Round pen work with a horse (Z Moving 1)

Part 1 of 2. Working Z in the round pen and discussing the use of the whip as well as the intensity needed to handle a dominant horse. This was a 100 degree day so the work is at walk - trot, with voice commands and body language supported by a lunge whip (which never touches the horse).

Detailed notes about this session can be found at my blog entry:
http://commonsensehorsemanship.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/round-pen-movement-1/

Thoughts:
Remember Dominant horses more likely to FIGHT then flight
Make sure your horse is not afraid of a whip before beginning
Adjust whip intensity (not touching the horse) to suit the horse;
Moving a horse from behind
Moving a horse by voice and body language
Rewards (rest from work, scratches, food etc...)
Stiffer side - horse cuts in on circle

Ask yourself when horse responds aggressively?
1.) Does your horse KNOW what you want?
2.) Does your horse really UNDERSTAND what you want?
3.) Are you using too much pressure?
4.) Are you asking too quickly and horse doesn't have time to respond?
5.) Can horse do what you want physically (check health first!)?

Always try to go the route of asking and encouraging the right thing, rather then punishment or negative-based training. The last, in the long run, delays training and destroys the horse-human relationship.

This is a good way to begin teaching your horse to move in a manner that you can later translate to lunging with a line.

IMO round pens should be used as a place to connect to your horse and help them learn what you want them to do in a supportive learning environment. It's not a place to chase them about showing off how you can get them to submit.

These are just examples of how I do round pen work; the stops for the camera is only for educational purposes.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• horse
• dominant
• round
• pen
• liberty