under rail

Looks like equine limbo dancing :o)

Round pens are a fairly new idea over here I think. Did you use the technique called join-up with Flash?

Yes but it is not really join up as much as who is the mare? In my training I learned horse psycology and mare's are the boss of the herd...I had to learn to think like a mare, respond like a mare and yet be able to be kind, respectful and gracious to my horse. the techniques I learned work well on any horse...I enjoy round pen work almost as much..lol...maybe more than riding.

what a handsome horse

Whose the Mare? Weeeelllll, if you don't know by now you can't be much of a horsewoman Cat!! ha ha... Sorry, for some reason only just caught up with this. I've not heard of this technique (but I am a bit out of touch these days). Sounds good tho - I can understand what you mean I think - the mare being the boss but still kind and respectful. The mare I used to ride when I was a teenager was the 'boss' but there was abosultely nothing agressive in her at all. All the horses would move aside for her and they would look to her if they were feeling nervous to see how she was reacting. It was just as well that she was usually unfazed by most things - would never bat an eyelid at the weird farm equipment we sometimes came across, she'd just cruise on by and the others would follow her! But I never ever once saw her snap at or try to kick another horse, but they still seemed to respect her. I don't think I was ever quite the boss of her tho! But we had good fun together and I think she just thought 'well so long as we're having fun and she lets me do what I want I think I'll take care of her!' I loved that horse!

BTW, over here curling is a weird sport which involves people with brooms (I kid you not) and sliding lumps of polished granit on ice....

I have watched curling on TV...lol..that is what I was commenting on...lol...
as for the mare thing...here I have a mare to contend with that has not been told she cannot be the mare when I am around before...it has been quite a job taking over her position in the herd...but it has happened and now I am the lead mare when I am there...she gives the position over to me and seems much more relaxed. It has been a dual for some time however...lol...I could not let her win...with her there..it is the only way I could get control of the Stallion and the two geldings...she loves her eyes rubbed and will now nuzzle her nose on my chest to have me rub them for her...usually the lead mare does not allow this from other horses..it must be nice to get to be rubbed finally..
Beings it is spring..it is double the effort to get their attention...they are feeling their oats lately.

Thanks Norfolk ...he is a joy..but I am sorry to say..I let his trainig slide over this cold wet mucky winter..we do not have covered training areas and now I am going to have double my efforts to bring him back to the stage you see in this picture as he is a young horse, will be 4 this april...I will be surpised if he doesn't toss the saddle right off...hmmm....I will be starting from step 1...lol...oh well hopefully he will remember faster this time around...

That's really interesting that your relationship with the boss mare effects your relationship with the other horses... At least my girl was basically a kind horse, but she did have her ways of stamping her authority over certain situations. For example, she would never pick up her feet for me - it was always a real struggle and battle of wills. I usually had to get my instructor to do it for it me (a tiny woman who had been around horses all her life - everyone - people and horses - were scared to death of her!!!) even she had difficulties with Flo tho. Another thing she'd refuse to do was to stand still to be mounted - a got quite good at mounting a moving horse! She was very willfull. I expect that going back to basics and some round pen work would have sorted her out in the end, but sadly she developed arthritis very young (when she was 8) so I think everybody just thought it wasn't worth bothering with because nobody knew how long she would remain rideable. That's probably why I ended up riding her all the time instead of a more experienced rider bringing her on. My dear friend was finally retired at just 12 years old and went to be an ornament on somebody's farm. I never saw her again :-(

Re starting to ride Flash again after his ...e'hem...holiday, actually it's usual over here with young horses to back them one year and then, as they say, 'turn them away' for a year before resuming training. I think it's so that the very early training is got in young as possible, but then they're turned out to pasture to allow them to mature a little further (in body and mind) before the real training begins. I expect everything will come back to him very quickly - they have amazing memories! I heard recently that horses' memories were as good as elephants'. I'm sure that's true.......

We only halter trained Flash until he was 3...he had to be gelded for him to retain much of any training..being a Saddlebred..he is very long legged and is still growing and could not be ridden until 3 years old...he will be more ready this season again...as to bone strength and muscle tone..but will not be fully grown until 6 years old....he is already so tall I cannot imagine what he will be like in 2 more years!...he is 17 hands now..tall and narrow..but beautiful...muscles are building and is gaining better balance with round pen work outs...I do enjoy being the mare of my herd...LOL..I have to say it is quite empowering!...LOL...

I can imagine you whinnying and snorting and pawing the ground... LOL

Hope Flash dosn't throw a wobbly when you get back on him - 17hh - long way down! Ooouch...

LOL...the most horse like thing I do is turn my butt on them..it says..."behave...I have rear hooves and I know how to use them". and I never back up...they have to back up.....the rest is all hand signals and training stick and line work...and yes you were really lucky to not get hurt getting on a moving horse...that is something I have to really work on in the round pen with my horses...over and over again until they know better...if they move...make them back up..run them around in circles and make them stand again..they don't like moving that much so finally realize it is easier to just stand still..lol..but it does take some time and work with the young ones...sorry to hear that your girl got arthritic so young...sounds like she was a sweet one...

Yeah it is a long way down...I have come off twice...both times, he spooked suddenly, caught me off guard.. I managed to go down slowly so I did not have to take the fall from the full height...LOL...did not get hurt...gonna be a tough ride for the first few times this spring...glad I ride western so I have a saddle horn to hold on too!...LOL

i have only just read this....i dont know much about horses...but i have three terrier dogs and ruby thinks shes top bitch and leader of the pack. i have been gaining ground in the leadership contest though and now i think we are level pegging....the only thing i have lost the battle on is her alarm barking every chance she gets and then the others bark toooo...

I can never win that battle well either Sandra...lol...I have tried speaking softly so as to make them think I am not bothered by what ever they are barking at...if I start yelling "Knock it off" etc..they just think I am barking too..so it doesn't help..seems to encourage them..lol.."Oh yeah..the pack leader is barking now..we have to join in even more!"....