Ground Manners/Discipline - Article [Long ]
Ken Brown
better, IMO.
My comments are my comments, of course. Take them or leave them, but don't
go trying to slap me around saying I am wrong. It is my own thought and
opinion and, as such, is not right or wrong - simply my opinion. Disagree
or agree all you like, but that still doesn't make anyone right or wrong.
What is written here by Mike appears to be along the Bill/Tom Dorrance
"school of thought." If you haven't read Bill's book, I suggest you find a
copy and invest some time. Alumbaugh credits people like Frank Barnett and
Mike Bridges for his knowledge, which puts him in the Dorrance, Hunt, et al
school (IMO, of course). Tom Curtin, Dennis Morgan and a host of others in
this state are also closely linked to the same school of thought. We get
visitors, too - Bridges, Hunt, and so on. That "gang" runs thicker than
thieves and gravitates toward the NW section of the state between
Tallahassee and Ocala - Horse Country.
Site: www.mikealumbaugh.com
Discipline Starts On The Ground
By Mike Alumbaugh Published in the New Mexico horse trader December, 2001
"Most of us do not make a living horseback." We have horses for the fun of
it. Whether it’s a passion or a casual pastime, we choose to spend our free
time and disposable income on our horses. Seems to me like that time spent
should be enjoyable. Even a rigorous training session should be rewarding
and leave you happy to have spent the effort.
Too often, though, a bad-mannered horse turns every encounter into a nerve-
wracking, even dangerous, experience. A lot of people are scared of their
own horses (most don’t recognize it), frequently get hurt, and are
frustrated about how little they can accomplish. It sure drains the joy out
of owning a horse when they are treacherous and you are tense. But it
doesn’t have to be that way. I’ll share my personal policy with you: Life
is too short to put up with horses or people you don’t like. Notice I
didn’t say "philosophy," I said "policy." My wife and I do not tolerate bad
horses or people. Horses are fixable. And the people? We just don’t bother.
A horse with bad manners can have dozens of problems: Tough to catch,
refuses to lead, pushes you with his head, hip or shoulder, bites, kicks,
won’t load, won’t tie, won’t stand quietly, steps on you (no, it’s not an
accident), jumps and flinches at every noise or movement, and of course,
bucks. Lots of horse owners recognize the need for better manners, but
don't know how to get there. Good groundwork can correct these problems and
more. There are many things you can do on the ground to improve your
horse's behavior, and more often than not, the ‘fix’ won’t seem related to
the problem.
Many bad behaviors are just symptoms of a real problem, not really problems
themselves. For instance, lots of horses that pull back when tied don't
have a problem being tied. The problem is lack of patience. Pulling back is
just the escape that has been successful so often it has become a habit. He
already knows how to tie. He was born knowing how to stand. What he hasn’t
learned is patience, and patience has to be taught, no horse is born with
it.
The first priority is understanding the real problem. In most cases,
several different symptoms point to the same problem. Most people work on
each individual bad behavior to make the horse better, which can be a very
long process and nonproductive in many cases. One of the most influential
trainers in my life (Frank Barnett of Williston, Florida) is known as "The
Repairman" in the professional horse world. Horses of every description are
sent to Frank, for every problem you can think of, by some of the biggest
name trainers and pro riders in the industry. Many of the very best
reiners, jumpers, race horses, and believe it or not, Olympic eventers ‘go
bad’ and need re-programming. The approach taken on all of them is to first
understand what the real problem is, then go into one sort of ground
training or another to get their mind back on their handler and the work
they are to do. Quoting Frank, "Most of them come in like sewer-minded
monsters, and we just try to send them back good little soldiers." Sewer-
minded monsters are horses with bad attitudes, usually the result of moving
too quickly to their back. Frank takes them back to ground zero,
establishing good manners through proper groundwork before moving into
advanced riding maneuvers.
[ KB Note: We are really fortunate in Florida to have some of the best of
the best. Frank is one of them. Williston, FL is near Ocala and to the
West of it. Roy Sharpe is still out in Williston. Roy spent 13 years with
Bill Horn (well known reiner, but a tight-wad drunk to be honest) before
going out on his own .. good hand. I sold Roy a bit <grin>. OK ... I
ended up trading for the bit. Roy isn't too loose with a buck, either. He
is thrifty, not a tightwad. He's also funny as hell to be around so do it
if you get a chance. ]
Horses respond positively to pressure and release training, and negatively
to harsh treatment. Harsh treatments, such as repeated whippings, are
pointless, not to mention cruel, because the horse doesn’t understand what
they did wrong. Don't assume, though, that horses never need some "come to
attention" discipline, because once a horse has gone to the bad side of the
tracks, the methods to bring him back are stern. These methods should be
looked at like those used to mold a rag-tag band of 18 year-olds into a
precision military unit of soldiers that can actually accomplish something.
You can’t make soldiers out of kids by coddling and coaxing or by punishing
and abusing. Kids become soldiers through discipline and hard work. Our
soldiers weigh well over a thousand pounds and are agile as a cat, so you
better get their attention early.
A young horse, started correctly, rarely turns into a ‘problem’ horse. Most
young problem horses are just spoiled from spending the first few years of
life getting hand fed and learning they can get their way by throwing fits
and temper tantrums. The most common beginning is when they push and pull,
get by with it, and figure out they are stronger than you are.
Some owners swear their youngster is kind, cooperative and willing because
they’ve never given them any trouble. The truth is that they have never
been asked to do a days work, they have never learned any work ethics, and
the first time someone pushes them outside their comfort zone, they are
likely to blow up. When real work is required, and jumping around looking
cute no longer works for them, the discipline problems begin.
[ KB note: This is what I am talking about when I note a horse may act up
when you ask it to actually *do* something. Why they can be crappy when
asked to lope off and all you have done is walk around for a month to
"start them easy", etc. And why I also say when you start them out,
*start* them. Don't take forever to get them to lope, etc. Let them know
work isn't the exception, it is the rule. Work = discipline = manners -
the theory and foundation of "round pen" work. ]
This is when a lot of horses are sent to someone to be started. Quite often
that someone has no experience in groundwork or proper discipline, but
rides well enough to cover a colt for thirty days and send him home "broke"
as the saying goes. Groundwork comes in many forms, and most maneuvers that
you can ride can be taught from the ground without ever getting on the
horse. Classical horse training uses groundwork to accomplish all the
basics and build the foundation for the advanced training levels. Circus
trainers use groundwork to accomplish most of their tricks and upper-level
maneuvers. Think about watching a trick horse in the circus. They are not
performing "tricks," they are doing precisely what the trainer asks,
performing a series of maneuvers on command, which is discipline and
manners in action.
There are hundreds of books and tapes that explain groundwork in both
classical and western training. Much of the western training is one
person’s rendition of work perfected thousands of years ago by European
trainers, altered to get quicker results or to fit one man’s style.
Regardless of the approach, whether classical or western, once disciplined
in proper groundwork, horses rarely have problems with manners or bad
habits.
[ KB note: Discipline and groundwork is all about the *discipline* and
less about the groundwork actaully performed. IOW, when a NG poster states
that "proper groundwork" includes XYZ activity and ability, they have
missed the entire point of the groundwork!! ]
Many accomplished trainers that specialize in disciplines such as cutting,
reining, dressage, hunter/jumper, and western pleasure, are not interested
in taking a horse that has to be "fixed" before you can get down to the
training they are paid to do. An ill-mannered and ill-disciplined horse is
too time-consuming, perhaps too dangerous, to bother with when there are
clients with horses that are ready to get on with the work at hand. Think
about it this way: you hire a farrier to shoe your horse. He or she should
not have to teach your horse to be caught, to stand still, to give his
feet, or not to kick and strike at the shoer. You're paying him to put
shoes on, not to spend time training your horse. The same situation applies
to trainers, i.e. is your horse ready to learn reining, cutting, jumping,
etc., or will he have to be taught manners, patience, and discipline before
the real work begins?
[ KB note: I have been really, really lucky because I get to work with
Jack Hennig, a 67yo "old timer" with over 50 years of good, hard saddle
time. Not only does Jack do high level training and can finish horses to a
champion level (reiners, ropers and working cow horse), but he will take
the discipline problems and "fix" them and then work with the owner to keep
the lessons intact. He also starts colts and works with horses at any
level of training. We focus on good horsemanship (for horse and rider) in
all its aspects first, then on to other things. Some of the major trainers
in this state have spent time working with Jack and he is still considered
a "Mr. Fix It" for a lot of people. ]
If time spent with your horse is pure pleasure, good for you! If that time
is spent in guarded anticipation of his next bad move, you might consider
turning your juvenile delinquent into a good citizen. If he is to have a
pleasant and productive life with you or someone else, it’s worthwhile to
bring a horse along with the use of proper groundwork and discipline. If
you don't have the time or inclination to do it yourself, consider getting
help. If you get help, use the opportunity to learn how to maintain the
training. Otherwise, you might find yourself caught in a revolving pattern
of attitude adjustments every few months.
Good behavior has to be reinforced, and good manners have to be required.
A trainer can give you back a perfect gentleman, and if you require that
gentlemanly behavior every single day, you’ll find the time spent with your
horse more fun, more relaxing, and more rewarding. And isn’t that what we
have horses for?
Mike Alumbaugh
Alumbaugh Horse training
------------------------------
Those of you that think you know
everything about horses really annoy
the hell out of us that know we don't.
Justridin
You may be just the person I was hoping to come in contact with. I'm looking
for a good trainer (not the yahoo, cowboy wanna be') to start my filly. I'm in
NW Fl but I don't mind hauling a reasonable distance to find someone who knows
how to start a youngster properly.
Lori
Ken Brown
just...@aol.com (Justridin) posted some stuff that looked like this:
Whereabouts in NW Florida? Give me a city location near you and we will
find you one not too far away.
Tom Curtin would be good *if* he has the time; he is on a clinic schedule
these days and it pays really well. Dennis Morgan (near Ocala) is taking
some if I twist his arm (I only sneak one in because he trained under Jack
for so long). Dennis is really, really good and quite a few WCH folks take
their youngsters to him to get them started and have 90-120 days put on
them.
Kathleen
>Whereabouts in NW Florida? Give me a city location near you and we will
>find you one not too far away.
Hey Ken, Lori is in my neck of the woods ;-). See, you could come and train her
horse for her and then help me work with the herd of horses where Jazz is at.
<G> Wanna stay up here for a while? <G> We're right be the beaches. Speaking of
them, I'll be hanging out there some on either Tuesday or Thursday or possible
both days, who knows.
"When a man lies he murders some part of the world
These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives
All this I cannot bear to witness any longer
Cannot the Kingdom of Salvation take me home"
Metallica -- To Live Is To Die
Justridin
>find you one not too far away.
I'm about 30 miles East of Pensacola, right beside Blackwater State Park. <G> I
am blessed with beautifull trails right in my backyard.
Lori