HORSE NOTE:

You  may  have to use a horse for survival, this is  not  a
full course  on  how  to  horse  around  but  we  hope  the
contained information will be of some help to you.

MORNING CARE:  MISSING INFO*** 

NOON CARE:

At  noon  when  getting off the horse find some grass  and
don't forget to water your horse, this is no camel and AVOID to
tie  it down  with his rein because if the horse becomes afraid
suddenly, he could hurt himself grievously.

Instead use the rope to tie it up to the halter but don't tie
it to something heavy such as picnic table since the horse will
drag it along if it becomes afraid.

A  usual solution often recommended consists in tying a long
rope between 2 trees & to tie the horses to that rope.

But  this practice becomes dangerous if one of the horses
becomes nervous  so separate the horses and tie them high
enough  (#level of  whiter#)  to  a tree. Beware of some type
of halters  that  a horse can pull off.

One  can  very well tie a strong rope to a big nylon collar
thus retaining the horse by the neck.

This method is not dangerous if the collar does not strangle
the horse.  When the horse has to eat then you can use a longer
rope but temporarily.

So  NEVER tie a horse with a slippery knot. Once it has eaten
it can be tied to its normal length for a whole night, no problem.

NIGHT CARE:

After  a  long day, unstrap the horse with caution. Good  if
you have a barn but usually not in survival situation.

So  you  don't have any other solution than to tie up your
horse and  if you have many, then you MUST watch them at all
times, set up a horse watch.

One  can  use  shackles  made of nylons most  of  time,  rope
or leather. The 2 front legs are tied together so that the
horse can try to move but will not get far. (brushings)

CROSS COUNTRY:

If  you carry much equipment or that you can afford it, then
you will need at least 2 horses, one to use to ride on, and the
other as #cheval de bat# that can be alternated when one
becomes tired.

It is also a security element in the wilderness, should the
horse becomes  wounded  or  sick since the risk for  wounds  is
ALWAYS present both to the animal and to man.

Depending of the training and the nature of the terrain  more
or less rough you can count on 30 to 40 km (20-25 miles) per
day  of riding if all goes well

FIRST CONTACT:

Bring the horse out and beware that it does not trample over
your feet. In  order to AVOID, this hold the rope as near as
possible to the halter with your arm extended to separate the
horse from you.

If  you are in a coral then here is what you do as you come
near the  entrance; slow down and make the horse come around as
if  it was coming out of the coral then untie him.

Without this manoeuvre you risk that the horse kicks you  in
the face,  so happy he is to be free. Now watch him go wild,
running crazy, unwinding

Start to try to understand your horse since THE BASIC OF
DRESSING A  HORSE  is  simply  to observe, understand and
anticipate  the animal.

This is why even without a teacher you can learn to mount a
horse correctly and to ride it as well.

After  a  few minutes the horse will calm down, he will look
all around,  and  if  you talk to him, yes he will  listen  his
ears pointed toward your voice, so speak softly.

When  you will go to get him then keep on talking to him  and
as soon as the halter is put on then caress him.

REMEMBER that any submission act MUST be compensate by a
reward, a caress or a sugar.

#TRAVAIL A LA LONGE# :

This unwinding phase is mostly done using a long nylon rope.
Most horses become impatient and nervous when they don't go out
for  a few days as any jailbird can tell.

Thus  you  MUST permit them to relax and unwind. This will
AVOID for  the beginners that the horse starts kicking, goofing
off and throw you off the saddle. Hee Haw!

Place the horse to your right, take the long rope into your
left hand without making a knot then stand a bit backward of
the horse and give him a short brief order to move forward.

BEWARE  of  the kicks he may do, then little by little  give
him more  rope  while letting him start to gallop in  a  circle
ever widening.

Have  the  horse turn in the other direction as well  meaning
to your  right,  since  horses have tendency to  turn  to  the
left because of being ALWAYS approached by the left end side.

SOME ADVISES:

1)   Horses prefer to be approached, saddle and caress on
their left side. (Fussy?)

2)    There  are no code to give orders to a horse, so  use
simple short words indicating one  activity & repeat it often

3)    Thus your horse will start to understand and grab your
orders  and  REALLY  START TO LEARN  ONLY WHEN  HE  IS  REALLY
RELAXED. MMM!

In case that the horse pulls so hard on the #longe# that you
have a hard time holding it, pass this #longe# under his jaws.
At  the  end  of  it  there is usually a small chain  which
will compress  the  mouth of the horse if he persists in
pulling  and little  by  little  he  will learn not to pull  so
hard.   Using patience is the key with animals just as it is
with people.

SADDLING:

Quietly,  calmly approach the horse by his left  side  with
your horse blanket and place it on its back then softly put the
saddle AVOIDING that the stirrups bounce back on the horse
flanks if  it is a western saddle. Now you MUST strap him.

Depending  of  the  type  of  strapping  this  blocking  is
done differently.  On  most American saddles a long leather
strap  is passed many times under the belly and the ring of the
saddle  and will end by a necktie knot**.

If  you  are  in  a barn, do not tie it too strongly  since
most horses hate to be strapped inside and will puff or swell
up as  a measure of resisting. You can finish the job outside
the barn.

#BIT? BRIDLE# :

Now  you  MUST put on the #bit? bridle# which operation  MUST
be done  carefully & delicately. There are different techniques
to #bridle# a horse.

Here  is  the classical method if the horse is calm and does
not have too much tendency to raise up its head, then this
method  is simple.

One of your hands rises the #bit# till it contacts with the
horse lips.  Put  your thumb or major finger between its  lips
at  the location  of the #barres# (the space where there are
not  teeth) and  do  not fear to be bitten since NEVER a horse
will  bite  in this position.

If  the horse attempt to refuse the #bit# and if you feel ill
at ease!?! Please take note that it is no good to unnerve the
horse by multiple trials.

So  install yourself at your best for instance between 2
chains, calm the horse and present him again the #bit# softly
but without hesitation. In case of another refusal wait a bit
more but do NOT give up, U are the master???

This  type of problem has often been caused by the rider
himself either  by hurting the jaws when taking off the #bit#
too quickly or  either  because  the  ears of the horse  have
been  pinched.Ouch!!!

So  to pass it around the ears proceed slowly one after the
other or change side if you MUST do so.

Now do NOT let the reins drag on the floor, if the horse walks
on it, he can hurt himself or go berserk for some reasons.
Once  outside  the  barn, DON'T FORGET to tie  again  the
saddle strap.  You  MUST  use a lot of strength, so  as  to
stretch  it properly.

Otherwise the saddle risks to tip under the horse belly when
you prepare to saddle up and then the horse gets scared and
risks  to bolt wherever he sees fit from such a clown. Rambozo

HOW TO GET ON THE SADDLE: (On top?!)

The  classical method starts in 2 movements. Get on the left
side of  the  horse, take the reins in your left hand, put
your  left foot  in the stirrup and it is your right leg that
will give  you the push over impulsion to climb aboard.

Give yourself a small spring to dart forth and AVOID to leave
all your  weight on the left side stirrup. Lastly AVOID  to
fall  to harshly on the saddle.

ACTIONS OF THE REINS, LEGS & COMMANDS:

According to the equipment you have saddle & #bit# your
position will be different.

TECHNIQUES:

1)    Your heel MUST be downward nearly "broken" toward the
rear with the Western saddling.

This attitude will take you a few hours to acquire. But it is
the only  solution; for your foot to act as a kind of spring to
stay stuck to the stirrup when using trot or full #gallop# .

2)Your  hands MUST be down and low near the #pommel knob#  If
you  take  the  reins  using 2 hands it  is  NECESSARY  that
the traction be made at the little finger level.

Thus you will be able to feel the horse, also to dose your
effort and also to be able to keep a better handle.

3)Most beginners feel unstable and ask to rise up  their
stirrups. IT'S AN ERROR.

In  order to be comfortable & with suppleness the STIRRUP MUST
BE LOW.  In western horse riding the legs hang down naturally
along the horse hardly placed on the stirrup.

This  instability  impression is normal and will  disappear
only after  several  horse riding. (If women can do it  such
as  Lady Godiva! So can you.)

It  is  better if possible to go train yourself in a coral
rather than  in  the  field, since it is NECESSARY that  you
take  some insurance and that the horse feels that you are the
master?  (Hoho-ho!)

Thus he will not dispose of you according to his own humour.
Know that the horse learns quickly of the weakness of the rider.

TO MOVE:  (FINALLY ?!?)

Just press down a bit using your 2 heels. (Go Rambo-Zoro
Homeward bound! Hee-Haw!)

TO TURN: (No flashers?!)*p151

Ex:  Right turn: With a classical #bit#, you pull the rein
toward the right softly while spreading away your hand from
your body.

But  BEWARE you MUST also quickly take the habit to tighten
your right  heel  against  the horse flank. (Left  heel  when
turning left).

With  a  western #bit#, do not pull on the right to  turn
right. Your  left hand or both hands if you hold the reins with
one hand MUST move toward the right above the neck.

The  rein then comes to graze the neck and this combined with
the pressure  from  your right leg is enough to make the  horse
turn right. This is called the leaning #rein effect.? rene
d'appui# TO STOP:   (WOH!)

DO  NOT  YELL!  Do  not  pull  over strongly  on  the  reins
and especially do not stop the horse continually, when he only
wants to relax by moving around. The traction on the rein MUST
be light and short.

The voice order MUST be short and firm. The horse MUST obey to
it IMMEDIATELY!

If  he does not obey, yelling or to hang yourself on the reins
is useless, just start over again.

A  common  and frequent error is to say Woh-ohoh too  often.
For instance when the horse is trotting or when you feel he
moves too fast for you.

If you use the command trotting-oh to stop, this MUST be ONLY
for this order and not to slow down. If  you  want  him  to  
slow down then use another  command like "soft," any command 
will do if repeated in any language.

(Horse  don't  do language or politics only asses!)  DO  NOT
MIX COMMANDS,  the  horse  will best obey when  he  knows  or
learns exactly what you want, so make up your mind! 

Kiss Method =  Keep it simple!

TO TROT ALONG: "Hop along Cassidy"

Squeeze  again  the thighs and heels. As soon  as  the  horse
is trotting along and despite your lack of comfort do not
forget the position of your hands near the #pommel# .

If  the  reins  seem  too long, shorten them  by  gathering
them together rather than passing them from one hand to the
other.

With  a  western #bridle# it is rather your free hand which
will help to shorten them a bit. Once more don't forget to
caress your horse every time he does some progress, this is a
reward that  he needs.

GALLOP: * Missing info. to get from rider.**

HORSE DISOBEDIENCE?:

There are 2 ways to deal with this, the brutal or using
patience. One can not hide that the first one is effective but
it has great risks  since the horse will have tendency to
stiffen up, to fight even more and even to develop twitches.

Whereas patience will most often permit to solve any problem
but it will take time. We prefer this method.

The  horse stubbornness most of time has a good reason and it
is necessary for you to search the reason why the horse is
stubborn to  a  particular command so don't force him, rather
try to solve the problem.

REFUSAL TO STOP:  (Shoot-it?)

If  the horse doesn't stop fast enough send him toward a fence
or a  wall  even while trotting and stop him at the obstacle.
Start all over till he learns. Caress him when he does good.
Also teach him to equally associate stopping and backing up.

As  soon as he is immobile give him the order to back up.
"Back". While giving this order pull slightly backward on the
reins while giving an impulsion with your legs.

REFUSAL TO TURN:  (Go & give a ticket?!)

Start  the passage again & again #at pace# and trotting and
work the  turns  in  the sense that the horse refuses to  do
but  not necessarily in the same location.

LOOKING FOR GRASS WHILE WALKING: (Smoking type?)

Don't  let  this  habit to develop. When you stop,  get  off
the saddle and let him eat but under NO other conditions.

This default comes especially when the horse wants to get rid
of his #bridle#. May be it is too tight? Have you tried another one?

HORSE SWERVING OR THAT GETS SCARED:

Default  very currant and nearly incorrigible because it is
part of  the  nature of the beast but it is ESSENTIAL to  limit
these acts to a minimum since they are the sources of most
accidents. If the horse is scared, slow down & calm him by
caressing it.

Make  him  walk so as to lower his cardiac rhythm.  Then  try
to understand what has made him afraid by coming back on the
ground if you have to, may be it was a snake?

Without  doubt  it  will be necessary to make him  at  ease
with different situations, cars, birds, gun cracking etc.

It  is  also  possible  to  recreate artificially  the  noise
of situation  so as to create the right habit or attitude
toward  a situation you feel the need for.

REFUSAL TO CROSS A BRIDGE:

Don't get over anxious nor make the horse nervous by hitting
him with the heels. Climb down and walk ahead.

If  the horse still refuses and that the stream is not too
deep, cross it while up on the saddle, since the horses are
less afraid of small streams than bridges.

Once  back at camp train him in the corral to walk on great
wood planks. Using  the leg impulsion just before you get to 
the bridge, teach him what you want him to do as the master?

It is useless to try to drag the horse, he will resist, calm
him, talk  to  him, caress him then turn front-ward and walk,
he  will usually follow you.

HORSE THAT GOES BERSERK WHILE GALLOPING:

The  only  solution is to make him turn in circle more  and
more enclosed. This manoeuvre is easier with a #net# because
you  can pull strongly on one of the reins.

You  MUST prevent the horse to lower his neck & to accelerate
his rhythm.  Note: That if the horse possesses a #net/English
bridle# you MUST in order to slow down his gallop to pull by
jerks on one of the reins.

PUNISHMENTS:

As seen above one should ignore them most of time although it
may be  useful once only to let the horse know who is the boss
or the ass.

#LE COUP DU BRIDON#:

If  the  horse  wears a #net / English bridle#  you  give  a
few alternative  jerks on each side of the reins.  This sanction
is less severe and will recall the horse that he MUST stop.

BLOCKING TIGHT A REIN:

Only used if the horse has a #net or English bridle, Hackmore#
to use,  then  if  the horse refuses to turn, you pull  slowly
till #plier  l'encolure#, one of the rein toward you and you
maintain this  position  for a few minutes but use only  with
a  Hackmore bridle.

WINTER PRECAUTIONS:

Snow  pushed  by  wind will hide streams, posts, fences,
ditches etc.  which  can  make your horse fall and  you  as
well  so  be careful.

When  the  snow fall AVOID to have your horse in gallop since
he inhales much air and ice crystal will form in its lungs and
make him cough.

Precautions  to take to let the horse cool off progressively
are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT in Winter more so than in Summer.

So if the horse becomes hot, he MUST be put fast into the barn
or put under a horse blanket at least 1/2 hour.

Don't try to climb over thick snow banks since the cold can
make them  hard  and  the ice crust risk to immobilize
brutally  your horse & can causes him to break a leg.

REMEMBER that cold has power to dehydrate more quickly your
horse specially when working a lot, so give him water regularly
and  if your horse works a lot then increase a bit his ration
of hay  and oat.

NOTE ABOUT DONKEYS:

They  behave differently than the horses at times. So instead
of walking  ahead  and impatiently tugging along  when  at
frequent intervals  the donkey stops, you just walk alongside
the donkey using a stout thorn-bush in hand to make him obey you. 

FROZEN RIVERS CROSSING WITH HORSES:

MONGOLS:

Mongols  were the best fighting machine in the East.  They
would use the horses to carry some sand bags in winter which
they would use  that sand to cross frozen rivers. This way the
horses  could cross without slipping and breaking bones.

It  has to be a bit more wide than the horse about 5-6 feet
wide so the horse can cross without problem.

Either pick up the sand after use or let it be, but then again
if you  have a broom go for it, since sand is hard to get in
winter, this is coarse sand of course.

More  like earth type of sand. By the way it does not have to
be desert  sand at all. Ashes could be used for one horse
across  a small river.