WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A GOOD HORSEMANSHIP MANUAL? PART 1

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A GOOD HORSEMANSHIP MANUAL?

What should we expect of a good book on horsemanship and a good horse training book?

We can ask a few closely related questions, such as: what should a good riding instructor teach his/her pupils, or what should the main goal of any coach of horsemanship be?

Naturally the answers to these questions will vary as much as breeds and types of horses vary, depending on various facts, such as goal of the trainee, purpose of participation, discipline, background of the pupil etc..

Quite a few horseriding children and adults see certain certificates and qualifications as their main goal. To them passing certain examinations with the highest honor is the ultimate. These pupils are likely to study thick text books and learn a tremendous amount of theory, thereby acquiring a lot of theoretical knowledge.

The bottom line question remains: what is the most important when you stand eyeball to eyeball in front of a horse? Is it theoretical knowledge and qualifications, or is it practical knowledge and practical horsemanship (ability) which is going to be the decisive factor when you and the horse are alone?

I’ve seen many pupils (and even a great many “upper class” instructors) who have all the theory and qualifications, but who are not capable of handling anything more than a bomb proof horse, neither do they have the knowledge of making an excited horse calm, confident and disciplined.

My interest was tremendously aroused recently when I received an e-mail from an “expert horse calmer” trainer, who made an excellent presentation as one who “really” knows the best techniques for making “spooky” horses calm and confident. The subject of her demonstration was described by her as the “local spook”. I couldn’t wait for her to finish her introduction and get started.

And then “the local spook” was introduced !!! All the poor horse did was to lift its head and prick its ears, and looked a little smarter than the rest to show it had just noticed something and was paying attention !!!

I’ve visited prestige riding schools with extremely snobbish and highly qualified “can’t tell me anything” instructors, where all the poor people can handle is bombproof horses of the kind required for a three year old child. Some of the instructors can handle no more than what a ten year old year in a rural community can handle.

I am by no means advocating endangering inexperienced children’s lives and safety. My own daughters are very petite and feminine women, and so are my grand daughters, so I know how precious one’s children are. But what some people, especially in some prestigious riding establishments, call “dangerous” and wild, “spooky”, is just ridiculous.

I realize that to some city kids just being led on a horse, or even just touching a horse, is an exciting experience, and I have no problem with that, but shouldn’t we try to get them beyond that point and RAISE SOME REAL HORSEMEN? I mean, people who can show the other how they can handle a horse those who are less “qualified” cannot handle? I’ve seen so many “strong, experienced” riders, who, after years of instruction (and despite being rated as a real good rider), are scared to death when a horse just sidesteps a little.

I’ve also seen equally refined, sophisticated girls who don’t even move when a horse suddenly shies badly when a scary object appears unexpectedly.

READ PART 2 NEXT WEEK

Visit http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/articles/ for more educational and informative articles on horsemanship.    

HORSE TRAINING – MAINTAIN A BALANCED OUTLOOK

HORSE TRAINING – MAINTAIN A BALANCED OUTLOOK

Natural horsemanship has changed the way horse trainers approach a horse for the better, and for ever. “Horse Breaking” is a practice only applied by those who are sixty years behind the times.

However, even this wonderful approach can be misinterpreted by inexperienced newcomers, such as I have recently discovered.

In my life I’ve made contact with a section of the horse industry with whom I had not been acquainted previously, and I realized that these people need some coaching in the “opposite” direction.

I am a staunch supporter of natural horsemanship, and kind and non-abusive training techniques. I’ve written a manual on training techniques which beginners and novices apply successfully, and even top trainers are applying many of the techniques described in it. This whole e-book is based on mutual trust, confidence and discipline, the natural horsemanship way.

But I’ve also discovered that horsemanship hasn’t only got one extreme – abuse, force, cruelty – but also another opposite extreme: timidity.

This is found mostly among inexperienced newcomers to this beautiful industry. Let me hasten to say that this is by far preferable to cruel, abusive techniques, but it is still far from optimal horsemanship.

To get this in perspective one should use the horse’s nature as a starting point. Bear in mind that horses are herd animals , and in the herd there is a hierarchy. While the stallion protects the herd, a mare is the matriarch or leader. In their natural state there is a leader and subordinates. That is just the way it is with horses. In a one on one situation a horse will always test the other party – equine or human – to see who is the leader – the person or other horse, or itself.

Of course the degree of testing differs between individuals, like it does in humans. Take a class of school children as an example. A certain group will willingly submit to the authority of the teacher, while another group will always challenge the authority of the teacher. If the teacher has a strong personality, he assumes control and authority, the rebel (challenger) knows where he stands, there is order, stability and progress. If the teacher is timid, there is confusion, instability and turmoil. This doesn’t mean that the teacher is cruel or abusive. He is just strong, firm and in control. AND HE GENERATES CONFIDENCE.

Likewise a horse looks for a leader. Although I strongly reject abusive training techniques, I think it is equally important to warn novices about the danger and consequences of treating a horse like a baby. Let me ask you: did you and the rest of the class perform your best in the class of Miss Meekandmild, or in the class of Mr. Fairbutorderly, where there was authority and order?

Assume authority right from the start. Let the horse understand right from the start which one of you is the leader. If the horse finds out that it can overrule you, it is a matter of (a very short) time before it will have no respect for you, and eventually you will not be able to do anything with it, and it will end up in the slaughter house. Of course there are degrees to which horses will challenge you – some horses are more submissive by nature than others. But if you can only get along with 30 to 50 percent of the horses you meet in your life, I don’t think you can call yourself much of a horseman/horsewoman, do you?

It frustrates the living daylight out of me if I see people baby-talking a horse. Beware – that horse is going to challenge you, and you are going to come second. Horses are strong animals, and by natural selection they have been bred and adapted to survive in a hostile environment. If they couldn’t defend and protect themselves, they would have become extinct.

My two daughters are two beautiful, feminine, refined women, yet they run marathons of sometimes over 20 km. (13 miles), keeping the pace for long periods of the time. They haven’t died of it. All that happens is that they are healthy, fit and feel good. But I have met a few people who don’t want a horse to work once the horse starts perspiring. Comments like: “He’s getting tired now; we’d better stop” when the horse had barely started to sweat, spin my head. Every athlete is being pushed to the limit, and a horse is much more hardy than a human. If it had to stop after 5 minutes of running in nature, there would be no horses left today; the predators would have eaten them all.

PLEASE. Don’t conclude that I am encouraging abuse. I use the most non-abusive techniques I am aware of, and that is what I teach throughout me entire book. I think natural horsemen such as Monty Roberts, Pat Perelli, John Lyons and Larry Trocha did mankind (and the horse world) an incalculable service. I’ve learned a lot from them, and I apply their approach and it forms the foundation of my techniques. I am by no means contradicting what they (and myself) advocate, and I stand in awe of their knowledge.

I just feel that it is my duty to warn beginners against the impending danger and unpleasant consequences of treating a horse like a baby. Be kind, but firm, sensible and realistic. The one extreme is as far from the ideal as the other. Be kind, but firm, and take control. Demand respect. Demand discipline. Be the leader from day 1.      

One last thing: if you talk to a horse, don’t squeak like a mouse; talk like someone who is in command. Horses have no respect for mice, but they respect authority.

That is just the way horses are.

Hugo E Slabbert has been training horses for almost fifty years. Over this period he has studied methods, done research, learned from others and through trial and error found the most practical and efficient training techniques to gain mutual trust, respect and discipline. He has put these techniques into book form in an e-book, EASY HORSE, which not only explains these techniques in detail, step by step, but covers a very broad spectrum of horsemanship, such as conformation guidelines, rider exercises, injuries etc. You can gain a lifetime's experience in little more than two hours by visiting http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/ and by ordering your copy on http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/order/

WHY HORSES BUCK AND HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH THEM

Irrespective of what we endeavour with our horses, the first consideration to bear in mind should be how the horse experiences what we are doing.

Have you ever considered why a horse bucks the first time we try to mount it?

To answer that question we have to return to a horse's natural state. While humans have progressed tremendously in science and technology over the last centuries, and even decades, the mind of a horse is still very much the same as it was thousands of years ago. We have influenced the direction of breeding by selecting individuals which have a more trainable and submissive disposition, but the basic reasoning ability, and their association with certain phenomena are very much what it was thousands of years ago. We call it instinct.

We should bear in mind that the horse is an animal of prey, meaning that it is the prey of predators. God gave them a natural ability to protect themselves against predator order to survive (instinct). So how does the horse experience it when you put something (a saddle) onto its back, and you try to mount it?

Cats, such as lions, leopards and tigers attack its prey from behind, jumping onto it and killing or paralyzing it with its teeth. In other words: the horse "knows" that something which rises up behind its head, puts its weight onto its back and moves around on its back, has only one intention: to kill it for food. Even though horses are to a large extent not exposed to the danger it experienced millennia ago, the natural fear is still existent (even city dwellers who have not seen a lion for generations, have an inborn fear of lions). So, when we put a saddle onto its back, the inborn protection mechanism kicks in. Even though you might have trained hundreds of horses before, this is the first time the horse experiences this. Come to think about it: has anything ever tried to get onto its back before? What could this mean, but a motive to kill? Scary!!!! Add to this the added awareness of weight (resembling the weight of the predator): it should not be hard to imagine what goes through the horse's mind. To him it poses an immediate threat. His only knowledge of a situation such as this, is that it means death.

Likewise canines (dogs, hyenas etc.) attack the belly area of its bigger prey, such as horses. Any specie, including humans, is especially sensitive around the belly and flank areas. How easily can most people be tickled in the flank. As one gets older, sensitivity diminishes and nerves grow blunter. The same applies to a horse.

So how can we overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle?

Firstly we should familiarize the horse with seeing something behind it. I slowly try to raise myself by putting my foot in the stirrup and retreating continuously, raising a little higher each time, getting the horse accustomed to the sight of something behind it gradually, from both sides.

Secondly, the horse should learn to accept weight on its back, gradually. Start by putting weight in the stirrup on both sides, mounting slowly and raising yourself slowly until your full weight is on the horse's back.

Once the horse accepts you on its back, it should start moving around with someone on its back. I usually start in the stable, and only move out once the horse becomes comfortable with the procedure in the stable.

Fortunately we haven't got all the odds stacked against us. Hugo E Slabbert has been training horses of various breeds for almost a lifetime. He has written an e-book, EASY HORSE, on the subject, focusing on the way a horse experiences the things we do to it during training, and providing practical techniques on how to overcome the problems we normally experience. This e-book covers a very broad spectrum of horsemanship in a practical, simple way even novices can apply.

Read the complete, detailed, step by step procedure, and similar informative, educational articles by visiting http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/articles/ and browse through the website. The answers to solving problems are more obvious and practical than you think.

KENTUCKY STATE FAIR 2011 VIDEOS AND PHOTOS

VIEW KENTUCKY STATE FAIR 2011

VIDEOS http://www.thehorsecity.com/ws/videos/

PHOTOS http://www.thehorsecity.com/ws/photos/

THROUGH THE EYES OF A HORSE

Have you ever thought what goes through the mind of a horse which has never been handled before, when you bring it in for training?

Exactly the same that will go through your mind the first time you enter a space rocket!!!!! It is overwhelming.

That horse is totally unfamiliar with EVERYTHING that surrounds him. He’s never been confined to an area as small as a stable before, or even a pen. He has absolutely no idea what you intend doing with him. All he is used to is fleeing from danger, and NOW HE CAN’T. All he can think of is to get free. As far as he can figure out, your next step might be to hurt or kill him, like a lion or any predator would under the circumstances he is familiar with (open pasture, in nature). This is a horse’s natural instinct.

What goes through his mind the first time you attempt to touch him? What are your intentions? His natural instinct is to flee from danger, and NOW HE CAN’T. What is a saddle? Is it an object which is going to hurt, injure or kill him? Or a harness? How unfamiliar are these objects to him!!!!!

You want to put a halter or bridle onto his head. You are threatening his most precious, but also his most vulnerable possessions: his eyes and ears, those parts of his anatomy he needs most to become aware of impending danger, warning him in time to flee. If something happens to his eyes and ears, he has no warning system against danger.

Is he familiar with touch by any living creature, except another horse? In his natural state, will he allow a predator to touch his body, let alone his eyes?

Further more, it should be borne in mind that animals have a natural inborn fear of man. God created them that way, firstly to protect us against them, and secondly to enable us to subdue them.

What do insensitive, inexperienced, just plain stupid horsemen do?

Instead of realizing and considering these facts, they try to overpower the horse, often hurting it to subdue it.

The (logical) result? The horse’s fear of getting hurt, and of the bad intentions of man, are justified!!!! The object DOES hurt, and man DOES have bad intentions!!! Just plain logic!!!

What should our approach be? Convince the horse that the object (saddle, bridle, harness etc.) does NOT hurt, and man does NOT intend to harm him.

Sweet baby talk does NOT convince a horse. No horse understands English, German or Spanish.

You have to convey the idea to the horse in a language HE understands, and you have to understand what HE is trying to tell YOU.

Watch out for the follow up article in about two weeks time (such as long lining, mounting and hitching for the first time, reining, discussion of a horse’s conformation, rider exercises, grooming, home remedies which mostly work better than medicines you buy, equine dentistry etc.) , or get the complete course on horsemanship, covering an extremely broad spectrum in great detail by visiting http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/              and ordering your copy http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/order/  to have immediate access to the entire course.  

OVERCOMING FEAR IN A GREEN HORSE

There are various approaches and techniques to help and teach a horse to overcome fear. For the purpose of this article I shall focus on one approach. There are other ways to approach it, which are directly opposite to this.

The principle which we apply here is to let the horse turn to you for protection and security. The technique we apply is to turn the horse loose in a round pen about 2 meter (6 feet) high and 50 feet (16 meters) in diameter. Spread 4 or 5 people evenly spaced around the outside of the pen, each with a tin or plastic bottle with a few stones in it, making as much noise as possible, while walking at a normal pace around the ring. These people walk at the same pace, thereby staying the same distance from each other.

Initially the horse will freak out. After 5 to 10 minutes it will be drenched with perspiration. No matter which way it turns, it runs into this awful noise.

In general it takes 15 to 20 minutes for the horse to decide it needs a companion, someone to bond with, who can offer security and protection against this “dangerous threat”. It will first start chewing and playing with its tongue and lips – a sign of willingness to co-operate and negotiate. Then it will select one of the group around the pen, staying close to and following that person. During this period all the people continue walking and shaking the bottles.

Once it becomes obvious that the horse has selected its companion, the selected person enters the pen, still shaking the bottle, but walking in circles towards the horse. At this stage you keep your gaze towards the ground, avoiding eye contact. Eye contact is seen as a sign that you want to chase the horse away from you (aggression). You also turn your shoulder towards the horse as you approach it. Turning your shoulder and lowering your gaze are signs that you are prepared to allow it into your area.

At this stage the horse will normally desire to stay close to you and see you as a form of security and protection against the “danger” on the outside.

You can now walk in circles, serpentines and in all directions, and it should follow you. This is also the time to let the rest of the company enter the pen slowly, moving around inside the pen while they continue to shake the bottles, moving closer all the time.

At this stage you should stand still in the middle of the pen, rubbing the horse all over its body, from the head to the hind quarters, over its back and croup, its ribs and belly, while the others keep on shaking the bottles more softly and walking around the horse. Pay lots of attention to carefully rubbing its most sensitive parts (and its most valuable): the eyes and ears. 

You have now bonded. The horse has selected you as leader and as its protection against the things it feared. It has also become accustomed to noise, and realizes

1. That noise will not hurt it, so it need not fear noise
2. That it can depend upon you when it feels insecured

 You can read the entire process from here up to where you put tack on, mount and hitch to a cart, and start riding or driving, in the complete horseman’s manual EASY HORSE.

Visit http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/ 

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WHY HORSES SHY AND HOW TO APPROACH THEM

One of the areas in which horses are most often misunderstood, is in the area of shying.

      There are four reasons why horses shy: ·     

    

• Some horses (some bloodlines) are more prone to shying than others – it is a case of breeding and inherent disposition.       

• Too little work and too much energy feed cause excessive playfulness. This is often desirable in certain show horse breeds. Otherwise more work is an obvious solution.·         

• Horses might shy deliberately to get the upper hand over the rider – a case of being spoilt.

• Genuine fear of an object, which might have been caused by an inexperienced trainer.

It should be borne in mind that any foreign object looks scary to a horse. Bear in mind that it is a horse’s natural instinct to flee from danger to protect itself. It always makes good horse sense to give a horse enough time to familiarize itself with anything of which it is frightened. Let the horse get assurance that it is not going to get hurt. Never put pressure on the horse when it is frightened, unless you are sure  that it is only trying to belittle you. This you should be should be very sure of, and inexperienced riders should be very hesitant to force the horse towards the object it fears, since it is more likely than not to aggravate the situation. It can cause permanent distrust between horse and trainer.

Confidence between horse and trainer should be established ON DAY 1. Once a horse has confidence in its trainer, progress is unbelievably fast. As soon as the horse accepts the trainer as his leader, it will “lean on the trainer” for protection and guidance. One gets to a stage where the horse trusts the trainer to the extent where it will almost accept everything the trainer wants to do with it.

This is not done in the way one would establish a relationship with a human. A horse responds to certain techniques and has its own language, which is totally different to that of man. There are various ways (definite techniques) which accomplish this trust. This, and a very broad spectrum on horsemanship, are explained in detail in the very practical manual EASY HORSE. View its contents on http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/contents/.

You can order this e-book online on http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/order/

UNDERSTANDING THE WAY A HORSE THINKS

To me one of the surest signs of a lack of understanding of equine psychology, or the way a horse thinks, is “He will do as I tell him“, a sure sign of arrogance, but not of horsemanship, unless it is said by a true professional, who knows why he says it, and what to do. It is amazing that this attitude will mostly be found among amateurs with little or no experience, and who normally ruin most of the horses they get involved with.

It is just logical that a young horse which comes in for the first time, will be suspicious of EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING is new and strange to him. Even being stabled is a foreign experience.

So what does the inexperienced horseman do?

Instead of realizing the fear and uncertainty of this young horse, they try to overpower him, thereby causing more doubt and uncertainty. They (stupidly) expect him to accept and to familiarize himself with anything new within seconds. ANYTHING is a threat to this young horse. EVERYTHING is unfamiliar. He doesn’t know WHATEVER to expect from even the most common things. It is almost unthinkable that so many people will try to overcome this problem by trying to dominate the horse, instead of giving it time to investigate the object unfamiliar to him. Does he know what a harness, a saddle, a curry comb, a towel, a bridle, is, or, more importantly, what (harm) it can do to him? Can we expect him to know that we intend no harm? What goes on in his mind? In his natural state he has to either flee or defend himself against danger. To him these things are as scary as a ghost to us at midnight. Common sense - but is sense always so common?

So what does the ignorant, inexperienced (sometimes after involvement with horses for most of their lives, still “ignorant“), arrogant horseman do when the horse shies or gets uncomfortable? Shouting, even as bad as beating, even kicking. Such people are too stupid to realize that the horse is trying to defend himself against a danger which, in HIS mind, might injure or even kill him. So they prove his fears well grounded!!! And cause PERMANENT doubt and mistrust. It is about as sensible as, when a small boy has difficulty carrying a packet of flour, to add a packet of sugar to his load, instead of making the load lighter. Just as stupid!!!!

Someone once said: “All horses are horses; all men are not horsemen“. How true!!!!

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE, CLICK HERE

EQUINE PSYCHOLOGY - BASIC COMMON SENSE

SOME POINTS ON EQUINE PSYCHOLOGY

The first and most important point to bear in mind in horse training, is TO TEACH THE HORSE THAT HE CAN TRUST YOU AT ALL TIMES. IF HE LEARNS THAT THE FIRST DAY , YOU’VE LAID A FOUNDATION WHICH WILL BE PRICELESS FOR THE REST OF THAT HORSE’S LIFE. THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY IS THE FIRST. THEN HE EITHER LEARNS TO:

A. TRUST , or

B. DISTRUST, or

C. HATE YOU.

I therefore want to EMPHASIZE that it is mostly not something I have figured out because of my savvy or horse sense, but which I have had the privilege to learn from smart horsemen whom God brought over my path over a period of more than forty years, and mostly, because of what He has revealed to me by grace.

I’ve read quite a few books on Natural Horsemanship, and watched quite a few DVD’s, but the problem with many of these is that they show you the end product and result, but NOT the step-by-step way of getting there from Day 1. In this book I endeavour to guide you step-by-step, from the day the foal / young horse is brought in from the veld, the individual which has never been handled before, till completion of the process of bonding. For the purpose of this course explained in the training manual, EASY HORSE, we also assume that the horse is of the spirited type. Many horses will allow you to proceed much faster, BUT I WANT TO HELP YOU, THE NOVICE, THE AMATEUR, TO BE ABLE TO BOND WITH ANY TYPE OF HORSE. It normally took Bulletjie (my beloved son and one of the most gifted horsemen I’ve known) twenty to thirty minute to sit in the saddle of horses which have never been handled before. However, don’t expect to do this from the start. Bulletjie has a lot of experience at this type of bonding. Won’t you feel good if you can do that?

To me one of the surest signs of a lack of understanding of equine psychology, or the way a horse thinks, is “He will do as I tell him“, a sure sign of arrogance, but not of horsemanship, unless it is said by a true professional, who knows why he says it, and what to do. It is amazing that this attitude will mostly be found among amateurs with little or no experience, and who normally ruin most of the horses they get involved with.

It is just logical that a young horse which comes in for the first time, will be suspicious of EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING is new and strange to him. Even being stabled is a foreign experience.

So what does the inexperienced horseman do?

Watch this blog for the continuation of this discussion, or if you would like to learn much more immediately, visit http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/ to order a complete course on horsemanship which will enable you to do with horses what you never dreamed you were capable of.

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LEXINGTON JUNIOR LEAGUE HORSE SHOW 11 TO 16 JULY 2011 VIDEO

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PART 1 OF ACUPUNCTURE IN HORSES

ACUPUNCTURE IN AMERICAN SADDLEBRED HORSES
by
Dr Jan Still

Acupuncture is a therapeutic method originating in Eastern-Asian countries. It has been practiced both in China and, increasingly so, also in many European countries and Northern and South America. Acupuncture is highly effective in alleviating pain and certain other medical conditions in man and animals.

According to traditional theories, acupuncture alleviates pain and cures disease by harmonising the flow energy Qi in the body. Modern scientific research has confirmed that acupuncture operates via selective stimulation of the nervous system. A variety of chemicals such as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators are released in various parts of the nervous system in response to acupuncture stimulation. These and other physiological changes induced by acupuncture then assist in pain-relief and other forms of healing.

INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF ACUPUNCTURE IN HORSES
So-called soft tissue injuries characterised by pain, stiffness, muscle spasm or wastage, altered movement or lameness are the main indication for the use of acupuncture in horses. Acupuncture has been used successfully in managing various riding problems, in which horses resist (and often just cannot) carry out certain tasks because of the underlying pain and discomfort. The major indications for acupuncture in sport horses, including American Saddlebreds, are:

SORE NECK
Manifested by loss of flexibility and resistance to bend sideways; high or low carriage of the neck; tripping of front limbs etc. In American Saddlebreds in particular, neck muscles are often tender and in spasm, causing numerous performance-related problems.

SORE BACK
This is a very common yet not always timely recognised condition. Sore back can be a major cause of discomfort to the horse and a reason for numerous riding problems. General loss of mobility; change of temperament; tail swishing; uncontrollable running away; bucking; or rearing and many other signs can indicate pain in the back region. Low back area in particular is under stress in American Saddlebred horses. This condition can be associated in particular with reduced propulsion from behind, as well as with generalised lack of suppleness.

INCORRECT LIMB MOVEMENT AND LAMENESS

Acupuncture treatment is efficacious in managing soft tissue injuries located in the shoulder, elbow, hip and stifle areas. These injuries can be a cause of uni- or bi-lateral limb stiffness, shortened stride, “choppy” or uneven gait, or lameness.

Because of the breed-related nature of the movement and methods of training, muscle strain and other types of injuries in the low neck and shoulder are common in American Saddlebreds. Other frequently encountered problems are stiffness in the upper neck and hamstring muscles on the back of the hind limbs. Strained muscles or ligaments, or irritated (‘pinched”) nerves are diagnosed and treated effectively with acupuncture in these situations.

GENERALIZED BODY PAIN AND STIFFNESS
Some horses showing poor performance or difficult behaviour are subsequently diagnosed with generalized muscle pain and spasm. This distressing condition can develop as a result of excessive body strain associated with training, competitions, or as a consequence of accidents. There seems to be a constitutional predisposition for the condition in particular horses.

SOFT OR HARD MOUTH
Some horses develop extreme sensitivity in particular nerves of the head. The sharp pain can cause a range of riding problems such as excessive sensitivity on the bit, bridle lameness, head throwing or shaking, as well as resistance when turning the horse to a particular side.

SENSITIVE CHEST
The condition is manifested by excessive sensitivity of the horse when the girth is tightened. Often, the affected horses tend to run uncontrollably away or refuse to go forwards.

As a rule, whenever a horse starts to refuse to carry out his usual tasks in training or in competition, or when he behaves in an unusual/distressed way, an underlying pain within the musculoskeletal apparatus should be suspected. It is crucial for the horse’s well-being, as well as for the rider’s safety to properly manage the underlying causes of pain. Successful pain management, whether using acupuncture or other veterinary methods, can be highly rewarding in terms of the horse’s improved performance. More details about these and other issues can be found on my website www.animal-acupuncture.co.za

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WHAT THE GREENHORSETRAININGBOOK IS ALL ABOUT

EASY HORSE

THE GREENHORSE TRAINING BOOK

PERHAPS THE MOST PRACTICAL, EASIEST , FASTEST , MOST GENTLE HORSE TRAINING BOOK EVER WRITTEN, AND ARGUABLY THE MOST GENTLE, BUT EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE, BOOK ON HORSEMANSHIP LESSONS  AVAILABLE.

THIS E-BOOK IS NOT ABOUT "HORSE BREAKING", BUT ABOUT "HORSEMANSHIP LESSONS" OR "HORSE SCHOOLS", ADDING VERY VALUABLE RIDING LESSONS.

Unlike most books on horse training, this e-book explains in step by baby step detail, yet in the most simplistic way, every step from the first moment the green, wild young horse, which has never seen a human, is approached, right up to where you ride and drive a well mannered, confident, reliable horse, which you and your family can really enjoy.

These horse training methods require almost no skill, gift or exceptional talent. You don’t need years of experience training horses. No need to be an experienced horse trainer. Beginners and novices can apply these easy, but extremely effective, practical natural horsemanship lessons and riding lessons.

This is one of very few horse training books which describes natural horsemanship methods so easy and simple that novices and beginners (this is truly a book on horse riding for beginners) can successfully apply them. Within an hour YOU, the novice, will know how to let a young, green horse follow you calmly and confidently after twenty to forty minutes.

It is especially ideal for “groom trainers” – perhaps the only way most of them will not ruin a promising young horse.

Perhaps the greatest value of this course is as a manual for riding schools. Courses offered on the internet are extremely expensive, and additional CD’s and DVD’s need to be acquired to make it complete. This course is complete: no additional CD’s, DVD’s or equipment are required. In addition it covers many other aspects of horsemanship, such as equine dentistry, acupuncture and other subjects which are in the process of being worked on and which will be added continuously. This makes this very cheap course the easiest, fastest and most complete way novices and beginners will get background knowledge on horsemanship anywhere. It is designed around simplicity, efficiency and completeness, at a price any horseriding child can afford.

These techniques are equally practical for farmers who use ranch horses on cattle and sheep ranches. The simplicity of this course makes it practical for any purpose.

The advantages of EASY HORSE are numerous:

1.      It works equally well on any type and breed.

2.      Probably the fastest way of training a horse.

3.      Probably the easiest way of training horses ever described. Horsemanship lessons you can understand

4.      Probably the most gentle of all horse training methods - horse schools. not horse breaking.

5.      It gives you insight on the way a horse thinks – a course in equine psychology.

6.      The end result is a well mannered, reliable horse which the whole family can enjoy.

7.     A discussion forum where you can discuss the horsemanship lessons and horse problems you experience.

8.    24 / 7 consultation on horse lessons.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND INSIDE:

1. How to bond with a wild horse within twenty to forty minutes.

2. How to mount a horse for the first time without any bucking - and enjoy the ride !!

3. How to prepare a horse for hitching so it will walk off like an old harness horse.

4. How to treat a horse which shies.

5. How to  get a  responsive mouth and a horse which is light in the bridle.

6. How to take the fight out of a horse, and how to calm a nervous horse down.

7. How to develop balance in the saddle within a week with a few easy exercises.

8. How to treat a head shy horse.

9. Riding lessons which will help you develop balance in the saddle within a week.

DO IT YOURSELF THE EASY, FAST, GENTLE AND MOST PRACTICAL WAY.

SOLVE YOUR HORSE TRAINING PROBLEMS FOR EVER.