Basic (ground) Training of the Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorse
(Photos by Bill Raymond)
The Adage, “There are as many methods to train a horse as there are trainers,” is probably true; however, some methods have been carefully developed over hundreds of years and have lasted because they are correct. These methods make sense to the animal and they respect the temperament and his body biomechanics. The bottom line of any training method has to be: is it completely non-abusive to the horse? After that, the trainer must insure that their methods be progressive, that each step follows logically to the next, and that it all makes sense to the horse.
The trainer should not have an ego when it comes to training horses. By that I mean that there should be no “winner” mentality. It is the trainer’s responsibility to find a way to explain desired behavior to the horse. It is never the horse’s responsibility to figure out, through inconsistent handling, just what is required of him. As you become more experienced, and if you truly use your senses efficiently and learn to “read” the animal you are training, he will “tell” you what to do. You must listen to your horse and interpret his body language.
For this article, we are assuming that you recently obtained a Thoroughbred who was raced or was in race training. Either way, various training methods have been used on your horse, so there are often unknowns. When you first get him, nothing should be taken for granted. You must closely observe his stable manners, his disposition, his attitude toward you and other people, and the extent of his training before he was galloped on the track.
I PRE-TRAINING WORK
A “let-down” period of time is necessary, especially if he was recently raced. In that case, he is coming to you in a racing condition, fit and energetic. This article’s purpose is not to discuss your feeding and shoeing schedule, but this should definitely be part of his new regimen.
Before turning him out, protect him with splint and bell boots and have the enclosure small enough for you to observe him easily for the first few days. Carefully monitor the number and temperaments of any turnout companions. It may have been a long time since he was allowed to runt free. This gives you a chance to watch him at liberty to see if he is nervous or tense. You are waiting for the moment when he turns back into an animal more concerned with grazing or comes into the barn at night than in nervously pacing about the paddock.
Before beginning progressive training, do a lot of bodywork on your horse. Use any massage techniques you may have learned or simply go over his body with your hands. Discover any sensitive areas. He may be reacting to pain or memory of discomfort. You should be able to “go into his space” and have him accept you willingly but don’t force him to do so.
See if he is sensitive around the muzzle, ears of wither area. If you suspect any problems, it would be advisable to consult a veterinarian, trained horse massage person, or a chiropractor. It is certainly reasonable to suspect that he may carry over some discomfort from his racing days. You need to determine that he is not in pain; otherwise; his reactions to your training may not be reliable.
You will be using whips in his training, obviously not to hurt him, but to serve as an extension of your arm leading and lunging. Let your horse examine a dressage whip or light buggy whip. Also make sure he is comfortable with a lunge whip. Remember that a whip was used on him to send him forward in race training and he may well carry over a residual fear of them. Go over his body with the whip, stoking him with it. If he shows fear, back off. Only touch those parts of his body with which he seems comfortable. Be patient. He will accept the whips and lose any fear he had. Be very gentle, especially on his legs. And never touch him near his head. In fact, if you see anyone use a whip to strike a horse near that head, it’s a clear indication that he or she is not a horseman and really should not be in contact with horses.
II Progressive Training
The first progressive training exercises I use with the horse are leading positions, similar to those developed by Linda Tellington Jones (called T.E.A.M).
1. Properly
fitted tack and equipment.
If you are leading from the near side, hold the excess rope and the whip with your left hand. The whip is never used to frighten the animal. When you want the horse to be still hold the whip IN FRONT of him, to serve as a closed door. When you wish him to walk ahead open the “ door” as you lead with your shoulders and tell him to “walk on”. I believe that your body posture is always important.
If he walks too fast, use your whip as a sort of windshield wiper to ask him to slow. Again, never frighten him. When stopping him, slowly wave the whip in front of him as you say “whoa” and bring your shoulders back. Indicate from your body language what you want. This is also a good way to start Showmanship. It is important for the horse to start to recognize your body language. You can also use your whip to assist you in teaching your horse 180 and 360- degree pivots or to control the opposite shoulder if he starts to shy away from you.
3.
The importance of voice.
For several reasons I believer that you must use your voice when training. After all, it is one of the recognized natural aids. A horse’s hearing is unique compared with ours. He can decipher sounds that we can’t begin to hear. Your voice can be soothing or harsh. Often just a sharp sound that the horse understands is enough to guide him to the proper response. Your voice has many levels. If you cluck or “kiss” to him, it can just mean “go forward with more energy”. Start using your voice consistently from the beginning of your
training, when you are leading a horse from the stall or into his paddock.
The following list is my training vocabulary.
The < symbol signifies a low, soft tone. The > symbol means more energy in your voice
a. > “walk on” – used when you want the horse to begin or increase his walk.
b. < “wwaallkk” –used to slow the horse or for a downward transition.
c. > “ter-ot” – two distinct syllables, used in the upward transition
d. > “trot-on”- used to increase the energy of the trot.
e. < “and- trooott”- used in the downward transition.
f. > “cannnnn-ter” – used for the upward transition. I say the horses name only on the upward canter transition. Soon he will canter from his name when it has the correct tone. (example: “Banner, cannn-ter!”)
g. >”canter- on”- used to continue the canter.
h. < “eeassyy” or “slowwwww” –used to quiet and slow the horse.
This vocabulary will carry
over into the section on lunging, but you can teach many of these voice commands
during the leading sessions. In
The first leading position can be used to handle a horse that rushes ahead of you. It can also be used to familiarize the horse with items you would like him to accept such as plastic or poles on the ground and encourage him to accept being led over new terrain. I once brought a Thoroughbred off the track to her first horse show. Just the sight of the ring and the noise had her so tense she was close to uncontrollable. I took her to a relatively quiet corner of the grounds and began the first leading technique with her, repeating it again and again. It became almost like a dance. This familiar ritual soon gave her the security she had lost. It wasn’t long before she relaxed and sighed and chewed. This easy and accepted “work” soon allowed her to become civilized.
Always
hold the lunge line on both hands at waist level. The whip should be
"passive" behind you, unless needed.
Lunging is an important technical skill that should be used to strengthen and supple your horse. It is NOT simply a way of “getting the bucks out” by chasing him around on the end of a rope. Unfortunately, improper lunging technique is seen so often in this country, that we often hear negative comments about all use of lunging. But done correctly, lunging is a valuable tool that will increase your horse’s physical agility and help him establish a stronger rapport with you.
So even if you horse comes to you with lunging basics, he may have been taught incorrectly. There are common unacceptable behaviors that result from poor lunging technique. For instance, many horses become excited on the lungeline and think it’s time to dash around as fast as they can. Or they might try to wheel and face you, pull on you or crowd you. These behaviors CAN be corrected with patience and proper reeducation. The second leading technique becomes the basis from which the horse understands the fundamentals of lunging. It is also used to encourage your horse to go forward through a gate.
One of the hardest things for a horse to understand about lunging is that now expect him to move away and around you instead of beside you as he has been led his whole life.
I prefer to lunge from a halter, usually with a flat chain around the nose. This is not to hurt the horse, but to provide balance and a bit of control. Many trainers do not recommend a halter. There are several schools of thought, and some may choose to use a lunging cavesson or to lunge by the bit in the horse’s mouth. I choose the halter because lunging cavessons tend to be bulky and to slide around; they can wind up too close to the horse’s eye on the outer side of the circle. Also I have had many senitive animals object to the metal plate noseband and the ring in the middle on which the lunge tape is attached. If the horse pulls to one side, the whole business often slides to the side of his nose, making it uncomfortable and fairly useless. The lighter halter, when properly fitted, affords control and doesn’t slide around. The bridle can also be easily attached underneath, so that you can mount right after lunging.
I do not advise lunging by the bit. The horse should not be punished or caused pain because we stumbled, put in a little buck, or lost his balance and pulled. We know never to punish a horse with our hands while riding, why do it when lunging? My students and I work very hard to develop an independent seat so that our hands aren’t stiff and inadvertently cause the horse discomfort. To risk causing harm to his mouth through lunging would be foolish. Also, when using side reins, Xenephon forbade his grooms to even lead his horses from the ground by the bit because it might cause the horse to become one sided!
3)Body
position and getting your horse to understand “away and around”
Stand at your horse’s shoulder and gently stroke him on the back with your whip. Then tap him once or twice on the rump and ask him to “walk-on.” Start by standing close to him, and face at an angle toward the front. Walk a few steps and then bring your shoulders back and bring the whip up in front of his chest and say “whoa.” If he does not understand and wants to turn in and face you, or if he is an excitable type, get someone to help you by leading him from the other side. Coordinate your commands of going forward and stopping. As soon as the horse thoroughly understands this you start to move a few feet at a time. AWAY from his shoulder and repeat the first exercise from your new distance. When he wants to move back in next to you, simply wave the want vertically between you and his shoulder, like a windshield washer. Do not threaten him or hit him. You want him to understand that his “space” with you is now different. Simply increase the distance between you and your horse until it is about six feet. You can then graduate to the use of the lunge whip instead of your dressage whip, buggy whip or wand.
When lunging your horse, a triangle is formed (see diagram) Generally you will face his back, just behind the withers. When you feel that he does not understand about going forward or simply chooses not to, change your stance to a driving position that is your inside shoulder in about a 45 degrees and you may step back a few steps in a position focused more on his haunches. If he steps forward into you on the circle say “out” and point your whip at his shoulder. You may touch him on the shoulder. All of my horses accept the lunge whip’s TOUCH almost as they would my hand. They are not afraid of it and move forward and away.
Of course, there are exceptions. We do not abuse our horses, but neither are they allowed to abuse us. A horse is never allowed to strike, kick, bite or when being ridden to rear or buck. When dealing with these vices, it is important that you correct IMMEDIATELY after it happened and then don’t hold a grudge. I once had a stallion come to me that had developed the very useful (for him) vice of turning and charging whoever was lunging him. He would literally try to run them over. There is a double-line lunging technique that works nicely in these circumstance that I will detail in the next issue, but suffice it to say that my “OUT!” included a sharp pop on his shoulder when he came into my space. As soon as he moved away however, he was rewarded with a “ goo-ood.” It really did not take long for him to catch on. The important thing to remember is that reward or punishment must take place within a few seconds of the action, otherwise the horse will not connect his behavior with your actions. Unfortunately as a judge, I often see a horse being punished inappropriately for the rider’s error.
Remember that your body language is always important. If you stand tall and direct your horse from your “center” with shoulders squared, you will send him little signals to stay away from your “space” without frightening or confusing him. You don’t want to do anything to make him afraid of you.. You don’t want him to feel “punished” for wanting to be next to you. You are simply showing him another place to be. With the lunge whip in your sessions, you will increase the distance and begin teaching him all of your commands. Have much patience with yourself and your horse, especially if you have not done much lunging. Always end your session on a positive and calm note. Never send your horse back to his stall upset and not understanding the lesson.