a lesson that must be reinforced every day and every moment that you are interacting with your horse. Teach her to follow you or come to you when you turn your back to her, or turn away from her so that your chest is facing away from her to some degree. Then train your mare to stop moving forward when you face her with your shoulders facing her square on. This is a natural social behavior of herd horses. When a dominant horse faces a subordinate horse head-on, the subordinate horse will stop moving forward and may even back off completely. If y our horse continues to walk toward you, step into her, take a firm hold of the lead rope just below the halter, and push her back firmly. If she doesn’t want to move rearward, use your other hand to “bite” her at the point of her shoulder. Form a “claw” with your hand and “nip” at your horse’s shoulder until she moves back. If that doesn’t work, you can slap her across the chest with the end of your lead rope. Remember you and trying to mimic what a lead horse would do. While you never want to cause your horse pain, you do want to be clear as to what her relationship is within your horse-human herd. If you were another horse, you would be using your teeth and hooves to get your point across. However, your goal here is to assert your dominance without losing your horse’s trust. Once you’ve set the ground rules, your horse may become more respectful of your space when you’re spraying her with the hose or the spray bottle. If she does step toward you, immediately lift the hand your holding the lead rope with to elevate her head. That will make it more difficult for her to move forward and it will give you control of the direction she’s headed in. Then back her up with authority, not aggression unless she’s truly attacking you, until she lowers her head and shows some sign of acceptance and relaxation. These signs are licking and chewing, sighing, moving backward with a low head, and moving backward softly. In order to permanently resolve your mare’s behavior problem you’ll need to be diligent and consistent. Remember, you are breaking an old habit and that’s doesn’t come quickly. However, you should see positive changes in your horse’s behavior right away.