I get asked 5 main categories of questions:
Catching
Seperation
Bucking
Mounting
And aggressiveness.
The answers are a click of a link away...
Case Studies
This is an example of the sort of problems I am asked to sort out.
I was contacted by a lady who had purchased a 6 year old Thoroughbred called George for her 15 year old daughter. They knew he was fairly green but felt that the daughter could handle such a horse, as she was a very competent rider.
He went well for two months until Rhiannon (the daughter) wanted to enter a fun ride near where she lived. George soon lived up to his name and became extremely distressed when all the other horses came whizzing past, he reared a few times, unseating the rider and took flight. During this, he injured his back and over the next week or so became very aggressive, in fact as it was described to me ‘George underwent a total personality change’. The owner called her Vet, Jim Tipp who diagnosed a back problem and recommended a Chiropractor. The Chiropractor arrived, Di Stevens and she confirmed the injury was more connected with anxiety rather than anything else, she recommended myself.
The owner asked me to go along and evaluate him. Within minutes of meeting him I recognised that George was extremely tense and distrusting of people. As the vet and chiropractor had confirmed his anxiety was affecting his whole demeanour and causing him to tense his body and in particular the muscles in his back. His behaviour was unruly and he was showing signs of extreme fright and was persistently trying to evade my own specially made rope halter. I spent around 5 hours with George and this resulted in him allowing me to handle him and build up a measure of trust. It was then arranged that George should come and stay with us in Rushbury for a period, which could have been anything from 5 – 12 weeks (however, each case is completely individual – this is not a rule of thumb timescale).
On my return to collect George it was evident that he had remembered my techniques and his trust came quicker because of my earlier visit he eventually calmed enough to load the lorry. The owner was amazed that after spending so much time in order for me to load him that I immediately took him straight off. I explained that this was important for George, he needed to be able to get on and off with no problems – the trust began to build.
With this particular project, the stages of treatment here at Manor Farm fell roughly into three stages:
Stage One 1 – 4 weeks – Trust Building and Manipulation
In the first 3-4 weeks it was necessary to just spend time handling at his side and reducing his stress – this is only achieved through much time and his trust for me growing. Georges fright and his reaction were very bad on arrival and he was rearing, unable to listen to me and generally causing himself more stress and injury. This was because he was so desperate to get away. His behaviour and injury was totally stress related and after his behaviour reached a peak and I was still there to reassure him, he started to realise that he could trust me for direction. His back and muscle tensing started to release as the trust grew. His confidence was beginning to grow.
Stage Two 4 – 8 weeks – Relaxation and Riding Rehabilitation
The second stage continued the reassurance and trust building and encouraged through the whispering riding techniques most of all relaxation and listening skills. Rebuilding George’s trust in humans both in the saddle and in handling was imperative; especially when he had suffered a trauma and injury such as George did on the fun ride. We started off very gently and started to teach him to listen and learn the whispering way of being ridden. It was obvious he was rather a gently soul underneath and just needed a little reassurance. We made good progress with him and he started to enjoy his time with us.
Stage Three 8 -12 weeks – Teaching the Techniques to the Rider
In order for the rider to achieve the same reassurance with their ride it is necessary to learn the whispering ways and become soul mates with their horse. The horse then continues to listen and build his courage and trust and relaxes and lets the rider become the director. By this Stage George was showing total confidence in myself and my assistant but was again unsure of Rhiannon. Rhiannon started to come for 2-5 hours a day and listen and learn. We did not allow her to ride George at first, she was taught the whispering ways on a good steady old hand of ours and was able to see how we rode George and how we got him to achieve. Rhiannon’s mother also spent many hours watching the progress and was extremely interested and enthusiastic in our soft and gently alternative ways. What was of most interest was clearly the day when Rhiannon first rode George, he was a little startled at first because she mounted him using the traditional methods not the whispering ways. We allowed this on purpose, and asked her to remount using our ways and feel the difference. It’s fair to say she felt the difference. Once George also realised that she understood the whispering way, he relaxed. Rhiannon and her parents enjoyed watching and learning and each day her confidence grew in George, his confidence grew in her - a harmonious relationship started to develop.
During his stay we also took George through many tests, to mention a few: travelling in the horsebox, walking around horse shows, cross country courses including water (which at first he was very unsure of), riding him in fields with loose horses….
At Rhiannon’s first show with him, she and her parents were delighted when he unloaded and was ridden around with other horses safely. Rhiannon has been taught how to overcome his nervousness and is feeling much happier for George. At the end of his stay we felt a little extra bonus for her, would be to help her teach him to jump. George was not here to learn to jump but we felt that she deserved a little extra treat to send her on her way. This family will continue to reassure George but also know that I am only a phone call away should they need any reassurance.
Rhiannon's mum said ‘The support we received from you there has been invaluable, you have definitely helped us to understand horse behaviour, thank you for giving us reassurance and our daughter a safe horse to ride’. There is a picture of Rhiannon, George & I at a show recently where George went very well, was very well behaved and got a clear round!