What is and isnt respect

Question
QUESTION: Denise, my 2 yr old filly is doing well in her training but there's one area where I'm not completely satisfied with her. When we are in our 60' round pen (or anywhere else) her shoulders are almost always square with me but she has trouble hooking on. I'm not sure if this is a display of disrespect or not. Thanks for the help, Mitch


Ricky Quinn   ANSWER: Hi Mitch!

What happens when you walk toward her with a feel that says "move away"?  Can you draw her in to you by stepping back?  Will she yield her hind quarters and change direction by just the use of your body language?  Have you worked with "invisible driving lines" with her?  Will she stay when you step toward her with a feel that is asking her to stay and does she lick, chew and most importantly, yawn?  Will she drop her head as you rub her on the forehead and relax?  After rubbing her and getting her to relax while you are standing with her, will she step off when you step away?  

All of these things are signs that your horse is really "hooked on" and wanting to get with you.  When you are doing all of these things at liberty in the round pen, it should feel no different than if you had a halter on your filly.  Things should be even better when you use your lass rope and better still when you use your halter.  With the lass rope and halter, you will be better able to support and refine these movements.  

For some young horses it is a matter of development and time as well as quality handling will solve some of these issues.  Also, Mitch, mares can be a little more difficult for some men.  Mares are really tactile and they are very much like dealing with a stallion.  They are a bit more "horse".  Touch her with a feel that PROVES you really like her!  Don't pat a mare, rub her like her mom would do.  A lot of the time people are pretty rough with young horses and it just makes them a bit more stand-off-ish.  If you can make a real connection with a mare, it is just magic.  You will never ride anything else.  Again, very similar to a stallion.  Geldings can be a bit dry and pretty blah.  Mares can really give you a run for your money, but they will go above and beyond the call too!  

Check some of the things out that I mentioned in the first paragraph, and let me know how things measure up.  

Smiles!  Denise



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'll start with you first question. Moving her away can been a problem. It takes a little bit to move her feet. If she happens to put her rear to me I'll try to move her but her response is an about face, full attention, squared shoulders. The word I would use to describe her attitude would be "indifferent." To answer you question, no, I cannot move her away with just body language. And, part of that is when she's standing there looking at me I'm thinking "should I move her even though she's saying 'I'm ready'". She will move her rear with little pressure, probably because I work on that alot. Ahh yawning...I think thats how she feels about the whole thing. She does it repeatedly. She has no problem relaxing. We have her half sister and thats been a bit of a challenge because they're extemely bound to each other. Thats part of why I question if she's accepted me as her leader. I'm not familiar with "invisivle driving lines." Hope this gives you a little better idea of whats going on, Mitch.

Answer

Ricky Quinn   Hi Mitch!

Do what it takes to move her with your body language.  Walk into her with a feel that says:  "get MOVING"!  and MEAN it!  It she does not leave with the respect afforded to a more dominate member of her herd, give her a nip with the tail end of your lead rope.  I use a 12'tree line lead.  Double Diamond makes a good one and I have also been seeing them in some feed stores of late.  The farm supply store in my town keeps them in stock for me so I have a quick place to send students.  You can also find them on the web.  Make sure the lead is tree line.  It has just the right weight and feel so that you can offer a very accurate "nip" on the shoulder to drive her off and a nip on the bum, if she needs it, to get her moving.  

Do WHAT it TAKES to get the change!  The instant you get the change, get soft and let her know she found the answer.  I want you to have this filly walking, trotting and loping both ways of the pen, soft and respectful.  No bolting around.  Make it all with purpose.  I want you to be able to step toward her head and stop her, get her hind quarters, have her face up and then step to her off side eye to get her to change direction, all of this with her loose in the round pen.  I want you to notice when she is trying to get with you and draw her in to you by backing up and then turning softly away from her and see if you can get her to follow you.  All of this is with your body language supported by a nip from the lead if you have to get a change.
 
Yawning does not mean she is bored!  Yawning is trouble coming out!  It is a very important sign that the tension is coming out of the horse and they are starting to let down.  She really is trying to please you, it is just that you guys are not yet speaking the same language!  You are still speaking "human" and she is still speaking "horse".  I need to get you to start speaking in HER language and this will make a huge change for the both of you.  

I'd like it if you would watch the "Ground Work" DVD by Buck Brannaman.  Buck is my teacher and his DVD is very clear and complete.  He does the invisible driving lines in the DVD.  This really is just moving the horse around the pen with body language, putting pressure on the eye or hip of the horse from a distance in order to have them change direction, tempo and back up.  It is pretty cool to do with your horses and really helps them get in sinc with you.  

Try being more clear with your mare, watch Buck's DVD and then let me know how all is going.  I think when you watch the DVD, so many things will clear up for you and then you will be able to better help your horse.

Keep me posted! Smiles, Denise