Past to present: The legacy of horsemanship (Part 3)

by Eeben Barlow

True horsemanship starts on the ground and ends under ­saddle with both horse and rider ­working in unison, regardless of the equestrian discipline that is being followed. True horsemanship is the coming together of man and horse as one joint being, working together to achieve a common goal.

The very essence of this term lies with the groundwork and the application of the three principles of horsemanship – leading, ­balance and communication. When these three ­principles have been instilled in both horse and rider, everything else falls into place for both beings, allowing them to communicate and work with ease, thus creating a picture of ­totally harmony between man and horse.

The horsemen-of-old passed on many of their “secrets” by using phrases that were ­easily interpreted and applied by those who understood the meaning thereof. This was their way of handing down their ­knowledge to those who needed the ­benefit of their wisdom. It was also their way of ­ensuring that the horse was understood and correctly handled. Here are some of these phrases:

“You hold the horse’s spirit in your hands” ­explains so much, yet is so often ignored by ­riders. The true horseman accepts his horse as it is – highly spirited or docile. The horseman knows that by riding his horse, he has the ­ability to control that spirit in a positive or negative manner.

Unjust punishment, hard hands, poor cues, inconsistent handling and such not only ­confuse the horse, but influence the manner in which the horse will entrust his spirit to us. The horseman should continually work at building and tempering the spirit and asking the horse to willingly place its spirit in his hands (reins). When the horse responds, its spirit must be treated with the utmost respect.

“There are no naughty or problem horses.” Horses that are labelled as “problems” have invariably been abused in one way or another – or incorrectly fed – by their owners/riders. To deflect any criticism from themselves and their abilities, the horse is blamed for its ­non-response to their requests.

People sometimes refer to such horses as being “naughty”. Horses that are well-prepared for their tasks, well-handled, well-ridden and correctly fed, do not cause problems. They are disciplined and respond to their rider’s ­requests. Poorly fitting tack such as too small or too big saddles, incorrect bits, and poor rider posture, all lead to discomfort, ­confusion and even injury in the horse.

Likewise, horses that are not helped to ­develop balance and carry themselves correctly, are prone to being unable to perform certain manoeuvres. Correct handling and preparation leads to respect from and discipline in the horse.

“There are no short-cuts” in working and or preparing a horse. People often expect too much, too soon from the horse – usually with minimal effort on their part. To prepare a horse correctly, takes time and effort, and no gadget will speed up the process. The use of gadgets masquerading under the name of “training aids”, is limited and often has no lasting effect on the horse. To think that a horse can be “quickly” schooled in any discipline, is a fallacy.

“It takes as long as it takes” is a maxim that every horse owner/rider/handler should always bear in mind. The overuse of gadgets can also lead to the horse becoming entirely dependent on working in the gadget, thus being unable to work without a gadgetry restraint. Some horses learn faster than others. The onus rests upon the rider/trainer to know his horse’s mental strengths and weaknesses.

“Learn how to ask.” In order to get the ­correct response from a horse, we need to ask him ­correctly and consistently. There are very few things a wild horse cannot do. As responsible horsemen, we ought to take time to show the horse how we will ask for those things – how we will use our legs, our seat or the bit. Once the horse understands this, we need to be consistent in how we ask for it. Failure to do this will lead to confusion in the horse and an inability to respond in the manner we require it to.

“The bigger the bit, the softer the hands.” The horse needs to be graduated to each bit that is used. In many cases, he may start off in a snaffle and over time graduate to a large, ornate curb bit. Horses that have been taught how to yield correctly to the bit, accept the bit-graduation with ease.

The belief that a “big” bit is cruel, is another common fallacy. A snaffle in harsh hands can wreak havoc with a horse’s mouth – likewise a big bit. Responsible horsemen understand the bit-graduation process and know that the bigger the bit, the softer their hands ought to be. The softer the hands, the more willing the horse will be to place its spirit into our hands.

“Know the mouth” is something many ­riders simply either overlook or ignore. Selecting the correct bit requires knowledge of the horse’s mouth, its width, the placing of the teeth and the tongue and so forth. The saying “no hoof, no horse” is well-known. Yet the saying “no mouth, no horse” appears to be ignored by many. The mouth not only allows the horse to eat, but is also a vital means of communication with him. Horsemen who know their horse’s mouth, will select the correct bit and know how to use it without overusing it.

“Collect – don’t contract.” Collection is not something that can be achieved by ­pulling the horse in the mouth in such a manner, that he shortens his stride with his fore. This false ­collection is simply “contraction”. True ­collection has a ­mental and a ­mechanical ­component … we need to understand and utilise the two ­components to the advantage of the horse.

“Know your horse.” The horse is an ­extremely perceptive animal that is able to utilise all of its senses to the maximum. By knowing the horse, the horseman will be able to “listen” to his horse and act wisely to what he is being told. The horse is quick to show its concern, fear, discomfort or pain. The horse is likewise quick to communicate its apprehension and fear with his rider.

Horsemen ought to know when the horse is communicating its concerns with them and how it is doing so. Horsemen ought to know if their horses are left- or right-sided, where its ­favourite spot is for rewarding it, when is it about to lose confidence and so on. ­Responsible horsemanship can only be ­practised by knowing the horse.

“Calm people have calm horses.” Horses copy human behaviour. Highly-strung riders often have highly strung horses, nervous ­riders have nervous horses, aggressive riders have ­aggressive (often fearful) horses and so on. It is necessary that we work on our own ­emotional agility in order to help the horse ­relax and be calm. Our breathing, body ­posture, ­movements, voice and so forth all ­influence our horse.

“A calm horse learns faster.” Asking a horse to accept a command or to respond in a ­certain manner while he is in a state of ­anxiety, nervousness, pain or fear, serves no purpose at all except to cause even more ­anxiety, ­nervousness, pain or fear.
Any “schooling” session ought to start off with first relaxing the horse and asking him to open his mind to what will be asked of him. Calm, consistent handling coupled to groundwork and other relaxation techniques will put the horse to be in a state of acceptance for what we are about to do.

“Let the angels ride your horse” implies that the horse, fully tacked up, is worked without a rider. It is a gentle process whereby the horse is asked to work with his saddle in the correct position and the bit or hackamore positioned in such a manner that the feel the horse gets is similar to someone controlling the rein. ­“Letting the angels ride the horse” allows the horse to position his body in a manner that allows it to teach itself self-carriage and balance.

It was the application of these wisdoms that determined a “good horse” or a “bad rider”. It was the good horse that was ridden by a horseman. The horse was never blamed for its lack of preparation. We are given a choice when riding and working with horses: we can either be a passenger, a rider or a horseman. The choice is ours.

In the following issue of SA Horseman we will conclude this series by looking at some commonly misunderstood terms. SAH