Cinchy Horses (Curing Your Mounting Problems Book 9)

Not just with horses. This pony is pretty amazing. Not always easy because he demands a partner not a boss or a pushover. But I know you already knew that! Yes, it does work with everything. Humans are slow learners.

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Horses not so much, as your trainer knew. And yes, ponies are the very best trainers. Maybe re-think the idea of staying in Pony Club. Are the benefits truly outweighing the negatives? I remember watching an episode of Pat Parelli — describing what a scary dark place a trailer is to a prey animal and it is — if no one has ever spent the time proving to them that its not going to eat them.

Sadly, even some of the so-called natural horsemanship trainers use the scare tactics.

Ray Hunt would rollover in his grave to see them! I hate to watch people try to force a horse to do what is so un-natural. My mare and I have had some trailer problems, some of which may have been helped by replacing a loud rattle trap with a quiet trailer. Here is what has happened two days in a row. I must have been channeling you. After a long absence from any trailer activities, I walked with her quietly up to the open trailer. She knew what I wanted.

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I was prepared to wait for her no matter how long it took. After maybe three minutes, I challenged her in a soft, deadpan voice: Are you really afraid to go in there? Are you telling me you would be afraid to lead your herd into this safe place? I had just been playing with her, talking to pass the time. Repeat the next day. We are at the trailer door again. We are waiting again, but after maybe a minute I asked her in the same soft deadpan voice if we needed to have that boss mare discussion again.

I swear she just looked straight ahead and hopped right on. This time she turned around we started with a big space and stood at the open door like she was on guard. She could have walked right off, but I had to ask her to step down. So I learned this week the truth and beauty about what you wrote here. You really do have to give your horse all the time she needs, not just the time you have.

And that willingness to wait got me to that calm place I needed to find for this activity. Love your blog and your books and your donkey pictures. Oh Bonnie, I love this comment. Was it the talk… I doubt it. Standing in that spot, they absolutely know what we are asking. One thing we have added is after step seven last step praise the horse and repeat immediately.

It has been our experience that everyone thinks you are crazy except the horse. He will be much easier to load the second, third or fourth time in a row. Next time you go to load your horse may just walk right on. Worst case it may take half the time and half the repetitions. I have never seen it take three training sessions. Great comment, thank you. Absolutely the only way a horse should be loaded! I always unload and reload at least once with any horse that does not self-load. The poor horse scalped himself when he freaked out in the trailer.

I immediately knew if I had stuck to my guns and unloaded and reloaded him it would never have happened. I still feel bad about it, decades later. I was so proud of my little Arabian when it came time to move her to my new place. I did not have much time to. The evening before, we worked on going in, coming out, and stopping halfway out. I shut the door with her in once. The next day, I loaded and unloaded once, then hauled her.

She was an angel. She even stopped halfway off the trailer on the way out after the ride. You had a relationship, you prepared ahead, and what a good girl! Thanks for sharing, Junia. I think I had the wrong reaction to this post. Quickly sobered up at what you saw later. His owner failed him by not listening to you. Hudson is so auto loading I have to hold him back while he jigs impatiently at opening. Throw lead over his back and he launches himself into step up and quietly walks into stall.

I arrived at barn one day: Mare was desperately trying NOT to hurt the hysterical woman hitting her in the face with a whip. I figured my best chance of helping the mare would be to offer to give the owner a break. The trailer was too small for the 17hh horse. An old old QH trailer. I walked the mare in big circles at end of trailer, told her jokes, repeatedly refused the whip the owner was convinced would help. The mare calmed down so fast, owner was astonished.

This was obviously a very very good hearted horse. I led mare to ramp, she was anxious but went right up to it. I promptly stopped her, sat down on ramp, which was probably extremely bad horsemanship dangerous…under mare. Owner decided I was magic, lol. Making owner hysterical again. I explained this was huge success…. They wanted to lock her in to teach her trailer was safe…. Nothing I could do, which made me ill. I had to walk away. Everyone involved got hurt, including this beautifully hearted good horse.

I love what you said: It leaves a horrible taste. Why such a narrow view? Reminds me of when I was a Sheriff Deputy. I end up calling for code three assistance because the 1st time a male back-up arrives, the fighting begins. We were a big county in California. Waiting for back-up can take a long time. Not all men Cops are the way the first guy was …when it goes this way, its extraordinarily tough on the spinal column!

Eventually I had to retire….. I do admit to thinking about this as I was writing and the news came through. A few less urinary contests would be a good thing. Thank you for this thoughtful comment, and thank you for your service. We need more like you out there…. Thanks Anna, this is so true… even with dark tiny caves for trailers… if approached the horses will go into the trailer.

It takes time and patience and sometimes re-learning when there is no trailering in between.

The Trailer Isn’t the Problem. – Relaxed & Forward: AnnaBlakeBlog

But that whole, take a breath and smile, then say thank you. And, if you have babies, be sure a casual stroll near, around, into and out of trailers is a calm part of their everyday in-hand experience. Mine find it routine by the time they are 3 months old, which is a pure pleasure by the time they are 2 and think they know everything. Agreed, it is a matter of life and death, but to be played with from the start.

Babies are easy if they get that relationship early. Thanks, you are so right! When she was ready to come home after her surgery, she again came back in the horse ambulance. Wow, I wish I could meet her. The short answer is find a way to cut it all into smaller bites. Get to that scary moment and breathe. So even slower, respond even quicker but with compassion. Most of all, keep breathing with her. When her breath goes shallow, you go deep. It will take time, more time…. Thankyou for replying, Anna.

This part has never been an issue, so we are reinforcing hopefully that trailers are harmless. Sounds great… and 4 years is a long time, but also a healing time. Is your pasture flat? Usually land or dirt roads like the one I live on, are a bumpier ride than pavement. If there is close pavement it would be smoother. I was always taught to drive off right away because the movement helps them balance. Your horse is the opposite on some of the old rules, and with good reason. Keep up the good work. He would get stressed being near the trailer so I started feeding him in there. Put his food in and walked away so it would be his choice.

After a month or so we started working on loading with out food. His fear was reduced and we were able to work through it. My other one loads fine but getting out it a challenge. He bumps the butt bar repeatedly after I untie him. We solved lots of the issues he came with but this one is still with us. I just stand in the trailer, talk to him and scratch him til he settles. Interesting to see people watch us. Some people think I spoil him and others are nodding in approval.

Perhaps if the hay was closer so he could reach it. In his case, he got hungry. Chat and scratch till he settles. You can always count on an audience of experts… especially for trailer loading. I smile and wave. Owners need to earn respect on the ground before attempting the trailer.

If only people would listen and learn, sigh. Whey would the horse go to THAT place when she is beaten when she gets there? Some friends had to intervene and get her to calm down away from the horse. All baby steps and four months later he will self load and stand on calmly with the doors closed. In a week or two, when he tells me he is ready, he will take a short ride. People need to ride in the enclose trailer to see what a bouncy, rattle-trap they are. Then they will really appreciate that their horse trusts them enough to climb into a small, metal box. What a great comment, nice job of pre-problem solving; smart to start again just to make it a happier thing.

Oh yes Anna, the breathing around horses is so important as so many hold their breath in fear, frustration, wrecking locomotion as well. I take big deep breaths, and my horses do so immediately afterwards. This relaxation obviously creates peace, building trust, and trainability as every muscle relaxes. I might be on one for 5 minutes, another Thank you for your patience and wisdom through all my moves. It is Grace, but I remember Notchee so well. She schooled us well, and I will forever be sorry for her injury coming out that first time.

The last move was kinda fun, though…. So maybe my problem is different, maybe not. My large teenage acting boy will follow me into the trailer but then immediately backs out violently. How do I clear my head so we can get through this? One of my horses used to go in fine but get stuck coming out. Your horse is different but I would start the same way. First, let go in your mind, breath through it. When you feel at peace and with no agenda or expectation, start with him. Breathing slowly, one step into the trailer and maybe then you ask him to go out.

Then slowly, ever so slowly, build on it. It boggles the mind as to why humans would think a prey animal would willingly put himself in a spot with no escape route and then those same humans get angry when he reacts negatively to being forced! A friend bought a two year old gelding who had never been trailered. He hired a good kind horseman to transport him. That poor horse was so freaked out by the actions of the main person in his life that they were never able to get him near a trailer again. Good comment; we underestimate horses too often… we know they read fear, so a temper tantrum is huge.

Shame on her for such a horrible send off. Almost forgot, did you know breathing works with roosters too? I decided he could stay if he behaves himself so every day I go out, pick him up and hold him close. When he struggles to get away I take a deep breath and exhale. He calms down every time! As you well know, Petit-Prince is a very smart guy, extremely curious but scared easily. So when I start leasing him, soon after his arrival at the barn, I decide to expose him to what ever would seem to scare the little fellow.

At every oportunity I had, I would let him sniff trucks, tractors, farm equipment and so on. One summer day, we had a big hunter show at the barn and a horse trailer had been parcked with its ramp down. I thought, what a marvelous opportunity for the poney to get used to a horse box! I was so embarassed but also pretty proud of my guy. Luckily for me, the women understood and laught with me.

Such a good poney and a good women to! One horse has issues with the trailer moving and the other is scared to death of backing out. Different issues, different approaches. First of all, yes, they do exist. Most of them are man-made, but there are definitely horses that have a genetic propensity to buck. There was an old cutting mare that one particular family owned and I probably started 10 of her colts. These were from at least 4 different studs and varied between fillies, geldings, and a few stallions.

ALL of them would buck. And believe me, after the third one, who was the worst of the lot and really gave me a run for my money, I was on a mission to solve the issue. The remaining ones bucked too, though, despite extended groundwork and everything I could think of to do to them. The mare would still buck today if she were still around, and both she and her colts won lots of money.

They simply had that streak in them. For a few decades now, rodeo broncs have been subjected to careful breeding programs just as other types of performance horses are. There can be big money in bucking. So, just as there are definite man caused reasons for bucking, there IS a definite genetic link to bucking as well.

The bottom line is that some horses that no matter what you do, what their past was, or how they are prepared may buck. Some horses, no matter what you do, what their past was, or how they are prepared will never buck. Every single great horseman that you can think of has produced horses that will buck today. Since this article focuses on these horses, it may sound as though this issue is more common that it really is.

True cold backed horses are not very common at all. Our goal is to minimize the man made causes that may open that door, and to make those who just plain are cold backed manageable, which a good hand can usually do. This is a fairly textbook example of a buck. Notice the outstretched back legs. Bucking, technically, is the specific act of a horse jumping up and kicking out with the hind feet. They can have very little forward motion, or lots or forward motion, but kicking out is what makes it bucking. Some of them kick out fairly low and level with the ground, while some kick up so high that you feel like they are going to flip over frontwards.

This horse is a textbook example of Crow Hopping. Notice all four feet pointed at the ground. We also sometimes here of a horse who Crow hops. Crow hopping, technically, is when a horse jumps into the air, usually the front end before the hind end, but all four feet remain pointed at the ground. Again, they can have little or lots of forward motion. Some people will go on about how a horse who is kicking out is expressing a different problem than one who is just simply crow hopping or that by kicking out they are showing back pain, yada, yada, yada.

For the purposes of this article there is no practical difference between crow hopping and bucking, and I will henceforth refer to all undesirable actions in this realm as bucking. So, what is going on with those man-made cold backed buckers? We will look at this from two different angles. The first will be things that may be going on with our tack and tact to cause reasons for the horse to buck. Think burr under the saddle pad type stuff. My everyday work pads are felt type pads and when it came time to show, we moved him into the nicer plush wool pads.

It turned out that the stallion had very sensitive skin which the felt pads irritated. His skin irritation, which was not to the point of being visible at all, was the sole cause of the bucking. This type of horse dislikes the tightening of the girth and will frequently blow up before you even get on him. As with the scratchy pads, we do need to make sure that the girth is not irritating his skin.

I recommend good quality mohair girths as they are the least prone to do this when kept clean. They then become magnets for sticks, briars, cockleburs, and all manner of undesirable flora fodder. First of all, make sure that it is positioned well. Some people have their girth too far forward and it will catch and pinch loose skin around the elbows and chest when tightened. I know that I jump when pinched, how about you? I also want to be sure that my horse remains calm and relaxed when I am cinching up. An experienced horseman can see that blow up coming, because the horse shows tension before.

I pull my latigo snug which is about four holes looser than making the horse look like a peanut, and probably two holes looser than most people do.

The Trailer Isn’t the Problem.

I do not get the cinch by any means tight. You should easily be able to put your entire hand between the latigo and the horse, for now. I then walk away and let them settle for a minute. Horses that have learned to suck in air and hold it are merely protecting themselves from being overtightened.

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Actually, during my normal training day, they get snuggly, but not tightly saddled, then they are hobbled out to graze and relax with the saddle while I ride another horse. I then move them around some. That may mean simply walking to the arena feet away. I then retighten just before actually stepping up there.

They should be fully relaxed through the entire process. This is a good pattern. It is also important to keep in mind that many of these horses always buck when saddled. This is what we call a pattern. Unsaddle him before he takes a step. Spend an hour one day saddling and unsaddling your cold backed horse, never letting him get to the point of bucking. Do it until your arm hurts. Break the pattern of his tension when being cinched up. Had a good ride and some time to kill? Saddle, cinch, unsaddle some more.

Break the pattern of tension associated with being cinched up. Pet his heartgirth every time you walk past him. Replace that tension with comfort and your cinchy horse will melt away. There was a family who brought their 20 something year old ex-show horse to a trainer that I worked for briefly in college. The horse would set back and break rope, halter, or rail in his attempt to get away. They unloaded him already saddled and we put a ride on him. He was a cranky old cuss. After the ride, as the trainer was talking to the people, I took the horse to unsaddle him and wash him off.

Pulling off the saddle pad revealed four different sets of old white haired saddle sores. All of them marked on either side of and directly on the top of the withers, and a few more old scars on his belly where the girth goes as well. He was an old horse and had a high wither, but I have never that many old saddle sores. This was nearly twenty years ago and I can picture this horse today as clear as looking at him live. In my experience, there are two main reasons why horses buck. This is almost always a leadership issue and these horses are frequently easily solved, but much of the future success lies with each individual handler.

If the former rider is unable to fulfill the leadership role, that rider may continue to have the issue with the horse, even when I have no issue with them at all. In somewhat over simplified terms, the answer to both scenarios is the same. Better Leadership and working on handling pressure. Their herd is always a matter of situation and circumstance, both in the wild, and at you boarding stable. What matters here is that your horse does not see you as below him in the pecking order.

I do talk about leadership and somewhat strongly at times , but this is really a fairly basic and unavoidable skill if you want to get anywhere with horses. It matters not one iota if he sees you as number 16, number 3, number 1, or the most dominant herd member conceivable in the entire world. If you are below him, you are very literally at his mercy an emotion that animals generally lack and are considered cannon fodder to be sacrificed to things like starvation and wolves when the going gets tough.

In short, this type of horse is merely exhibiting spoiled and disrespectful behavior. Move his feet and move on. This is a horse with a people problem. A person with this issue may not at all be a novice or timid rider. They may, in fact, merely have a very dominant horse. This is the kind of situation in which having this horse may push the rider up to a new level, or squash their confidence if the gap is too big to overcome.

With this problem I usually see people who are routinely taking steps away from their spoiled and pushy horse when leading and doing regular chores. When they put pressure on their horse, the horse feels free to push back. This horse is bucking as just another open threat to your safety in a long line of threats that are less and less noticeable. Bucking is merely the most noticeable symptom of a leadership and disrespect crisis. This brings to mind a clinic that I did a good while ago. There was a lady in it who was an English riding instructor she could just as easily have been a Western riding instructor.

I walked up to ask her if this was a really green colt that she had today. So I asked her if he always bucked like this. He just has to get it out of his system. She said no he was just being a horse. She did this by allowing it to happen at all. Nip it in the bud. I can tell you that the buck was not strong with this one and solving this issue would have been fairly easy to do. So why in the world would you put up with it? Turn into a wild and raving maniac until they stop.