Longeing, the Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Longeing, 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Longeing has become a dirty word in the new "Natural Horsemanship" world, where "join up" through "round penning" is now in vogue.  For many years I and numerous other trainers have used the round pen and  done "round penning" but called it "free longeing" .  This practice, whichever name you give it,  is just a small sliver of what is possible with longeing.

In free longeing things like leadership,  voice commands, and body language can be taught, and horses who are kept in pens can get some much needed exercise. However, horses can and usually do, go around out of balance, bent  to the outside,  heavy on the forehand, high headed,  dragging their hind end,  dropped back and many other issues. Until some equipment is added, and used with skill and compassion,  these postures and balance challenges cannot be addressed, except with a rider on the horse;'s back.   For all except the really skilled rider, recognizing and correcting these issues from the horse's back is difficult if not impossible.  Learning to see and correct poor balance,  which appears as disobedience, stiffness or heaviness in riding can more easily be done by a person on the ground. 

Out of balance, dropped back, dragging hind end

 When the use of a longe line attached to the bridle or a longeing cavesson,  possibly side reins, and a longeing surcingle is is added and used correctly,  so much more can be done to teach those things mentioned above, and balance, understanding of rein cues, engagement of the  back and hind end,  great body language and voice cues for humans,  understanding of horse body language,  softening of rein aids,  improved flexibility in horses, and the list goes on and on.  That would be Good, yes?

The good

Neither longeing or free longeing should be done for more than 20 minutes at a time.  Longeing is inherently demanding on the shoulders and the joints of the hind legs.  Longeing for longer periods of time, or longeing every day can contribute to discomfort and degeneration. Nor should the horse be longed in a pen that is too small for it. The minimum size of a longeing circle should be 40 to 50 feet for a small horse and 60 to 70 feet for a large horse.  Any thing smaller than that puts added strain on the horse's body.  If your horse is very advanced in Dressage and has learned to carry their weight on the hind and  is conditioned and strong through out his body  longeing a larger horse on a smaller circle could be useful for practicing the beginnings of voltes or  pirouettes without the added weight and strain of the rider  But using a small round pen and longeing endlessly, or pointlessly; that would be Ugly.

 Using side reins without knowlege or understanding of their biomechanical effect on the horse can be downright cruel. Using a longe line that is heavy on a bridle or cavesson or using heavy hands is at worst unkind, and at best not useful to the horse's understanding and development.   That would be Bad.  Learning the uses of various types of side reins, how to use a longe line to help the horse to bend and to teach the horse to give to the bit,  how to use your whip as an aid improve pushing power ; all these and more can be taught to the young horse or the horse who needs training without the distraction of the rider.  Learning to longe correctly, kindly, compassionately, and knowledgeably can open a whole new world and provide exercise, connection, and training advancement to the horse and rider. 

The bad, the very bad.

I encourage you to learn about  good longeing.  It is another  step towards refinement and and mastery. Watch for the upcoming online course on Longeing at www.wholehorsemanship.com. With lots of audio and video  in addition to written descriptions of good longeing practice,  you can learn to use this safe and effective training methodology from your own computer.  You can watch and then go do as many times as needed.  See your horse get softer, easier, happier, more flexible and more fun to ride as you longe.  

What's Love Got to Do with It?

Life on the Barn Side

What's Love Got to do With It?

Report from Horse Shows by the Bay

Watching all the work, support staff, owners, riders, trainers, horse show staff, amazing facilities, and money spent on all this, the question comes to mind “What's love got to do with it?” Nearly everyone who works with horses, either professionally or as a hobby does so because they love horses. When we get to a high level of competition that pure feeling can get lost or forgotten. I found this to be an interesting phenomenon, so I did a brief survey.

I asked a variety of owners, riders and trainers “What percentage of your horse's perfomance is talent, what is training, and what is love and affection? The answers varied widely, as did the definition of what love and affection is.

Paige and her Hunter Pony

The youngest person I asked, 11 years old, who has been with her pony for 6 years, said, without any trace of doubt. “Oh, it is 90% love and 10 % training! I love my pony and she loves me. I can even ride her backwards, bareback and at the canter!” At the other end of the spectrum, was an amatuer adult who said “We love our horses here. We don't make them go out when they are injured.”

One of the teen riders I polled

                                                                                     

One older rider rated it at Talent at 75%,

Training at 10% and Love and Affection at 15%. The teen riders agreed that it was Talent 50%, Love and Affection 25%, Training 25%.

 A couple of sucessful adult riders including Katie Lambert Boone, said 33%, 33% and 33%. All the adult riders wanted to make it clear that all are necessary. But consistently, Talent was voted most important, with Love and Affection equal to or more important than Training.

Gretchen

Gretchen, stable manager at one of the large stables lumped Training, Love and Affection all together. Her opinion was that only 2% would make it in competition without Love and Affection.

Luksor, a bit of a clown, loves people

                                       

A great illustration of this was Kara Andrew's horse 

Luksor. Kara was able to get him at an affordable price

 because he wouldn't jump water. Her training 

consisted of taking him to the water and “loving on him

 and reassuring him” until the day when she took him to

 the water jump and he said “Oh, you want me to jump 

this?” Now he'll do anything for her. 

Kara and the two young show vets

Kara's opinion is that Talent and Training are 50%  and Love and Affection

 are 50%. It was notable that all the horses in Kara's stable were very happy and relaxed and people friendly.

An unusual sight at big horse shows. Several horses in Kara's stable were napping, and those that weren't were at the front of their stalls looking for attention.

So after my brief survey it occurs to me that the thing that makes up a large percentage of a horse's chance for success is the thing that costs nothing. That all the other things we do and buy contribute less than the Love and Affection that we give, and in return we get all that they have to give. That's what love's got to do with it.

Elder Riders Competing in Dressage

Life on the Barn Side

Horse Shows by the Bay Dressage Competition

Elder Riders in Dressage

One of the trends in the US today is an aging population.  As the boomers age, they want to stay active and many even take up a new sport.  There were many elder riders at Horse Shows by the Bay Dressage.

Ingrid's groom braids her horse

The elder rider:   She is fulfilling her dreams and trying to stay on and ace the test, but that is just what happens in the show ring. On the barn side, she spends time in lessons, watching her trainer ride her horse, grooming, dressing and redressing, learning those tests, more grooming, having her horse braided, unbraided and rebraided. Trying to understand her horse, trying to keep her own anxiety level down and listening to other riders for clues about how to make it all happen just right.

Ingrid and her horse

Ingrid is a good representative of many of today's elder Dressage riders. At 69 and ½ years, she was one of the oldest riders at the show, but many riders were in their 50s and the average age of Dressage competitors is now 42 years old. She adores her sensitive and reactive Arabian mare, and respects her anxious personality. They are somewhat alike.

Trainer, groom and Ingrid,ready for warm up
at Horse Shows by the Bay Dressage

Ingrid has had many injuries. Some were horse induced, and some were from other sports and thrills she has had in her life. She's decided that one more time off and she is finished with riding, so she has high hopes and a bit of trepidation with each ride. But she's determined to show and reach her goals, so there she goes for one more class.

in the  dressage ring

Thumbs up! She reached her goal.

In this show she met her goals. First of all

she had fun, second she didn't fall off, and third she got through her test successfully without any major screwups. You can seethe joy and pride in her eyes.

Women are tough. They have their share of injuries but they stick in there. I guess it is a trade off, as riding helps keep hips moving, improves core strength, and keeps us on track with staying in shape. Dressage is a sport you can do your entire life.

Well deserved break at the Dressage show

Job well done 

Good pony! Denise leaves the dressage ring after a good ride.

Another white haired elder, Denise, rides with a well know trainer, and was at theshow schooling a pony she hopes to sell later on. A more experienced horse woman, she exuded a calmer more confident vibe.  She and her husband were returning to the Traverse City area for the horse show after having had their honeymoon there 24 years ago. They love

 the show. He golfs while she spends the day working, 

riding and hanging out with other horse addicts at the 

show.  This year her daughter came along for one 

last show before going off to the Naval Academy.

Suzi and Sam

Suzi has been her daughter Susanna's greatest supporter.  They have been to every Horse Show's 

by the Bay with Sam, Susanna's 20 year old dressage horse.  This is Susanna and Sam's last year to show together and Suzi will take over showing Sam next year.  Suzi has passed the 60 year mark, but is ready to take on a new challenge.  Suzi said “ I see other older women riding and having fun, so why not me?”  Indeed, why not?

Life on the Barn Side

Life on the Barn Side

Horse Shows by the Bay

The Hunter Jumpers Home Away from Home

Horse Shows by the Bay
The Hunter/Jumpers


Welcome! That is the message all the traveling barns compete to give you with their Barn Front Lounge.  These can get amazingly complex and lush.  When you consider that many of the larger barns spend a large percentage of time on the road,  the function of a living room is an important one for relaxation between classes.  For those on the road a lot, this is also their on road "show room" to entice and impress prospective customers, and their office.  Check out these enticing horse show set ups. Then imagine tearing it down, hauling it to the next show, setting it up and doing it again.  Gives you more appreciation for the grooms and laborers who make it all happen.

 

LIFE ON THE BARN SIDE

2012 Horse Shows by the Bay                                                            copyright 6/22/2012 Penny Stone


                                            

The populace at the Perfect Pavilion

Imagine temperatures in the 70's with partly cloudy skies. A gorgeous backdrop of rolling grassy pastures, white fences, tall trees waving in the breeze. Large, well manicured dressage rings and a giant warmup ring. Few flies. Tents to protect you from the rain or sun, with bleachers for viewing and a grassy bank to plunk down your tired body and watch the show with your glass of wine. Well organized, good food at the concession stands.... well, imagine your perfect horse show. On the east coast? California? No; half way in between in Northern Michigan at Horse Show's by the Bay near Traverse City, Mi.

Judi greets you at the gate.

You can see who is in charge here.

Look at the size of that warm up ring!

Is this really necessary?

Almost ready.

I followed life at the Horse Show  Saturday and Sunday June 22 and 23. With 98% of our time spent in caring for and training horses, compared to our 2% spent actually competing, I decided to focus on life Barn Side. Like most bigger shows these days, it was a bustling horse and human city. Golf carts and bicycles running to and fro, barn aisles filled with riders and grooms in various stages of show attire and grubby attire, grooms and owners at the wash rack, braiders calmly doing what most of us dread. Horses looking absolutely fahbulous, dahling, and horses and people looking more tired as the show goes on, until that moment in the ring, when they are rejuvenated and go in to perform.

Many of us never see the big world behind the competition ring.   Everybody has a story, the youngsters coming up, the elders hoping to fulfill their bucket list, the top competitors and the mid level competitors who carry the horse show world on their backs, , the legions of volunteers and families who generously make it all possible and last but certainly not least. For the next few weeks I'll be giving you a glimpse of that world at Horse Shows by the Bay.

Penny Stone's Whole Horsemanship

Horse Life from the Whole Picture View

Why get a little when you can have a lot?

I recently read a blog about a Tail Detangling treatment being offered in the Austin area.  The provider detangles every hair and notes what the surface of the tail itself is like where the hairs attach.  The person who wrote about this said that this really relaxed her somewhat nervous horse and the next time she rode the horse the relaxation seemed to still be present. So is this horse training or equine bodywork? Probably neither.

This was very interesting to me as a TTouch Practitioner.  I have included work on the tail in my treatments of horses for many years,  doing Tail Flexions, Tail Rotations and Spinal Tractions.  As a groom and trainer I have taught people in how to remove tangles and keep the tail skin healthy in a way that makes the horse comfortable and relaxed.  I’ve also recommended keeping the tail short enough that it hangs a few inches off the ground, as leaving the tail too long could be very irritating to the horse when it drags on the ground or catches in plants. 

I can see the value of this treatment, but why not go all the way, and learn how to do TTouches,  Tail Flexions and Rotations,  and Spinal Traction.  All of these techniques are part of the TTouch system and affect the horse on a much deeper level.  While the detangling treatment can be useful in producing relaxation, especially for the sensitive or nervous horse, the above mentioned techniques can create a long lasting change in any personality type.    If do –it –yourself is not your style, hiring a TTouch practitioner to provide a complete tail or mane treatment would give you more bang for your buck.

Here are some easy to do treatments for your horse's tail that will improve her well being:

Groom thoroughly and with care.  Start by spraying the tail with a detangling product.  I like Laser Sheen concentrate mixed to directions, then add a tablespoon of hair conditioner to the quart bottle to make a spray that really helps grow a long luxurious tail by preventing breakage. Most prepared sprays contain ingredients that dry the tail out or make it gummy.  Wait for the spray to dry completely before beginning to brush the tail. 

Use only a brush designed for tails, with widely spaced plastic tipped  pins.  Start at the bottom of the tail. Take a section of hair, place it on your leg and brush about 3 to 4 inches of it until it is completely tangle free and the brush glides through it easily.  Do one section at a time moving up the tail till you reach the dock. 

Part the hair on the dock down to the skin and gently but firmly brush each section so that end up brushing the entire dock right down to the skin. This  feels great to most horses and  gives you a chance to look for skin problems and take appropriate action.  You can also separate the hair into small sections by hand and detangle and stroke the hair from the base all the way down to the end. This is incredibly relaxing to most horses. By the time you have finished the brush should slide through the  entire tail top to bottom without tangles. Grooming the tail in this way prevents breakage and stimulates circulation in the dock.

Now for the bodywork:

Tail Flexions;  After you've groomed the tail and the horse is relaxed,  you can take the tail in both hands, with one hand on top and one on the bottom, spaced about 4 inches apart.  Gently, but firmly move your hands in oppostion so that the joint of the tail is slowly and gradually flexed first up and then down.  Start as close to the base of the tail as the horse will allow.  Notice where the tail flexes and where it doesn't. Really take your time and hold the flexion for a few seconds.  This should be like yoga.  You find the stretch point and hold there but do not force the joint to flex more than is comfortable for the horse. Work your way from the base of the tail to the end. If you watch your horse for signs of comfort or relaxation you'll see droopy eyelids, droopy ears, droopy or twitching lips, head and neck lowering, sighing, and deep breaths to name a few.  Your horse may be uncomfortable with it the first few times. If so, go for a little less stretch and hold it for a shorter time.  As with yoga,  each time it is repeated the flexion or stretch can be a little greater.

Spinal Traction; This is one way to do Spinal Traction which can be mastered by most horse owners.  I call it Tail Tension.   Hold the tail with two hands. One hand underneath and close to the base, the other hand on top and holding the hair immediately below the dock.  Gently lift the tail until it is straight out from the spine, in the same line as the spine.  Turn your body sideways directly behind and between the buttocks of the horse and squat a bit so that you are very stable.  Gradually pull the tail, adding tension and feeling for the horse to pick up the pull.  When he does, stop adding tension and just hold. Let the horse pull against you and just match his pressure.  Hold for at least 30 seconds, and as long as a couple minutes if the horse is enjoying it.  Release the tension very slowly over a period of 10 to 15 seconds. Do not drop the tail. Try another Tail Tension. Most horses will be comfortable with three repetitions.  If the horse moves around try going with him,  reducing tension and releasing if necesssary.  This is a partnership exercise.  The idea is not to force him to tolerate it, but to watch his response and provide a pleasant experience which also can improve comfort, gait and performance.

The benefits; Correctly done spinal traction has been shown to decrease pain, and slow joint degeneration, and improve range of motion.  Increased flexibility in the tail can help the horse to move his hind end better – all those muscles and nerves are connected to the muscles of the croup and legs. Do tail work so  your horse can have greater comfort, flexibility, trust and performance.