My missus is into horses. And as a city folk I don't know much about them. But I'm glad there's youtube videos like yours that explains things I can understand and appreciatenthe work that goes into horsemanship. You sir just got yourself a new subsriber.
+EnglishVaquero Thanks so much Wade . Am glad you like what you see and I'm happy it's proving useful to you. We appreciate you letting us know you like the videos!
Great video- been doing a lot of groundwork with my Highland Pony - mastered side pass and can move his haunches around his front end no problem. Have had major problems with getting his front end around his back - tried tonight after watching this video and got a step or two each way!! Many thanks.
Very helpful information - I have been using with Mercedes and she likes to do ground work . I watch your videos to give me fresh ideas . Thank- you for taking the time to post !
Super informative and clear, easy to understand. Thanks! I'm working with a young filly on the ground in preparation for going under saddle later this year. Both of these actions I wanted to start working with her on this week.
+Melissa Walters Thanks Melissa, we're glad you like the video! Remember- there's actually 3 movements described in the video. (leg yield, turn on the forehand, and turn on the hindquarters) Let us know how things go with your filly!
Dale Fredricks looking forward to new videos! Quick question: What would you recommend is the best way to lunge a horse who has the habit of turning in towards you?
I just stop the horse, walk up to it and reposition it every time it tries to come in toward me. I'll use the butt of my lunge whip to help me push him over against the wall, and gradually he'll learn to move to the outside when I start to approach him with the whip extended. After a while he'll learn to stay to the outside. Also, as he improves you'll be able to move him to the outside while he's moving.
Hi Dale. This video is very useful to me. I am a solo student, that is I don't have an instructor but I am still trying to learn. I have read books and watched videos about lateral movements but have not progressed as much as I want. Your video explains the basics in a way that I understand. Thank you for posting this video. (BTW, I subscribed to Dale Fredricks and found other interesting videos but this video, Groundwork for leg yields, turns....., does not seem to be included in the videos listed in the Dale Fredricks subscription.)
Hi John- glad you like the video. Not sure why you're not getting that particular video. Look at the bottom of the video listings and see if it says "See More Videos". There should be 35 videos (so far) Thanks again.....Dale
Hi Dale. This question is geared towards handling Grady Puffin as a pre-yearling and yearling. How often did you handle him once you started haltering him? You do such a nice job, and he's coming along so well. I've been asked to handle a young TB. Last fall the owners wife and I could lead him in the pen, pick up his feet and ask him to walk a circle on the lead line. I was only to handle him once a week, and she groomed him a couple of nights inbetween.He wasn't as well mannered as Grady Puffin, but he wasn't biting, and the farrier had no trouble with him when he came to trim him. Then in the fall he was turned out to pasture. By this spring whenever he came into the pen from the field for hay, he was rearing and trying to play and bite the owners when they went to close or open the gate. Not a good situation. So in April they asked me to handle him once a week. The weather did not cooperate part of the time, there is no round pen, so everything is done in a small pen (with a run-in shed, waterer, etc). I was able to get 2 sessions a month, it's been so slick. Now I have been told 2-3 times a week is OK. Progress is slow. He respects the flag, so we work at walking a circle and yielding hinds until he can relax and walk nicely (lunge) and be polite about my space (not step into it or try to bite when I walk up to him). I think it would have helped to keep working with him all winter, on a more regular basis. Do you have any suggestions aside from what I'm doing now? Thank you!
Hi Twoponies and thanks for your nice comments about Grady Puffin. I have probably averaged working about 2 days a week with him. If he was a customer's horse I would work him 5 days a week, maybe 4 depending on the horse. The main thing is to keep the colt from getting bored, so you can use your imagination to mix things up. For instance, sometimes when Grady was a yearling I would lead him down some senderos (dirt roads) at a walk and a trot, then I would let him eat some grass and repeat the process. This is also a good way to get a young horse used to new sights and sounds and letting him learn that time spent with you can be pleasant. The other thing is to gain his respect. If a horse tries to bite me, he's going to get wacked on the nose! You don't want to beat them up, but you can't let them push you around either. You havn't said if the horse is a stallion. If he is, that could be part of the problem. As a rule, a stallion is going to be more difficult than a gelding or mare. Grady was starting to act kinda "studdy", so we had him gelded. I don't recommend leaving a horse a stallion unless he is an outstanding individual, including his mind. Hope there's something here you can use; if not please feel free to write again. Dale
Dale, thank you for your insights. Yes, Junior is a stallion. Unfortunately, I don't think he will be gelded until after he is sold, as he is co-owned by two men who plan to sell him at the sale in Keensburg(sp?) Kentucky this fall. I wish he had been weaned with some other horses, but he was not, and that seems to leave the human component to give the source of direction/respect. The good news is that I've finally convinced the owners to stop free-feeding him alfalfa and cut back on his junior feed (which is a complete feed, but the second ingredient is alfalfa and the fourth is cane molassas). He is also on full pasture turnout, --they were so intent on making him grow I think this did not help his attitude. They are also going to put up a round pen that I can use, which will give me an opportunity to direct him more easily than in his pen with a shelter, and waterer. I am thinking the walks need to come after he is consistently staying out of my space? Right now when I lead him it is with a bag on a stick, and their aren't any dirt roads--either pavement with cars or the rock driveway. Yesterday was a lot better, he was following my point to walk a circle and I only had to suggest with the bag. (The day before it took me an hour to get him to willingly move from the field into the pen. I didn't want to halter him out there, he was a total knob, so we worked on me pointing and asking for shoulders over with the bag. At first he was highly resistant--all I wanted was one step, no attention to the point. When the bag cam up, he tried to bite it. I ended up spanking the side of his cheek with it until he took the one step over. Then he'd walk a few feet and start to graze again, and I'd repeat the process. Finally when I pointed he went right over and walked into the pen. Halleouah!) So now he is pretty good with that. However, at the end of our circle work, when I come in to his face although he likes me rubbing over his eyes and ears, and will relax for that, if I go to the side of his neck, say to start brushing him there or rubbing him along the mane, he will often snap his head around as if to bite. So, I keep the bag in the hand that has his lead near his face and shake it towards him until he straightens his head and steps his front end over. He has been desensitized, but it is his mouth and attitude that I'm concerned with. Should I forget about working along his sides until the mouth/attitude is polite? I can end with the rubbing over the eyes and ears for the feel good right now if necessary. Also, I do not want to run him in circles, but if the mouth/attitude continues, do I need to ask for at least a trot--put more pressure on him when he shows attitude? I know the owner has hit him when he bit the owner, but then when the horse stepped back the owner ran at him and swung at him again. I do not want to get into a boxing match with the colt. Thanks, Katie
Hi Dale .This video is great just what I have been looking for ...but I have a problem .perhaps you can help me with ..I'm working on leg yielding on the ground however my horse is constantly trying to bite-me its so difficult as when he attempts to bite he then very quickly pulls his head up and pulls away ...I have only had him for a few months and any movement [ as in training ] around his head results in a biting attempt. Thank you for your help ..xx
Jacqui ledgerwood Hi Jacqui; Glad you like the video. Your question is one of those that are hard to answer without actually seeing what's going on. I would suggest you find a local professional who has a good reputation to help you if the problem persists.
Jacqui ledgerwood // of course Im not Dale, but id let him meet your elbow a few tunes...Not mean...but anticipate that he will try to bite....have your elbow ready. They stop that quickly. ...its just like a mother horse correcting her baby. Let me know if this helps.
Hi. Im restarting 2 horses. One is a Quarter Horse and the other is Arabian... both are 10 years old, but a little green. They weren't ridden a lot, so Im starting OVER with them. Do you suggest I start them just like you are here as if they were younger horses.? Thanks in advance. Oh, I do want to add that I'm not sure how they were treated in the past with the whip, but when the see me with it they run. I've tried just rubbing them with it, but you can tell their still nervous. What do you suggest Dale? By the way, your fantastic.
Thanks for the kind words Donna. Yes I would start your 10 yr olds just like they were 2 yr olds. If they havn't been too mistreated with a whip in the past, I would think they would start relaxing after a while. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't give them a reason to fear the whip. Don't worry if you don't get immediate results. Teaching a horse takes time.
That's right Maria, but I apply the pressure more in the girth area, not really in front of it. The horse should bend slightly into your leg and move in the opposite direction.
Don't allow her to walk into you India. Back her off with bumps on the halter. Start off with light bumps and increase the strength of the bumps until she responds. Don't keep steady pressure on the lead rope, just bump then release. Don't be afraid to reprimand her pretty hard if she requires it. You're not going to hurt her nose with a halter.
Hi Roxanne- you just need to counteract whatever he does. You might have to pull ahead on the lead-rope to keep him from backing up. It might help if you get his hindquarters up against a solid fence so he can't back up. A horse will try different things to get away from pressure, the trainer just has to learn to block all directions except the right one. Hope this helps..............Dale
Hi dale im juan i have a race horse qh and i notice that he kinda bunny hops on the rear he gets to moving and dont move one leg in front of the other like most horses do he bunny hops in the legs and idea why or have a email or facebook i can send u a video of maybe u can help thanks
@@lisw1354 It shouldn't take nearly this long for your horse to get the idea. Maybe you need to be a little more aggresive (apply more pressure). There's really no reason to stop riding your horse while he's learning this either. I admire your tenacity, but think you might need to do things a little differently.
@@dalefredricks6546 hey dale thanks for your comment, the reason iam not riding is ofcourse not only because i want to deal with this first :) He is diagnosed with a bad hip injury 1.5 year ago. And because he didnt showed he was injured at first, he is very crooked/awry now, (dont know the english word for it exactly.) So i want to make him straight first, grew his muscles back and then we are gonna ride again :) this seemed a nice way to start things up, he is doing great now btw :D
