Lesson 1 Rope Handling Savvy
Tools: Halter, 12′ Line. Carrot Stick & String.
Simulation is a powerful way of learning.
Before you even go near the horse, you need to get used to some of the techniques we will ask you to use in communication with your horse.
- Practice the halter knot
Find a fence or arm of a sturdy chair and tie your halter to it. Use and practice tying the halter knot. This style of knot sits comfortably flat and will not loosen as the horse trots. It will also not tighten beyond repair should any undue pressure be exerted on it. Because it doesn’t bite down on itself it can always be manually loosened.
2. Learn to give your horse plenty of rope.
Learn to use the whole of 12ft. rope!
Stretch the rope out full length. You are now 12ft away form the ‘horse’. If you can influence a horse from this far away he will begin to respect you. Most people hold horses too short, too close and too tight. For a claustrophobic animal this is both unfair and ineffective, in fact it can make a bad situation worse.
In this program you are going to learn to allow a horse to drift away from you when ever he gets worried because a prey animal needs to move his feet. You can then teeter him back, much like playing a fish.
Look at the rope and estimate the half way point. Put you hand on there and make a mental note to never hold your horse any closer than this! It is safest place for both you and the horse and it helps prevent you from doing the wrong thing at the right time.
Your rope will serve two purposes: direction and support
3. When you hold your rope in the middle, the tail end is going to become an important pushing and supporting tool.
Learn to swing the end of the rope as a supporting tool.
See if you can swing it in circles by your side and over your head in a smooth rhythm.
Once you can do that, see if you can get more specific. Swing the rope…
- over hand (rope coming forward over you hand) in your right hand
- under hand (rope coming backwards over your hand) in your right hand
- do the same with your left hand. Get to where its comfortable.
- switch hands in mid swing without losing rhythm, go back and forth
- swing over your head like a helicopter; right hand, left hand, trade hands
- swing it by your side, make it get shorter and get longer (both hands)
- test accuracy: pick a mark on the ground or on the fence and see if you can tap it six times.
Get handy. Be able to swing your rope in both hands, at different positions, underhand, overhand, over head, left side, right side, in front of you, short rope, long rope, etc.
4. Wiggling the rope: phases & hinges
When shaking your rope to cause a horse to back up, there are four phases effected by the four hinges in your arm: finger wrist elbow shoulder.
You’ll use this to teach our horse to back up. Most important is to learn how to ask politely in “phases” of increasing pressure until the horse responds. Hold the rope so it looks like an extension of your finger when you point it down the rope and the leather end is sticking out the back of your hand. In using the phases you will learn to use your arm like it has four hinges, at the finger, the wrist, the elbow and the shoulder.
Phase 1 – lay the belly of the rope on the ground and point your finger toward you horse. Waggle your finger at your simulated horse for a few seconds.
Phase 2 – close your finger and turn your fist upright and wiggle your fist from the wrist. You’ll notice the rope start to come to life but not lift off the ground.
Phase 3 – flatten your arm again and bending at the elbow only sweep your lower arm from side to side. This will now affect the rope to the point it comes off the ground and the horse will feel it.
Phase 4 – straighten your elbow and lock it in place then sweep your whole arm from side to side. The rope will now respond in great waves.
Phases are important. They give a horse time to think and respond. Release is just as important. It tells the horse when he is right.
If you simulate this with a friend, try being in the position of the horse by holding the halter and experience how dramatically different each phase feels. The horse will learn that the phases are consistent and predictable and therefore respond at lower and lower phases. The horse will get lighter and more responsive as long as you can quit at an instant, the instant he responds. Practice being able to do this from each phase so you can be ready and responsive.
Simulate with a friend. Feel how the rope changes its pressure with the hinges and phases.
Practice all these rope handling techniques until the rope feels familiar and comfortable to you in both hands before you try using them with your horse.
