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HORSE NOTE

You may have to use a horse for survival, this is not a full course on how to horse around but we hope the contained information will be of some help to you.

MORNING CARE: MISSING INFO

NOON CARE:

At noon when getting off the horse find some grass and don't forget to water your horse, this is no camel and AVOID to tie it down with his rein because if the horse becomes afraid suddenly, he could hurt himself grievously.

Instead use the rope to tie it up to the halter but don't tie it to something heavy such as picnic table since the horse will drag it along if it becomes afraid.

A usual solution often recommended consists in tying a long rope between 2 trees & to tie the horses to that rope.

But this practice becomes dangerous if one of the horses becomes nervous so separate the horses and tie them high enough (#level of whiter#) to a tree. Beware of some type of halters that a horse can pull off.

One can very well tie a strong rope to a big nylon collar thus retaining the horse by the neck.

This method is not dangerous if the collar does not strangle the horse. When the horse has to eat then you can use a longer rope but temporarily.

So NEVER tie a horse with a slippery knot. Once it has eaten it can be tied to its normal length for a whole night, no problem.

NIGHT CARE:

After a long day, unstrap the horse with caution. Good if you have a barn but usually not in survival situation.

So you don't have any other solution than to tie up your horse and if you have many, then you MUST watch them at all times, set up a horse watch.

One can use shackles made of nylons most of time, rope or leather. The 2 front legs are tied together so that the horse can try to move but will not get far. (brushings)

CROSS COUNTRY:

If you carry much equipment or that you can afford it, then you will need at least 2 horses, one to use to ride on, and the other as #cheval de bat# that can be alternated when one becomes tired.

It is also a security element in the wilderness, should the horse becomes wounded or sick since the risk for wounds is ALWAYS present both to the animal and to man.

Depending of the training and the nature of the terrain more or less rough you can count on 30 to 40 km (20-25 miles) per day of riding if all goes well

FIRST CONTACT:

Bring the horse out and beware that it does not trample over your feet.

In order to AVOID, this hold the rope as near as possible to the halter with your arm extended to separate the horse from you.

If you are in a coral then here is what you do as you come near the entrance; slow down and make the horse come around as if it was coming out of the coral then untie him.

Without this manoeuvre you risk that the horse kicks you in the face, so happy he is to be free. Now watch him go wild, running crazy, unwinding

Start to try to understand your horse since THE BASIC OF DRESSING A HORSE is simply to observe, understand and anticipate the animal.

This is why even without a teacher you can learn to mount a horse correctly and to ride it as well.

After a few minutes the horse will calm down, he will look all around, and if you talk to him, yes he will listen his ears pointed toward your voice, so speak softly.

When you will go to get him then keep on talking to him and as soon as the halter is put on then caress him.

REMEMBER that any submission act MUST be compensate by a reward, a caress or a sugar.

#TRAVAIL A LA LONGE# :

This unwinding phase is mostly done using a long nylon rope. Most horses become impatient and nervous when they don't go out for a few days as any jailbird can tell.

Thus you MUST permit them to relax and unwind. This will AVOID for the beginners that the horse starts kicking, goofing off and throw you off the saddle. Hee Haw!

Place the horse to your right, take the long rope into your left hand without making a knot then stand a bit backward of the horse and give him a short brief order to move forward.

BEWARE of the kicks he may do, then little by little give him more rope while letting him start to gallop in a circle ever widening.

Have the horse turn in the other direction as well meaning to your right, since horses have tendency to turn to the left because of being ALWAYS approached by the left end side.

SOME ADVISES:

1) Horses prefer to be approached, saddle and caress on their left side. (Fussy?)

2) There are no code to give orders to a horse, so use simple short words indicating one activity & repeat it often

3) Thus your horse will start to understand and grab your orders and REALLY START TO LEARN ONLY WHEN HE IS REALLY RELAXED. MMM!

In case that the horse pulls so hard on the #longe# that you have a hard time holding it, pass this #longe# under his jaws.

At the end of it there is usually a small chain which will compress the mouth of the horse if he persists in pulling and little by little he will learn not to pull so hard. Using patience is the key with animals just as it is with people.

SADDLING:

Quietly, calmly approach the horse by his left side with your horse blanket and place it on its back then softly put the saddle AVOIDING that the stirrups bounce back on the horse flanks if it is a western saddle. Now you MUST strap him

Depending of the type of strapping this blocking is done differently. On most American saddles a long leather strap is passed many times under the belly and the ring of the saddle and will end by a necktie knot.

If you are in a barn, do not tie it too strongly since most horses hate to be strapped inside and will puff or swell up as a measure of resisting. You can finish the job outside the barn.

#BIT? BRIDLE# :

Now you MUST put on the #bit? bridle# which operation MUST be done carefully & delicately. There are different techniques to #bridle# a horse.

Here is the classical method if the horse is calm and does not have too much tendency to raise up its head, then this method is simple.

One of your hands rises the #bit# till it contacts with the horse lips. Put your thumb or major finger between its lips at the location of the #barres# (the space where there are not teeth) and do not fear to be bitten since NEVER a horse will bite in this position.

If the horse attempt to refuse the #bit# and if you feel ill at ease!?! Please take note that it is no good to unnerve the horse by multiple trials.

So install yourself at your best for instance between 2 chains, calm the horse and present him again the #bit# softly but without hesitation. In case of another refusal wait a bit more but do NOT give up, U are the master???

This type of problem has often been caused by the rider himself either by hurting the jaws when taking off the #bit# too quickly or either because the ears of the horse have been pinched. Ouch!!!

So to pass it around the ears proceed slowly one after the other or change side if you MUST do so.

Now do NOT let the reins drag on the floor, if the horse walks on it, he can hurt himself or go berserk for some reasons.

Once outside the barn, DON'T FORGET to tie again the saddle strap. You MUST use a lot of strength, so as to stretch it properly.

Otherwise the saddle risks to tip under the horse belly when you prepare to saddle up and then the horse gets scared and risks to bolt wherever he sees fit from such a clown. Rambozo

HOW TO GET ON THE SADDLE:

The classical method starts in 2 movements. Get on the left side of the horse, take the reins in your left hand, put your left foot in the stirrup and it is your right leg that will give you the push over impulsion to climb aboard.

Give yourself a small spring to dart forth and AVOID to leave all your weight on the left side stirrup. Lastly AVOID to fall to harshly on the saddle.

ACTIONS OF THE REINS, LEGS & COMMANDS:

According to the equipment you have saddle & #bit# your position will be different.

TECHNIQUES:

1) Your heel MUST be downward nearly "broken" toward the rear with the Western saddling.

This attitude will take you a few hours to acquire. But it is the only solution; for your foot to act as a kind of spring to stay stuck to the stirrup when using trot or full #gallop# .

2) Your hands MUST be down and low near the #pommel knob# If you take the reins using 2 hands it is NECESSARY that the traction be made at the little finger level.

Thus you will be able to feel the horse, also to dose your effort and also to be able to keep a better handle.

3) Most beginners feel unstable and ask to rise up their stirrups. IT'S AN ERROR.

In order to be comfortable & with suppleness the STIRRUP MUST BE LOW. In western horse riding the legs hang down naturally along the horse hardly placed on the stirrup.

This instability impression is normal and will disappear only after several horse riding. (If women can do it such as Lady Godiva! So can you.)

It is better if possible to go train yourself in a coral rather than in the field, since it is NECESSARY that you take some insurance and that the horse feels that you are the master? (Ho-ho-ho!)

Thus he will not dispose of you according to his own humour. Know that the horse learns quickly of the weakness of the rider.

TO MOVE: (FINALLY ?!?)

Just press down a bit using your 2 heels. (Go Rambo-Zoro Homeward bound! Hee-Haw!)

TO TURN: (No flashers?!)

Ex: Right turn: With a classical #bit#, you pull the rein toward the right softly while spreading away your hand from your body.

But BEWARE you MUST also quickly take the habit to tighten your right heel against the horse flank. (Left heel when turning left).

With a western #bit#, do not pull on the right to turn right. Your left hand or both hands if you hold the reins with one hand MUST move toward the right above the neck.

The rein then comes to graze the neck and this combined with the pressure from your right leg is enough to make the horse turn right. This is called the leaning #rein effect.? rene d'appui#

TO STOP: (WOH!)

DO NOT YELL! Do not pull over strongly on the reins and especially do not stop the horse continually, when he only wants to relax by moving around. The traction on the rein MUST be light and short.

The voice order MUST be short and firm. The horse MUST obey to it IMMEDIATELY!

If he does not obey, yelling or to hang yourself on the reins is useless, just start over again.

A common and frequent error is to say Woh-ohoh too often. For instance when the horse is trotting or when you feel he moves too fast for you.

If you use the command trotting-oh to stop, this MUST be ONLY for this order and not to slow down.

If you want him to slow down then use another command like "soft," any command will do if repeated in any language.

(Horse don't do language or politics only asses!) DO NOT MIX COMMANDS, the horse will best obey when he knows or learns exactly what you want, so make up your mind! Kiss Method = Keep it simple!

TO TROT ALONG: "Hop along Cassidy"

Squeeze again the thighs and heels. As soon as the horse is trotting along and despite your lack of comfort do not forget the position of your hands near the #pommel# .

If the reins seem too long, shorten them by gathering them together rather than passing them from one hand to the other.

With a western #bridle# it is rather your free hand which will help to shorten them a bit. Once more don't forget to caress your horse every time he does some progress, this is a reward that he needs.

GALLOP: Missing inf. to get from rider.

HORSE DISOBEDIENCE?:

There are 2 ways to deal with this, the brutal or using patience. One can not hide that the first one is effective but it has great risks since the horse will have tendency to stiffen up, to fight even more and even to develop twitches.

Whereas patience will most often permit to solve any problem but it will take time. We prefer this method.

The horse stubbornness most of time has a good reason and it is necessary for you to search the reason why the horse is stubborn to a particular command so don't force him, rather try to solve the problem.

REFUSAL TO STOP: (Shoot-him/her?)

If the horse doesn't stop fast enough send him toward a fence or a wall even while trotting and stop him at the obstacle. Start all over till he learns. Caress him when he does good. Also teach him to equally associate stopping and backing up.

As soon as he is immobile give him the order to back up. "Back". While giving this order pull slightly backward on the reins while giving an impulsion with your legs.

REFUSAL TO TURN: (Go & give a ticket?!)

Start the passage again & again #at pace# and trotting and work the turns in the sense that the horse refuses to do but not necessarily in the same location.

LOOKING FOR GRASS WHILE WALKING: (Smoking type?)

Don't let this habit to develop. When you stop, get off the saddle and let him eat but under NO other conditions.

This default comes especially when the horse wants to get rid of his #bridle#. May be it is too tight? Have you tried another one?

HORSE SWERVING OR THAT GETS SCARED:

Default very currant and nearly incorrigible because it is part of the nature of the beast but it is ESSENTIAL to limit these acts to a minimum since they are the sources of most accidents.

If the horse is scared, slow down & calm him by caressing it.

Make him walk so as to lower his cardiac rhythm. Then try to understand what has made him afraid by coming back on the ground if you have to, may be it was a snake?

Without doubt it will be necessary to make him at ease with different situations, cars, birds, gun cracking etc.

It is also possible to recreate artificially the noise of situation so as to create the right habit or attitude toward a situation you feel the need for.

REFUSAL TO CROSS A BRIDGE:

Don't get over anxious nor make the horse nervous by hitting him with the heels. Climb down and walk ahead.

If the horse still refuses and that the stream is not too deep, cross it while up on the saddle, since the horses are less afraid of small streams than bridges.

Once back at camp train him in the corral to walk on great wood planks.

Using the leg impulsion just before you get to the bridge, teach him what you want him to do as the master?

It is useless to try to drag the horse, he will resist, calm him, talk to him, caress him then turn front-ward and walk, he will usually follow you.

HORSE THAT GOES BERSERK WHILE GALLOPING:

The only solution is to make him turn in circle more and more enclosed. This manoeuvre is easier with a #net# because you can pull strongly on one of the reins.

You MUST prevent the horse to lower his neck & to accelerate his rhythm. Note: That if the horse possesses a #net/English bridle# you MUST in order to slow down his gallop to pull by jerks on one of the reins.

PUNISHMENTS:

As seen above one should ignore them most of time although it may be useful once only to let the horse know who is the boss or the ass.

#LE COUP DU BRIDON#:

If the horse wears a #net / English bridle# you give a few alternative jerks on each side of the reins. This sanction is less severe and will recall the horse that he MUST stop.

BLOCKING TIGHT A REIN:

Only used if the horse has a #net or English bridle, Hackmore# to use, then if the horse refuses to turn, you pull slowly till #plier l'encolure#, one of the rein toward you and you maintain this position for a few minutes but use only with a Hackmore bridle.

WINTER PRECAUTIONS:

Snow pushed by wind will hide streams, posts, fences, ditches etc. which can make your horse fall and you as well so be careful.

When the snow fall AVOID to have your horse in gallop since he inhales much air and ice crystal will form in its lungs and make him cough.

Precautions to take to let the horse cool off progressively are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT in Winter more so than in Summer.

So if the horse becomes hot, he MUST be put fast into the barn or put under a horse blanket at least 1/2 hour.

Don't try to climb over thick snow banks since the cold can make them hard and the ice crust risk to immobilize brutally your horse & can causes him to break a leg.

REMEMBER that cold has power to dehydrate more quickly your horse specially when working a lot, so give him water regularly and if your horse works a lot then increase a bit his ration of hay and oat.

NOTE ABOUT DONKEYS:

They behave differently than the horses at times. So instead of walking ahead and impatiently tugging along when at frequent intervals the donkey stops, you just walk alongside the donkey using a stout thorn-bush in hand to make him obey you. see note in gizmo via death and horses

FROZEN RIVERS CROSSING WITH HORSES:

MONGOLS:

Mongols were the best fighting machine in the East. They would use the horses to carry some sand bags in winter which they would use that sand to cross frozen rivers. This way the horses could cross without slipping and breaking bones.

It has to be a bit more wide than the horse about 5-6 feet wide so the horse can cross without problem.

Either pick up the sand after use or let it be, but then again if you have a broom go for it, since sand is hard to get in winter, this is coarse sand of course.

More like earth type of sand. By the way it does not have to be desert sand at all. Ashes could be used for one horse across a small river.