|
Training Our training starts at birth with imprinting. This is the time to get a foal use to human handling. At a week
they have a halter on them. The more you can work with them the better people horse you will have. They should be blanketed
in the cool months not so much to protect their coats, but to get them use to straps and the touch of the blanket on there
back. Halter training is great experience for them and showing gets them use to the trailer and other horses. We break our
horses by starting them on the hot walker. This is a controlled environment and is safe for both the horse and the trainer.
Do not get in a hurry to break a horse, he must be both physically and mentally ready.This usually around 2 years, but it
is better at about 2 1/2.
Training Questions and Answers Q. In training the performance horse what is expected of the horse,and
rider combination? A. There are four kinds of walk, trot and canter. beginning with the free walk,
collected walk and medium walk and extended walk. The trot is comprised of the working trot, collected trot, medium trot,
and extended trot. The canter is comprised of the working, collected, medium and extended canter. The horse must be light
on the forehand, light contact on the reins and almost invisible leg aids. Lots of drive and impulsion from behind, supple
and obedient. The horses upward and downward transitions should be without resentment, the head slightly bent so that you
can see the inside eye for which ever direction you are traveling.. all the gaits maintaining regular rhythm with correct
foot fall, the circles and loops must be exact specified size , balance is very important, the horse carrying his own weight
plus that of his rider evenly and effortlessly. Q. I want to buy a horse, what should I buy? A.
You must first decide what are your goals, and your financing. Remember the cheapest part of owning a horse is buying one,
so do not buy one just because its a good deal. Buy a horse that will fit your needs. My experience is that many of my customers
bought young horse that could not make it on the race track. These are beautiful animals and the price is right, but these
horses are bred to be hot, it takes a lot of training and luck to ever make one of these horses work out for you. Get one
that is bred to do want you want it to do; be Halter, Western, or English. Remember disposition is half the horse, get one
that will not hurt or scare you . For more information call:417-533-5392 or
email us at: bootonhm@fidnet.com
|
