Issue 4

Be the best you can be for your horse

April 2014

Versatile

Equines
Book Give Away
See Inside

The OneRein Stop

Picking up the
Feet

Body
Language

Which gear is right

for you??

Co
nt
en
ts
Editors Note
Kaimanawas P3
Picking up Feet
Book Review
Reader Story: CTR
Which gear for you?
Reader Story: How Little
Clinician Profile
Body Language
One Rein Stop
DVD Review
Essences
! !
Homeopathy
Food For Thought
! !
Summer Brags

Editors Note
Welcome to Issue 4
Apologies in advance for the
quality of the mag this month. I
have been crazy busy with being
back at school (I am a full time
school teacher). I have not had
time to work on the visual
design features and fully
proofread and edit every
article like I normally do. I do
hope it all makes sense!!!
I had an amazing summer
this year. It was full of horse
clinics, music events and new
love for many new things!
I hope you enjoy this months
issue, see you next issue!

Cheryl

I had an excellent time at

my friends medieval
wedding. Congratulations
Bernie and Lisa, it was
an amazing wedding!!! It
was an honour being on
horse back in your bridal
party.

Kaimanawas
Part 3: Luna

Luna was the first Kaimanawa I picked for

myself out of our group of 13. I was struck by
her interesting colouring, sweet eyes and
lovely face marking.
Luna was quite an introverted type of mare,
she would tend to freeze on the spot in fear,
rather than run away madly. She was very
close to Diva, Maverick and Comet, I suspect
she was from the same band on the ranges. It
was nice to know she had at least been
mustered with some of her original herd.

Luna. It was quite a weird scenario to be in, as

when I have been around mares who have lost
their foals in the past, there has been a grieving
process of sorts. But because of Lunas scenario
the wee colt was left as though discarded .... she
was not at all interested in visiting her dead foal in
the grave we dug. I remember feeling very sorry
about the whole situation and could not help but
think of the amazing young fella he could have
been had Luna remained in the ranges. I wonder if
she had had a foal before she was mustered....?

Work with Luna progressed quite quickly and

smoothly. She quickly tolerated the halter and
could be easily caught in the round pen within
a few weeks. There was not a dirty bone in
Lunas body. She easily accepted handling,
tying up, covering and hoof trimming. She was
still a hesitant mare, but she put her trust in
humans so easily.
It was after about three weeks from the date
of the muster that Luna unfortunately aborted
a foal. He was a gorgeous little colt, who
would have had the same facial marking as

I wonder what he would have grown up to become

The loss of a foal really took its toll on

Lunas body, she lost a lot of weight
and got terrible rain scald. Looking at
the pictures above it is hard to
believe that the scraggly horse on the
left, grew into the lovely mare on the
right.
I spent a good six weeks with Luna
on the ground, getting her confident
with every day handling. Then I took
her to my paddocks to join the rest of
my herd (see top right).
When I had her at home she
continued to progress impressively. I
was riding her within 6 months of the
muster and she was even quiet
enough for other people to ride too.
The third picture with all of her
ribbons was Luna on her 11th ride
ever, at her first show!!! She handled
herself amazingly and took all new
things in her stride, we even did
some small jumps!
After about a year to a year and a
half later, Luna was ready for her new
owner, so I advertised her on trade
me.
I knew that this little mare had
something very special about her, so
it was not an easy sale. At the time
however I had to be realistic, I had 7
horses and a full time job, as well as
studying by distance learning!
She got sold to a lovely girl called Lily
in Taumaranui, her pony had recently
passed of old age and they were
looking for her next equine best
friend.
I have not heard how Luna has been
going for years now, I hope she is
happy and loved. She will be forever
in my heart and memory.

Picking
Up The
Hooves

Before you go out expecting to

simply pick up your horses
hooves, first stop and consider
the psychology behind picking up
the feet of a horse.

How to do it
with the horse

When you put a horse on three legs, they are in

effect in one of their most vulnerable positions.
It should never be forgotten that horses are
prey animals and their main instinct is survival.
By taking up one of the legs of a horse, they are
limited in their ability to fly from fear instantly. It
is this simple fact that can cause much grief for
horse owners.
When handling a horses legs it is essential that
they never feel rushed and you are never on a
time restriction. Handling the feet is one of
those things that you should really strive to get
right the first time. I know this from experience,
as I have rushed a horse into giving me their
feet. I am then left with a horse that is still
nervous about the feet being handled months
down the track.
I am going to write this article from the
perspective of the very beginning, a horse who
has never been asked to pick their feet up, then
at the end of the article I will provide some
trouble shooting tips for horses who have had
negative hoof handling experience.
Before even beginning this teaching to your
horse, YOU need to have a few things sorted
1. You must be patient and willing to accept any
try that the horse offers you

2. You should have a safe area to work in, the middle

of the paddock is best
3. Your horse should have a basic set of ground
manners and respect for you
4. You MUST have the time needed
5. If you do not have the experience to do this, get
someone in who does
Before you put yourself in the vulnerable position by
the horses feet ensure you have set yourself up for
success. Before I even consider picking up the horses
feet I make sure I can rub their legs up and down with
a stick and that they are relaxed and comfortable with
this. Once they have accepted the stick I introduce the
rope, pitching it around their legs and over their body.
By this stage, if the horse is relaxed and unflinching, I
rub the horses legs up and down with my hands.
The rubbing of the horses legs is extra important. It
proves to the horse that when you bend over you are
not just going for the feet to pick them up, but that you
may just be bending over to give them a rub.

Be properly prepared to ensure success!

The next steps I follow from here can depend on

the horse I am working with, but rolling with the
premise that the horse has never had its legs
handled, this is how I would proceed.
There are two magic spots on the horse which
allow the picking up of the feet to be done with
much more ease. They are the chestnuts on the
front legs and the point of the hocks on the back
legs (see pic below).
It is at the stage of using these two magic points
that you need to have a good understanding of
pressure and release, as well as rewarding the
slightest try.
From here I am going to break the process down
into a step by step method. As with all methods,
this is just one way and it may not work with all
horses. In saying this though it works every time
that I use it. The most important thing when
following these steps is to go slow and be very
patient.

We will start with the front feet:

Step 1: Rub up and down the horses leg with your
hand, do not pinch the chestnut if the horse is
expecting it at all, if they seem expectant, keep
rubbing until they no longer do.
Step 2: Very gently squeeze the edges of the
chestnut, you should treat it like you are using 2
fingers to squeeze an egg to begin with.
Step 3: Keep squeezing, getting a TINY bit firmer
every few seconds, as soon as the horse shifts its
weight, moves or lifts a foot, take your hand away
and stand up (release). At this point it is very
tempting for people to grab the foot as it comes up.
But in order to do this with the horse, we need to
get them to trust they can pick up their foot off the
ground, without it then being snatched up.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3. Get steps 1-3
very well established before you consider holding
the leg at all, then when you do hold the leg, hold it
for half a second and release it instantly.
Horses being very claustrophobic, can take a long
time to feel confident enough to hold the leg up.

Chestnut

Chestnut

Pictured:
Mindy at 2
days old.
Kaimanawa X.
She is now a
three year old!

Point of
Hock

Basic troubleshooting when picking up hooves

Some horses will have a lot of difficultly with
picking their feet up, so it can be useful to use a
rope to pick the feet up. You should never tie the
rope to the feet in the beginning, incase they get
away dragging the rope.
To pick up the back feet follow the same process
as for the front feet, except pinch the point of the
hock. The back feet often take longer for the horse
to become comfortable with as the back feet are
like the horses motor. Shut down the motor and
they feel they cannot escape what they may
perceive to be an immediate threat.
When you get to holding the hoof for longer
periods of time, timing is crucial. If you release
when they are tense, nervous or trying to put their
foot down, you are in effect teaching them that that
is the right response. In saying this though, holding
on until they relax can be a whole different story!
As with all things, if in doubt ask a professional for
support, especially with the feet! As with all
teaching ensure you remain patient, understanding
and open to the needs of your horse and the
limitations of you both :)

What lies in
front of us and
what lies behind
us, are tiny
matters
compared with
what lies

within us.

k
o
o
B
w
e
i
v
e
R
lie
u
J
By

art
m
S

WIN
THIS BOOK

See below for

details

I wish I had this book when I was

star0ng out with horses. Just a few of
the hints herein would have given me
pause to think, and saved some
serious misconcep0ons and mistakes.
Somehow, i think the horses I owned
back then would have liked me to
have read it too...
This book is exactly what it claims to
be: a prac0cal New Zealand guide to
horse care. It is also crammed full of
0ps and ideas to help you in all
aspects of the fundamentals of
Natural Horsemanship, both in a
dedicated sec0on and scaDered
throughout the text in the form of
great quotes from excep0onal
horsemen and women.
The book began its life as a series of
ar0cles penned by Rita and her friend,
Jane Bellerby, for their local riding
club. Rita also draws upon the
wisdom and input from a lot of
people, and openly declares this is a
collabora0ve eort, with anecdotes,
informa0on and submissions all rolled
into this liDle book to ll it with good,
sound advice from experienced horse

owners all around the country. The book has

a strong focus on safety, the responsibility
of caring for a real, live horse, and best of
all, it is specic to keeping a horse in its best
form, right here in New Zealand. It always
has the horses perspec0ve in mind and has
a strong focus on being as natural as is
possible in your interac0ons and care.
I can remember when I was a liDle girl,
dreaming of my own pony, reading every
book on horse care I could nd. Usually
t h e y w e r e b a s e d i n t h e N o r t h e r n
Hemisphere, so I had to mentally reverse
the dates and seasons for a start. None of
the plants men0oned were the same, and
the even the feed was dierent, or at least
dierently labelled. The assump0on was
made that you would be shoeing your horse,
riding in a biDed bridle of some descrip0on,

and that you would be compe00ve in

one of the 0mely tradi0onal horse
sports. Most of the horses I read about
were stabled, and the books were full of
dire warnings about stable vices such as
weaving and wind-sucking.
My instructor Russell Higgins travels the
globe teaching horsemanship, and he
comes across these vices in the UK and
other places where horses have to be
stabled a lot. He is oOen asked about
these condi0ons, and he has frequently
replied that, here in NZ, stable vices
hardly exist.
Why is that?
NZ is a lucky place to be a horse as we do
have largely mild climate and our horses
are able to be easily kept outside all year
round. Rita is all for keeping a horse in
as natural an environment as possible,
and the fact that most NZ privately
owned horses are indeed able to live
outside instantly deals with one aspect
of vital importance to any horse. The
freedom to move, to interact with other
horses, and not to be locked up 12 to 24
hours a day makes a huge dierence to
the mental health of any horse.
So, if you live in NZ, and own horses, this
book should be in your library. Whether
you are a beginner star0ng out looking
for your rst horse or an experienced
horsewoman or horseman, there will be
something in here that will apply to you.
Heres some stu you will nd in this
book:
Horse hun*ng- this goes way beyond
simple breed, temperament, and sizes.
Examined are the ins, outs, ups and

downs of buying your own horse,

including a vital self examina0on as to
whether you have what it takes to
become a responsible horse owner. Rita
goes into the importance of being able to
read a horse, and touches upon
horsenality; a Parelli term that describes
the various tendencies of dierent
personality types in horses and the
behavioural displays that tell us so much.
Tips on breeding, conforma0on, size also
abound.
Troubleshoo*ng- Rita examines some
common problems and some of the
causes...eg the horse has a human
problem; feed related problems, physical
issues, and teaching assump0ons.
Paddock- recognising poisonous plants,
crea0ng a safe environment, op0ons on
pasture or track management, soil health,
strip grazing, and shelter to name a few.
Grooming- I love that Rita presents a lot
of informa0on with how the horse would
see things in mind, and this sec0on
especially considers comfort for the
horse. Some horses are a lot more
sensi0ve than others; and grooming 0me
should build your rela0onship. As Pat
Parelli says put your heart in your hand,
and your hand on the horse.
Equipment- a thorough look at tack,
including [ng saddles, halters, bits,
bitless bridles, covers, and caring for your
gear.
Feeding- including feed types, rou0nes,
supplements, and grass types for pasture
kept horses, as well as quan00es and
method polite horses at dinner0me.
Health- rst aid, herbal/homeopathic,
teeth, bugs, skin, staggers, colic,
poisoning, basic hoof care, barefoot and
shod op0ons, hoof condi0ons such as
abscesses, lamini0s care and preven0on.

Winner will be announced 28

May 2014. The winner will
be shared on the Versatile
Equines Facebook page, as
well as The Real Life with
Horses page.

n
ok

!!

wi
bo

Visit the Real Life with

Horses Facebook page and
like it. You must also share
the link and write a message
on the page as to why you
really want to win this book!

th
i

yo

ca

Ho

!
N
I
W

Horsemanship- how horses and humans interact,

dealing with frustra0on, basic prac0cal safety
maDers e.g. the one rein stop.
Condence- how we build it using approach and
retreat in humans and horses; comfort zones,
connec0on, support, and giving yourself
permission to get o are just a few things
addressed in this sec0on.
Out and about- aspects of riding out on private
land, public land, and roads are considered.
Horse Floats- trailer loading and towing 0ps.
Maintenence schedule- your life0me obliga0ons
to your horse.

As I said at the start; I wish I had his book when I
was star0ng out. However, I am s0ll glad I have
it now! I recommend this book no maDer how
experienced you are, and I would especially
recommend buying it as a giO for anyone you
know who is new to horse ownership. There is a
hole in the bookshelves of NZ that this book can
ll and we need to get it out there for the sakes
of our friends, horse and human, who wish to
get along together and have fun with our horses
right here in Aotearoa.

The person that does all of

this and writes the BEST
reason will win the book :)

Reader
Story

Endurance Riding & CTR

By Sarah King
On Sunday the 8th of December 2013 I embarked
on my second ever 80km endurance ride. We leO
base camp at 6 am for a 20km hill loop, which
took us about 2 hours to complete. We came
across hills, sheep, bridges, gates and cows. These
cows were curious beasts, a liDle too curious for
our liking seeing as our horses are afraid of them
due to bad experiences in the past. So it was with
our luck that a rather rambunc0ous group of
young bulls decided to run aOer us, and my horse
was o with a swish of his tail. I dont think he
cared whether I was with him or not! Thankfully
we managed to get safely through the gate and
con0nue on our journey.

We arrived back to base camp, and got ready for
our rst ve[ng. I was in good spirits and felt
great, so I troDed my horse out for the vet. Both
myself and my friend Gemma passed our vet
checks so headed back to our oat for our 40
minute break before the next leg. I stued my
face with bacon and egg pie, juice boxes and
other liDle goodies. Before we knew it, 0me was
up and we had to get our horses geared up and
back out for a 30km leg out on farmland, roads
and some smaller hills.

The start/nish line gave us the go ahead to start
the next leg, so o we went tro[ng out cha[ng
away about how many cows we were going to
come across on this leg! The terrain for this leg
was preDy good. We had to go through the
common ground of elds of maize (aOer the 5th
0me its not so exci0ng!) a liDle creek, some nice
cantering paddocks and more cows! AOer this

rst 7.5km we hit some more farmland with the majority of

the land being gentle rolling hills, and more gates to stop and
open! By the end of this leg I was s0ll feeling great, and
troDed my horse out in the vet ring, and were give the okay
to keep going, so back to the oat we go, and again I stued
myself full of food and a lot of liquid!

The third and last leg came around very quickly. Our 40
minute break seemed to go by in a maDer of minutes, and
we were back on tro[ng across the start/nish line heading
towards those mys0cal maize elds and another 30km of
riding ahead of ourselves. Back through the 7.5km of
common land and back on to the farmland we went. Another
km or so on the track and we turned o to head towards the
Massey farms. Along the way we decided that 0me was
catching us up, and we needed to put our skates on, we only
had 8 hours to complete the ride in! We came across a nice
long at stretch and had a nice canter to get some more
distance under our belt, before coming across a road and a
bridge! This was the rst 0me I have ever ridden a horse
across a bridge before, and even though I found it scary, I
knew I couldnt let the horse know that (thankfully the horse
I was riding was a pro and this was his fourth year). From the
bridge we carried on along the road and headed on to
another farm with great paddocks that we could have a fast
canter on, and we let the horses have a blat before coming
across another steep hill climb and winding our way back
down to head home.

We would have been about 10-15km from base and I was
struggling mentally and physically, I did not know which hurt
more, my legs, my back or my boDom! Mentally I hit the
wall. I was a real down buzz, but I had to keep pushing and
pushing myself to keep going, it was the only way back to

base camp and a well-earned rest! I wanted to give up

and just walk in, I was riding as a novice so I had an
extra hour up my sleeve then my friend, I considered
just telling her to go on and Id just slowly come
home, instead I just kept going and going, the closer
to camp we got the further forward I was leaning and
the more I had to use my horses neck for support. I
guess here is where I say that this was about the 10th
0me I had ridden this horse since I started to train for
my friend and I hadnt ridden much since winter
either! To think that Im planning on doing another
80km ride beginning of December just so I can get
past being novice and become an Open rider and
ride even longer distances. If theres one thing Ive
learnt about this experience is that it helps to be
really riding t and do all of the training before the
rides, and to have a good mind set. I just wanted to
qualify and get in within the 0me allowed and get my
qualied ribbon. This is what was going through my
head for the last 10km, that and singing a mix of Guns
n Roses and Ke$has Tik Tok, and making silly
accents. I swear if our horses could talk to you, some
of the things they would say, would make absolutely

no sense and make us sound plain loco! But I guess

you do have to be somewhat loco to get on your
horse and ride for 80km in a day, not to men0on
rides of up to 160km.

Its the day aOer the ride, and Im waddling
everywhere looking like a frail old person, with some
massive bruises down my legs, sore painful muscles,
but just as keen to do the next one and the bigger
distance aOer that. But like I told people during the
ride, how about you ask me that on the last leg.

As the rider my job is to constantly be looking aOer
my horse, watching the foo0ng where we are going,
making sure hes ea0ng and drinking, and then
looking aOer myself, without my horse I cant do
these rides. Even at the end of our 80km I could feel
that my horse could have gone on for longer. I cant
wait to get my horse out there doing these rides as
in this sport its the horses heart the counts not his
small stature. One of the top horses is about 148cm,
only 1cm taller than my boy Casper, and he has the
a[tude to just keep going, and I can actually get on
to him from the ground :P

There are many endurance clubs and CTR (trail riding
clubs) around New Zealand with distances from
10/15km right up to 160km rides, and there is always
someone that will pitch in and help you with advice
or strapping when your helpers are MIA.

Thanks for your contribution Sarah, sounds like

good fun!!! I definitely hope to get to an event one
of these days :)

Which Ground Work

Equipment
is right for you?
Halters
There are many halters on the market these days, so really it
comes down to what you prefer to work with. The most
important thing to note on this though is that NO halter can
FIX a problem. The reason I mention this is because many
halters are marketed with this premise.
Some of the variety of halters you can get are leather,
webbing, rope, hybrid and dually. At the end of the day they
all serve the same purpose: to communicate with the horse.
I personally like to use a rope halter, for reasons I will outline
below.
A rope halter I feel is far clearer for the horse to
understand, as the communication it provides is more
direct. I like medium thickness rope (shown in photos),
which is more stiff than floppy. Rope halters can have
either 2 or 4 knots on the nose piece, as a general rule
I like the 2-knot halters, but have been known to use
the 4-knot ones for hard/stiff horses, or horses that
have learned to pull on the halter or tank off!
The knots on the halter provide the horse a more
precise, direct pressure and horses are less inclined to
lean into the pressure of the knots also. The knots on
the side of the horses face also provide another
element of control and communication.
4-knot rope halter, there are 2 knots in the
same position on the nose on the other side

At the end of the day

it is up to you to make
an informed decision
about which type of
gear is right for you
and your horse/s

There are some hazards to be aware of when using

rope halters and they are as follows. They should
never be left on a loose horse, especially when they
are turned out in the paddock; the reason being is that
rope halters very rarely break, so if a horse was to get
caught up, they are more likely to hurt themselves,
than break free. The knots when used too forcefully
can also damage nerves on the horses face.
There are many theories on the fit of the rope halter,
some like the back of it to sit behind the horses cheek.
You will notice also that many halters are not designed
to make this possible. So my theory with this is that I
try to make it as comfortable for the horse. It should
always be well away from their eyes and not too high
up or low down on the nose. I aways ensure that the
piece that goes over the neck by the poll is flat and the
rope is not twisted.

Jazzy wearing a 14ft lead rope with a

loop end (no clip)

When tied on the horses head the tail of the halter should
point backwards towards the horses rump, not forward
where it could catch a horse in the eye. Note in the picture
on the left that the tied off part is pointing right backward.
Other more simple benefits of the halter for me as that it
doubles as my bridle. It is machine washable. Has no
metal parts. Feels softer/lighter on the horses face than
some other alternatives.

Lead Ropes
Like all things this is personal preference and the more
you get to know your tools, the more finicky you will get
about what you like. For example with a horse who does
not do Natural Horsemanship I like to start off with a 14ft
lead rope, with a bull clip attached. The extra weight of
this lead rope/clip gives me more control and is far clearer
for the horse to understand. But when I work with my own
horses who are already responsive and in control, I like
to use lighter leads without a clip. My reason for this is I
am refining what I do and making my aids even less
obvious, thus creating softer and more responsive horse.
The lead for me is the tool that I am most particular about.
I have worked with enough horses and enough different
types of lead ropes to have a good feel for what I like. The
tricky thing about lead ropes is like I said above, I like a
different lead for different horses!!!
Lets look at what I prefer it is made from, 1/2 inch thick
Equi-yachting rope. This type of rope slides easily through
my hands for instant release, it also has enough weight
in it to communicate more clearly with horses. This rope is
also soft on my hands, so can be worked with for long
periods of time, with no stress to the hands.
As you start exploring different leads, you will realise how
the weight of rope is so different in different lead ropes. I
like to think of this weight as life. So I like a lead rope
with alot of life in it. This does not necessarily mean it is
heavy, this pertains more to the balance of weight the lead
rope has through it.

12ft long, horsemanship lead rope,

with a bull clip and leather popper.
Next time you pick up your lead rope, ask
yourself, how does it feel? Is it serving the
purpose I wish it to serve? I encourage you to
explore your local tack store and have a feel
of which lead ropes feel most natural for you.

Another thing I like on my lead ropes is a leather popper

at the end. This is not only good for reinforcing an aid, it
gives the end of the lead rope life. I have a few lead ropes
in which the popper has come off and they do not feel at
all the same and I seem to have less control of them.
The standard length of rope I like to work with is a 12 ft
lead rope (most are sold in this size). But I do have a 14ft
one and I like this one better for working with dangerous
type horses who you want a bit further away from you or
for a horse who I want to work a bit further away from me
for refinement.

The most common lead I use with my

horses for ground work is my 22ft
featherweight line, this is very thin and is
made from exactly the same material my
halters are made from. Depending on
which lead I pick up, I either have a loop
end on it, or a very light clip. The clip is
purely so it is easier to take on and off.
These feather weight lines are fantastic
for allowing horses more drift when
working. They are able to move around
without the heavy clunking of a 22ft lead
of 1/2 inch yachting braid. I also use 2
feather weight lines at the same time to
working on driving my horses from
behind.
There is a wide variety of clip options for
lead ropes too. My preference is a loop
end lead rope, so then I can attach a clip
if I desire one. The main clip you see on
horsemanship leads are bull snaps, but
there are more and more varieties
appearing on the market, pictured on the
right are a few of the most common ones.
Obviously as with all things, they all have
a different purpose or function. For
example picture 1 shows an adapted bull
snap, it serves the same purpose as the
original bull snap (picture 3), but is easier
to open. Clips 5 and 6 I try and avoid
because horses can pull back and snap
them easily, or even break them by
standing on the lead rope. Clip 4 has an
interesting design in that it can be opened
even with intense pressure applied (aka
horse pulling back), just by turning the
swivel to release it. Picture 7 shows a 22ft
line with a carabiner, this prevents the
rope from coiling when you are working
with it. Picture 2 shows the lead rope with
the loop end I mentioned above. A clip
can be attached to the loop, or the lead
can be attached directly to the halter.

2.
1.

3.

5.

4.

6.

7.

So the things I consider when choosing/using a

lead rope are:
-The purpose for it
-The horse I am using it with
-Weight of rope
-Length of rope
-Type of clips
-Feeling of life in it

Stick and String

The stick and string is my 3rd essential
ground work tool, it is the least important
of the three, but still has a valid place in my
programme for developing a stronger communication system with my horse. Similar to the lead rope, the
type of stick and string I prefer depends on the horse and the purpose. Across the board with all sticks
though, is the fact that the stick and string is merely an extension of my body, a tool to more clearly
communicate a message to the horse I am working with.
These days you can have a stick custom made for you in the length you want. Depending on where you

purchase your stick from also can determine the length. I like a short, light stick for most of my ground
work, about 1m long normally does it. If I am working with a less responsive horse or am working a horse
at a further distance away, I like a 1.2m stick. I can extend my reach and communication further by
attaching a communication string to the stick. I prefer a longer string, approx 1.8 m. It gives extra reach
during ground work and it is also much more effective for desensitising as you can wrap it around the
horse more.
Sticks are also great for attaching flags and plastic bags to, which can be used for further desensitising.
There are many people also that do not use a stick, but use a horsemanship flag. This is a tool I have
used before, but in all honesty I prefer the stick and string.
The stick and string is a great tool when used correctly. The downfall of many people is that they become
reliant on their stick and string. I think of the stick and string as a teaching tool, then eventually I try to
wean the stick and string out of my programme and play with my horses using only my body language. The
stick and string can be an important first step in exaggerating to your horse what the aid is, but it is a
starting point, you should always be aiming for a deeper level of understanding with your horses- aka body
language only, no stick and string.
There are heaps of places you can buy quality horse gear from such as the online Parelli store, Clinton
Anderson online store etc.
I buy nearly all of my horse gear off Trade Me from a seller named naturalhorse-nz. All of this gear is made
at home by a professional rope smith and is made right here in NZ, the Manawatu in fact.
It is not the cheapest gear on the market, but I have found that you pay for what you get and the gear is
always of a very high quality. Below are some pictures from their Trade Me advert.

Prices vary, check out their Trade Me auction for prices. They also have a
website and Facebook page- see the links below :)
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=1365600
http://naturalhorse.vpweb.co.nz/
https://www.facebook.com/NaturalHorseNZ

The Addiction Of As
Little As Possible

Many of you would have heard phrases like how

liDle does it take? in rela0on to achieving a desired
outcome with our horses. A concept that I was aware
of in theory, but had eluded my reality. So when my
Level 1 Online Parelli Audi0on came back with a
single cri0que sugges0ng I try to make my phase one
even less, using only body language, I set about on a
journey that I never envisioned would become the
addic0on that it is.
Weve all seen reining and dressage horses that
appear to dance for their rider with apparently no
cues; such is their invisibility. I never imagined I could
have this at my basic level of horsemanship, but I
have discovered that I can. And so can you.
Phase one; the ini0al cue given to a horse to ask for a
desired maneuver, for me ini0ally was as blatant as a
smack in the head. What I wanted was a 0ny
vibra0on down the rope. What I gave was more like
something that might register on the Richter scale.

By Carin Robinson

yourself. This was the key for me. I found that all
too easily I would fall back on it to get my
message across. Its the old saying of improve
your argument instead of raising your voice. Rain
grows owers, not thunder or something along
those lines.
So there I stood, unarmed as it were, with my
boy standing in front of me, and somehow I had
to convince him to go backwards without ini0ally
moving the rope. So I leaned forward, and got
that mother-in-law ate a lemon look on my face
and thought back!. Did he move? No, he tried
to eat my hair, actually. So I liOed the lead
slightly and wiggled my nger. He took a single
step backwards. It worked!

AOer a few days, I managed to rene these cues

down to less and less. Now, my ini0al Richter
shaking phase one has become my phase two or
three, and my horse will zoom (ok, zoom is an
exaggera0on, hes an introvert aOer all)
Focus! You will need focus. And might I suggest also backwards to the end of a 22O line from me
that you conscate your s0ck and string o of simply icking a nger at him. Im impressed.

And this process is fun, because there is

nothing I can say to you to describe how
amazing it feels to simply think something,
and your horse does it.
More recently Ive had the pleasure of
discovering and rening this skill with circles.
My horse is a sensi0ve introvert, but as hes
developed over 0me he has become more
condent and our circles went to the pack.
He wouldnt canter, and what use to be a
nice soO send had now become a joke to him.
Hed literally walk a few steps, stop and look
at me with this Really, lady?! look on his
face. So of course I made my sends a lot
stronger, but hed suddenly revert to panic
mode and would slip and trip around the
paddock before nally coming to a
hyperven0la0ng stop and ick the rope back
at me. A wonderful friend reminded me of
the saying how liDle does it take? How liDle
does it take to get a walk depart, a trot
depart and a canter depart. She also
reminded me of the importance of neutral
and of keeping my energy the same while in
neutral. It never occurred to me that perhaps
my neutral was out. The send is easy to x,
you just rene that down and I only used
phase 1 to get walk and trot, canter is phase
3 but we will rene that. Neutral, in and of
itself, is the lack of micro-managing your
horse. It is the allow. Allowing them to
perform their side of the partnership without
being nagged to maintain gait, maintain
direc0on and look where they are going. But
what I discovered about neutral was
something special. I want you to remember
this because I believe this is the key and Ive
yet to nd anyone to describe it as such.

The trick to neutral is to actually

shut your eyes and listen to your
horses hoof falls. Find the energy
that you would use to ride that beat
and then make that energy your
neutral.

Does that make sense? It requires a degree of self-

awareness and focus. Its the act of asking your horse
to go, without actually asking them. I nd myself
visualising my body with 3 or 4 lines through it and
imagining the energy si[ng above and/or below
those lines as needed. For a walk, I keep my energy
below my belly buDon. For a canter it comes up as
high as my shoulders. For a trot it sits somewhere
around my chest.
I found myself bobbing as I visualised riding a rising
trot and holding that energy, and lo and behold; 2
complete circles at a trot. No panic, no sudden stops,
no changing gait, just uid and calm trot. I also found
that if I became distracted, whether by outside
inuences or my mind wandering, he would break
gait or stop.
Horses are incredibly intui0ve creatures. They dont
need us to scream and yell at them. They dont need
us to wave our arms or s0ck at them at the end
game. In the beginning, when teaching, sure, they
may need us to be bigger in our gestures so they can
learn that if they dont go at the slightest sugges0on,
then that sugges0on becomes an ask, a tell and them
eventually a promise if they dont get moving. But if
were consistent, then they will always believe us at
the sugges0on, so we never have to promise again.

Carins Horse Red

True West
Horsemanship
Authentic Trust Based Horse Training & Clinics

Cli
Re nicia
v n

iew

Ltd

Ben Longwell is the trainer & clinician for True West

Horsemanship Ltd, which operates out of a training facility
near Matakana, just north of Auckland in the North Island of
New Zealand.
True West Horsemanship Ltd provides natural trust based
horsemanship training in the tradi0on of the vaquero and
California bridle horse. This includes Colt Star0ng (a versa0le
founda0on for any further discipline), Re-star0ng Horses,
Problem Solving, Desensi0za0on, Foal Handling, Halter
Training and more.
In addi0on to Training Horses, Ben also teaches various
Horsemanship Clinics around the country. Par0cipants love
his knowledgeable and quiet approach to teaching them.
Where leaving egos behind and focusing on the horse results
in true progress and a great learning environment. Like with
the horses, Bens approach and philosophy with people is
pa0ent, gentle and focused on learning to communicate with
feel and 0ming.
Par0cipants at the clinics learn hands on prac0cal lessons
with dierent topics and interests including Horsemanship
Clinic, Green Horse Clinic, Leadership Clinic (correla0on of
leadership and management principles), CaDlework /
Stockmanship Clinic and more. All training and Clinics apply to
any discipline or equine ac0vity and the emphasis is always
on learning to communicate more eec0vely through feel,
0ming, and balance, building a working rela0onship based on
respect and trust between horse & rider.
Ben grew up riding horses and working caDle, following in
four and ve genera0ons of both sides of his family on the
Western Slope of Colorado. AOer nishing school, he spent
most of the following years in the colt star0ng & horse
training business, his knowledge and experience con0nuing to
expand. During this 0me both Ben and his Kiwi wife Natalie

worked on a 300,000 acre caDle & horse ranch

in Wyoming, where Ben was also involved in
c o n d u c 0 n g h o r s e m a n s h i p c l i n i c s a n d
demonstra0ons.
In early 2011 Ben & Natalie took the
opportunity to move from the US to build the
training and clinic business here in New
Zealand, working with interested par0es and
equine groups to provide quality Horsemanship.
Since being in New Zealand, Ben has been
privileged to be a part of the rst Equidays (NZ's
na0onal horse expo) in the Three Horsemen
Colt Star0ng Demonstra0on. In the media, Ben
has been wriDen about in Horse & Pony
Magazine, Rural Lifestyle and a number of local
papers, as well as ge[ng the chance to write a
number of ar0cles for publica0on himself and
par0cipate in a live interview on Na0onal Radio.
True West Horsemanship Ltd has had a
con0nual wai0ng list of horses coming in for
training, ever since star0ng 3 years ago and Ben
has quickly been recognised in the industry as
one of the top horsemen in the country,
especially for colt star0ng and problem solving.
He enjoys mee0ng people from all walks of life
that share his passion for the journey that is
Horsemanship.

Check them out at their website

hDp://www.truewesthorsemanship.com/
Or on Facebook: True West Horsemanship

Ben Longwell

Active/Passive
Body Language

It is no secret that body language is a universal language. You only have to think of a time when
you got a message from someone that had nothing to do with words. Think of this scenario you
experienced, now think of the horse. Historically a horses very survival relied on their ability to read
the body language of predators. Horses are not scared of predators as such, they are scared of
predatory behaviour and interpret a predators intentions through the body language it expresses.
With this in mind it is essential that you are aware at all times of what messages you are
intentionally AND unintentionally sending to your horse. The whole concept of presence comes in
here too, if your body language is too strong you will intimidate the horse, but if it is too fickle you
are asking to be dominated by the horse. There are times when you will have very passive body
language, but this is an intentional thing, where as fickle body language isnt conscious/intentional.
A good place to start when thinking about your energy is considering how horses respond to
different body language. For example if you stand tall, tense and upright, you will notice that your
horse will probably do the same. On the same token if you drop your energy, relax your body and
stand sort of hunched, you horse will
probably drop their energy too. Being
able to simply lift the energy in your
body and lower it again is the first
step in taking control of your body
movements and communicating more
clearly with your horse. If your horse
does not respond when you bring
your energy up and down it is likely
they have been conditioned not to
respond, thus are desensitised to
you. They may have done this as a
coping measure, to protect
themselves from your seemingly
erratic body language if you have
sent unintentional or confusing

messages in the past. The good news is that nothing is forever, even the dullest horse can be
reconditioned to read and respond appropriately to subtle body cues. In the same way we as
people can learn to be more aware and intentional with our body language.
As an example when I ask Jewel to back up, I go from a passive stance (relaxed, one leg cocked,
shoulders loose, slow breathing) to an active one. I do this by breathing in and allowing my breath
to lift me up taller and bring up energy in my body. Many people refer to this as life, bringing the
life up. If Jewel is having a responsive day all I need to do from here to back her up is suggest she
moves backwards- either by leaning slightly forward or by lifting my hand ever so slightly and
pulsing the air in front of me. Jewel then knows to stop when I take the life out of my body and
become passive again.
A common misconception is that the halter and lead rope is what you use to back a horse up.
People with this misconception are often the ones who are amazed when watching people work at
liberty with their horses and who also believe it is something they can never achieve. The great
thing is that ALL people have the potential to work at liberty with their horses, but it starts with
managing your energy and mastering the art of harnessing your active and passive body
language.
To begin playing with this concept begin by having a halter on as a safety net. Start by asking your
horse to back up solely with your being, just by going from passive body language to active body
language. If you do not get a response, move your hands up and down, as if pulsating the air in
front of them. If this does not work, give the lead rope a gentle jiggle and continue jiggling until they
respond. When they do respond instantly revert back to passive body language as a release to
them. It is very important when doing this to reward the slightest try; by slightest try I mean that the
horse may only rock backwards and not physically move back. This is called a starting point and it
is also excellent feedback from your horse that they are trying to respond to what you are asking.
If you think of it like this, you want to be in perfect harmony with your horse, where by if you think
something, it fills your being and the horse in turn mirrors what you are doing and thinking. So the
life in your body, should correspond to the life in their body. No life in your body, should
correspond to no life in theirs. In order to get proper movement from your horse, you first need to
have proper movement yourself, this is a more advanced way of looking at the importance of our
body language and posture comes into this too. For example if you want your horse to back
straight away from you, your body should be straight and you should be visualizing them moving
back straight. You want to have an open chest, as that is what they need for a correct back up.
There is so much more to this concept than this article has discussed. I encourage you to play
around with this concept, so by Issue 5 you

will be ready for the next step!

Cheryl

The
One
Rein
Stop
The one rein stop is such a useful thing
to teach your horse....and yes I said teach!
Many people are under the impression
that a one-rein stop is just an emergency stop and they are right
about that, they are one in the same. What they are not right about
however, is the fact it should just be able to be used at any time,
without any prior and proper preparation.
The one-rein stop is more about mentally
stopping the horse, than physically stopping
them. If a horse is soft to the reins, they are
more likely to listen to you in a panic situation,
thus be able to be bent around to a stop when
there is an emergency.
What is a one rein stop you ask? In a nut shell
it is when the rider shortens up on one rein,
takes a hold of it and pulls it up to their hip. This
in turn causes the horse to turn in small circles
and at some point the horse will come to stop.
Now a good one-rein stop and a bad one rein
stop are something entirely different.....
In a bad one rein stop, the rider quickly grabs at
the rein and jerks the horses head around, with

no defined hand position, nor prior body cues.

The horse in turn takes fright and tries to pull
away, rear or run sideways.
A good one rein stop in one in which is with the
horse, it is harmonious. Before the rider even
pulls on the horses head, the horse has felt
energy leave the riders body (pre-cue for a halt)
and begins to slow and soften. With slow,
smooth, un-rushed hands, the rider gently takes
a hold of the rein and gently brings it up to their
hip. The horse, conditioned to this cue, slows
almost to a stop, whilst taking all of the weight
out of the rein so as to show the rider they have
physically, emotionally and mentally softened.

Pic 1

Now the good one-rein stop does not happen

overnight, but ALL horses have this potential. Yes
even horses that have had hard bits, raced at the
race track or are ridden bit-less can be this soft and
responsive. I often see/hear people scoff at this
possibility and I feel for their ignorance to the true
potential of all horses.
To achieve a good one rein stop teach the horse first
to softly flex their head left and right (see previous
VE Mags for support with this). Once your horse can
flex softly to the left AND right, begin to teach the
one-rein stop at the walk in a secure environment
(empty fenced paddock or arena is ideal)!

Pic 2

Pic 3

Instructions to teach:
Step 1: Ride your horse forward on a loose rein, not
worrying about steering them, make sure your body
is active and you are thinking forward.
Step 2: Paint a picture in your mind of stopping your
horse with only your body
Step 3: Relax your body and take energy out of
your body (this does NOT mean sitting heavy)
Step 4: Count to 3
Step 5: Straight after getting to 3 slide your hand
slowly down the rein (Pic 1)
Step 6: Slowly bring the rein up to your hip, whilst
remaining relaxed and do not let the rein slip (Pic 2)
Step 7: Continue to hold until the horse stops their
feet (and is genuinely committed to stopping)
Step 8: As soon as the horse stops drop the rein and
go back to having your hand in the middle (Pic 3)
Once your horse can bend down to a stop from the
walk (aka one-rein stop), try it at the trot, then at the
canter.
Tips for Success
-Do not rush
-Start slow and steady
-Understand the horse may not get it for a while at
the start, you NEED to be consistent
-Do not release the rein until they are stopped
-Once they have the concept of stopped, insist on
them stopping AND giving softness to the rein
-To further reinforce stay stopped, repeatedly, in
fast succession flex the horse left and right when
they have committed to the stop
-Make sure you really are on your hip, it is common
for people to make an error with this

Fundamentals
Clinton
Anderson

DV
D
S
Re et
vie
w

Filmed in High Definition, the Fundamentals series contains

over 28 hours of footage, including horsemanship
philosophy, roundpenning, groundwork and riding exercises,
ensuring you wont miss a single step to achieving a
trustworthy and respectful partner. What separates this
Method from others is Clintons unique approach to teaching
horse owners how to effectively communicate with their
horses. As you progress through the levels, youll notice that
every lesson is presented in a step-by-step system called
the Eight Steps to Success. Each exercise is laid out in the
easiest, simplest way to understand, ensuring that youll
know exactly what steps to take and what you can expect
your horse to do when teaching a given exercise.

Animal Essences
For Wellbeing On All Levels

Vibrational Healing
Essences
The "Divine Light" Healing
Essences are a combination of
flower essences, crystal elixirs,
earth energies and channelled
energies, designed to work on all
levels of the psyche. They help
to clear, heal, transmute and
transform anything that is not for
the highest good of the animal or
the owner. There are twelve
essences in the range that can
be ordered as combination
essences or bought separately.

The 12 Essences
1. Confidence
2. Deeper Connection
3. Divine Healer
4. Emergency Relief
5. Energy Alignment
6. Energiser
7. Fear Release
8. Go with the flow
9. Happiness
10. Hypo-Ease
11. Karmic Release
12. Transition
For a full description of these
essences check out the link
below.

Find out more at: http://www.opalskydancer.com/animal-essences.php

Food For
Thought.....
My Horsemanship
As you all come to know me more and follow my progress and
journey, I feel it fitting that you know how I feel about certain
topics. I would love to read what you think and share it here too!
I do not follow a specific trainer, method or set of levels, and nor
would I ever want to! Some of my biggest influences however,
have been Pat and Linda Parelli, Clinton Anderson, Mark
Rashid and Buck Brannaman. But I certainly do not limit
myself only to these clinicians/horsemen. I could write a
novel just listing the names of other people whose
horsemanship philosophies hold a lot of value and have
shaped some of what I do today- e.g: Carlos Tabernaberri,
Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, Linda Kohanov, Stacey Westfall,
the list really could go on and on.

This article of mine also comes from the upset I feel, for both horses
and people, when I see them limit themselves by a method or set of
achievement levels. Do not get me wrong these things have a place,
they can help extend imaginations, keep people progressing and
overall keep people safer. The issue I see often is when people feel
they have achieved something in one particular area of learning, in
a particular environment and/or with a specific horse, then they get
an over-inflated ego. That sounds harsh but there really is no other
way to say it.. For example: a person thinks because they can do
amazing things in an arena, they are amazing, when in actual fact, if
you cannot do it in a variety of different places, different sized
environments, different scenarios and with different horses, what
have you really got?
I say this not out of spite, or to have a dig; but rather to help people
see how they may come across not only to other people, but to their
horses. I also hope people will reflect on this to ensure they are not
limiting their own potential.
I feel it is still justified to be very proud of your achievements and
successes (I know I am!), but they should not be used as a warrant

to judge other people. You cannot even begin to imagine the journey
some people are on and lets face it, some horses, for some people
really are just sooo much easier. So to compare your progress with
theirs is ridiculous. So before you hold yourself in higher esteem
because your horse can do something more advanced than another
persons, stop and consider the struggles the other person may have
had, that you may well have just been lucky enough not to have.
An ideal horsemanship experience for me encompasses:
-Reflection
-Connection
-Techniques
-Equipment (or lack of)
-Feel
-Timing
-Theoretical Understandings
-Practical Knowledge
None of the above is levelled, limited or set out in a path way. It
simply is what it is. When all rolled into a ball, magic can happen.
What do you value in your horsemanship? What do you value in
your horse? What do you value in other horse people?

Summer
Holiday Brag
Page

With the cold weather approaching,

it is nice to remember on the good
ol days of summer!

Look out for Issue 5

In June