tennesse walkers

Question
I have a now 4yr old mare and she is not completely finished what would you suggest for winter training we  are in Wyoming and its snowy and cold already but I'm afraid that if I wait till spring I'll have to start virtually all over

Answer
Dear Amin

I am assuming from your question that you don't have the luxury of an indoor arena. First, a little cold and snow never killed anyone.  I have photos (I'd send you one if I was at home and not 1,000 miles away) of me jumping my horses outside in snowdrifts in Minnesota back in the 70's.  As long as it isn't icy, you can do almost any work you could do on a dry beach in the sand, on dry snow. However, it is with the same caveats.  Depending on how deep, snow can be difficult for a horse to work in. It is sluggish going and, like sand, can help in muscle building but can also over stress things, so work slowly and carefully.

You need to take a bit of special care of your feet and your horse's.  If the snow is wet (which it usually isn't in Wyoming)you need anti-snowballing pads under your horses shoes. Horses actually tend to do better barefooted in snow.  Wet snow can ball up under regular shoes until they are walking on rounded hard balls and cause tendon and ligament damage.  I pull my horse's shoes in snow season and just keep them trimmed.  For you, you need really good foot insulation that doesn't make your feet so fat that won't come out of the stirrup.  I use L.L. Bean's snow sneakers.  I can walk in them and they aren't so bulky that they don't fit in a stirrup.

When it gets too miserable to ride in the snow you can get creative. Inside the barn you can play some games. Work on improving her giving skills until she will follow the lightest touch of the halter or bridle laying on your open hand with no pull. Start by pulling lightly and when she comes towards the pressure ("gives"), reward her instantly by giving her slack. Repeat and repeat until she gives to the lightest possible pressure. Always Keep sessions very short, just long enough to make a bit of progress, but not bore her. Your goal is for her to give and follow a totally loose line laying on your open hand with no pressure. She should follow that line to drop her head, move to either side, back and move foreward.  Don't miss a direction.

Do the same thing in reverse, using your hand where your heel would fall on her side.  Push with your knuckles until she gives a bit, then stop the pressure for a moment as a reward, praise her. Then try again.  Don't overdo it in one sessions. Again, you are aiming for lightness.  You don't want her to step towards you with her shoulder, here you want her hindquarters to move away from the pressure of your hand. Don't forget to do it on both sides. Both of these lessons are "relax and give to pressure."

Not only will doing this right take most of the winter, but when you get on in the spring, you can continue the same from on top.  What you are aiming for is a horse that responds to little more than a muscle twitch on your part as far as giving.  You can use this to easily build collection, flying changes and any more advanced move later on down the line.

Even if you do give her a winter vacation, horses have very good memories.   She may test you a bit in the spring.  But it's not just elephants that never forget.

Good luck,

Lynne Curtis Gudes
"Common sense isn't."