Lesson 6 – Game # 5 The Circling Game
Game # 5 – The Circling Game
The Circling Game is a lot more provocative and valuable than lunging
Many people think this is “lunging”, but it is not at all the same. The purpose is not to wear the horse out nor just to develop him physically, it is far more important than that.
PURPOSE: To teach the horse to move off in arcs and circles, install the horses’s responsibilities of don’t change gait and don’t change directions, develop snappy departures and smooth transitions, educate weight shift to the hindquarter.
Equipment: Halter & 12′ Line, Carrot Stick & String
Start by a short review of Game # 3. Using you Carrot Stick, ask your horse to yield his front end then his hindquarters. Don’t forget the Friendly Game at the conclusion of each.
There are three phases to the Circling Game:
- the send
- the allow
- the bring back
Each one is as important as the other.
The Send
Hold the 12′ line about 3 ft away from the horse in your right hand and guide him to your right in the direction of a circle while you pivot. At the same time, tap him in zone 2 with the Carrot Stick to help send him off to your right.
The Allow
When the horse starts to walk in a circle around you, rest the Carrot stick on top of his back (top of zone 3) in a friendly way. If he stops, tap him a few times on the top of zone 4 and when he goes, rest it in zone 3.
The Bring-Back
To stop the horse and bing him back, tap the side of zone 4. The hindquarter will yield and he will face you. Now play the Friendly Game all over, especially the zones you we’re tapping with the Carrot Stick.
The reason you want your horse to face you is because you are programming the horse to look to you, to come to you, especially if confused. If you have a rule about only ever stopping your horse out at the end of the line and not allowing him to face you then you will actually teach him to go away from you. Once you have a solid bring back then you can put in other elements such as stopping out flat on the line, but we won’t teach the horse this until Level 2.
Once you can do all three parts of the Circling game at short range, start letting the rope out further and passing it around your back until your horse can circle comfortably at 12ft. Also, have right and left equal.
Trouble Shooting
Your horse stops behind your back
Horses are not dumb! In fact they are very smart and very perceptive. They know when you are watching and they are very conscious of how long it takes you to notice that they’ve stopped! You need to develop eyes in the back of your head, learn to heighten your senses by the feel of the rope traveling and listening to your horse’s hoofbeats.
This is a respect issue. Every time the horse stops bring him in toward you with a stern look (as opposed to the friendly ‘come on back’ look) and send him straight out again… and smile! He’ll learn that staying out on the circle is where comfort is and how to keep a smile on your face.
Your horse changes gaits
At first, be happy with a walk. As things get more familiar and your horse gains more respect for you as a result of all Seven Games being practiced, then you can ask for the trot. (Do not ask for the canter. This is a small circle and while some horses will be able to do it, for more its quite an advance move. Leave this for Level 3!)
If your horse changes from a walk to a trot or vice versa, without you asking for it, be particular and respond on it. You can slow your horse down to a walk again by slowing reeling him in until his neck bends more and his hindquarters disengage and he finds the walk. Then release and smile. You may have to repeat this a few times before the horse finds it, especially if he tends to be a bit emotionally stirred up.
If your horse changes from trot to walk without you asking, do the same as for if the horse stops. Reel toward him, look stern, start bringing him toward you and redirect him.
When moving to the full 12′ line the horse just looks at you and backs up when you try to send him.
This means the horse is not clear on the difference between backing away from you and being sent off in a particular direction. Check your short range circling game is clear and easy for you horse. Check also that you are clearly leading your horse’s zone 1 in the right direction. Sometimes its just lack of direction on your part. You should also check your driving game for zone 2, the Yo Yo Game and the Friendly Game. Be fair to you horse. Realise that this is confusion and fear, not disobedience.
How not to bore your horse
Lunging is very boring for the horse. That’s why we don’t call the circling game by that name! This game is to teach your horse much more than just going round and round to burn off excess energy, refer to the purpose at the beginning of this lesson again.
The best way to bore your horse is to do too many laps. Think of a 2 lap minimum and a 4 lap maximum. If you horse and do 2 laps at least without help, this shows respect and responsibility. After 4 laps a horse can start to get bored and this leads to dullness and disrespect. If you are going to get your horse mentally, emotionally and physically fit, 32 laps is not the way to do it. At this stage its better to get more imaginative… use obstacles, uneven ground, different rope lengths, etc. to achieve more and more and to develop your horse-human communications. The best fitness is also going to be obtained by using all the games.
For Level 1, proficiency at the Circling Game means you can stand still in the centre, passing the rope around your back, one leg cocked, looking happy and relaxed, and your horse walks or trots around you until you ask him to stop. Can you send your horse out and around to both the right and left? Does he leave easily and respectfully, or does he push on you as he goes by? Does he take up his responsibility of going out at the walk or trot and stay in that gait until you ask otherwise? Or do you have to keep driving him on? These are the things to keep in mind as you improve your circling game.
Also, don’t introduce too much variety until the horse is solid in his understanding of this game.
Success Tips:
- Direct your horse clearly in the direction you want to go.
- Once your horse is clear on your direction you can try this without the Carrot Stick and swing the end of your rope as support instead.
Lead it, Lift it, swing it, touch it.
You lead zone 1, lift the swinging end of the rope, swing the rope twice, then touch the horse in zone 1 or 2 if he has not responded. These are your four phases.
Remember that you are in aiming to not have to swing your rope at all. Your horse’s nose should follow the direction you indicate by feel and direction of the lead rope. If you are consistent and deliberate with your phases then it won’t take long before phase 1 and 2 are all it takes.
In order for your horse to go out and around you, he has to quit facing you. Lean back slightly, place your foot diagonally back behind you so your shoulders and hips open to give the horse a “door” to go through. If you don’t do this or simply step out to the side with one foot you will actually cause your horse to perceive a barrier because your shoulder and hip are perceived to be in his way. (Try simulating this with a friend and you’ll be amazed at the difference that makes. Even turning your belly button in that direction will help!)
A good way to visualise this to think of a clock and to place your hands and feet at the appropriate place on that clock: for example, to send your horse to the right, hold your right hand out at 4 o’clock high and step back to 4 o’clock with your right foot… and take your left hand and left foot out to 8 o’clock for a circle to the left.
Pitfalls
- Stepping outside of your “circle” and chasing your horse instead of sending his nose away. Keep your feet riveted to one spot. If you have trouble with this, get yourself a little marker or stand inside a hula hoop or tire.
- Not letting the rope slide feely as the horse leaves. learn to hold just the end of the rope, even the little leather popper once your horse gets good at this. By choking up on the rope you are implying to your horse that you do not trust him.
- Continue to swing the rope or stimulate with he Carrot Stick after the horse has responded. You want to get to where you don’t have to swing at all so make sure that as soon as you’ve got the response you want to quit any further stimulation and smile!
- Horse has nose pointing to outside of circle. This is a sign of disrespect, your horse is looking outside the circle, he’s thinking about getting away. Don’t be too critical at this point because you have to earn your horse’s respect this takes more than just trying to make him put his nose in toward you! The best way to deal with this is to play a lot of friendly game. Bring your horse in after two laps, Stand a while and rub him, get him to fall in love with the centre because he gets to rest. Also, make sure that you are really using zone 4 to bring him to you. Once this gets better you’ll find his nose out problem reducing. Get right and left equal!
