March Tack and Training Tips
Vol 5 2009
Welcome to my tack and training tip of the month!
(Please keep in mind that these are methods I use most everyday and have worked for me in the past. However all horses are different as well as peoples feel and timing are different from my own. Please exercise safety first for both horse and handler.)
As I sat today with the sun warming my back and Shadow resting, leg cocked beneath me I marveled at the sea of green spreading before me. Pink and red buds within drops of rain catching the evening sun and holding the light like a thousand diamonds, each quivering as the trees swayed made me thankful for the day I was given.
For many spring dictates long hours in the saddle, chaps covered in mud, blood and mire. The reins and rope in one hand and a calf on the other end and a good working horse beneath them. Many are quiet spoken but if you look closely at their saddle and rigging you can tell a lot about their riding style. Over the last few months I have talked about working ropes, chaps, wild rags and even hackamores, all of which derive from that ranching heritage. If you like where I've been going with this then you'll love this months tack tip. Stirrups are often overlooked but its hard to miss a monel.
Monel stirrups are a bent wood, mainly oak, stirrup that is covered in either brass, stainless steel or nickel. There are many styles and sizes to a monel such as bell bottoms, Visalia, or morel and the tread sizes can very from a couple of inches up to 6 inches. They can even be made in an overshoe size to accommodate those with large feet, those who ride in packers boots or for those like me who just like the extra room. If you have knee problems or like riding in an oxbow then give the overshoe a try, I think you'll like them.
In these set of pictures you can see the differences in each style, yet each one is still a monel. The tread with is at the bottom of the stirrup where your foot will rest. The most common sizes are 4 inches and 5 inches. You can measure from the toe of your boot to just where the heel starts and take one inch off to tell what size you would most likely enjoy. Mine are right at 4 inches.
Once mainly seen in ranching pictures or on top clinicians saddles such as Martin Black or Buck Brannaman these wonderful works of art and function are becoming more and more sought after by trail riders and ranch versatility competitors. In the pictures you can clearly see the difference in the designs and these are the buyers preference as are the metal used to cover them. Many are made by licensed blacksmiths or can be found online. I ordered mine from a gentleman in Arkansas. I still have his number should anyone be interested, just let me know.
Mine are a 4 inch tread, stainless polished steel over a nettles overshoe with leather wear over the bar at the top. The overshoe size measures 6 inches on the inside of the stirrup while the regular ones are only 5. Also the overshoe size is just a bit taller than the other. I like the overshoe as I have a bad knee and it allows for my foot to turn out more, also they are easy to slip out of should you get into a bind. In the training article below you can see my stirrups pretty clearly.
Tack needed: Good rope halter or snaffle bit and reins, good fitting saddle and saddle pad.
Problems encountered: Horse walks away as you put your foot in the stirrup, horse pulling on your hands, walking opposite direction that his nose is tipped in or wont stop circling.
I recommend saddling your horse and moving them around a bit to get the fresh off before you begin. You can do this in a field, round pen or arena so long as you have enough space to move your horse around safely. Do a run though of the past lessons so that they are paying attention and relaxed. Remember to give when they give.
Now stand on the right side of your horse and tip his nose towards you remembering to keep the outside rein loose. with your reins in your right hand grasp the saddle horn to stabilize your hand and put your foot in the stirrup. Step up and lean over your horse rubbing his shoulder, neck and belly. Should your horse step away stay calm and shorten the rein so that his nose is touching his shoulder. When he stops step down and rub him. Do this until your horse stands still and relaxes then move on to the other side.
Now that your horse is standing still for you tip his nose again and step up this time swing your leg over and sit down in the saddle. Its important to keep his nose tipped until you get completely on and have both feet in the stirrup. Keep your legs off and don't squeeze, we aren't suppose to go anywhere! With his nose at his shoulder he can no longer buck or run out from under you. Should he try to walk off shorten the rein till his nose is actually touching his shoulder and shift your weight to the outside of your horse.
For example if you were mounting from the left side, his nose should be touching the very tip of your left boot. Your left hand is still on the horn with the direct rein while your right hand is down on the horses shoulder giving him slack on the indirect side. Should he walk off bring your left hand, direct hand, to your hip and lock your elbow at your side bringing his nose up to your shin. Now shift your weight back and over to the right. This forces the horse to step across on his hind to accommodate the weight shift. Now he can only walk a circle.
When he stops his feet and you feel the rein go slack, step down and rub him. Now step back up and repeat this until you can mount from either side while your horse stays calm and relaxed and is not pulling the rein from your hand or trying to walk off. Should your horse get to really pulling on your hands give him a quick jerk on the bit or halter but don't keep pulling against him. Remember its bump, bump and then lock your elbow at your side and clamp your hand down against your leg for stability.
For a hyper horse, spooky horse or one that has been asked to move out the moment you hit the saddle, this teaches them to be patient and stand still while you get on. Now that your horse is standing still and your set in the saddle give him all the rein he wants. Let him stand on a big loose rein. Should he walk off let him take 4 steps. By letting him commit to the mistake we are giving him an opportunity to learn. At the fourth step slide your hand, either one, down the rein and bring his nose to your boot. Lock your hand on your leg and your elbow at your side but drop the outside rein hand to keep it slack. Wait for him to stop and settle a bit then let him out again on a big loose rein. Should he walk off bring him around again.
If your horse stands still wonderful! If he didn't, don't worry he will. Find the middle of your rein and hold it in your right hand. Slide your left hand down the rein and pick up to flex him to the left. Again lock your hand on your leg and elbow at your side while you drop the right hand down to ensure there is slack. When you feel him get light on the rein let him out of it and find the middle of your rein again this time hold it in the left hand. Now slide your right hand down the rein and pickup to flex him to the right again locking your hand at your leg and your elbow at the side while your left hand drops down to ensure slack. Each time you flex your horse his nose should be touching the very tip of your boot.
At the end of this session if the tips of your boots aren't wet from his lips and breath then you didn't do it long enough. Most horses will flex then raise their head when you give them slack then flex it again, then raise it. After awhile they learn to leave it down and just swing it back and forth. Do this each time you get on your horse, it teaches them to stay put as you are not asking for forward movement and it become a calm down cue for them. Some young horses will try to bite your boots but unless it becomes a big problem I tend to ignore it. They usually quit doing it after a few minutes.
In this set of pictures you can clearly see my hand placement as I am asking him to flex both left and right. Keep your legs off so as not to encourage forward movement. You can imagine your hands being tied to a broom handle and as one hand moves so does the other.
Here he is being just a bit heavy so I have just bumped the halter and am bringing my hand back to hold it against my hip as in the first picture. Remember to ask first then get as assertive as necessary. Don't keep yanking and jerking, its bump, bump and hold. When they give you give.
Thanks for reading this months tack and training tips. Remember safety first for both horse and handler! If anyone has questions don't hesitate to ask or email me. It might take me a bit to get back to you but I'll sure do my best to help.