Showmanship in
Hand
LESSON
TWO
Now that your horse is leading and stopping easily, it is time to begin to teach the horse how to square up his feet.
To begin, lead the horse off in
the walk as you have taught him and then stop. Turn and face the horse. Your body should be to the side of the
horse’s head never directly in front of the horse. Your feet should be together, with your toes
facing the horse’s left front toe. Your
body will be angled toward the horse’s shoulder.
The first part
is to teach the horse to move only the right hind leg. In order to minimize cues and make for a faster set up, we
will not teach the horse to move the left hind leg. The left hind leg
will stay stationary and the right hind will then be moved to match the left
leg position. The handler will move the
right hind leg forward and backward on request until telling the horse to stop.
When asking
the horse to move the leg, use the lead at the same level of the side halter
ring. Move the chain straight back or
straight forward. Avoid using the chain
in a downward motion as this will be the cue to place the front legs.
The chain should be moved directly backward rather than being pulled
down
The goal at
this point is to gain control over the right hind leg, and to teach the horse a
communication system. It is important
that the hind leg is swinging straight as it moves forward and backward.
Pull the chain straight forward, not downward, to
move the right hind foot.
At some point, just by
accident, the foot will land in the correct spot, opposite the left hind
leg. Tell the horse “whoa” and allow the
horse to stand quiet. Praise the horse.
As you continue to move the hind
leg, a “feel” will begin to
develop and you will know how much pressure must be used on the lead to place
the foot in the correct spot. Do not worry about placing the front leg until the
right hind leg is being placed consistently on the first try. This is important because when asking the
horse to step back, the legs will move in diagonal pairs. This means the left front leg will want to
move when the right hind leg steps backward.
By working just on the hind leg, you will eventually separate the legs
so that they are no longer moving together as if connected.
This learning process may take
several days or longer. Do not move on
to the front leg until the hind leg placement is “perfection.”
When ready to
square the front leg, first look directly at the front leg you wish to
move. If the left leg needs to move
guide the lead down and toward the right front leg. This shifts the weight to the right front
leg, making it possible for the left front leg to move. To move the left front leg push slightly to
the right side to shift the weight onto the right front leg, releasing the left
leg. Start developing your eye to see
quickly which front leg needs to move.
This will depend on the horse’s balance.
If the left front leg is too far under the horse, then that would be the
correct leg to move forward.
The horse in
the finished position needs to be standing square and balanced.
The
communication for squaring will be as follows:
stop and face the horse for squaring.
Move the right hind leg either forward or back one step. Move one front leg one step and present the
horse. A lot of work must be done to
perfect this communication, but once it is done, the horse will remember it and
make your performance smooth and polished.
It is ideal to use no
more than 2 steps when setting up your horse in actual competition.
During this training process,
you must learn to recognize instantly a balanced square position. When you feel the horse is square, lengthen
your lead so as not to accidentally pull the horse. Then step to the side of the horse to see
that the horse is standing square.
Practice recognizing the squared balanced position until you can see it
without moving from your squaring position.
This picture shows how the hind feet are separated and need to be
brought even.
This picture shows how the right hind foot is moved back and forth -
getting closer to squared.
The hind feet are now squared simply by moving the chain forward or backward,
but not downward.
The hind feet squared – viewed from the side.
To test yourself and your
communication skills, think and say to yourself which
foot you are going to ask to move and then see if it happens. If it does, you are communicating well. If it does not happen, the horse did not
understand your request.
Once the horse is squared,
tell the horse “whoa” and take one step backward. This will be your presentation position. When in this position the horse should not
move. If the horse does move, step back
into the squaring position, correct the horse, and then return to your
presentation position.
At this point in your training the
following should be expected.
1. Be
able to walk a straight line, stop and square.
2. Be
able to trot a straight line, stop and square.
3. Be
able to walk and then transition to a trot on a straight line, and then stop
and square.
4. Be
able to trot and transition to a walk on a straight line, stop and square.
5. Recognize
a balanced squared horse from the front of the horse.
6. Your
horse should lead off easily and briskly.
7. The
horse should stop straight.
8. The
horse should be able to square up in two steps at least 50 per cent of the
time.
Problem Solving
1. The horse rests one hind foot.
Lift the head up with the chain to shift the weight back. When the horse stands correct – tell him
“Whoa”.
2. The horse is crooked in his square up.
The horse is probably stopping crooked.
Make sure the head and neck are straight when stopping. The horse’s head
needs to be directly in front of his chest.
Lift the head up when stopping to prevent the horse slumping on the
forehand and the hindquarters swinging left or right.
3. The horse tries to grab or bite the chain.
Do not let the chain hang down near the lips. Keep the chain up across from the ring of the
halter. Tell the horse “No” and
reprimand with a small jerk if necessary. Follow the suggested corrections in
lesson one.
4. The horse moves the left hind foot.
Always move just the right hind foot. Determine the horse’s
balance. If the right hind foot is
behind him, pull it forward. If it is
too far under the horse, move it backward.
5. The horse moves the incorrect front foot.
Again, notice how the horse is balanced.
Ask the horse to move the foot that is out of balance.
6. The horse takes to many steps to square up.
Keep practicing. Something is
missing in the communication. The horse
does not understand what you are asking.
Try this drill. Ask for the
two-step square up. First
the right hind foot, and then one front foot. If it does not happen in two steps,
immediately walk forward and try again.
If it does not happen in two steps immediately walk forward and ask
again. Continue until a two-step square is accomplished. Praise and allow the horse to stand
quietly. Many times a horse will figure
out that when he stands square he will be able to stand and rest.
Assignments:
1. Please send videos of you squaring up your horse. Be sure to follow the instructions in the lesson. Practice for several days or weeks before submitting the video.
You may post the video to YouTube.
Please send the link to cathy@horsecoursesonline.com
2. Did you have any problems? How did you solve them?