Mar 112 min read

Horse-man-ship Mentality, Danger Zones

Updated: Jun 29

Horse-man-ship Mentality, Danger Zones

Thoughts from Dennis.

Spring is here and the horses are fresh. With the weather warming up the horses feel good and that increases their energy. Oftentimes in the early spring, the footing will be slick, and this also produces another element of danger along with the fact that the horses have not been ridden as much in the winter and are a little overweight and a lot out of shape.

So, the combination of all these elements left to their own will is a recipe for finding yourself in harm's way.

So how do we avoid this trap?

The best way that I know of is to "focus on meaningful groundwork that will carry over to the back." You will also need to hone your horse's reading ability so that you can communicate more effectively with your horse. This will allow you to direct the energy until there is a positive mental and emotional change in your horse's attitude to that of one that is responsive and not reactive, obedient, and not rebellious, listening for your direction with every step.

Put that to use with some common sense and stay very mindful of the footing you are riding on. Slippery or spongy footing can cause a horse to become fearful mentally and vulnerable physically, by that I mean it is easy for them to slip or even fall with you on them.

So, you do not want to rev them up to use the energy when you are on their back. This is where common sense comes into play.

When the footing is good now you can direct energy until it changes to that of a willing agreement with you, that is perfectly fine. But if it is indeed slippery, proceed with caution.

Beware of these conditions.

When the grass is short and the moisture is exactly right it will be slick just underneath the surface, making it hard to detect.
Water that is running over rocks will be slippery and often covered with moss.
As frost is going out of the ground it can become very slick.
If a horse is tight in the jaw, you are more apt to have a horse accidentally slip and fall with you than you would if the horse is relaxed in the jaw and neck.

Keep these tips in mind and enjoy a safe ride.

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