Dear Fellow Horse Owner,
Has your horse ever bumped or shoved into you while you were leading him? Or does he lead you? Has your horse ever shied into you or maybe even knocked you down?
If any of the answers are "yes", then your horse doesn't RESPECT you and probably has an aggressive rather than a fearful personality.
Do you have trouble leading your horse past a scary object? Does the horse balk and pull away from you? Do you have trouble catching your horse?
If any of these answers are "yes", then your horse doesn't TRUST you and is probably of a fearful rather than an aggressive nature.
We want our horse to trust us and to respect us so that we have a good bonding relationship, as well as a safe one. Since horses tend to be either aggressive (bully-like) or fearful (timid and shy), we first have to evaluate which type our horse is. Why? So we know whether to teach them RESPECT or TRUST first.
Secondly, in order to teach them anything, we have to have their attention; i.e., they not only have to be in the classroom but they have to be in their seat and listening to the teacher. You might say that horses are a lot like children.
You can see a horse being either fearful or aggressive, in the video clip to the left.
At the end of the video clip, you saw what Bob calls doing the ART work with your horse. Get his Attention, and then gain his Respect and Trust. Only then is the horse in the right frame of mind to be taught. After 12 years, working with all sorts of horses from new born foals to difficult stallions, Bob can now gain the attention, respect and trust of any horse ... and so can you.
The ART work is so powerful that it makes up the Foundation of all the subsequent training you will do with your horse. This is why it is the subject of our first video, "Establishing Control of Your Horse." In this video, we show you how to teach your horse to Respect and Trust You, in just 3 easy lessons.
And the best part is that all the lessons you teach your horse on the ground, translate to when you are on their back. And because the teaching starts with groundwork, your horse is never too young to start.
You might wonder if horses have as good a memory as elephants. Well I can tell you a story that indicates they do. Just click on the audio play button to hear it.
Listen to Mary
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All the ART work training that led up to being able to correctly longe the horse in the picture is in our first video which you can order as a DVD ($34.95 plus S & H) by clicking here.
Did you know that horses, by nature, are lazy? John Lyons says: "A horse will usually take the road of the least amount of work. He’s basically lazy. Just like you and me." So well said, John. And the well-known horse psychologist, Dr. Katherine Haupt at Cornell University has done the research to determine just how lazy horses are. But thankfully, horses are very trainable.
Bob takes advantage of the horse’s laziness in his teaching methods. He sets up the lessons so that the horse always has several choices of what to do in response to the cue he’s given. And the right choice (the one we want the horse to do) is always the easiest choice for the horse physically. Horses learn very quickly this way. They stay happy and develop that "want to" attitude we so desire.
Many other training methods use physical restraints to force the horse into doing what we want. Do you want to restrain your horse 100% of the time? Wouldn't you rather teach the horse so he understands what you are asking and then does it because he wants to?
Do you want to be able to use the equipment you already have? With Bob's method, there's no need to buy a round pen to work with your horse. And no need to buy special and expensive halters, lead ropes or "sticks." All you will need is the equipment you probably already have. Here's all you need. Check off what you already have.
Doesn't matter if you ride Western or English, or if you are a pleasure rider or a competitive rider. Building a Foundation You Can Ride On® is just that ... it builds a strong foundation of respect, trust, and willingness to work which results in a safe and trusting horse as your riding partner. No gimmicks and no special equipment.
Bob's system is clearly explained and logical to both you and your horse. The training is broken down into a series of lessons, and each lesson is reviewed before going on to the next one. In addition, you will be rewarded with a positive by-product of each lesson. Let me explain.
Do you have problems catching your horse when he is turned out? Maybe you've tried to use treats to catch your horse. If the horse happens to be hungry and comes over, you might be able to catch him. But if he isn't hungry, then what do you do?
When you've successfully completed the exercises in Lesson One, you will know how to evaluate your horse and how to get his attention -- without actually being attached to him. In other words, you will know how to effectively communicate with your horse in his language.
The unexpected benefit? Your horse will now be much easier to catch. Who doesn't want that?
Have you ever been leading your horse and when you stop, your horse doesn't? Well once you master Lesson Two, this won't happen because of unexpected Benefit #2.
In Lesson Two, you're attached to the horse with a long lead line and you teach him the ART work. When you master this lesson, your horse will be so tuned in to you, that he will obey your non-verbal cues as if you are his herd leader.
In the third lesson, you take advantage of what you've taught the horse in the previous lessons. Because you have the horse's Attention, Respect, and Trust, he is willing and ready to learn. Now you can safely interact with your horse at close range.
Here's where you start teaching the lateral bending exercises. This is what's necessary in order to proceed with the longeing work.
And the added benefit of Lesson Three? Your horse will be less likely to step into or on you while you're next to him because he's more willing to move away from you.
Until you can do ALL these lessons correctly under different circumstances (settings, time of day, multiple distractions, etc.) you're not ready to go on to the next step. This is how you make sure that the foundation you build is a solid foundation.
You can start building a solid foundation with your horse now, by
ordering the DVD by clicking here.
In the video, we demonstrate just what we mean when we say something like "apply or release pressure." In fact, Bob breaks down the exercises into more detail than you're used to seeing. He does this so that you can understand just what the horse is thinking and doing, and to show you what you need to do in response to the horse's actions.
Many of the horse's actions are so subtle that you would miss them if Bob didn't point them out. And if you miss the subtlety, you may end up giving the horse the wrong message. Don't forget that horse's senses are very fine-tuned. They will pick up on all of our reactions (and take advantage of our wrong reactions) very quickly.
You'll want to watch the video several times just to pick up on the subtleties.
Plus, our videos have been field-tested by people with young horses who wanted to start them and were looking for a good teaching tool. That's how we know that you can do these lessons yourself. See what our customers have to say in their Comments at the left of this web page.
Remember the best way to teach your horse is to always give him choices. If he makes the wrong choice, you don't get mad or hit him. Instead, you just keep asking and he will quickly realize that what he's doing is harder work than what you are asking him to do.
As soon as you get the answer you want, you stop asking (take away the cue) and the horse quickly figures out that he's given you the right answer. It's so easy for the horse to understand!
But here's the tricky part -- you, the handler or rider, have to be able to immediately give back to the horse (release the pressure, or take away the cue) so that you let him know that he did the right thing. The timing is critical in teaching the horse.
Let me give you an example that you can do right in your horse's stall. Say you want the horse to bend his neck/head. So you take hold of his halter and put a little pressure (pulling towards you) on it. If instead of bending, the horse starts moving his legs and starts walking around, do you know what to do?
Do you release the pressure on the halter and start the exercise over?
Do you move with the horse until he stops moving and then release the pressure and try again?
Neither of these answers is correct. In the video we will show you what to do so that you don't teach the horse the wrong thing AND you get the horse to do what you are asking. In the process, the horse doesn't get upset or confused. This is why the horse learns so quickly when it's done this way.
By doing all the groundwork exercises in this video you will be learning how to respond to your horse and you will be fine-tuning your skills even before you put a bit in his mouth. PLUS, each cue used for the groundwork exercises translates into the same or similar cue to what you will use for riding. This makes it so easy to take that next step.
You will find that your horse quickly learns the exercises in this video and enjoys doing them. Consequently, he develops a "want to" attitude. Because you've established the proper foundation of respect and trust, your horse will always be willing to try a new exercise.
Of course, you have to repeat any exercise several times before the horse figures out how to do it right each time you ask. But once they do, they truly understand. And you haven't confused them in the teaching process.
It is also important to remember that every time we interact with our horse, we are teaching. So be consistent and correct with your cues!
After watching the "Establishing Control of Your Horse" video you will:
- Understand how horses communicate using the 5 senses and you'll know how to incorporate this in your training.
- Recognize fear and/or aggression in your horse.
- Know how to teach your horse to want to be caught.
- Know how to turn fear into trust.
- Know how to turn aggression into respect.
- Know how to get your horse to focus on you so that he's in his seat in the classroom and ready to learn.
- Know how to teach your horse to bend laterally so he will be prepared to start on the longe line.
Did your horse come with an owner's manual? Probably not. Well our videos are that missing manual. We not only teach the techniques of horse training but we explain the principles that the methods are based on.
If you you understand the "why" then you will know what to do when your horse acts or reacts in a way that you didn't expect. Getting this video series is the single most important decision you'll make since you got your horse.
And our money back guarantee makes it an easy decision.
After we finished the video, Bob and I spent hours reviewing it and came up with anything we felt we could explain in even more detail. We imagined being in YOUR position as you watch the video for the first time. Our goal: think of every question that you might come up with.
Then we recorded our questions and answers as a BONUS AUDIO CD and give it to you free with your order. This audio is priceless in terms of how much info and food for thought it gives you.
There are questions about the philosophy behind Bob's training methods as well as his views about other techniques. I even remembered the questions I had when I was first learning Bob's principles and I made sure Bob answered them on this BONUS AUDIO CD.
We also pick out specific things from the video and go into them in more depth. It is like having your own personal conversation with Bob because the questions we pose, are the ones you would most likely ask yourself.
The audio CD is also great for listening to while driving to or from work or the barn. Or, if you are lucky enough to have your horses at home, listen while you're mucking stalls.
Remember the cost of the video is far less than a private lesson. Plus you will want to watch the video over and over; and you will learn more each time you view it.
Order the video and get a free BONUS AUDIO CD too (a $12.95 value).
It's easy and safe to order online with our secure shopping cart. Just click on the order button below.
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Part 1: Establishing Control of Your Horse
- Discover the secrets of getting your horse's Attention, Respect and Trust.
- Learn the ARTwork exercises.
- Teach your horse to bend laterally.
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| VHS format is sold out |
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($34.95) |
Train your horse yourself. You will thank Bob and your horse will thank you!
Here's to "Building a Foundation You Can Ride On" with your own horse!
Mary Delton
EquiHorse Communications, a division of BP Equine, Ltd
Mary@horse-training-videos.com
Toll Free 877.204.0292
P.O. Box 533
Mendon, NY 14506
Click here only if you've decided not to order.
