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Chapter 2: Basic Training, Pages 13 & 14
FOLLOW THE LEADER
All horses like to be around other horses. They will follow the example of
another horse more quickly than they will respond to you. For instance, many
horses are naturally distrustful of water and will always walk around it, if
given the option. But there will be times when your Miniature will have to
walk through water. If you have another Mini that is accustomed to walking
through water, lead him through first and the other one will follow.
The quickest way to teach a Miniature foal to lead is to use his mother as
an example. If your stall is large enough, this is the best place to start
the first lesson; otherwise, choose another confined area so that the foal
will always be close by. Halter both horses and lead the mare around, either
along a fence or in a small circle, and the foal will follow his mother
naturally. He will remember this as a good experience and, if Mom does it—it
must be okay! When possible, take advantage of using another well-trained
horse to help teach a youngster and even older Miniatures can be trained
using this technique. Using one Miniature to train another will make your
lessons go more quickly and teach the horse to trust you, which will be very
valuable later on.
Always train your Miniature in a restricted area. If the horse bolts, you'll
be able to catch him more easily. Never physically fight with your horse.
Even though they are little, do not under-estimate the strength of these
tiny horses. Once a battle between you and your Miniature takes place, it
will take twice as long to undo the damage. Furthermore, fighting teaches
the horse bad habits such as rearing, kicking, and tossing its head around.
Use your brain, not your muscles, to make your Mini understand your
requests.
The foal's first solo lead-line lesson can be conducted in the pasture with
the mother close by. Stand in front of your Miniature and ask him to walk
while you pull on the rope. Then release the pressure on the rope. The use
of continuous pressure will cause the horse to resist. Instead, pull with a
firm, yet gentle "pull-and-release" until the horse takes one step toward
you. Once he takes that first step, reward him with pats and praise. If he
starts pulling backwards the first few times he is asked to "walk," don't
fight it— give him some slack and go with the horse. Once he stops, let him
get comfortable, eat some grass, or go to his mother for a few minutes. Then
start over. For a resistant horse that won't move forward,
one trick is to turn his head in a direction other than straight ahead.
Turning the head does two things: first, he's uncomfortable with his head
one way and his body the other, and second, it puts him slightly off
balance. The result should be that he takes a step to make himself more
comfortable. Once he takes the first step, you keep walking and the horse
will follow. Eventually, he will learn to move forward on command or with
just a slight tug on the lead line.
Lessons should be short and productive. The length of the lesson is not
important; five good minutes are better than 20 minutes with a horse that is
uncooperative. Foals have a limited attention span and become bored quickly,
but with limited daily practice, your Mini foal will produce rewarding
results. |
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