Lesson 9 Cont. – Saddling your horse.
Saddling is a Friendly Game.
This is an aspect of the Friendly Game. Many horses are afraid of their saddle because they’ve never been allowed to make friends with it. Common breaking in methods have a horse blind-folded the first few times he is saddled. He’s never been introduced to it, never was allowed to smell it or nudge it to check it out. Not being able to stand still while being saddled and girth-proud or chinch horses are a classic symptom of this.
Allow your horse to investigate the saddle.
Step 1 – Introducing the saddle.
Show your horse the saddle. You could make a game out of it. Use the Driving Game to send your horse to the saddle. Allow him to find comfort there and pretty soon he’ll get over his apprehension and start investigating it. Don’t hurry the horse, allow him to smell it as long as he likes, if you are worried about the horse pawing or biting it (there is a real chance of this!) put it up off the ground and preferably have a saddle you wouldn’t be upset over getting a few scratches. it’ll pay off for the horse.
Many horses have been saddled from the first time, without ever getting to know the saddle. This can mean incomplete acceptance.
Pick up the saddle and allow your horse to smell it in this position. Don’t push it into his space, allow him to reach forward to smell it. If the horse ignores the saddle or won’t smell it this will tell you he is afraid of it or even resentful of it. Be careful not to make him wrong in this, understand the prey-animal perspective and do some more Driving, Circling and Squeeze Games around and between you and the saddle, allowing him to find rest beside it until he finally accepts that its a safe thing.
Allow your horse to find comfort by his saddle. Use the circling and Squeeze Games for this.
Step 2 – saddling like a horseman
Saddle your horse like a horseman. Saddle without tying your horse up. It is dangerous because it is claustrophobic for the horse.
Don’t tie your horse up. This is the most dangerous, inconsiderate and claustrophobic thing you can do to your horse. Sorry to break it to you so bluntly, and we know that’s what we’ve all been taught mostly because we could never get the horse to stand still! Most accidents while saddling are cause or worsened by the horse being tied up. They feel constricted (not good for prey animals!), pull back and break things or flip over and break themselves. Allowing a worried horse a little drift is much safer and much more considerate. Instead of tying your horse up, learn to hang your lead rope over the crook of your arm (the end hanging to the outside of your arm) and have a least 3 foot of slack in it for your horse’s comfort.
A horse that truly accepts the saddle can stand still.
Play the 7 Games first, before you go to saddle your horse. You’ll find out what side of the corral he woke up on and get his respect and the relationship right before strapping the saddle on. It need only take a few minutes and you can do this between the pasture and your tack room instead of just leading him there. Get a little more creative and purposeful when moving your horse to and fro.
Prepare your horse for saddling by playing some of the 7 Games first. You can do this on the way from the pasture. etc.
Saddle like you are giving the horse a hug.
Stand with your back to your horse’s shoulder. Practice this little move: reach to the saddle (on the fence or on the ground), touch it, then touch your horse on the back in one big sweeping move. Do it over and over and over until you horse is not in the least bothered by it. This is called desensitisation. If your horse moves around try to keep the rhythm going until he stops, then stop and wait for him to lick his lips. This will teach him to find comfort by standing still, if he is really bothered, go back to the Friendly Game and toss your rope around and over his back with rhythm. This will simulate the situation for the horse and better prepare him for saddling.
Simulation will help a great deal with a skeptical horse. Toss the end of your rope over your horse’s back with rhythm until he is confident and calm. Then do the same with the saddle pad.
Now do the same exercise with the saddle pad: on and off, on and off, on and off, over and over until it means nothing to the horse. Watch for signs of acceptance like lowering the head, licking the lips and sighing.
Saddle your horse like putting a hat on your head. Softly.
Next, the saddle. You are going to learn to place the saddle on the horse’s back as softly as you would put a hat on your head. All too often, carelessly flung saddles land with a thump and not only does this confirm the horse’s negative opinion of the saddle, it tells him a lot about you! Let’s change that perception.
Give your horse a hug with the saddle, don’t saddle him like a bear approaching!
Instead of facing your horse and lifting the saddle as you walk towards him like a grizzly bear, stand with your back to him, the saddle resting on your hip with right hand holding the cantle and left hand on the horse’s neck. Then sway the saddle until it has enough momentum to become weightless, swivel on your left foot and swing the saddle up and gently onto his back so you end up facing the horse. Practice this by standing at the horse’s left shoulder, your back right next to the horse: reach back and allow your horse to smell you right hand, then swivel and put your right arm over the horse’s back like a big hug.
Cinching or Girthing up
When cinching up, be considerate! Inconsiderate girthing can create biting and kicking. Help a horse accept the cinch by desensitising zone 3.
The key work is “considerate”. Be considerate of how this feels to your horse, too much to quick too tight is bound to cause problems. And if he doesn’t buck, he might start trying to bite you or learn how to puff his belly up so it cant get to tight. Be careful not to punish your horse for this, its not his fault and he’s not being bad, he is a claustrophobic and a tightening cinch can stimulate opposition reflex, instead, teach your horse acceptance. Use desensitisation so he can accept it without concern.
Simulation is great for a horse with girth problems. Use a Horseman’s string.
If your horse has a girth or cinch problem, use simulations to help him get over it. Tie a soft rope around his girth area while you ground school him in the 7 Gam’s. Two Horseman’s Strings joined together is ideal for this. Start with it kind of loose and keep tightening it little by little over the span of about 5 minutes. Sending your horse up and down hills and over little jumps and logs like this can help a lot too. If he needs to buck, that’s OK, just stay at the end of the rope and don’t lose control of his nose. Let him do what he needs to do until it doesn’t bother him anymore.
Sending your horse over jumps helps also to overcome cinchy reactions.
When cinching up, do it in three stages:
- draw the cinch up until its just snug but not at all tight.
- move your horse around in a few circles (Game 5), then tighten another notch.
- move him again, Games 4 & 6 and tighten again.
- a couple more circles and you’re ready to put your foot in the stirrup.
Tighten your girth or cinch in 3 stages.
The tightness test
Not too tight, not too loose, just right! The best test is to see if you can stand in your stirrup for 10 seconds without the saddle rolling. If it does, don’t hurry and get on (that’s like jumping on a sinking ship!), tighten it another notch. Another aid is to see if you can slide your hand under the cinch without it getting a cramp! It should feel snug but not uncomfortable.
The tightness test: Can you stand in the stirrup for 10 seconds without the saddle slipping around?
Do not tighten the cinch while you are on your horse. This is a dangerous position and if your horse reacts to it, it might be the last thing you ever did. Take a minute to get off and cinch your horse safely.
Give your horse the chance to get used to the cinch.
Sending your horse around, moving him out and even popping him over a log will help you horse get used to the feel of the cinch. If he needs to buck, that’s OK. Remember, you’ll make the best bucking horse rides on the ground. Make sure your horse is well and truly over it before you put a foot in the stirrup. Put Games 4,5,6 and 7 to good use! Its like a pre-flight check.
Pre-Flight checks: Games 4,5,6 & & will help you know when your horse is ready to ride once he is cinched.
