Great video! Bought a horse and needs his top line built up. I knew I needed to get him reining back…but he won’t do it. I am going to start working on the ground with him to get him started. Thanks for all the tips!
You’re very welcome! That’s exciting, Best of luck with your new horse! I’ve got a whole ground work playlist on here if you that would be helpful for you as well plus our private community has a video library has my full step by step foundation groundwork and ridden series and plenty more.
@victoriamiesle7999 here you go! www.cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com And we’re getting ready to launch our app in the coming weeks as well for all our private community members!
Just learning to coordinate your own body with theirs is the thing! I have never taken any formal riding lessons and think Perhaps I should just to learn this.
It’s a BIG thing! Something I think we all are constantly striving to get better at! I try to imagine their legs as my legs and from there strive to operate as much off the subtleness of my seat as possible. This leads us to building our own awareness of what we’re doing with each part of our body and understanding the impact for better or worse that it has on our horses ability to do what we’re asking.
Comments and questions: I am often questioned on how far past vertical do we need a horse to flex at the pole. And how far beneath the level of the withers do we allow the pole to drop? I really enjoyed the beginning back up in a circle and the advanced back up in a circle. I have used extensively the beginning, back up in a circle, and look forward to putting more advanced back up with the head and nose turned in the same direction as the hip. Thanks….Lynn Seamons
Hey Lynn- ideally the horse is on the vertical and not beyond it. As I’ve made clear in several comments this mare is super soft and has the tendency to get too deep. Is it a problem if the horse does it occasionally and we address, no. Is it a problem if we keep the horse overflexed repetitively absolutely. In these videos I’ve got to stay focused on what I’m teaching without picking on my horses, which is a challenge for me but if my horses had to be perfect to ever film a video I’d never get one published to help folks and their horses. As far as how far below the withers- that really comes down to the horses confirmation, natural head carriage and what we are looking to achieve with the horse. I just put out this video addressing BEND & FLEXION which will definitely address your questions more in depth. Watch here 👇🏻 th-cam.com/video/9o6KGJOaBgU/w-d-xo.html
So glad you enjoyed it! We do train a select few horses for clients, if you’re interested you’re welcome to apply here- www.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/horse-training Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment! Definitely keeps the fire burning to keep making more for y’all!
I have reviewed your training information. I am impressed. Unfortunately, I am a bit far away. I live in Ontario, Canada. That would demand a huge financial commitment, which I am not prepared for at this time. I will keep following your utube videos for instructions and encouragement. My mare can be quite herd bound. She will tighten up and be quite nervous. I call her my watch dog. With any other horse, she relaxes and is exceptional on the trail.
I really like what you are doing here. I've got a 2.5 yr old, he's doing pretty good out on the trail. He's learning crossing washes up hills downs hills. What I don't have is his top line. We are wintered out now but I don't want him to just hang out and get fed. Give me some suggestions. I have 50ft round pen out side.
Love this and I had been doing some of this with my horses in the arena -will be doing more and when out in the trail I will back around trees etc- question- if the exercises are being done weekly-what is a good amount of time to practice-is it until she feels good or a time thing,if that makes sense-thanks
I break it down into mental & physical development. Early on if the horse lacks the stamina/strength then you’re usually working on both because you want to develop their mental understanding & willingness to do the exercise and you want to make adequate progress before the horse gets too tired. So early on it’s a balancing act of rewarding their try & effort while each day/week increasing the request so that their mental & physical development improves. Usually the mental development matures first and then you focus more on the physical development. In backing specifically I usually have 1 day per week where the sole focus is backing. On that day I do a light forward warm up- mostly W/T, occasionally I canter/lope. Other 4-5 days of the week, my horses do back to some extent nearly every day. It’s light work but they do it usually because it’s helping them improve in the forward work we’re working on. To kinda sum it up- you don’t want to go til they are too tired mentally or physically that then they exit the learning frame of mind and become emotional. So early on you want to be efficient and developing the try before they physically tire. And then as the mental development improves to where they don’t get as confused or frustrated- you can put an emphasis on the physical development. ***The physical development is so underestimated and it takes much longer than most people think for a horse to TRULY get fit and strong. At 3months of consistent 5-6 days per week riding a horse is just starting to get fit but they aren’t truly strong. Real strength can take more than a year.*** Hope that helps you out and I appreciate the thoughtful question.
Main difference is more in my seat than legs. When I change my seat for the back up my legs do come slightly forward but not dramatically. Im looking for the horse to think about back and their feet to follow. From there I can use my legs to increase the energy within the back up. But if I change my seat and the horse is still thinking forward (which happens in the beginning) I don’t go to my leg cause then that energy would just cause the horse to go forward. I’d go to my reins to get the horse thinking back. I’ve got my full foundation riding series that goes through this exact question, riding off the seat and a whole lot more in our private community + video library. Anyone interested can try it out here- videos.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com
I ride English, Western and I drive. I am hugely in favour of the reinbaxk in all disciplines. The hardest one is the reinback in driving. Not only do they need to organise their frame to back, they need to push into the weight of the cart/carraige as well. Great video. Thanks for explaining from different scenarios
Yvonne Thanks for letting me know! These comments let me know what yall want to see and I use them to decide what we’re going to film next so I’ll definitely be keeping this in mind!
How do you know if your horse is pulling from the front or driving from the rear? I take lessons and my trainer has me trying to get the head down and get his belly up. I like the forward walk, do not get lazy.
Horses that are pulling off the front end are not in an athletic position. So their head/neck is usually stuck out really far in front, their hind end is really far behind (essentially just being drug around) and their back is slightly down and not engaged. Oftentimes they can feel like you’re constantly riding down a hill bc the motion falls so heavy down onto the shoulders. These horses can be stiff and heavy in the hand and struggle to make athletic adjustments to their stride. When watching from the ground, you’d want to look for where is the energy coming from that is propelling them forward. Also their downward transitions are stiff and heavy on the shoulders. On the other hand a horse driving from behind is able to make downward transitions much more smoothly cause you can feel their hind end stay engaged and balanced keeping the front end light and supple. They have more reach with lightness through the shoulders. They often feel a little taller and more full to the leg because their withers are elevated and back is engaged. That’s a few indications. Anyone that is serious about wanting to go further into this I recommend you come check out and join us in the Cavvy where I’ve got a ton more detailed videos & can answer your questions with more specifics to your own horse cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/
This is exactly what im trying to work on now. The one thing im having trouble with,is getting him to soften up while moving forward. He's soft backing up and standing still,but not going forward...
Really important to make sure your horse is freely moving forward! Early on when introducing the vertical flexion while moving forward sometimes they’ll think about slowing down. Oftentimes when I first pick up on two reins to ask them to get soft for the first time I’ll be at a trot that way I have a balanced gate and enough forward impulsion. Hope this helps. From this comment and others you’ve left I can tell you’re really diving into this and would highly recommend checking out our Cavvy Community as within it I’ve got tons more videos and I can provide more direct feedback specifically for your horse there within the community. Keep up the good work. And if you want to check out the Cavvy here’s the link www.cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com
Thank you Betsy! There’s a lot of connections and similarities between dressage and the vaquero bridle horse and reined cow horses. Frankly I try to take the best from all the disciplines like reining where their goal is ‘willingly guided with little to no resistance’. There’s pieces from nearly all disciplines that can benefit our horses regardless of breed or goals.
It is so good to hear you say this! I have been wanting to be able to do all three disciplines but wondered if I am just confusing myself and my horse? Surely good posture is the same in all riding
Good riding posture does vary depending on the job being done. We always need to be in a functional position that enables us to communicate clearly and the horse to be able to do their job. If you rode a cutter in a dressage position you’d probably fall off because the dressage position is not functional when cutting cows on an athletic and quick cutter. While there are a lot of specifics no doubt each discipline has its differences and nuances. When training horses to be versatile and do multiple disciplines or jobs I believe it’s really important to keep those pieces clear to the horse.
@@TheColtonWoodsyes!! I’m so glad you recognize that about dressage and vaquero training, I’ve been saying this for years but many people argued with me about it haha
In a simple way- false would be a horse only flexing in the head & neck so the chin comes down but nothing else in the horse’s body changes. A ‘real frame’ as you put it would be a horse who is really using them whole body from back to front- hind end engages, core engaged, topline engaged, withers & shoulders lifted, neck & head in position that suits the horse’s athleticism, conformation, job, etc.
Thanks Traci. We bred and raised this mare and I’ve been riding on her a couple years as she’s a 5yo right now. I’ll definitely keep that topic in mind for future videos. A big thing that helped me in smoother transitions is 1) be timely (don’t get caught in the extended trot) 2) remember the transition is a change of gait not speed. So I try to focus on easing those horses smoothly and in good timing up to the lope so they don’t feel rushed, unbalanced or like they need to just go faster.
@@TheColtonWoods thanks for your reply. I hate that extended hammer trot and not wanting to lope. I have been encouraging her offer to lope I guess I should break her down start again and add more pressure until she gives it to me❤️🐴
I know this is an older video, so I'm crossing fingers you see this... I have a horse recuperating from Lyme and EPM and he's dealt with some muscle atrophy in the topline and rear end. Are there special considerations I should make when it comes to backing and circles with him? From what I understand, small circles and rein backs aren't good for them until they are fit again, or maybe not super appropriate anytime. He's finishing up his treatment in a few weeks if all goes well and I can start working him up slowly again. He's had about three months off. Thanks!
Special considerations with these horses I keep top of mind- work from where the horse is at and don’t over do it. A little bit, very consistently can go a LONG way. EPM & Lyme can be super tough on them not just in muscle development but also in their balance and proprioception. So I try to be aware of how they’re doing physically, mentally, emotionally and work to develop each area without overdoing it. With these horses, my experience is be patient, be consistent, make sure you’ve got appropriate nutrition & meds to meet their needs.
@@TheColtonWoods thanks! Once I can get him back into light work I will evaluate his diet. He's looking a lot better lately. He's in his usual supplements... For joint health plus probios and vitamin E along with the meds. The vet will recheck him in a few weeks and I will see about adding some extra protein/fat. He's 20 and was incredibly well cared for before I bought him last year so I think that is why he's done so well recently. I definitely won't overdo it with him.
Hey Misty, we do train select outside horses for clients. Located in Decatur, TX. Very easily to arrange shipping to and from our facility. You can see the details on our training program & the link to apply is here -> www.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/horse-training
Here’s my approach. Most horses I start with backing straight. The exception is if a horse is very stuck in their shoulders- in this case I will bend their head and ask for 1-2 steps back with the focus of the shoulders getting less stuck (not really to get them backing just yet). I may have to bend them both directions several times so they are getting more prepared to unweight their front end therefore making backing easier. Once I’ve got their shoulders more supple and the horse is softer to my rein aids/hands, then I’ll go to ask them to back up straight. I utilize this same approach in my ground work as well because there is no sense in just forcing pressure straight back on a horse when they are stiff and stuck. It’s more effective to bend them a little (not too much) to help them soften up so we can develop that responsiveness, lightness and softness. Hope that helps!
@Coltonwoodshorsemanship yes thank you! I tried it from the ground first. He backed well in a circle going right but struggled to the left so I moved the hip, then a step back . I see how difficult it can be for them. I rewarded all his efforts. I think I'll practice from the ground bunches first. Thank you
Colton, I just found you. I ride dressage and work these exercises to help my horses back and Top Line. My question is whether or not this can be helpful or harmful with arthritic hocks. I would love to keep at these exercises but don't want to cause him pain.
Bobbi- here’s my approach in these situations. #1 be sure to have a vet evaluate the horse as we don’t want the horse in pain no matter the direction of travel- forward, laterally or backwards. I’d of course make sure the vet I’m consulting is practical and minimally bias. #2 While a horse may have wear and tear from years of riding like any athlete could, fitness is still important to stay healthy. So we want to evaluate how much can the horse comfortably do (if any at all) to stay as fit as possible for their own health and to future injuries. #3 Too much of anything is a bad thing. So too much backing can definitely cause issues (in any horse- one with arthritis or even one that isn’t fit enough), while not doing enough backing may cause the horse to no be fit enough to reduce risk of future injuries. So it’s finding out how much you can do without the horse being in pain while also maximizing their strength, balance, stability, etc. If the arthritis is bad enough, you may not be able to do any backing. However if you can do some without pain or injury to the horse, some is better than none. And I’d never be afraid of maintenance to help keep the horse comfortable.
Louise - you are correct! - Colton - what you call a disengagement is properly called un-tracking. You need to stop misinforming your potential students because sloppy terminology leads to sloppy performance. Get it right dude. best Bruce Peek
NO! Get out in the hills, away from the arena, and ride, long and slow. Minimum 2 hours, more is better. At least 4 days out of 7. Get a life, your horses must be bored shitless. Trailers and arenas are not the making of real trustworthy horses. Greetings from Australia.
I specifically mentioned the importance of hills outside of the arena in this video, even showed a clip of a horse backing up a hill. It’s not this or that. It’s both. Arena & Out of the Arena are both beneficial. Hills are great And those numbers are meaningless other than to personal opinion as every horse has a different job. Good ground is important to develop high level show horses and they got to work at it consistently. Just like reliable trail horses need to spend consistent hours on the trails. No job is better than another, they’re simply just different. Greetings from Texas.
These ponies are bred for their amazing athleticism. No horse would be able to keep up with their agility when it comes to working cows etc. A smaller more compact body can maneuver quicker than a bigger horse.
Perhaps he has videos on groundwork too? Which is where I always start with any horse and for tuneups now and then. Once you practice getting them to soften bend and move off pressure on the ground, it will make more sense to both of you when you apply your leg, seat/weight & rein aids...
@calista1280 yes I’ve got lots of ground work videos here on TH-cam and most are all in a ground work playlist. Then there are even more in our private community for those wanting to go even deeper and more support.
I love how you explain your seat, positioning and the mechanics of the horse moving under you! Thank you.
Thank you!
Great to see someone riding off their seat/legs
Great video! Bought a horse and needs his top line built up. I knew I needed to get him reining back…but he won’t do it. I am going to start working on the ground with him to get him started. Thanks for all the tips!
You’re very welcome! That’s exciting, Best of luck with your new horse! I’ve got a whole ground work playlist on here if you that would be helpful for you as well plus our private community has a video library has my full step by step foundation groundwork and ridden series and plenty more.
@@TheColtonWoods that would be extremely helpful. How do I find it?
@victoriamiesle7999 here you go! www.cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com
And we’re getting ready to launch our app in the coming weeks as well for all our private community members!
Well done. Thank you
Awesome. This is exactly what I was looking for to build my geldings top line. 👍. Thank you
You’re very welcome
Exceptional understanding of horse training and the interconnection between human/horse.
Your motorcycle metaphor is excellent.
Well thank you. Appreciate you taking the time to watch and glad you enjoyed it
This is great info. I knew some of this and have done some of the exercises, and I now have more tools to use.
Glad you were able to add more tools to your training tool box. Appreciate you watching and taking the time to leave a comment sharing that!
Awesome work
Just learning to coordinate your own body with theirs is the thing! I have never taken any formal riding lessons and think Perhaps I should just to learn this.
It’s a BIG thing! Something I think we all are constantly striving to get better at! I try to imagine their legs as my legs and from there strive to operate as much off the subtleness of my seat as possible. This leads us to building our own awareness of what we’re doing with each part of our body and understanding the impact for better or worse that it has on our horses ability to do what we’re asking.
YES❤@@TheColtonWoods
Comments and questions:
I am often questioned on how far past vertical do we need a horse to flex at the pole. And how far beneath the level of the withers do we allow the pole to drop? I really enjoyed the beginning back up in a circle and the advanced back up in a circle. I have used extensively the beginning, back up in a circle, and look forward to putting more advanced back up with the head and nose turned in the same direction as the hip.
Thanks….Lynn Seamons
Hey Lynn- ideally the horse is on the vertical and not beyond it. As I’ve made clear in several comments this mare is super soft and has the tendency to get too deep. Is it a problem if the horse does it occasionally and we address, no. Is it a problem if we keep the horse overflexed repetitively absolutely. In these videos I’ve got to stay focused on what I’m teaching without picking on my horses, which is a challenge for me but if my horses had to be perfect to ever film a video I’d never get one published to help folks and their horses.
As far as how far below the withers- that really comes down to the horses confirmation, natural head carriage and what we are looking to achieve with the horse.
I just put out this video addressing BEND & FLEXION which will definitely address your questions more in depth.
Watch here 👇🏻
th-cam.com/video/9o6KGJOaBgU/w-d-xo.html
That was an amazing training session!
It is exactly what my horse needs.
I wish that I could put her in your training care 🐎. Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it!
We do train a select few horses for clients, if you’re interested you’re welcome to apply here- www.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/horse-training
Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment! Definitely keeps the fire burning to keep making more for y’all!
I have reviewed your training information. I am impressed.
Unfortunately, I am a bit far away. I live in Ontario, Canada. That would demand a huge financial commitment, which I am not prepared for at this time.
I will keep following your utube videos for instructions and encouragement. My mare can be quite herd bound. She will tighten up and be quite nervous.
I call her my watch dog. With any other horse, she relaxes and is exceptional on the trail.
Outstanding content! Thank you for sharing your deep knowledge!
Thank you Rose! Glad you enjoyed it!
Just found your channel love it❤
Great tips. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for the exercises! I'm wondering if we need that much flexion (passed vertical) in the horses neck instead of vertical?
I really like what you are doing here. I've got a 2.5 yr old, he's doing pretty good out on the trail. He's learning crossing washes up hills downs hills. What I don't have is his top line. We are wintered out now but I don't want him to just hang out and get fed. Give me some suggestions. I have 50ft round pen out side.
Love this and I had been doing some of this with my horses in the arena -will be doing more and when out in the trail I will back around trees etc- question- if the exercises are being done weekly-what is a good amount of time to practice-is it until she feels good or a time thing,if that makes sense-thanks
I break it down into mental & physical development. Early on if the horse lacks the stamina/strength then you’re usually working on both because you want to develop their mental understanding & willingness to do the exercise and you want to make adequate progress before the horse gets too tired. So early on it’s a balancing act of rewarding their try & effort while each day/week increasing the request so that their mental & physical development improves. Usually the mental development matures first and then you focus more on the physical development. In backing specifically I usually have 1 day per week where the sole focus is backing. On that day I do a light forward warm up- mostly W/T, occasionally I canter/lope. Other 4-5 days of the week, my horses do back to some extent nearly every day. It’s light work but they do it usually because it’s helping them improve in the forward work we’re working on. To kinda sum it up- you don’t want to go til they are too tired mentally or physically that then they exit the learning frame of mind and become emotional. So early on you want to be efficient and developing the try before they physically tire. And then as the mental development improves to where they don’t get as confused or frustrated- you can put an emphasis on the physical development. ***The physical development is so underestimated and it takes much longer than most people think for a horse to TRULY get fit and strong. At 3months of consistent 5-6 days per week riding a horse is just starting to get fit but they aren’t truly strong. Real strength can take more than a year.***
Hope that helps you out and I appreciate the thoughtful question.
I did a lot of exercises while on the trails. Helped me recover my dressage horse from a stifle injury
What leg aids do u use to back up?? How does it differ from going forward?? I luv these exercises..tx for sharing
Main difference is more in my seat than legs. When I change my seat for the back up my legs do come slightly forward but not dramatically. Im looking for the horse to think about back and their feet to follow. From there I can use my legs to increase the energy within the back up. But if I change my seat and the horse is still thinking forward (which happens in the beginning) I don’t go to my leg cause then that energy would just cause the horse to go forward. I’d go to my reins to get the horse thinking back.
I’ve got my full foundation riding series that goes through this exact question, riding off the seat and a whole lot more in our private community + video library.
Anyone interested can try it out here- videos.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com
I ride English, Western and I drive.
I am hugely in favour of the reinbaxk in all disciplines. The hardest one is the reinback in driving. Not only do they need to organise their frame to back, they need to push into the weight of the cart/carraige as well.
Great video. Thanks for explaining from different scenarios
I follow you on every platform going ❤
Glad to have you on the journey with us!
Great video demonstration! Easy to follow 🙌would like to see more tips geared towards reining maneuvers.
Yvonne Thanks for letting me know! These comments let me know what yall want to see and I use them to decide what we’re going to film next so I’ll definitely be keeping this in mind!
Great video!! Finally Finally some one who knows how to teach❤ thanks
Thank you, I really appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful.
How do you know if your horse is pulling from the front or driving from the rear? I take lessons and my trainer has me trying to get the head down and get his belly up. I like the forward walk, do not get lazy.
Horses that are pulling off the front end are not in an athletic position. So their head/neck is usually stuck out really far in front, their hind end is really far behind (essentially just being drug around) and their back is slightly down and not engaged. Oftentimes they can feel like you’re constantly riding down a hill bc the motion falls so heavy down onto the shoulders. These horses can be stiff and heavy in the hand and struggle to make athletic adjustments to their stride. When watching from the ground, you’d want to look for where is the energy coming from that is propelling them forward. Also their downward transitions are stiff and heavy on the shoulders.
On the other hand a horse driving from behind is able to make downward transitions much more smoothly cause you can feel their hind end stay engaged and balanced keeping the front end light and supple. They have more reach with lightness through the shoulders. They often feel a little taller and more full to the leg because their withers are elevated and back is engaged.
That’s a few indications. Anyone that is serious about wanting to go further into this I recommend you come check out and join us in the Cavvy where I’ve got a ton more detailed videos & can answer your questions with more specifics to your own horse cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/
This is exactly what im trying to work on now. The one thing im having trouble with,is getting him to soften up while moving forward. He's soft backing up and standing still,but not going forward...
Really important to make sure your horse is freely moving forward! Early on when introducing the vertical flexion while moving forward sometimes they’ll think about slowing down. Oftentimes when I first pick up on two reins to ask them to get soft for the first time I’ll be at a trot that way I have a balanced gate and enough forward impulsion. Hope this helps. From this comment and others you’ve left I can tell you’re really diving into this and would highly recommend checking out our Cavvy Community as within it I’ve got tons more videos and I can provide more direct feedback specifically for your horse there within the community.
Keep up the good work.
And if you want to check out the Cavvy here’s the link www.cavvy.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com
This is all dressage theory...why the motto of dressage is "ride to sound"!!
Well done!!
Thank you Betsy! There’s a lot of connections and similarities between dressage and the vaquero bridle horse and reined cow horses. Frankly I try to take the best from all the disciplines like reining where their goal is ‘willingly guided with little to no resistance’. There’s pieces from nearly all disciplines that can benefit our horses regardless of breed or goals.
It is so good to hear you say this! I have been wanting to be able to do all three disciplines but wondered if I am just confusing myself and my horse?
Surely good posture is the same in all riding
Good riding posture does vary depending on the job being done. We always need to be in a functional position that enables us to communicate clearly and the horse to be able to do their job. If you rode a cutter in a dressage position you’d probably fall off because the dressage position is not functional when cutting cows on an athletic and quick cutter.
While there are a lot of specifics no doubt each discipline has its differences and nuances. When training horses to be versatile and do multiple disciplines or jobs I believe it’s really important to keep those pieces clear to the horse.
@@TheColtonWoodsyes!! I’m so glad you recognize that about dressage and vaquero training, I’ve been saying this for years but many people argued with me about it haha
I wonder if he gets enough rain or is the footing mix such that it does not get dusty.
How do you distinguish between a real frame and a false frame?
In a simple way- false would be a horse only flexing in the head & neck so the chin comes down but nothing else in the horse’s body changes.
A ‘real frame’ as you put it would be a horse who is really using them whole body from back to front- hind end engages, core engaged, topline engaged, withers & shoulders lifted, neck & head in position that suits the horse’s athleticism, conformation, job, etc.
She looks good. How many rides or training does she have…I am interested in trot to lope transitions on a green horses.
Thanks Traci. We bred and raised this mare and I’ve been riding on her a couple years as she’s a 5yo right now.
I’ll definitely keep that topic in mind for future videos. A big thing that helped me in smoother transitions is 1) be timely (don’t get caught in the extended trot) 2) remember the transition is a change of gait not speed. So I try to focus on easing those horses smoothly and in good timing up to the lope so they don’t feel rushed, unbalanced or like they need to just go faster.
@@TheColtonWoods thanks for your reply. I hate that extended hammer trot and not wanting to lope. I have been encouraging her offer to lope I guess I should break her down start again and add more pressure until she gives it to me❤️🐴
I know this is an older video, so I'm crossing fingers you see this... I have a horse recuperating from Lyme and EPM and he's dealt with some muscle atrophy in the topline and rear end. Are there special considerations I should make when it comes to backing and circles with him? From what I understand, small circles and rein backs aren't good for them until they are fit again, or maybe not super appropriate anytime. He's finishing up his treatment in a few weeks if all goes well and I can start working him up slowly again. He's had about three months off. Thanks!
Special considerations with these horses I keep top of mind- work from where the horse is at and don’t over do it. A little bit, very consistently can go a LONG way. EPM & Lyme can be super tough on them not just in muscle development but also in their balance and proprioception. So I try to be aware of how they’re doing physically, mentally, emotionally and work to develop each area without overdoing it. With these horses, my experience is be patient, be consistent, make sure you’ve got appropriate nutrition & meds to meet their needs.
@@TheColtonWoods thanks! Once I can get him back into light work I will evaluate his diet. He's looking a lot better lately. He's in his usual supplements... For joint health plus probios and vitamin E along with the meds. The vet will recheck him in a few weeks and I will see about adding some extra protein/fat. He's 20 and was incredibly well cared for before I bought him last year so I think that is why he's done so well recently. I definitely won't overdo it with him.
The first physical symptom (other than slight lethargy) was rear left leg issues so he definitely had some balance and lameness in the beginning.
Where are you located? Do you work with outside horses? What do you charge? I'm in Oregon.
Hey Misty, we do train select outside horses for clients. Located in Decatur, TX. Very easily to arrange shipping to and from our facility. You can see the details on our training program & the link to apply is here -> www.coltonwoodshorsemanship.com/horse-training
Question, is it easier for the them to back a circle in the beginning? Should this be mastered before straightness?
Here’s my approach. Most horses I start with backing straight. The exception is if a horse is very stuck in their shoulders- in this case I will bend their head and ask for 1-2 steps back with the focus of the shoulders getting less stuck (not really to get them backing just yet). I may have to bend them both directions several times so they are getting more prepared to unweight their front end therefore making backing easier. Once I’ve got their shoulders more supple and the horse is softer to my rein aids/hands, then I’ll go to ask them to back up straight.
I utilize this same approach in my ground work as well because there is no sense in just forcing pressure straight back on a horse when they are stiff and stuck. It’s more effective to bend them a little (not too much) to help them soften up so we can develop that responsiveness, lightness and softness.
Hope that helps!
@@TheColtonWoods I love how you explain your reasons and methods in detail. Thanks so much!❤
@calista1280 you’re welcome! Glad theyre helpful for you
@Coltonwoodshorsemanship yes thank you! I tried it from the ground first. He backed well in a circle going right but struggled to the left so I moved the hip, then a step back . I see how difficult it can be for them. I rewarded all his efforts. I think I'll practice from the ground bunches first. Thank you
What’s it mean spurs down horse when backing????
No idea.
Colton, I just found you. I ride dressage and work these exercises to help my horses back and Top Line. My question is whether or not this can be helpful or harmful with arthritic hocks. I would love to keep at these exercises but don't want to cause him pain.
Bobbi- here’s my approach in these situations.
#1 be sure to have a vet evaluate the horse as we don’t want the horse in pain no matter the direction of travel- forward, laterally or backwards. I’d of course make sure the vet I’m consulting is practical and minimally bias.
#2 While a horse may have wear and tear from years of riding like any athlete could, fitness is still important to stay healthy. So we want to evaluate how much can the horse comfortably do (if any at all) to stay as fit as possible for their own health and to future injuries.
#3 Too much of anything is a bad thing. So too much backing can definitely cause issues (in any horse- one with arthritis or even one that isn’t fit enough), while not doing enough backing may cause the horse to no be fit enough to reduce risk of future injuries.
So it’s finding out how much you can do without the horse being in pain while also maximizing their strength, balance, stability, etc.
If the arthritis is bad enough, you may not be able to do any backing. However if you can do some without pain or injury to the horse, some is better than none.
And I’d never be afraid of maintenance to help keep the horse comfortable.
Why you allow The horse mowe keeping its head so down and back? It does not look nice
Louise - you are correct! - Colton - what you call a disengagement is properly called un-tracking. You need to stop misinforming your potential students because sloppy terminology leads to sloppy performance.
Get it right dude.
best
Bruce Peek
NO! Get out in the hills, away from the arena, and ride, long and slow. Minimum 2 hours, more is better. At least 4 days out of 7. Get a life, your horses must be bored shitless. Trailers and arenas are not the making of real trustworthy horses.
Greetings from Australia.
I specifically mentioned the importance of hills outside of the arena in this video, even showed a clip of a horse backing up a hill. It’s not this or that. It’s both. Arena & Out of the Arena are both beneficial. Hills are great And those numbers are meaningless other than to personal opinion as every horse has a different job. Good ground is important to develop high level show horses and they got to work at it consistently. Just like reliable trail horses need to spend consistent hours on the trails. No job is better than another, they’re simply just different.
Greetings from Texas.
Best advice!
Why do you always ride these little ponies in the US? In Europe adults usually ride 600-700 kilogram horses? We leave the small ones to the children.
Probably a two year old.
These ponies are bred for their amazing athleticism. No horse would be able to keep up with their agility when it comes to working cows etc. A smaller more compact body can maneuver quicker than a bigger horse.
The American Quarterhorse. The greatest and most versatile equine athlete
Don't believe bs comments of what we in Europe supposedly ride differently. BS
Ok. Now let's put you on a horse that isn't perfectly trained, one that doesn't have hours of work under its belt, and show us the same stuff....😊
So confusing.
Perhaps he has videos on groundwork too? Which is where I always start with any horse and for tuneups now and then. Once you practice getting them to soften bend and move off pressure on the ground, it will make more sense to both of you when you apply your leg, seat/weight & rein aids...
@calista1280 yes I’ve got lots of ground work videos here on TH-cam and most are all in a ground work playlist. Then there are even more in our private community for those wanting to go even deeper and more support.
It's a great video but to much talk Just Show Us