Why the quality of the horse's Halt matters

I always laugh when I see this cartoon by Polly Paintbrush.  (You can order it here.) 

The cartoon reminds me of a time many, many moons ago when I was competing on a super talented off the track Thoroughbred at a Training level horse trials in New Mexico.  It was our first event together and the moment we left the start box, his brain had reverted to racehorse mode.  We actually came to a complete halt twice, in the middle of our cross country test, and we STILL came in under the minimum allotted time.  Of course, back then, I was taught that bits gave you “control” and the more equipment you used, the better your “stop” was.  At the end of the ride, I was immediately informed I needed a more severe bit.

At that time I was riding for my ego.  Really.  The equine experience almost hardly ever considered or focused on my horse; it was about my goals, my wants, my success, and my accomplishments.  Even the sport of Three Day Eventing was considered the “crazy” group of riders, who almost all seemed set on challenging their horses into surviving a cross country course.  I remember years later sitting with a three time Olympic Gold Medalist I worked under, and him telling me about the number of brutal crash-and-burns, it required for him to get where he was at present day.

Although there wasn’t what I considered at the time to be “abuse,” I certainly never considered my horse’s brain or emotions.  His tendons and hooves were far more important.  If you saw me among the general populous of riders, you wouldn’t have noticed either greatness or dramatic “flaws.”

Yet now, in thinking back, and as we all know hindsight is 20/20, it shocks me as to what this horse put up with.  Why on earth did he jump- eventually over obstacles the width of pickup trucks, try his heart out during every ride, save me (on numerous occasions), and not just quit on me?

I’ll never forget taking my first “real” Dressage lesson on him with a Dutch gal who was one of the first people to actually instruct me how to ride.  She didn’t mention my horse’s brain or emotions, but she actually taught me in-the-moment aids and tools to communicate with my horse.  Without realizing it, she was the catalyst in a chain of events that still affects me to this day.  She also changed my bit to a much softer, less severe device and showed me that I could still “control” my horse.

The old days of the cross country were all about the “go” and survival.  Really.  Anyone who doesn’t believe please take a moment and watch the 1976 Olympics in Bromont, Canada.  Be ready to have your heart in your throat as you watch the following video of the cross country portion of the event.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31dlhFlgmbA

Fast forward to the present day and I cannot tell you how often new clients contact me after things have “gone wrong.”  That vague description can range from experiencing literally falling off the side of a cliff while clinging to their horse,  or aggressive behavior that resulted in broken bones, concussions, etc. to just a general feeling of out-of-control-ness. 

I don’t know historically when, how, and why westerner’ perception of horses transitioned and our belief that chaos is “normal” in our equine partner along with ill manners, dangerous behavior, etc.  Of course our perspective of our horse being our “pet” or “baby” sets the stage for those sorts of behaviors to evolve.

As people who only have so much time for fun, the general populace’s experience with horses has decreased; instead of spending six hours a day with the horse, maybe one hour twice a week is spent.  Just the time, irrelevant of the quality, allows for people to learn and see more about their horse.

It seems that as the horse transitioned from a tool for our survival to a “pleasure” animal, our standard of what behaviors we would accept, tolerate, etc. has too decreased.  I would hate to guess at the number of people who became involved with horses for fun, and in reality, after the romanticized perspective faded, how little fun they actually experienced, and yet they keep pursuing the sport.

As I’ve remarked before, those with no horse experience can often see “more” than those with years of lessons.  Just as many humans unknowingly desensitize their horses (not in a positive manner) and teach the horse to become mentally resistant and eventually physically dangerous, humans teaching other humans can do the same thing to one another. 

I experienced it myself, ignore the “instinct” of wanting things like brakes and steering while riding, instead, just focus on getting over the jump!  Have you ever been around a horse person who uses the words, “Oh, he just does that…”  Why?  

I have heard stories ranging from people unloading their horse, so that they could back the horse trailer, then reloading the horse, to ones who had to put grain into one far corner of the pen in order to distract a horse so that they could quickly access the other side of the pen without being “attacked.”  I’ve witnessed horses having to wear cages (literally) around their muzzle to not attack, I’ve been instructed while riding Grand Prix Dressage horses not to “let go” when I hacked a loop around the barn area in case the horse took off.  I’ve watched people conditioned to crank their horse’s nose to their knee every time they mount, without ever considering WHY they were doing that; which usually is done in case the horse may take off.  To me, the follow-up question is then, “Why are you getting on a horse that you think might be ready to bolt?”

Things that have become “basics” in my mind such as my horse coming over and presenting himself to be caught, ground tying irrelevant of where we are, yielding and following any form of pressure, offering to line up to an object so that I could climb aboard, having 10 energies within each gait, being able to accept my “clumsiness” by bumping, banging, and dragging objects all around his body are just a few of the “starting” points for me.

Fussing when led, groomed, tacked, tied, during farrier care, while being mounted, when asked to halt in the middle of a ride, etc. is all unnecessary.  And yet somehow the mentality of, “Oh they just do that,” has saturated the equestrian community.  Horses are fantastic HUMAN TRAINERS.  How many people have learned how to work around their horses? 

               Well I can’t tie him, so I just loop the rope in case he pulls back.

               He doesn’t like the farrier so we sedate him.

               He doesn’t/won’t stand still, so I let him graze while I _____________.

               I get on him in the arena in case he decides to ______________.

               He is a little hard to catch sometimes so I just shake the grain bucket/hide the halter behind my back/catch his buddy first.

You get the idea.  Some of you may be laughing, but in reality, it is quite scary how much is done with relatively out-of-control horses.  In my perspective, horses can run away with you at the walk.  Out of control does not mean that your horse is galloping at 35mph and you’re hanging off the side.

Let us put it into human terms.  What is the one thing that will NEVER let us relax?  Internal stress.  It doesn’t matter what the stress is about, the source of where it is coming from, or how much of it we are experiencing.  As long as it is present in our minds, our bodies act different and we can never truly find a “quiet” within ourselves, therefore never feeling a relaxed physical demeanor.  The same goes for horses.

And when we humans are stressed how much patience do we have?  How much physical strength/coordination/ability do we have compared to when we aren’t stressed.  How many people do you actually know that experience one stress-free hour a day?  A week?  A month?  And as a result, our minds get foggy and overloaded and our bodies start to break down.  The same goes for the horses.

Weaving, chewing, pawing, pacing, cribbing, wind sucking, fussiness, etc. are all indicators of stress.  Ulcers, weight issues, etc. can be the physical tolls that stress can take on a horse.  Ask yourself how many moments in a day (whether or not you are interacting with him) does your horse experience as “stress-free” time?

Of course, to do this, we must put value to our horse’s brains and emotions.  So as many folks laugh when I say that I “want it boring,” I really mean it.  “It” can be whatever you are asking of your horse; come to be caught, stand to be groomed, hold up for the person behind us on the trail, etc.  Nothing I ask of my horse should look physically busy, chaotic, hurried, choppy, etc.  If it does, I must pause and remind myself the physical behavior is a reflection of the brain and emotions; when my horse is feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside, he’ll show it with relaxed, but not mentally checked, physical behavior.

Often people think the halt is the act of physically not moving.  But if you scanned hundreds of pictures or watched a warm-up arena at an event being asked to halt.  You’d be surprised how many horses offer more of a physical “pause” but you can actually see how the horse’s weight is shifted in a manner ready to “leave” and that his brain is elsewhere, rather then seeing a physical and mental commitment to stop in one specific place.

The horse’s body follows his brain.  Wherever his brain maybe, his body will try to get to.  So if I can get my horse’s brain to think right here, six inches ahead of us, and keep his brain there, I can “keep” his body from moving, WITHOUT having to “HANG ON” to the reins.

So from ground tying to mounting or halting during a ride, I don’t want to feel like I NEED to “control” my horse.  I’d rather like to influence my horse’s brain and emotions.  The more he tunes in to what I am asking, the softer his physical movement and responses will be.  The softer and more mentally receptive he is to my influence, the less I have to physically do to “get him” to participate in what I want. 

So I also have the last laugh when many new clients are enthusiastically daydreaming out loud about all the “big stuff” they want me to help them accomplish.  I listen quietly and try not to deflate their grandiose ideas.  As their journey begins, their perspectives start to change or evolve into appreciating less movement, but more quality in their rides.  I can’t tell you how many times someone enthusiastically comments, “Wow, look how nice he is standing,” and for all, they had previously wanted to accomplish with their horse, are now realizing the importance of the mental, emotional AND physical quiet that must take precedent, before the “exciting” movement is asked of their horse.

So, here is putting a bit more value in your next halt.