COMPETITIVE LONGE
By Gord Wadds
Copyright©2010
Lesson 2
Competitive
longe line training is very much like “pre-school”
for today’s performance horses.
Our
training process teaches the horse to respond to our requests and to do so with
a positive mental attitude.
Success
in pre-school, the winning of competitive longe line
championships, is an introduction to success in other events for more mature
horses.
The Training Location
In
some cases I will begin the first lesson or two in a large box stall, but in
most cases I begin in my 45-foot round pen.
I
believe the round pen is an invaluable and necessary training aid.
I
like a round pen that is 45 to 60-foot in diameter.
The
round pen should be solid to at least four feet in height. Then I like a space between boards so the
horse can see and be aware of outside distractions. (Some professionals prefer
a solid wall to six feet plus, but I do not.)
Click
here to see a short video.
It
is important to have a solid wall to at least four feet so if the horse gets
his feet tangled and begins to scramble he won’t get a leg between boards or pipe
rails. If you construct a round pen from eight-foot pipe panels add
four-by-eight sheets of plywood to the lower inside to prevent possible injury.
A
slight tilt or outward angle from the bottom to the top of the pen wall allows
more space for the horse’s head, and provides space for a rider’s foot and leg.
The
gate of the round pen has two major considerations: location and design.
I
call the exit of the round pen, “the gateway to Heaven”. Every horse looks forward to leaving the
working area, because doing so usually leads to their ‘Heaven‘—that wonderful
place where they eat, sleep and relax.
The
location of the gate in any working area is important.
I
like to have the gate opposite, or on the far side of where it would be if it
were in a straight line to the barn or stall area.
I
also like to have at least one “tie pole” in a direction away from the barn
when leaving the round pen.
I
have three tie poles where I tie horses before and after work.
The
tie pole teaches the young horse to be patient, and to accept the idea he
doesn’t necessarily get to return to “Heaven” immediately after work.
The
gate should be constructed so it looks just like the rest of the round
pen. You don’t want a gate which
inspires thoughts about the “joy of leaving”.
Better the horse doesn’t notice the gate.
It
is important to note that as we progress through my early training theory I
will refer to the “level of response” needed before moving outside the round
pen.
How Horses “Think”
Before
we begin our first day of training, let’s define how horses think. We want to use the way a horse thinks to our
advantage. (Note: the training process
never ends. Every interaction will register an association that is either
beneficial (helps build a positive attitude), or is detrimental to attitude and
understanding.
Since
horses don’t reason, we have to rely on strong associative abilities, which can
become so established that many equine reactions can be mistaken for reasoning.
It
only takes one minute to earn your “degree” in understanding the cardinal rule
of horse thinking: “horses either like something, or they don’t like it.”
Congratulations! You now have your “horse thinking” degree and
are ready to begin training.
FOUNDATION TRAINING
Knowing
that horses will either like something or not like something, let’s begin the
training program with a game plan.
Our game plan is to make it APPROPRIATELY
easy and enjoyable for the horse when the horse responds correctly. Our game plan says, get in the horse’s way
and make it APPROPRIATELY difficult when the horse responds incorrectly!
Recognizing
what is APPROPRIATE is an art; it is called “HORSEMANSHIP”.
Let’s
begin our building block process of training.
This is going to sound pretty simple.
It is simple, and the simplicity is the key to your success. So keep it simple.
Basic Halter Training-
Leading
I
like to start with a yearling that has had a good foundation in basic halter
training. I want the horse to lead forward when the handler turns her back to
the horse and steps back behind the horse’s head. The handler’s right shoulder
should be near the throatlatch when leading the youngster.
With
the handler in that position I want the horse to walk forward when the handler
“clucks” and begins to move. I want the
horse to stop when the handler says “whoa”, and/or stops.
Correct
responses to these walk commands must occur consistently before we move on.
The Walk
Let’s
take the walk forward step by step.
Carry
a longe whip, and begin the verbal and body movement
cue to walk forward.
The
cue to walk forward is a very specific movement, turn your back to your horse
(this is the only time you do that); drop back behind the horse’s head; cluck,
and begin to straighten your right arm.
Here’s
where we introduce a key element to training horses: don’t do anything until you have thought it through!
Here is the thought pattern that should go
through your mind before you start the first training effort:
“I
am about to ask you to walk….I am going to turn my
back, drop back and cluck… and if you are not beginning to walk when I am
beginning my cue, the whip is going to tap you on the buttock and when you
move, the response will immediately receive a soft right hand on your neck.”
(This reward happens as the response from
the whip tap is happening, so the horse begins to “like” to move forward
following the sound of the ‘cluck’.
At
the same time, the horse will dislike not responding, or, as I call it, “saying
NO” to the “cluck” cue, because you made it “uncomfortable” by tapping the
buttock. As soon as the horse did
respond, you made it comfortable immediately by the soft touch on the neck.
Repeat
that training lesson with good timing (correct whip tap for no response and
soft touch for movement) 10 times in a row and I promise you’ll have created a
response that is sharp and perfect. And
you’ve accomplished it with a minor reward and no punishment.
Make
it easy; make it simple; and it works!
The Stop
Now
we need to develop the immediate stop lesson.
We
are going to say “whoa” with the plan to APPROPRIATELY punish ANY movement that
follows the verbal command, or your own stopping. (When you say, “whoa” you also must stop.)
Go
through the training sequence in your mind so your timing will be effective.
When
you begin to teach the stop, you will notice a tendency for some youngsters to
drop their heads and necks into your space and on your right arm. This action
has to be put on the horse’s “I don’t like” list by an immediate planned
punishment. You must think ahead and be
ready before the horse’s head and neck leave his center line.
The
initial stop training also lays the ground work for the longe
line “whoa” response at increasing distances.
When
standing next to the horse you can raise your “rope” or “longe
line” arm and hand as the yearling stops.
Doing so prevents the horse from movement toward you.
Special
note: One of the things I never do is reverse from the stopped position. Reversing from the stopped position will
encourage the horse to turn his head and neck while stopping in anticipation of
the reverse.
I
will always walk forward following the stop; sometimes a long way if I sense
any thoughts of reversing. After moving
forward you can then reverse from the walk only when you are sure the
youngster’s mind is in what I call “I’m going to walk forever” mode.
This
will refine itself into a sequence in the show ring where we stop from the lope
in the first direction, hesitate and then walk a few steps before reversing.
The Back
The
third response we are training for in the first week is the “back up.”
We
want our prospect to back lightly and straight from a very light hand push and
release on the halter, along with a long, quiet verbal command of ’Baaaaaaack”.
Once
again we put a GAME
We
must cause the horse to begin to back because we need a correct response to
reward with a rub on the neck while the moving backward is happening. You must reward while the action is taking place…not
after it has occurred.
Repeat
these simple moves several times. The
key is the timing. You must punish if
the horse isn’t moving and you must reward while the backward movement is
occurring.
Always
begin with the soft push and release and punish with a tap if there is no
attempt to step back. If there is any attempt to back, immediately reward with
soft pushes and your free hand rubbing the neck.
It
will not take any more than four or five sequences with punishment to change
your horse’s thinking. Ask gently and be
sure you give the horse a soft pat on the neck as he moves backward.
You
want your horse to not like saying “No” to your light request; therefore it
must become immediately uncomfortable
if he should say, “No.” And it should be
immediately comfortable the instant he begins to respond.
Once
again, the horse will chose what you make “enjoyable”, and they will soon think
it’s his choice. Don’t forget the verbal command ‘Baaaaaack’.
Now,
we need to have our walk forward, stop, and back-up in hand happening from both
sides. Once it is, we can begin to move
away from a leading position and begin the actual longe
line training.
Assignment:
1.
Make a video of you leading your yearling longe line
prospect. In the video show the youngster walking forward at your command,
stopping and backing. Also show a
reverse or change in direction while leading your horse. Be sure to follow the instructions in the
lesson.
Please
load your videos to www.youtube.com.
Email the links to
gwadds1@aol.com