Training
Performance Horses
HOW
TO TAKE THE COURSE
Hello, and welcome to your on-line course: Training
Performance Horses.
Your instructor for this course is Don Blazer. You can reach him by e-mail at: donblazer@donblazer.com
You are now on the special link which allows you to view and download
the Table of Contents, the Introduction to the course and Lesson 1. Included on
this link is a health record for your horse and charts of the skeleton of the
horse and the parts of the horse.
To achieve the best results, read each lesson at least three times. Make
notes as to what your horse is capable of doing in reference to what the lesson
teaches, and what your horse has yet to accomplish. Outline, step-by-step, the
techniques you will use from the lesson to achieve the results you want. For
example, develop a feeding program for your horse based on the amount of work
you expect him to do. Work out a health plan for your horse for the next year,
and determine the balance of your horse's feet. Decide what you want your
farrier to do with each foot, and know why. To do these things makes you
interactive with Lesson 1.
When you begin the physical training of your horse, you will find under
most circumstances he'll understand your requests for action within seven days
of practice. Some horses will be quicker to learn,
some will have difficulty with specific requests and may need additional time.
In any case, once you believe your horse is responding correctly to your
requests, practice at least another week before you begin filling out your test
papers.
Each lesson has a true-false test and a narrative report, where
applicable. Your true-false test is to be answered and e-mailed with your
narrative report--if applicable--directly to: donblazer@donblazer.com.
If you have specific questions or are having a problem with the training
procedures, e-mail your instructor at: donblazer@donblazer.com
When I have graded your papers, I will send them back to you with
comments and suggestions. At the same time you will receive the special link
for the next lesson.
The procedure will remain the same until you have completed the entire
course of nine lessons.
Whether this is a college course or a course which leads to a
Professional Designation in Horse Training, you will receive a certificate of
recognition when you have successfully completed the course."
Training
Performance Horses
By
Don Blazer
Copyright
© 2000
Introduction
The training of horses is an exercise in love, for one does not succeed
without loving both the challenge and the animal.
There are nearly as many theories on the training of a horse as there
are trainers…but when closely examined, all the tricks, gimmicks and miracles
fade away, and one truth emerges. We don’t train horses, we
only teach a method of communication. A horse, shortly after birth,
can run, jump, spin, stop, rollback, passage and do a flying change of leads.
We do not teach these talents; we are privileged to enjoy them. We can teach a
method for asking for such performances, and that is what we call, "horse
training."
The philosophy of the true horseman is that man and horse respect each
other, trust each other and learn to work with each other in harmony.
As a horse trainer, it is your responsibility to teach a method of
communication which will elicit the responses you desire, yet will never place
unnecessary stresses on the horse physically or mentally.
The communication system you will learn in
this course is universal and practiced by horsemen worldwide. Once the horse
learns this language, he can be ridden anywhere, by anyone who also knows
"how to ask."
Fear is an obstacle, not a lesson.
True teaching requires the trainer to think, and the student to
understand and associate. The horse does not reason, but performs his exercises
by remembered experiences. The more often the good experiences can be
reinforced by reward, the more responsive and trusting the horse.
This takes time. You cannot rush the horse’s learning by pushing him
harder and harder. Pressure eventually "breaks" the horse and causes
him to submit. A submissive horse is never a willing and brilliant partner.
So the instruction in communication is not to be based on domination of
the horse, but instead on understanding. I speak of this understanding as
"Getting my thinking in line with the horse’s thinking." If you are
to do this, you must first understand the natural instincts of the horse, which
are: 1. herd membership, 2. a need for security, 3. desire to follow, 4. love
of routine, 5. laziness, 6. excitability, nervousness, 7. sensitivity, courage.
While these instincts apply to all horses, all horses are still
individuals, with different reactions to specific situations. The differences
in reaction are the result of differences in experiences. You must observe each
horse as an individual, and determine generally how he views his world.
Once you understand how a particular horse thinks, you can begin to
teach him. Finding ways to use his natural instincts to aid in his learning
will benefit the horse, and, in turn, you as a trainer.
Few horses can perform all the exercises to
which they may be exposed with grace and dexterity. Some horses will be reining
horses, some pleasure horses, some trail horses or barrel racers, jumpers or
cutting horses. No horse excels at everything.
Today, there are almost always some
specific bloodlines within breeds which will help to determine each horse’s
talents. It is my philosophy to find the proper place for each horse and to
help him be the best at what he does well naturally. To help me find the
horse’s talent, I always look first at his breeding. What his sire and dam did
well, he will usually do well.
It is an exercise in frustration to attempt to use a horse for an event
for which he does not have the correct attitude or physical structure.
Consider and study the conformation of each horse carefully, observe the
horse’s way of doing things, how he moves and how he reacts. The more you
understand about each horse, the more easily you’ll appreciate what he can and
cannot do.
This course, if used properly and practiced over a period of time, will
help you produce a "green broke" horse for any number of different
show or pleasure routines. This course is not about English or Western or
specific disciplines; it is about the basic foundation all horses must receive
before they begin the specialization of styles.
And here is a word of caution. A "finished" horse will take a
year or more of consistent, careful and patient conditioning. No trick, gimmick,
or specialized equipment can substitute for real learning.
The effectiveness of this course and your ability as a trainer will be
demonstrated when your horse is able to perform any standard exercise…slowly.
To be banged, bumped or beaten into a fast performance is the sign of an
amateur, undisciplined horse trainer.
You will easily recognize the results of any misapplication of the
material presented in this course, for the horse will exhibit nervousness
combined with an unwillingness to fulfill your requests. If the infliction of
pain is required to get a performance, then neither communication nor learning
has taken place.
Successful application of this material will result in a quiet, relaxed,
confident horse. Your horse will be attentive, receptive to your requests and
happy to perform at whatever his present level of achievement.
It will take time to complete this course, for while it is designed to
let you work at your own pace, it is also designed to provide the time
necessary for the horse to learn.
Read the course material carefully, giving it your full attention. Study
it again and again until the training methods described become second nature to
you.
You will benefit greatly from your study and efforts
during your horse’s training. You will increase your own dimension of
thought and enjoy the satisfaction of achievement. And you will have won a
trusting partner.
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