patandchickens
Overrun with beasties
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There are a couple possible approaches to getting the horse's feet where you want them. Some are IMO better than others but frankly I'd suggest you just pick whichever approach strikes you as the most-natural one for you, and pursue that.
One option is to practice using your hand on the lead or halter to shift the horse's weight around so that he takes a step with just one foot at a time (the desired one, in the desired direction). When this is very reliable, gradually transition to using just a gesture or step (by you) to cue him, rather than an actual pull on the halter or lead.
Another option is the somewhat more NH style one, using your body positioning to move the horse's feet without the intermediate step of halter or lead pressure. The best book I know of for teaching this is Bill Dorrance's _True Horsemanship Through Feel_, which is a totally remarkable book for anyone willing to slow down and read through it with an open mind. But popular NH gurus mostly have material teaching this in some fashion, too.
Another option is to use a dressage whip to lightly touch the horse's feet that need moving. This works fine for experienced people or if you *happen* to have the type of horse that naturally wants to stay nailed to the ground no matter what you do, but otherwise I don't necessarily recommend it as a beginner's method of choice.
Doubtless there are 4-h/local/breed show tricks and tips specific to showmanship, the above is just how it is often done in general.
For trail in hand, I don't know what to say... you get the horse moving very well with you and to your body language and handling, and then just introduce obstacles in some sort of intelligent progression and teach the horse how to do them and then practice. Too general a question, still
Pat
One option is to practice using your hand on the lead or halter to shift the horse's weight around so that he takes a step with just one foot at a time (the desired one, in the desired direction). When this is very reliable, gradually transition to using just a gesture or step (by you) to cue him, rather than an actual pull on the halter or lead.
Another option is the somewhat more NH style one, using your body positioning to move the horse's feet without the intermediate step of halter or lead pressure. The best book I know of for teaching this is Bill Dorrance's _True Horsemanship Through Feel_, which is a totally remarkable book for anyone willing to slow down and read through it with an open mind. But popular NH gurus mostly have material teaching this in some fashion, too.
Another option is to use a dressage whip to lightly touch the horse's feet that need moving. This works fine for experienced people or if you *happen* to have the type of horse that naturally wants to stay nailed to the ground no matter what you do, but otherwise I don't necessarily recommend it as a beginner's method of choice.
Doubtless there are 4-h/local/breed show tricks and tips specific to showmanship, the above is just how it is often done in general.
Yes. This. Big-time.goodhors said:
For trail in hand, I don't know what to say... you get the horse moving very well with you and to your body language and handling, and then just introduce obstacles in some sort of intelligent progression and teach the horse how to do them and then practice. Too general a question, still
Pat
