Training horses to pen requires a lot of specific training in the herd… here’s a glimpse of what I do with my penning prospects to make them feel willing and free in the herd 🍀🤗
We get asked a lot what types of horses we’ll take in for training…We do prioritize penning horses as there are not as many trainers in Alberta with the resources and knowledge to serve that community. But we try to serve all the horse people in our area because it’s important to make horses an enjoyable pass-time for as many people as possible. That’s what keeps the horse industry strong 🍀♥️.
🍀 EXERCISE DIVERSITY 🍀Just like in training human athletes, horse training requires all types of exercises… these are the three types I focus on and how to decide which type to focus on depending on how your horses is feeling.Typo - by “relation” I mean “relaxation” 🤦🏼♀️. Reels are hard lol
🍀♥️LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT ♥️🍀
Had to share DR’s first time being ponied through the buffalo - it was priceless and so obvious he’s gonna dig chasing these guys.
Lots of people tell me they can’t come work buffalo because they need to work the flag first… that is so a myth… working the flag is not a prerequisite to working livestock.
There’s so much a horse learns from being around livestock even before they can do a snappy stop and turn… understanding position, reading their body language, being ok with the pressure the exert on them and that chasing these his is fun!!
Sometimes I find if a horse is struggling with an element such as a stop or turn or even forward motion, if you give them a job to do with some buffalo, they can find their way through being stuck. Fun makes learning easy sometimes 🤗.
For horses and for us 😉🦬🐴🍀
🍀 Are you Riding your horse like a Bicycle? 🍀
How many things do you need to do to get your horse to stop? Turn? Sidepass? Lope? If your answer is a list, you are most likely doing too much…
And here’s the problem with doing too much - it lets your horse do less and that we expect very little of them. Then what’s the point of having this amazing creature who can think and feel and reason? We may as well ride a bicycle. And if you ride your horse like a bicycle they start to act like a bicycle - they become confused, dull, sour or maybe all three. And maybe you do too lol.
When I see a confused/dull/sour horse and/or rider, it’s apparent to me that the rider has lost touch of what their essential cue is and what they are doing to correct an undesired response to the cue.
Here is my favourite example… lead departures. What I see most folks do to pick up a lope on a circle is crank their horses hip in, tip the horses nose in, and kiss or squeeze (3 things). When I ask for a horse to lope off, I kiss (1 thing). That’s it. If we’re beside a wall or on a circle, I expect the horse to know which lead to take cause they are a smart and reasonable being. If we’re out in the open, and I need a specific lead, I look the way we’re going, start walking that way, then kiss (again 1 thing). I expect them to know it’s easier to travel at a lope on the correct lead. And most times my horses live up to my expectations.
If my cue doesn’t work, then I help them with a nose tip or directing their hip but I always return to how I actually want to ask my horse to lead depart. A kiss 💋.
Here is a list of example cues I use… sometimes I’ll change the cue depending on the type of horse I’m riding (a more forward horse I don’t need to use my voice to move forward, I just “think” forward for example). Anything extra is considered a correction:
Stop: whoa
Turn: reins
Lead change: shift my hips/look to new circle
Move forward: think forward or
🍀Theres a Season for Everything 🍀
With each season our buffalo let us work on different things - now is the season of cow-speed buffalo. These guys are nearing the end of their arena career. New younger & speedier models are coming soon! So if you’ve got a green pony or are green yourself now is the time to come meet these buffalo buddies ♥️🍀🦬
Text Jesse for some lesson and training options: 403.200.9735
🍀 Educational Video - Collection for Penning Horses 🍀
A hot topic for our first educational video in a while - Collection! And how to go about working on it with penning horses specifically.
Disclaimer - I am not a body worker and don’t claim to be one on the internet. I also love that riders have started incorporating body workers into their horse care program. This video is not meant to negate the great work they do but to help their cause: making your horse feel and perform great!
🍀 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT 🍀
We switched over our buffalo for the new year which means our new recruits need to be trained. 🦬
Buffalo Works will be available again in MARCH. Flat work and flag available for February 🤠
🍀GETTING BACK IN THE SADDLE AFTER BABY 🍀
Here’s another article I searched for desperately during my first pregnancy that didn’t exist. How does one get riding as soon as possible after pregnancy?
For some backstory - my first labour and delivery left me with substantial Pelvic Floor (PF) injuries (third degree tearing and prolapse) after two hours of pushing that left me unable to ride for SIX MONTHS postpartum. My second baby (who is seven weeks old today) I was cleared to ride at SIX WEEKS 🙌🏾🤗.
After two very different labour and deliveries giving me two very different recovery times, I have a few things I credit to my better recovery the second time around:
❤️🩹Working with a PF Physiotherapist DURING Pregnancy to train your PF muscles to work with you instead of against you during labour.
❤️🩹 Hypnobirthing - minimizing fear in labour so you can stay relaxed in labour and allow your PF muscles to work with you.
❤️🩹 Water Birth - if you’re up for medication-free birthing, keeps your tissues and muscles warm and lubricated to minimize tearing.
❤️🩹 Rest and Gentle Exercise During Pregnancy - I think equestrians are notorious for pushing themselves physically. My second pregnancy I made a point of taking it easy again so my PF would be in good condition to help me during labour.
I think it’s important to note that no matter how much you prepare, labour does not go according to plan. You may do all the right things and still have unwanted outcomes. Any preparation you do however, will help you get through whatever comes your way versus being unprepared. 💪🏽
One other thing I think should be mentioned about the postpartum experience is that even when you’re physically able to ride, it can be hard to find the TIME to ride. There’s a lot of logistics (like finding a babysitter, nursing etc) that you didn’t need to factor in before kids… so give yourself grace when your babies are young. Fo
Intro to New Bits & Full Bridles
🍀Introducing a horse to New Bits especially the Full Bridle 🍀
Had someone ask me how to go about this. I would say number one ask your trainer for help, however there are a few things you can do to just get the horse used to having a Full Bridle in their mouth.
It is definitely a process starting with having your horse VERY broke to the Snaffle and hackmore.
Also something I didn’t mention in the video is I don’t do any full bridle work until a horse is at least 6 years old.
Hope this helps anyone looking to step up their bit game! 🍀
🍀 Katie 5yo Mare finishing up her 45-day intro to team penning. She began her cow career in the cutting pen, and has a bright future ahead penning!
👉🏼 I get asked a lot why I prefer a Working Cowhorse start to penning horses than a cutting start. The answer I have is pretty simple - Working Cowhorse gets horses more broke all-around.
This video shows all the elements I need a horse to do in a penning run. If you look closely you’ll see some boxing, fencing and circling - all things that I might need to do in a penning run and all parts of a WCH fencework 🍀
🤗 There are so many fabulous penning horses that started out in the cutting arena, but they had to learn a lot before they got there or they were naturally gifted.
We get many cutting-started penning prospects that;
👉🏼can’t lope well,
👉🏼don’t know how to lead depart,
👉🏼aren’t in the bridle, and
👉🏼don’t know how to stop at high speeds.
These are all things a WCH learns as a 2/3yo. The cutting-stared horses that are naturally gifted can figure those things out when they are 4/5yo, but the ones who need help learning these elements are behind in their training. Harder to teach an old horse new tricks 🐴.
At the end of the day though - a good start on cattle whether it’s cutting or WCH sets a penning prospect up for success! Some food for thought when picking out your next penning prospect 🤓♥️
Awesome 4yo mare “Dash” (daughter of the stunner Ivory Grips )working her best barrel pattern yet ♥️. She’s learned a lot in 30 days - making great progress! 🍀 Helps when they come with amazing ability and a great mind.
Sweet 4yo Lark’s maiden voyage on buffalo 🦬♥️🍀. Could not have gone better.
Had a special request to talk about our supplement program 🍀.
For more information about the Techna Vet Industries Inc. products talked about visit their website: https://technavet.com
🍀 BROKE 🍀
A word either meaning nothing in the bank or a horse that knows it’s stuff lol.
What does a ‘broke’ horse mean to you?
To me it means a horse that knows where to put its feet and how to move its body no matter what kind of pressure is applied to it by voice, bit, rein or leg. It shouldn’t matter where my hands go or where my legs kick - the horse knows how to follow it or move off it.
I know a horse is broke when they can move every body part without resistance with its head in various positions (collected, up high, down low etc).
You know a horse is not broke to a specific pressure or one if their body parts is stuck if they:
⛔️ throw their head up or down
⛔️ trip over themselves
⛔️ change speeds
⛔️ get stuck aka stall
⛔️ do something completely opposite from what you asked
Other signs a horse isn’t broke in a spot are getting hot, teeth grinding or bit chomping and tail swishing.
Until a horse can move through the sequence demonstrated by Buddy as gracefully as he did, I personally will not put a horse up for sale no matter the discipline. I feel better sending horses into the world that know how to respond to any kind of pressure in any situation.
This is why I don’t spend a lot of time teaching horses “tricks” aka doing something specific in response to a specific cue. A horse that is broke and knows to respond to every kind pressure will never be in a situation where they get chastised for not knowing the right answer.
Getting a horse broke sets them up well for life no matter where life takes them.
How broke is your pony? 🍀
Happy New Years!
Hope everyone is staying warm - we were sure grateful to get out and have some fun outside yesterday!
All lessons for the first week of January are cancelled due to cold weather 🥶 (we have a cutoff of -15C taking into account wind chill).
Next week looks amazing! January 10, 12 & 13 are the only available days for lessons this month.
Talk to Jesse to book - our buffalo are a little spicy still but working great 🦬 🍀
