Barrel Racing

Don't forget to note the undeveloped topline and overdeveloped underline of this horse's neck (see previous muscling blog for further details)...

I have already previously written about barrel racing, but I just had to vent after reading Shame in the Horse Show Ring's blog on barrel racing.

See, people (outside the barrel racing world) often seem to think it's about 'training the horse properly', that barrel racers are not training their horses properly, which results in this:



(what bugs me about this video is that the wrecks - essentially horses being abused - are somehow glorified, the riders made out to be so "amazing")

or what about this:



oooor this:




Newsflash: if your horse is bucking, he's sending a clear message - get off my back!

The music in these videos really bugs me - I'd be ashamed to even video clips such as these of my horses, nevermind post them with music to portray the clips as "so fantastic". There's just nothing "fantastic" about my horses hating me and loathing their work. There's nothing fantastic about a scared horse, and there's nothing fantastic about a horse in pain.

It's not about whether or not the horse has adequate training, or if it was over-schooled, it's a matter of the horse in question's emotional status. These horses are absolute emotional wrecks. They are being encouraged (often indirectly and inadvertently) to react rather than to think. The sad part is that the horse is usually blamed, or the sport itself is. The horse is henceforth forever labelled "useless" for anything else after his barrel career and its behaviour is blamed on the sport itself "oh, barrel racing does that", like that's just how it has to be and we all have to accept it. The same often happens in the jumper world. Well it's not, and we don't. When the horse is developed into an emotionally balanced partner with a solid foundation, barrel racing can be done successfully for both horse and rider!

Here's one example:



(granted, I doubt it was much of a good time, but it shows that it can be done, and hey, even in a simple rope hackamore!)

When are people going to learn that it is not the horse's fault! Furthermore, when are they going to learn that it does not have to be this way! It's not due to a lack of training either, it's due to people mistreating their horses. Yanking on the huge bits in their horses' mouths (snaffle or gentle hackamore, anyone?). Kicking with spurs (anyone ever heard of squeezing?). Whipping. Tie-downs (gotta keep that head down now that the horse is tossing its head due to the pain!). The list is endless. People seem to think that it is okay for a horse to "spazz out" prior to a run - it's not. Look at it from the horse's perspective. A horse rearing or bucking is desperately trying to tell its rider something and it shouldn't have to resort to those extremes! Forcing them to do so (due to circumstances) is what turns these horses into wrecks. Oh, and it's not because "they're competitive" - that the excuse one of the barrel racers at our barn uses. No, your horse's brain is fried, that's why he acts the way he does. Horses can be excited prior to a run, but the key is to teach them to think and to learn how to turn them on and off. The key is in teaching the horse to wait patiently to its riders cues and to channel that energy.

What's with the flapping legs? Ever seen a horse send a shiver through his skin when a fly lands on him? Yup, doesn't need the kicking, much less with spurs. Someone please answer me this: why would you pull back on your horse's mouth while asking him to run? I see it constantly at the gymkhanas. Rider kicks with spurs, beats their horse's hindquarters, and simultaneously yanks on that big bit in the horse's mouth (time for a tie-down!). Then the horse goes up (I mean, really, where else was he supposed to go??), which gets him more beatings, because now Rider's angry at her horse for "acting up". *sigh* Let's not forget either that horses are not stupid. After the hours of practise I recognize it takes to sufficiently prepare a horse to run barrels, he should be able to ride those barrels bridleless - a.k.a. without that severe bit in his mouth. As intelligent animals, horses should easily be able to do a barrel pattern - a pattern they've done a million and a half times, with very little guidance. Unless of course we need those twisted-wire-long-shanked curb bits to keep him in the arena in the first place! And don't tell me "some horses can't run in a snaffle". We'll do a blog on bits later. Suffice it to say however that bits are for refinement. Thus you use the gentlest, thickest snaffle you can find and work your way up through the higher-level bits as (get this!) - your horse moves up through the levels! If you cannot control your horse, if he's "running through your aids", it's time to go back to the drawing board. Simple as that. You move up into a shanked bit when the horse has sufficient flexion and bend, when it is time for more intimate communication, and more advanced collection. Not because your horse is ignoring your cues. At that time (refinement), your hands are soft as silk and quiet as a still lake. Not yanking on the poor horse's mouth.

In my humble opinion, if you foster that cool-as-a-cucumber mindset in a horse (as demonstrated above), you are at an advantage and you are maintaining your horse's best interests. It's tough to do when you are training that horse to be competitive and to have that 'edge', especially given that horses suited to upper levels of competition are often very high-energy athletes, but it is absolutely crucial. Doing so is the foundation of the training scale, which enables you to thus teach the horse to use its body efficiently. When the horse is balanced and using their body efficiently, they can put 110 percent of their available power, into the task at hand - none goes to waste. Furthermore, the horse with the emotionally collected mind is able to better focus on the task put forth to them as well as listen better to the cues its rider gives. That ability to intensely focus allows the horse to channel all their energy and effort into a successful run.

As a side note, this type of damage to a horse is reversible, but it takes a lot of work and expertise. As another note, I am not writing this blog to criticize all barrel riders. I am criticizing the ones riding such as those in the videos above. Please, for your horse's sake, take a look at your horse and consider his perspective. The barrel world can be a cruel cruel place, but it does not have to be that way. People need to realize they will get a lot more from their horse when their horse loves their job and loves their rider, when they're working in partnership with that rider.


Sorry this post is a little snarky, I just wish people would take a step back and consider things from their horses' perspectives. If "it looks ugly", consider this: it probably is, from your horse's point of view. GAH!!

Arabians are crazy

Yes, Arabians in particular must be absolutely stupid. I swear, the next time someone makes that comment to me again, about Arabians or even about Thoroughbreds, I will personally slap them. Hard.

Arabians are probably one of the smartest breeds I know, and Thoroughbreds aren't slouches either! They are both very sensitive and high energy breeds, so I can understand how they may not be suited to every person - but don't blame it on the breed or horse just because YOU lack the savvy to deal with said particular horse/breed!

I think when people make the statements "oh I hate (insert breed name here)" it is due to lack of understanding and knowledge. Plain and simple. I just wish people would understand that perhaps they feel the way they do about a particular breed for that reason and so would accept that rather than blaming it on the breed! *sigh* What's that song again? Oh right, "God is great, beer is good...and people are crazy!"

Anyway, I just wanted to use the above video as an example of how "crazy" and "wild" Arabians and Thoroughbreds are. Watch out!

Longeing

In my perusing of the internet, I came across this lovely article: Horse Training - Longeing Do's and Dont's. Ah, finally someone spelling "longe" correctly. Despite the correct spelling, I still unfortunately have a bone to pick. But first, my own personal opinion of longeing a horse, so you can understand from where I am coming from in all this.

It's no secret I use Natural Horsemanship with all my horses, to which I often get the question - well, isn't the Circle Game (Parelli) the same as longeing? Short answer: not necessarily. Long answer: snuggle up in a blanket and grab a bag of popcorn. Warning: this may be long.

The Circle Game has many uses, but it is always kept to a min 2, max 4 laps. >4 laps and it becomes just mindless circling, unless the circling has a specific purpose to it (ie, spiraling in and out, as one example). <2 laps and you are ineffective. The Circle Game is actually an extension of the three "foundation" games in the 7 Games: the Friendly Game, the Porcupine Game, and the Driving Game. The Friendly Game is designed to earn a horse's trust, teach said horse to follow your leadership, and desensitize them to various situations and objects. The Porcupine Game is designed to teach the horse to move away from pressure and to become lighter, more responsive. Finally, the Driving Game is meant to enable a person to earn a horse's respect. Horses "drive" one another out in pasture all the time - he who moves his feet the least commands the highest level of respect. So the Circle Game incorporates a bit of Driving Game (horse is "driven" around a circle) as well as Friendly Game (do as I say please, but trust I will not hurt you). It teaches a horse "responsibility" (do whatever task I've assigned to you until I say otherwise - in this case, circle until I ask otherwise), respect (move out when I ask), and of course the obvious: it teaches a horse balance and to move more efficiently, to think rather than react, and it helps a horse warm and loosen up prior to a ride. Eventually, as you progress a horse through the levels, the Circle Game is extended upon in various forms, including having him circle at liberty. In such a way though, the Circle Game becomes just that - a game. A game that allows you to connect with a horse, to get a horse thinking, and to create a well-rounded partner overall (when used in conjunction with all the other work you do, as a piece of the giant puzzle).

The Circle Game (well, the disengaging part of it, with a new horse learning to disengage)

Now, back to mindless circling, *ahem* I mean, *cough* longeing. Longeing certainly can be equated to the Circle Game, when it is used correctly. When it is used to get a horse thinking as well as for its physical benefits. I have watched people (yes, even professionals) longe their horses for an hour straight (also talking on the phone!), their horse digging a rut in the arena, and I have seen people desperately longe their horse for 30 minutes just so they could tire the horse out enough, take that edge off, to be able to ride said horse. Guess what that's doing guys? You're making your horse fitter! So next time, you are going to have to longe longer. And longer. And longer. Until you're longeing for an hour just so you can get on and ride your horse for 30 minutes. As someone with two extremely high energy horses myself (including a OTTB who absolutely loves to run), I have to say: there's another way. Figure out a way to channel all that energy. Establish the type of partnership (whether it be through classical methods, John Lyons, Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli - whatever it may be) where your horse follows your leadership and uses his energy efficiently rather than using it to fight you. Mindless circling really is doing nothing for your horse. Except perhaps predispose him to leg injury and unsoundness.

Now, longeing can be used correctly. If it causes your horse to learn and to think. If it is used as an additional gymnastic exercise for your horse, for him to learn how to carry himself efficiently and for him to warm up his muscles, it's beneficial to your horse. As a side note: longeing your horse with side reins to "force" him into a frame is not beneficial longeing; this is not to say however that side reins may not be used correctly. I feel in the right hands, with the right horse and with the right intention and purpose, they can be - just not as a means of forcing the horse into a frame (which I see a lot). Collection, relaxation, suppleness - all this can and should come naturally, with some help on the rider's part to encourage it then further refine it. To get back on track though, mindless circling is just that - mindless. Your horse doesn't learn, and he doesn't have to think - he's simply running the flight pattern of a prey animal. What are some ways to cause your horse to think while longeing? Transitions - between gaits and within gaits. Changes in direction (this is a huge respect-earning task as well) - at the w/t/c (including flying leads eventually). Having him spiral in and out while holding a particular gait. Having him negotiate obstacles or patterns, including cavelleti and groundpoles. Have him disengage his hindquarters. Using the line as a safety net rather than to hold your horse to you. Keep the circling minimal and as a physical and mind exercise rather than to burn off that excess edge.

One last point: for those of you who do not allow your horse to play on the longe line. First off, if your horse is in a stall or even if he is kept outside but he cannot run or play (ie. too icy, not sufficient space, too muddy, too hot, etc) - where else is he supposed to play? Secondly, your horse is working for you and this is supposed to be a partnership, right? So why is it always about you - why can't your horse play a little? Make it about him and you, and allow him some freedom of expression (liberty work is especially great for this). Better yet, if you can, turn him loose in the arena. During one of our recent-ish sessions, I did this with Link, our Thoroughbred. For whatever reason *roll eyes* (lol) he saved his Horses Gone Wild episode for the arena rather than his pasture of several acres. He just couldn't seem to settle down and concentrate in the arena, so I turned him loose. He tore around for a solid 10 minutes before returning to me, ready for work (and he was!). Sometimes they need an outlet too! If this is a partnership, we have to consider our horses' wants and needs as well. If you sufficiently earn their trust and respect in a session and you act like an appropriate leader, they start tuning in to you anyway, and focus on the task at hand rather than playing (besides, working with a horse should be 'play' anyway!). In my experience, there is no negative impact in turning a horse loose in the arena or allowing them to play on the longe. If you develop a solid partnership with that horse where you have a high level of respect, trust, and willingness, they will work their butts off for you regardless. It is not about nitpicking the little things - it is about the bigger picture (though certainly the little things count, but you have to learn what counts and what does not).

Don't say I didn't warn you it would be long! So, back to the original website that earned its spot in this blog: Longeing Do's and Dont's by Barb Crabbe, DVM. Article info in italics, my comments in green.

Do: Maintain control. Teach your horse to stand quietly on the circle, then walk off quietly when you ask. If you can't control him in a halter, use a stud chain, longeing cavesson, or bridle to help keep his feet on the ground. If he flies crazily around the circle, leaping and bucking as he goes, he's likely to strain tendons and ligaments or injure himself some other way. His uncontrolled behavior can be dangerous for you, too. If he kicks as he charges out to the circle, he puts you at risk for serious injury.

I think we've already indirectly dealt with Do #1, particularly in my preceding paragraph. Besides, how do you "maintain control"? I get the feeling this is more about "forcing" control than about "creating" and developing a controlled situation through a calm horse who wants to work with you. I have to point out too that if you have to resort to a stud chain to "control" your horse, you've got a problem - take note. That stud chain is allowing the illusion of control, but ultimately that's a 1,200lb animal - no chain is going to stop it from getting out of hand. It may work temporarily, but a) you are only breeding resentment (just ask Link!), and b) it's a band-aid solution to an underlying problem. Take note that if you are using a stud chain for a specific situation with a specific horse (to keep yourself safe), that it should be a temporary aid as you develop the horse to the point where it is no longer necessary. If he flies crazily around the circle, you've got more work to do hun! So to that extent, the author has a point. Horses should be allowed to express themselves, but we can teach them to think and thus to be calmer, braver, smarter horses who aren't flying crazily around the circle.


Don't: Longe your horse without leg protection. Traveling on a longeing circle increases your horse's risk of interfering (contact between his front and hind legs), which can cause injury. Outfit him in splint boots or wraps before every longeing session.

Don't #1, well that's your choice (refer to Sunday's blog on leg protection). My opinion is that we tend to over-protect and, specifically, over-boot our horses.


Do: Mind the footing. Longe in an area with soft, even footing where your horse won't be at risk for injury. Avoid heavy, deep, or uneven footing. All it takes is one bad step to cause a serious tendon or ligament injury, and on a longeing circle it's hard to avoid holes or other footing hazards.

I certainly agree that one wants to watch the footing, particularly with young, undeveloped horses - footing that is too deep causes excess strain on tendons and ligaments, as does footing that is concrete and jars your horse's legs. On the other hand, uneven footing? Perhaps not as a daily activity, but uneven footing - including trot poles or hills, can teach a horse to really watch his feet. On a longeing circle, if your horse is still thinking (as opposed to reacting), he should have no problem avoiding holes or obstacles (not that you should be working over holes though!). I'm of the school that while we should take our horses' best interests to heart, we don't need to baby them by always ensuring they are on the perfect footing - you want them on the best footing possible, but this does not necessarily always mean plush, even arena footing. Leave it as your horse's responsibility to figure out his feet and negotiate around obstacles (within reason).


Don't: Longe on too small a circle. A small circle makes it hard for your horse to stay balanced, making him much more likely to stress his lower legs or become injured. And never longe on on a circle that's small enough to put you in kicking range.

Don't longe on too small a circle for your specific horse. If your horse has developed sufficient balance, by all means, work him on a small circle - spiral him in and out, even. Just not excessively (ie, endless circles) - that is too much stress on his legs. If you're worried about getting into kicking range of your horse - you've got other things to worry about! Like, y'know, your horse not liking you.

Do: Suit the circle to your horse's age and training level. For a youngster just learning to balance himself, this might be a circle as large as 60 feet in diameter; an older, well-balanced horse might manage a circle half that size. To gauge the right size circle for your horse, work him under saddle. If he can't balance on a circle of a given size under saddle, the circle is too small. (If you're not yet working your young horse under saddle, longe him on a 60-foot-diameter circle, to be safe.)

The size of circle your horse is capable of balancing on under-saddle is not entirely reflective of what he is capable of working and balancing on without the weight of a rider. He can handle a lot smaller circle when he is not worried about also balancing the weight of a rider! Work your horse on say a 40' circle (heck, 60 feet if you want, but that's a pretty long ways out there for you to try and tell your horse what to do, in the initial stages of training) and work your way inwards as he learns to balance himself. If he's pulling on the lead, he's either lacking in respect for you, he's lacking in 'draw' (desire to be with you), or he's unable to balance himself. In the case of the latter, let him out further and/or do less strenuous and challenging work on the smaller circle. Personally, I actually work all my horses on a 12' line (24' circle) to begin with. They learn to walk and trot in close proximity to me, where I can communicate most easily with them and where there are fewer miscommunications. Next they move up to a 22' line (44' circle), where they can canter (sometimes on the 12', but only if they can balance themselves and I might move my feet some to provide them a larger circle - and only ever for a lap or two at most on a circle of such small diameter, and not very often), then it's a 45' line (90' circle). That's just my own preference. If you are circling on smaller diameters, you need to be especially cautious about excessive circling. Adjust your circle size to your specific horse's ability.


Don't: Longe your youngster too long. Avoid sessions longer than 15 minutes, if your horse is 2 years old or younger. He's still unbalanced and not fully developed, so he's more at risk for damaging joints, tendons, and ligaments than an older, full-grown horse.

Avoid purely longeing more than 15 minutes with any horse! Careful that the time you are spending is a learning experience, as opposed to mindless circles.


Do: Make the most of short longeing sessions. Focus primarily on the process. Spend 10 to 15 minutes teaching your 2-year-old to walk quietly, halt, and perhaps trot a circle or two. This focus on the basics will go a long way toward helping you maintain control as he grows older.

Groundwork will greatly benefit you and your horse (of any age) - it can mean the difference between a successful partnership and an unsuccessful one.

One last bone I have to pick with the longe-ers: why is it that it is so absurd for a horse to turn in to you? My horses all turn in to me on the Circle Game, because that is what I teach them - disengage the hindquarters (which robs them of any power and thus effectively halts them on the circle), which causes them to face me. At that point I can ask them to continue, to change direction, or to come in to me (respectfully). Longe-ers (excuse my invention of new words) seem to have some major problem with this, for whatever reason. Like it's some army camp where the horse must stop! turn! stand still!!...but heaven forbid he thinks for himself or faces toward you to await your next cue! Or comes in, respectfully, because he wants to be with you (something you always want to foster). No offense meant! My horses may turn in toward me when I ask, but I have a solid foundation of communication that allows me to re-direct my horses at any point, easily (and anyone can!), including to remain standing out on the end of the line, on the circle. So I fail to see the issue. The object should be to encourage our horses to want to be with us, to be focused on us and our next request, and to encourage interactiveness in our horses.

That's the last of it! I hope no-one got the impression that I am anti-longeing, because I am not. I am anti-mindless-circling, but certainly not anti-longeing (when done properly) - I am "pro" anything that creates a partnership, allows for effective communication, develops a horse into a braver, smarter, calmer partner, and that considers the horse!

White Hooves v/s Dark Hooves

Just throwing it out there: there is no current scientific data to back white hooves being weaker than dark hooves.

So why does this myth continue to circulate? Because of books like this, or various equine "experts" proclaiming it to be true. Yet when we think about it, what are those "professionals" (be it or not) basing their opinion on? My theory is that they are basing it on "experience". Psychology proves that when we possess a theory, we then (often inadvertently) look for examples to prove our theory valid. Now if someone has an open mind, they may, through broad research, prove themselves wrong and thus undergo a change of opinion. Yet what sorts of examples do professionals experience, when it comes to feet? A farrier does the feet of countless horses over time, and may theorize white hooves to be weaker because he/she seems to run across more horses with white feet that also happened to be weaker. A trainer or owner may run across a number of white-footed horses whose feet were constantly chipping. Yet what do these anecdotes really prove? When we really think about it, nutrition, environment, weather, use, genetics, etc, all play major factors in a horse's hoof health. All the aforementioned factors could even be commonalities between horses a certain professional sees, hence their drawing certain conclusions. Personally, I think the real accurate testament of the different degrees of strength between white hoof and black hoof is scientific evidence. Personal accounts are not enough and are definitely flawed (whether through restriction of research or through human flaw itself), yet too many people continue to rely on WOM - consider it "the Way, the Truth, and the Life", when that just isn't the case.

From Thoroughbred Times:

"Anecdotal evidence exists on both sides of the argument. However, no scientific evidence has yet to be produced to indicate that a white hoof is weaker than a darker one. A 1976 study by James E. Dinger of the University of Maryland entitled "Recent Findings in Hoof Physiology" found no correlation between hardness of the hoof wall and the pigmentation of the hoof. More recently, scientists have viewed cross-section slides of hooves under electron microscopes and failed to find any structural differences between white and black hoof walls, according to Mitch Taylor, a certified journeyman farrier with 22 years' experience and owner of the Kentucky Horse Shoeing School in Mt. Eden, Kentucky."

From The Horse Channel:

"One of the foremost experts in his field, Doug Butler, Ph.D., of LaPorte, Colo., is the author of The Principles of Horseshoeing, one of the most widely used texts on horseshoeing in the world. He also has 30 years of teaching experience and acts as a consultant and lecturer on horseshoeing. In 1976 while doing research at Cornell University, he conducted a study on white versus black hooves by taking squares of hoof material and crushing them in a compressor.
"There was no difference between black and white," he agrees. "The main difference was in moisture content: The softer hooves fell apart easier." He notes that genetics also play a role in hoof strength."

I have always been taught by various "experts" the "Weaker White Hoof Myth" and wanted to check out the scientific evidence for myself, because I was leery as to the accuracy of the WWHM. I am not going to tell anyone that there is absolutely no difference between white and black hooves, as scientific study is far from complete, however it would be wise to look at the data collected thus far. There certainly is not enough evidence (if there is any) collected thus far to suggest that white hooves are "problem hooves" and should be avoided due to their potential for issues. This is a hard tradition to break though and so it will likely circulate for years to come...

In my search I also came across this:

Horses Ban for Overgrown Hooves - it's a few years old now, but wow - look at those feet! Poor horse, and poor owner if her claims of illness are accurate. I hope both are in better health now.

A horse's hooves should be checked on a regular basis - daily or weekly if possible. Typically, horses will require trimming every 6-10 weeks, as a good rule of thumb. Personally, I do not usually go by the 6-10 week timeline, but rather judge our horses' feet on a daily basis and call in the farrier as necessary. Link, our Thoroughbred, has his feet done every 8 weeks at the moment (in the summer) - leave them any longer and they start to chip out. He's been off the track 10 months now and while his hooves continue to improve in leaps and bounds, they are still far from perfect yet. Over the winter however, he was done at about 9 weeks and 13 weeks. Silver, our Quarab, and Koolaid, our Warmblood x, were done at much longer intervals both this winter and spring. I have received horses in for training who have never had their feet done - at 4 or 5 years of age! Those horses still have fantastic feet. One mare the farrier commented had the best feet he's seen in awhile (well, he sort of groaned it out - he was having a tough time clipping through such hard hooves!). One has to consider each individual horse's needs and evaluate a horse's feet on a horse-by-horse basis. Don't make it an automatic 6-10 weeks, because that might not be enough (rarely), or it could be too often even! Learn how to accurately judge your horse's hoof length and what is "too long" (besides the clearly obvious, as above). We pasture all our horses, so they actually seem to wear their feet down quite nicely throughout the year; horses kept in a "natural" environment akin to wild horses often require less trimming because their hooves wear down on their own. Environment, weather, genetics, season, nutrition - all play a huge role in how often a horse's feet need to be trimmed. In winter, of course, a horse's feet grow slower than in the summer (just like our fingernails), so trims are required less often during that season - our horses usually receive a trim late fall and do not require another one until spring sometime. If in doubt, ask your (reputable) farrier and if you are new to horses, certainly keep a schedule of 6-10 weeks. However if you can learn what to look for, you can probably save yourself a fair bit. Evaluate your horses as individuals!