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I wanted to take a moment and make a space on my website to share with you some of my favorite quotes about horses, about dressage, and about life in general. I hope you enjoy them and that they speak to you at the depth they spoke to me. *** "Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and, once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed." –Ralph Waldo Emerson "When your horse has reached its potential, leave it. It's such a nice feeling when you and your horses are still friends." –Dr. Reiner Klimke "That horse is a Ferrari and you're riding him like a garbage truck." –Hilda C. Gurney "It is the difficult horses that have the most to give you." –Lendon Gray "Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway." –John Wayne "My horses are my friends, not my slaves." –Dr. Reiner Klimke "Take your time, but don't waste time." –Arthur Kottas "You see, the horse knows. He knows that you know and he knows that you know he knows" –Ray Hunt "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the Stars" –Les Brown "Where knowledge ends, violence begins." –Xenophon "Ride him to the contact but be careful not to drive him through the contact." –Hilda C. Gurney "Dressage is the art of teaching the horse to carry you. Riding is the art of learning to be a good load to carry." –Richard Weiss "A good rider rides from transition to transition, a great rider rides from half-halt to half-halt." –Robert Dover "Forget the ^$#@%$% inside rein!!!" –Dr. Reiner Klimke "The primary avenue of communication between you and your horse is the horse's back." –Sally O'Connor "You know, they don't hand you piaffe and passage on a silver platter." –Hilda C. Gurney Anything forced or misunderstood can never be beautiful. –Xenophon "The fastest way to get somewhere is to take your time." –Janne Rumbough *** Here are some quotes that I'm not totally sure of the origin on. Feel free to comment if you know where some of these come from! =) "The horse you lead is the horse you ride." "Gentle spirit, quiet beast, bows to kiss the earth and feast." "Put your legs where you want your horse to be." "Show me your horse and I'll tell you who you are." "Every ride that ends in a voluntary dismount is a good ride." "Feel the ride, don't think the ride" "Light off the leg, soft in the hand, ride the horse and not the plan." "Life is a journey. Dressage is beating your head against a brick wall because it feels SO good when you finally stop." (On wearing a helmet): "If you think your hair is more important than your brain, it probably is." "A loud rider makes a deaf horse." "Fix it forward." "Ride the trot you want to have." "More forward than sideways!" "Get more from your horse by asking less." "Ask often, demand little, reward generously." "Horses do not think in a complicated way. It is not conscious. They do things the easiest way." "Ask often, demand little, reward generously." "Doesn't matter!" "From the moment you arrive on the horse's back, you must apologize." "Dressage is good for every horse. Not every horse is good for dressage."
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in·stinct (instingkt) (n)
1. An innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals that is characteristic of a species and is often a response to specific environmental stimuli. The temperament of a stallion will vary depending on genetics and training, but he should always be handled by a person with stallion experience. The wonderful thing about PRE stallions is that they are usually very obedient and well-behaved by nature. They are extremely intelligent and a very personable breed with an innate desire for interaction with people. Because of these wonderful natural qualities, many PRE horses are successfully and safely kept as stallions. This should be considered when researching the aspects of keeping a stallion, particularly a PRE. It is nevertheless important to always remember that a stallion is a herd animal who relies heavily on instinct and can become unpredictable or aggressive at any time. It can be unsafe for an inexperienced person to handle a stallion, but with the proper surroundings, training, and management, a stallion can be a wonderful equine companion and athlete at the highest level of competition! To Geld or Not To Geld... The question of whether or not to geld a stallion is a common one, but the decision is usually easier with a Pure Spanish Horse. Because of their natural obedient qualities, the PRE stallion is very often the epitome of the ideal stallion. The most important factors which influence a decision of whether or not to geld are disposition, conformation and movement. We want a horse to be happy and mentally well-balanced. We also want his conformation to be the kind that we would want to reproduce, should we choose to do so. Finally, his movement should be suitable and well-qualified for the sport for which he is bred. If these three points are confirmed, he should be a candidate to remain a stallion. On the other hand, disposition usually outweighs the other factors when a decision is made to castrate. If he is constantly stressed out, unhappy, or dangerous, and does not improve with good training or handling, gelding may be the solution. Even a horse with fine bloodlines, if he is unmanageable or detrimental to himself, in all likelihood would have a more successful life as a gelding. This should be a joint decision between owner, veterinarian, and a trust-worthy trainer. Once you have made the decision to own a stallion, following some basic rules will contribute to a safe and happy arrangement for both horse and owner: Stable Management Issues such as cross-tying, hand-walking and turn-out can be more complicated with stallions and must be done with care. Always be aware of your surroundings. Keep track of other horses in relation to yourself and your stallion. Cross-tying mares and stallions together is not a good idea, except in the occasion of an ultra docile stallion who just does not seem to care. A better idea would be to prepare your stallion in his stall, or wait to cross-tie him until there are no mares around. Many stallions are able to be ridden along side other horses comfortably, and this should be required of them at some point. Nevertheless, some stallions can become excited and aroused just from the smell of another animal, so always proceed with caution when approaching other horses. Turn-out should be done carefully and in a low-traffic area. If he remains relatively calm as you walk horses by his paddock, it is acceptable to do so. Mares should not be walked by a stallion who is turned out, unless he is completely relaxed about it. If he becomes overly excited, try to find a quieter area in which to turn him out. Do not overreact or punish your stallion for "masculine" behavior if he is not disobedient--he must be allowed to be himself. For example, calling out should not be corrected unless the stallion's body energy is becoming inappropriately strong or unnecessarily tense. If a horse calls out under saddle, but continues his work and stays on the bit, no correction should be made. If he calls out while being led but remains respectful of your space, he should not be reprimanded. He must remain attentive and respectful of your space at all times, even if he is calling. Rather than trying to "train" instincts out of him, keep him within a reasonable environment and patiently help him to learn that obedience to his handler must always supersede any instinctual urges. Handling Always handle your stallion with a professional nearby. Consistent and clear commands will teach your stallion to respect you and be obedient. In the inevitable event that you must make a correction, it is not appropriate to hit or smack any horse, including a stallion. This will only result in sour behavior. Instead, a stallion should to be corrected with the same tools that you will use to lead and handle him in all situations: a long chain lead shank over the nose and under the chin. Attach the chain clip back to the near-side ring (the left side ring) at the upper jaw so as not to allow the halter to pull into the horse's far eye (right eye). You should always handle your stallion with the lead attached, even within his stall. He will learn that he is expected to behave a certain way once he is haltered with the lead. If neccessary, it is acceptable to carry a whip with you to convince your stallion that you are "bigger" then he. Although some stallions are pushier than others, the goal should be only having to show him the whip to get the "yes ma'am" reaction. It is also very important to use your body language to control a stallion. In hand, he should learn to stop and back up on command completely from your body language. Clearly and patiently use the chain lead shank and perhaps the whip to teach him how to do this. When corrections are made, they should be made quickly and precisely in such a way that discourages the excitement level to escalate. If done in proper timing, a very quick pull and release of the chain or a lift of the whip should be all you need. This includes when he is on the cross-ties. If he is acting up, rather than hitting him, you can keep your chain lead attached over his nose while in the cross-ties. However, be careful that he does not over-react and pull back on the cross-ties from a correction that you make. The safest scenario is one of two choices: 1. Attach both cross-ties, and hold a normal lead rope attached for corrections. 2. Attach only one cross-tie, and hold a chain lead shank attached over the nose for corrections. Most horses who are used to the chain will stand with both cross-ties attached, plus a chain lead shank in hand, but proceed with caution. If he is acting silly, unhook one cross-tie, make your correction, and quietly re-attach the cross-tie again. Always keep in mind that you must match the strength of your correction with his level of excitement. Timing is the key. The best thing to do is keep his mind on you before he starts to focus on something else, because by the time he finds something else to focus on, chances are his excitement has already escalated to an undesirable level. Give the chain a little shake-shake if his eye or ear begins to focus elsewhere. When he relaxes and focuses back on you, praise him! This way he will associate listening and focusing with positive affirmation. In Nature Remember that stallions breed and protect the herd in the wild, but the leadership role is held by the lead or "boss" mare. It is she who says where to go, when to go, and how to get there. It is she who determines the route the herd takes when fleeing from danger. You must be that lead mare! It is not a stallion's place to lead, and when he is allowed that role, he will become tense, insecure and often dangerous to himself and those around him. Having said all this, let's go back to the very first point made about the proper surroundings and handling. Stallions are often blessed with a special individuality and a spark of animation to their character which, when gelded, could become softened or subdued. Provide your stallion with the appropriate environment and a capable experienced handler, and he will flourish and enjoy a wonderful life of work and breeding! |
Ana GilmourAna Gilmour is a Grand Prix Dressage rider, a United States Dressage Federation Certified Instructor and an "L" Program Graduate with Distinction. ArchivesCategories |