Lesson 17 – Carrot Stick Riding
Learning how to “push” your turns, developing an independent seat, self carriage for the horse.
You’ll remember in the myths we busted at the beginning of the section on riding, that leaning in the direction of the turn is counter productive for the horse. It actually unbalances him and will cause him to lean on the forehand and brace. Using the Carrot Stick will help you learn how to be dynamically in the right position to cause your horse to turn athletically and with his hindquarters more underneath him.
Equipment: you’ll need your halter and 12′ line (its important you only hold one rein)
- Make sure your horse and the Carrot Stick are friends! You should have established this well in lesson #3 – Friendly Game and in the Driving Game you will have taught the horse how to move his front end from the Carrot Stick communication. Now that you are on his back, make sure first that you can play the Friendly Game with the Carrot Stick and rub your horse in every zone he’ll allow you to. If he has any reservations, get back on the ground and sort them out there.
- Hold your rein in one hand and the Carrot Stick in the other, start at the walk.
- Lead the front end with a direct rein, turning your eyes and your belly button simultaneously and pushing with your outside leg.
- “Push” the front end with the Carrot Stick by bringing it slowly into play with a driving motion, starting from 45 degrees away from the horse and bringing it toward zone 1 at the angle you want to turn. You’ll find that the Carrot Stick pushes zone 1 and 2 at the same time.
- When the horse yields away, relax everything and rub his neck with the Carrot Stick.
- Get to where you can walk along and turn anytime you like without resistance from your horse.
- Now change your rein to the other side, change the Carrot Stick too, and try turns to the other side.
- Get to where both sides work just as well as each other.
- Once you are confident at the walk, try the trot. Don’t worry if this doesn’t happen on the first day.
- When you get really good at this, you can turn your horse just by your focus and then pushing with the Carrot Stick! Just change hands before you change direction so the Carrot Stick is always in the outside hand of the turn.
Success Tips
- Make sure direct rein is offered high with a straight elbow and has a lifting feel to it.
- The Carrot Stick comes into play after the direct rein is applied. This is how it plays a supporting role.
- The function of the Carrot Stick at this level is to help you put your body in the right position more than anything else. You’ll find yourself leaning slightly to the outside of your horse.
- The Carrot Stick is always on the outside of the turn, the pushing side.
Pitfalls
- Not focusing where you want to go before lifting the rein and using the Carrot Stick.
- Using the stick in the wrong hand, therefore your body is in the wrong position.
Troubleshooting
Horse leans against stick, won’t turn
This is a Driving Game, so if he doesn’t yield from the motion, allow it to start tapping him rhythmically on the neck until he does. Then instantly release and relax, play the Friendly Game with it by rubbing the horse on this neck. make sure you use phases, start without touching the horse using a small circular motion like you are drawing circles in the air with the end of the stick, then lightly tapping, then increasing the tapping until the horse yields away. (what you don’t want to do is just push the stick against the horse’s neck. This is the Driving Game, not the Porcupine Game so sue rhythmic motion).
The horse gets frightened of the tapping stick
Go back to the ground! Don’t try and sort this out on the horse’s back unless you are a very good rider! Once you have reestablished the Friendly Game an then reinforced the communication with the Driving Game in zones 1 and 2, stand in zone 3 and see if you can cause your horse to turn toward you and away from you by positioning the stick on either side of his neck with your arm over his back. Once he can do this confidently, then you can return to his back. You might also consider being in a small corral at first.
Summary
Carrot Stick riding teaches you to “push” your turns rather than lean into them.
It also develops your independent seat and self carriage in the horse.
Leaning to turn unbalances the horse and causes him to brace through the neck and back and lean on the forehand.
Make sure your horse and the Carrot Stick are friends!
Friendly Game and Driving Game are important pre-requisites.
Use the procedure: eyes belly button, “outside” leg, stick.
As soon as the horse yields, relax everything for positive reinforcement.
Get both sides even.
Get confident at the walk before your trot.
When you are good at this, use only the Carrot Stick and not your rein.
Always offer the direct rein at 4 o’clock high and with a strait elbow.
The Carrot stick will help you to push from the outside of your horses’ body.
Focus is very important.
If the horse leans against the stick or pushes into it, tap rhythmically until he yields.
Always go back to teaching on the ground if you have any trouble on the horses’ back.
If a horse is frightened by the stick, get back on the ground. This means you have not played the Friendly Game well enough as preparation.
Calendar
M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
30 | 31 |