uh, your other left...

Renown is not something you can buy, or you can sit on. It has to be something you work for, that people see you doing and they say hey, maybe that person can help me.
It feels good to get a little of it.

The other day I was working my colt in the arena and a lady was having problems getting her horse up to the gate so she could come in. The horse was balking and backing away from it. I was watching her, and she asked me if there was anything she should be doing differently..

Oh yeah.

First, stop that back up. Kick em forward. Get those feet moving in the direction you want them to move, and don’t let up until they do. Do what it takes.

Well we got her up to the gate and in, but I noticed something.

“ You know” I asked her, “ can you get the hind?”.

Hmmmm…. Hind…. I could see her thinking… what is the hind….

“Can you ask for the horse to move its butt to the left.?” Ahh butt.. that made sense.

So she kicked on it a few times and the thing was like a block of wood.

Well says I, being the carefree person I am, that’s your problem. The horse can not separate what you are asking. So when you go up to the gate, banging on the horses sides, it has no idea what you want.

So we worked a bit together, and she was able to get the hind..

Well says I, it all goes back to basics..

Then another lady asks me the next day, My horse balks on the trail. When I ask him to go forward he stops, and then acts like he is going to rear up…

So I say, “ I bet it happens in the same place on the trail?”
A head nod..
I bet it’s the scariest place for the rider too.
“Oh yes” says she “ its where the trail drops off”.

Uuhu.

So I says “ Well, I bet your transition changes are too great either… ie from the trot to the canter, to the lope”…

“well in the round pen its ok, but not in the arena… “…


Uhhu….

It all goes back to basics. It all goes back to getting down to the feet.
It goes back to the horse feeling you tense up, tighten up, lose your confidence, then they screw around… yes… they know…

Its about not getting the basics and then expecting your horse to be champion out on the trail when he sells out on you in the arena….

Champions work everyday getting better…. Champions are forged.

Or Lady #3… I just bought a 23 year old horse that has never been ridden and by the way is so buddied up to the other horse next to her, that I have to move her to another stable….And I want to start riding…

Oh sure..Ok.