Step One - Discover Horsemanship Philosophy & Methodology in the round pen

woman holding lariat with horse

Discover Horsemanship Philosophy & Methodology in the Round Pen - Step One

Step One - Teach Your Horse to go Forward Consistent and Consistently in the Left and Right Direction

Our Goals:

  • To learn consistent body language and consistent voice cues without using aggression

  • Horse learns to travel forward

  • Horse learns to travel forward consistent and consistently

  • Horse learns to travel forward and respect the human space

  • Horse learns to travel in straight line in both left and right direction

  • Horse learns to travel in different speeds and control their emotions

Problems Solved:

  • Horse cannot go forward consistent or consistently either on the ground or under the saddle with confidence

  • Rearing up

  • Trailer loading

  • Lunging

  • Refusing to go forward, leading or over obstacles on the ground or under the saddle

  • Horse can not travel forward in different speeds and can not control their emotions

I would like to begin by asking a few thought-provoking questions. First, why do we choose to initiate our education with a horse, whether it is wild or domesticated, in the round pen? Additionally, what makes the round pen such an essential tool in our training process? These important questions were constantly present in my mind when I first started to work with horses. Over the years, I have come to feel that I have discovered some valuable answers to these inquiries, and I firmly believe that I will continue to uncover even more insights as I progress through the years ahead.

So, let's begin our session by placing the horse in the round pen and observe what unfolds during this exercise. We do not need to put the halter on the horse because he will not be venturing further than 25 feet away from us, and we can feel confident that he will not pull back or rear up since he has the freedom to move about as he chooses. We don’t have a lunge line attached to the horse; instead, he is free to explore the space. I always begin my training sessions by asking my horse to read and understand my presence by walking around the round pen without adding any pressures.

I am also carefully reading the horse by paying close attention to various subtle cues, such as the way he may hold his tail and position his ears, as well as how he is traveling around in the round pen. You can learn a tremendous amount of valuable information about the kind of horse you will be working with simply by observing the first reactions displayed in the round pen environment. Some common displays of body language in horses include ears pinned back, which can indicate aggressive behavior, while ears held forward often signify that the horse is alert and attentive. Additionally, the position of the tail is crucial to read; for instance, a tail that is swishing back and forth, or one that is laying flat against the body, or even arched, may indicate various emotional states in the horse, such as frustration, fear, or calmness.

I will then use my own body language to carefully match and mirror the displayed body language expressed by the horse. This allows me to create a harmonious connection and establish trust. If the horse appears nervous or anxious, I will intentionally allow more space and utilize subtle cues in my body language to help reassure them. Conversely, if the horse seems dull or unresponsive, I may employ a bit more firmness and assertiveness in my body language to encourage a greater level of responsiveness and engagement from them.

I begin the actual lesson by leaning forward slightly while utilizing my body presence, and then I point my arm in the specific direction that I want the horse to travel, all through effective body language. Next, I will reinforce the command using my voice by clucking slowly to encourage the horse to walk forward. If the horse does not respond and move forward as expected, I will then utilize my horsemanship stick, which has a flag attached to it, as an extension of my arm. This tool allows me to direct him effectively without physically making contact with the horse, ensuring a respectful and clear line of communication is maintained between us. After I use this tool, I will immediately put the stick behind my back and again rely on my own body presence, body language, and vocal cue to ask the horse to move forward. If, once again, the horse does not move forward, I will continue to use the horsemanship flag as an extension of my body language, repeating the process before placing it behind my back one more time. These steps are diligently repeated until the horse willingly responds to my presence, body language, and voice cue, moving forward in a manner that demonstrates our growing partnership.

Within this initial step of our training process, after the horse has adequately responded and has demonstrated an understanding of what we are asking him to do—simply move forward—we will then methodically establish the same task at the walk, trot, and lope. To effectively request a trot from the horse, I will increase my body presence, elevate my body language slightly, and employ a more energetic clucking sound as a vocal command. When it comes to transitioning to the lope, I will once again escalate my body language and utilize a consistent and distinct voice cue, which consists of a loud kissing sound, repeating it until the horse responds appropriately. Once the horse successfully responds to this cue, I will immediately cease my cues. This particular moment serves as the release and reward, allowing the horse to clearly understand that this is indeed the correct response that I am asking for.

We often forget to take a moment and sincerely say thank you to our horses when they accomplish what we ask of them. The acknowledgment of their efforts, expressed through a gentle release of our pressure, holds significant meaning. It is essential that we do not overlook the importance of saying thank you! Thus far, in our communications with our horse, we are consciously avoiding any form of aggression; we refrain from pulling on a rope, cracking a whip, or raising our voices, and we are cautious about our body language so as not to instill fear. With this understanding in mind, we have successfully achieved our first important step in establishing effective communication within the round pen.

In our upcoming blog post, I will provide a detailed overview of the next step in our series titled “Discover Horsemanship Philosophy & Methodology in the Round Pen.” It is my sincere hope that you will find this information enlightening and beneficial for your journey in horsemanship. I truly look forward to sharing this important step with each of you.

All of my steps and lessons are also available for your viewing pleasure, as it can be incredibly beneficial for a visual approach to learning. I invite you to join me at this exciting opportunity to enhance your understanding and skills in horsemanship. Russ Krachun Performance Horsemanship | Equine Educational Program with Videos and Articles | Patreon

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Discover Horsemanship Philosophy & Methodology in the Round Pen

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Step two - Discover horsemanship philosophy & Methodology in the round pen