What Is a Farrier?

Horseshoeing

Horseshoeing is one of the oldest trades in the world, and one of the ancient blacksmith's primary jobs. The blacksmith used his anvil and forge to create many items made of steel. He heated the steel in the forge, primarily coal or organic fueled, then forged and shaped it on the anvil to create the sword, wagon wheel, or horseshoe. Today, the modern blacksmith performs primarily artistic pieces like gates, chandeliers, statues and the like. The Farrier now performs the trade of horseshoeing.

What is a farrier?

The farrier is a professional who makes a living putting horseshoes on horses. Today he is educated in a school that teaches him all of the anatomy surrounding the hoof, from horse conformation to subtle diseases affecting the hoof. In school and apprenticeship, he learns how to put horse shoes on, and how to treat most ailments of the horses hoof. Just a few decades ago, there were no horse shoeing schools, and the horse-shoer (farrier) came from a farm, or was an apprentice for a journeyman farrier so he could learn the trade. Many equine veterinarian firms have a practicing farrier on staff or referral because many farriers have a detailed knowledge of the horses hoof since that is their focus.

What are Farrier Supplies or Farrier Tools?

The tools of his trade: called farrier supplies, includes the following: an anvil, hammer, forge, tongs, hoof knife, rasp, hoof nippers and hoof stand, a nail clincher and clinch block, and a variety of other related farrier tools. The farrier uses his hoof stand to hold the horses leg and hoof upright, then he removes the old horseshoes, and using his hoof nipper and hoof knife he trims the hoof, then makes it smooth with his rasp. He then attaches the horse shoes to the hoof with special horseshoe nails. He must be careful when trimming the hoof, because it is similar to trimming your fingernails-there is a comfortable level of trimming, and then you can trim too deep and cause injury.

Professional farriers know how to correct the horses balance in walking with just the trimming of the hoof. Many times hoof coatings and hoof hardeners or other hoof care products are used to treat ailments of the frog, white line disease, quarter crack, or laminitis...all horse hoof ailments. To find out more visit the link in our resource area below.

Reining Horses For Sale - 7 Movements They Should Know

In 2000, reining horses made a total of $4 million in the US. This figure rose to approximately $12.5 million in 2010, reflecting a 150% increase. Unlike cutting horses, their reining counterparts are raised for competition and rarely used for actual ranch work. Trained from the age of six months, these horses have high tolerance for physical exercise. 

Reining horses for sale usually feature a pedigree of stock horse breeds, especially the American Quarter Horse. Reining competitions are a test of the horse's ability to do spins, circles and stops. There is a fixed set of movements, based on which the rider and horse are scored.

Movements That Reining Horses for Sale Should Know

There are certain movements that reining horses for sale should all be trained in. The horse is trained in such a way that these movements are almost instinctive for them.

Circles: The horse must be able to perform large and quick circles at a near gallop speed, and smaller circles at a lope. The circles should be perfectly round, and the rider should be able to control the speed.

Flying lead change: During the suspension phase of the gait, the horse must be able to change its leading front and hind legs mid stride, while in a lope.

Rundown: While maintaining a distance of 20 feet from the fence, any horse trained for reining must be able to gallop down the long side of the competition arena.

Sliding stop: This is a particularly tricky move, since it requires precision for the horse to finish the movement in a straight line. For this move, the horse has to gallop down the arena and suddenly come to a halt, by allowing his hind feet to slide down, while his forefeet are in the 'walking' movement.

Back or backup: The horse backs up rapidly for about 10 feet. The backing up must be in a straight line and the horse must stop when asked to, while showing hesitation before going into the next move.

Rollback: A rollback is a continuous movement, where the horse has to turn 180 degrees after a sliding stop, and immediately move forward in a lope.

Spins or turnarounds: As the name suggests, the horse needs to do a 360-degree spin, while keeping his hind legs stationary. This move is judged on correctness, cadence and smoothness. 

Well-trained reining horses for sale should be able to perform all of these movements. To ensure that you buy only well-trained horses, select from a respected ranch.

Are You Having Horse Problems?

Is there a lack of understanding between you and your horse? Is your horse not responding to you the way you think it should? Are you in need of assistance in your relationship with your horse? Do you need answers to questions that have never been answered? Are you just feeling lost and don't know where to turn? Then keep reading because we just might be able to clear up some of those questions.

We have all experienced the same problems when trying to find answers to questions that we could not answer about working with horses. Many times we have heard questions that seemed to have no answers, or at least answers that seemed to make no sense. What are needed are answers to questions, not answers that create more questions. That is why we have to search for direct answers, the ones that did not leave more questions in our minds. Believe it or not, these very answers are rather simple if you take them step-by-step.

In addition, we have all have found programs that want to take us to an end result that we are not searching for, like the programs that have you learn to be a horse trainer - but, you do not want to learn to be a horse trainer. You want something much simpler, you are not looking for a program to mold you into what other thinks you should be... you are already who you are and in most cases who you want to be. Just as you are who you are, I am a horseman that does not need to re-invent myself; what I do or even how I do it. After all, if your search has been anything like mine, all you are searching for is simple information that is easy to understand, allowing you to work safely and enjoy the time with your horse.

People that have horses today have lost sight of the number one goal of horse ownership and that is learning to become a "Horseman".

A "horseman" is a person that believes that the horse has a communication style and social structure that, if respected, can be understood. In addition the horseman is a compassionate individual that is willing to open themselves up to what the horse and the herd can teach them about their language, culture and behavior. Once that a human being begins to respect the animal by communicating with them, on their own terms, they are then accepted in to the equine social structure. This is the very first step in becoming a horseman. By the way the term "horseman" is not gender specific, either a man or a woman can become a "horseman".

All information has to be built on a foundation that is very solid and creates interaction that will allow the horse and handler to start and progress through the areas of understanding, development, trust and shared experiences at a very astounding rate of progression.

Earning Respect Builds Relationships

The horse has to accept you into their world; you cannot break down the door and demand to be let in. Fear may get compliance, but it will never earn respect. Respect will earn trust, which is also called friendship, and this leads to solid foundations that then create great partnerships. One of the weakest points that I and other horsemen have seen is that most people who are working with horses today are not willing, or do not know how, to start at the very beginning of the education ladder. These same people are starting further up the line of progression and in doing so have overlooked many of the basics that are so important to the relationship between the horse and the handler. You have to be ready and willing to invest the necessary time to obtain the results that you are looking for.

This comes from our own lifestyle of wanting to make things happen at a faster rate so that we can get what we want and in many cases this includes cutting some of the corners that we feel may not be that necessary. The main point that is overlooked with this thought is that the mind of the horse does not think that way. Believe me, it is a problem that most people have, even I had to re-learn and re-program my own method of thought to be more like that of the horse. It has been my experience that many people involved with horses today have a hard time accepting that the building a relationship with a horse is a process, remember we live in a society that wants it all "NOW"... it revolves around instant gratification. We may live in a "quicker-faster" world, but the horse does not.

A Clash of Cultures

Develop a basic goal that is to help yourself understand that there is a process to be able to understand the relationship that you are creating with the horse.

The learning of the fundamental steps creates a relationship between you and your horse that leads to mental soundness as well as physical soundness. You cannot separate physical well-being from mental well-being. There have been countless incidents where horses were punished for behavioral problems that were really problems of lameness, ill-fitting equipment and poor communication on the part of the rider or handler that could lead to a failure to understand the horse's attempt to communicate their problem.

It it also a known fact, among horseman, that any problem that a rider has comes from not having a solid relationship or an understanding of the horse when that rider is on the ground for once that a rider becomes a great horse handler on the ground then and only then can they move onto being a great rider.

A "Building Block" Process Evolved

People have been witnessed over the years trying to work with their horses ~ and not being able to understand that they were creating many problems that they had and that they were making those same problems worse. These same people wanted to do what was right but did not know where to start. They had gone to trainers to learn what to do ~ but in the process they weren't allowed to start at square one, instead they were starting at about step 12 or 14 and had no solid foundation to build upon.

What these people needed to do is to be able to start at the very beginning and build the relationship that comes from the solid foundation of mutual understanding.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".

Is Your Horse Sore?

Does your horse work off its front end? Is your horse experiencing flight pattern problems? How about the ride of your horse, have they become less comfortable to ride? Does your horse interfere with its feet? Has your horse started to or has been stumbling for no apparent reason? Let's talk attitude, has there been a noticeable change in the attitude of your horse? And, let's talk about the big one; does your horse have back problems?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to read on and find out what will help your horse.

Throughout my many years of experience I have found that many different problems that I have been asked to address have not always been in the area that is suspected. It may be a contributing factor, often referred to as a "side effect", but more often than not there is a greater underlying problem that is the true root of the entire problem. It is my contention that you have to fix the problem, rather than treat the "side-effect"; for once that the problem is located and fixed the "side-effect" will also disappear.

It has also been many people's experiences that most of the so-called common faults and or lamenesses that too many horses have to suffer through are the results of improper balance of the skeletal structure somewhere within the horse. It has also been seen that most lameness problems start at the ground; or within the feet of the horse and work their way up the body of the horse until the entire structure of the horse is effected and the horse either cannot or will not perform to its greatest ability due to the pain that is being experienced.

If the horse is comfortable, the horse has a better time and is more attentive to what is happening around them. This tends to make their life, and yours, more enjoyable; after all a comfortable horse has a better learning curve and just all around works better.

What is true for us is also true for the horse; pain is pain and comfort is comfort, it works for you so why shouldn't it work for your horse?

Most Problems Can Be Helped

In recent years it has been noticed that there has been a longing and a desire by horse owners and professionals alike to help chronically sore-footed horses.

After correct and balanced hoof care, your horse may be sore, stiff or at least behave differently. This is due to the body readjusting to the changes which have taken place. Additional information may be needed in the areas of feed, saddle fitting or other areas that may be pertinent to the specific needs of your horse as part of preventative care to aid the rehabilitation of your horse.

In Closing... 

We have all asked questions about a horse's condition and wondered if the problem could be fixed. And, in most cases we were most likely told that it was the way that the horse was and that it could not be fixed. You just had to leave it alone. Many farriers today don't know or they chose to ignore that they are the reason that the problem in the horse exists.

What needs to be done is to look for the answers to the same questions that you might have. Make your concern the well-being and comfort of the horse. Look to learning and adapting many techniques that are normally outside of the farrier trade, but do pertain to the comfort of the horse. The integration of these techniques into the farrier process has allowed many horses that were designed for chronic pain to be relieved and are able to do what they do best.

Become that special person who is truly looking for the answers and wants to understand their horse, following this path does not take a great deal of intelligence; what it does take is dedication. And, dedication means that you want to learn what you need to learn, you are aware that results don't happen overnight - you have to allow time for the information to be absorbed, it then has to be digested and finally you need to be able to redefine that same information into what you are comfortable with.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".

Over the years I have heard people say that the "Equine Social Structure" places certain horses above others through the use of force. In other words the strongest ones is the one that is in charge. I too was taught to relate to the horse herd structure in that manner, but as my knowledge of as to how the herd was structured, who the real leaders were, how the horse communicated and what was the actual method of communication has developed a different picture of the horse and the relationship created within the herd. As I progressed and studied the horse and its relationship within the herd I discovered that actions of individual horses and the results of those actions had a definite result on the entire herd. The biggest step forward came when I discovered that it was not always the lead horse at the front of the herd. Next I realized that the position that the horse in charge had, did not come from fear or dominance of the other members of the herd, but from respect.

The respect that the lead horse was given came from the confidence that was placed on that particular member of the herd through various tests that had been placed on them. These tests came from other members of the herd and from situations and forces outside of the herd. Respect was granted when the member of the herd, that was being tested, reacted to the situations in a manner that was beneficial to the entire herd. This showed me that there was no fear or dominance factor, but a respect that was earned and cherished, then and only then was the position earned by that herd member and was retained until it was no longer possible for that herd member to accomplish tasks that would relate to and be required of the position that had been granted.

The entire process of positioning within the herd was done in a fashion that showed consistency that did not deviate and it was accomplished in a manner that did not allow for the cutting of corners. There was a traditional structured method for a member of the herd to obtain a specific position within the herd and all of the steps had to be accomplished in their specific order. If the order of accomplishment of the tasks were not consistent or accomplished in the required sequence, the position would not be granted. The position would only be granted when the requirements were met in their proper sequence and the required pattern followed, without deviation, as set down in the social structure of the herd.

I realized that this was the pattern that had to be followed in order to be able to work with the horse and obtain the greatest results. Horses are no different today than they were many decades ago. They need that same structure and guidance within their lives, they long for the structured lifestyle that the herd places upon them; in fact they require it. Most horses are followers, not leaders. It is very rare that you will find a horse that is a leader because in the real world of the horse there are many more followers than there are leaders. Horses do not think like or respond as horses unless they have this required structure within their lives. Our task is to learn how to place that structure within their lives and earn the respect that can be granted to us. Once that we have earned the respect that allows us to be the chosen one, the trusted one, within the mind of the horse, we have begun to reach a point on the road of communication that will lead to a life-long friendship.

Creating a Social Structure That the Horse Will Understand In order to create a social structure that the horse will accept and understand you will need to have an understanding of what the "Equine Social Structure" is, how it works and why it has to operate in the method that it does.

In the last section we covered the basics of how a position is to be obtained, but what we need to do is go into greater detail as to how all of it ties together. I have found that it is not always the strongest horse that is the leader, just as in people there are leaders that are not always the strongest. The strongest one may be out in front protecting the herd from danger, for that is the position that they have earned, but it does not make them the leader, it makes them the strongest one.

The earning of the trust that is necessary from the beginning is initially accomplished through a state of mind. You need to be able to remove and block out all negative thoughts that might be within or entering your mind. These are thoughts of problems like; money, home, family, work, etc, we could go on for hours. The horse does not have these type of problems because they do not live in the much more complicated world that we do. They have no interest in these types of problems and do not want to hear of them in any way, shape or form. The best thing to do is leave them in the house or in the car when you arrive at the barn. The horse can be your best friend and your sounding board, they will never talk back, have no opinion (so you are always right) and will never tell you of any of the problems that they are having with the other horses. So, it is best to return the favor and keep your problems to yourself.

Once that you learn to block out all of the interference that can come between you and the horse you are ready to go onto the next step. Learning about social structure of the horse.

The social structure of the horse is a method of self-preservation and caring for one another that has been the same since time began. The basic structure will explain that each member of the herd is equal, that no one horse is more important than the other and that any action of any single member of the herd affects the entire herd. This can be best explained when a mare is ready to foal and the other members gather around her to allow for the birth to happen and at the same time protect her when she is most venerable. This allows for the actions of the entire herd to protect the individual member and it continues on when the foal is born and has a problem that will endanger the outcome of the entire herd. The mother of that foal has to make the decision that is best for the protection of the entire herd. It is a two-way street, all protect one and one protect all, this is the basis of the social structure that you need to become part of. This is a structured environment that we were part of centuries ago it was through our development and advancement that we lost a lot of that ability, but it still exists within all of us, if we are willing to face it. Facing and accepting it will place us in a much better frame of mind to be able to communicate on the same level that the horse communicates on. The same preservation of group and sacrifice of one for the other is your first step in earning the trust and respect that will place you in the right position with your horse. Initially you must realize that you have to give 110% in effort and sometimes even more to get only 75% or less in return. The horse, to see if you are worthy of being allowed into their herd structure is giving you the first and preliminary test, fail this one and you get no more. This step can take time and in many cases I have seen many people give up due to that one point. Doing anything with a horse takes time; it is accomplished in "horse" time and not yours. They do not have a schedule to keep or people to see or even get the kids to school; all they have to do is live. This initial step has to be accomplished the same way, in the same sequence and without deviation each and every time that you do it.

It could be a simple action of grooming or saddling your horse but it has to be the same every time. Each step has to be noted and remembered and placed in that exact sequence. If you are cleaning the feet always start with the same one, then go the second, the third and finally the fourth foot always following the same pattern. Touching actions with the horse are one of the most important actions since it is their main sensory communication method. Any time that you can integrate touching actions with the horse you are allowing them go get to know you on a level that they fully understand and can relate to much faster. Touching allows the horse to start the communication process through analyzing your reaction to the process.

All of this is preparing you for the step that you have to take; which is proving to the horse that you are putting them ahead of yourself and that you value yourself no more than you value them. What they want is an equal playing field and to know that in a pinch you can be counted on, getting to that point of acceptance can take a great amount of time due to the fact that the horse may have tried to trust another human, placed their respect in them only to be disappointed. The time that it takes to get past this first step will vary with each and every horse, some will be fast and some will be slow, it all depends on their life experiences and you.

Let's say that you have gotten to the point of being accepted into a position of trust with your horse, you have followed all the steps and passed all of the tests that you have been put through. You now feel that the horse is ready to go to another level of training and that you don't feel that you are capable of doing it, so you start to look around for a trainer to accomplish this for you. You take your time and talk to everyone that you can and you have now settled upon a particular person to work with your horse. It is at this point that most people make a major mistake in the process of relationships with their horse. The horse, in most cases, has been moved to a new place, the horse is unsure and has to readjust to the new surroundings and most importantly the member of the herd that had been chosen to be their leader is no longer around. In the mind of the horse there is complete chaos, the good of the herd has not been preserved, the action of one herd member has affected the entire herd and the trust that had been instilled in that herd member is now lost. To add to this the horse is defensive since there is a change in environment, a handler that may not be willing to take the time to pass the necessary test to earn that trust and many other important points to the horse going through the mind of the horse. That is not to say that the new handler is mean or abusive, they do not understand the social structure of the herd correctly and do not have the knowledge to allow the horse to settle into the process of change. It could also be something that the horse has seen happen to other horses that they feel is not right. Not being able to analyze the situation all they know is that you put them in this position, they trusted you, what is happening is not right and now you cannot be trusted; it is your fault. You have to remember that you earned the position of trust and protection, the one to turn to in time of need and uncertainty, but you are not there when needed.

I have found that the use of an example here has been quite effective and it involves our youngest son when he was about three years old. We had decided that he needed to be with children his own age to help with his social skills and development so we enrolled him in a day care facility. We did all that was right, we checked around, we visited the various places and decided upon one that seemed to be best for our son. From the beginning we had trouble with our son wanting to return to that pre-school after the first couple of days. We talked to the management staff and explained what was happening and we were told that he just needed to give him time to adjust. Well, we found out by sitting down and making ourselves understand our son, in his limited ability to communicate, that he was seeing things that he knew were not right. This affected him to the point that he knew it was wrong and did not want any part of the situation that we had put him in. In addition, we lost his trust and confidence for a period of time until we could prove that we would not put him in a similar position. The loss of the trust and confidence made it much harder for us to earn them a second time.

The initial tests that you will be put through, by the horse, and how you react to them is what will form the foundation of your relationship. This foundation is what supports the additional layers that become the relationship, how long you take in building this foundation, as well as the care that you take, will predetermine how strong that relationship will be.

Once that your initial foundation has been put down it is time to start to progress up the steps and this is accomplished by knowing how the horse's social structure works. Their social structure works in a way that allows for members to better themselves and progress to a higher position within the herd. That is to say that positions do sometimes change, not always for the good of the individual or even the herd. When a change happens that affects the good of the herd there is always a challenge made to return things to where they should be. Remember that horses are like humans in many respects and do have the ability to dominate and move forward. Care must be taken to choose a horse that has a personality that does mesh with our own. The last thing that a person needs is a horse that is more in control than they are. If this is the situation, then the horse will be the one to control the outcome. What has to be is that you have to be the more in control from the start of the relationship and make sure that you are the one controlling the outcome.

Although this all sounds well and good, there are many people who already have horses, have bonded with them and want nothing more than to have a better relationship then they presently have. There are ways of making that happen, what has to happen is that the owner has to make the first moves and the first changes. Here again we must mention that you have already created a situation that may allow for the horse to be in control of the situation. The horse has accepted things the way they are and are not the one that feels that there is a need to change, you do. Since it is your feeling that things need to change you have to initial change, allowing yourself to start back at the beginning and be prepared to take the first tests that can lead to a position of trust.

Most people and I am sure that you are one of them, have realized that it has been choices that have put you where you are today. And, I am sure that you have also realized that it has been positive, rather than negative choices that have given you a greater feeling of accomplishment in you life. So what you need to accomplish is to take control from and retain the leadership position in the relationship with your horse. But, first we need to understand why the social structure of the horse has to operate in a specific manner.

The social structure of the horse is a specific program that has its guidelines and rigid rules that have to be followed to the letter of the law due to the fact that it has not changed in many generations, it works and it does not need to be fixed. The most important point that has to be realized here is that we are entering into their world and their social structure, they have not chosen to enter into ours. Acquiring a horse in your life is a lifestyle change that will affect your daily life. There is a commitment to the animal that is totally dependent upon the human animal for existence, we must feed it, house it, clean up after it and we are responsible for it health and welfare. In return we expect certain things from the horse in return but our problem is that we do not know how to relay these responsibilities to the horse. In order that the horse be able to return the favor for their well-being there has to be a meeting of the minds. I mean this in the literal form, due to the horse's ability to use speech is very limited and their ability to understand the language is even less. This is where the understanding and adapting to their social structure is so important. A horse has to be able to trust the person that it has daily contact with, if not there is total mistrust and a defensive wall is built around the horse against that particular person. As I have said before the horse needs for you to make the first move to initiate the relationship. They are a shy and timid animal that in most cases tries to keep to themselves and their accepted herd members. It is also a known fact that horses do not take to change very readily and when change is placed in their life if will take a year or more for that horse to be comfortable with the change that was made. The horse is not only shy and timid; it is also a prey animal. With the mind of a prey animal they feel that each and everything that they see is out to get them, especially any predator animal that comes in close contact with them. Horses need to be reassured on a daily basis that they have made the right decision to start to trust you and continue to build a relationship. If at any time that a horse has been injured or suffered in any way during this the relationship building process through the fault of the horse handler, it will be a much greater task to expand and fortify the relationship once that pain is suffered. Now, if the horse injuries itself by doing the exact opposite of what the horse handler has asked them to do, then what is referred to as a "break through" is then accomplished. The horse will realize that it was due to their own fault that the injury or pain occurred and that the handler was asking them to do what was right. This is a major trust building step made since the horse will start to realize that you will not ask them to do anything that will injure them, you are looking out for their welfare. What has been accomplished is to show that you have placed the welfare of the horse ahead of any other thing that you are attempting to accomplish and the horse will understand that action.

Remembering that you are the person of trust that the horse will turn to for guidance and understanding. Specifically in times of need and fear, one that will project the confidence that will allow them to become calm from your actions and show them that there is nothing to fear, after all you are here. You, through the use of trust and confidence, are guiding the horse through each and every step of the way. This is your project and your commitment, guided by the trust in both yourself and in the horse. Remember that the trust in the horse will allow the horse to place their trust in you and then build a solid relationship through communication skills that you have allowed the horse to teach you. The point of communication is a topic that many people have touched upon, some have been able to explain it but more often it has been a topic of great misunderstanding. The best way that I have to explain it to you is that if you had to move to a different country and had no choice in the matter, say you had to move to a country where you did not understand the language, but also did not have any ability to understand the customs of the country and/or civilization as well. Unless someone who was in that country and also grew up there took an interest in you and decided that it was their mission in life to help you understand what had happened to you and why you got here. That is what we expect of the horse when it enters into our life, we never consider becoming part of their social structure or learning how they communicate. We expect them to become part of our world, but they cannot, they do not have the ability to make that change on their own, we have to come into their world so that they can become part of our world. This is the basic change that has to happen within the mind of the rider and/or handler of the horse, this is continuing to become a horseman.

As I discussed previously about the projection of both confidence and trust we need to go back to a specific point to fully explain what is meant. To do this we must return to the fact that we are constantly confronting the horse's lack of ability to reason, and through the use of trust and friendship, the horse looks to you for the answer to their problem. The projection of trust is nothing more than showing the horse that there is not a need to fear the unknown; you are there to help them overcome that fear. For it is through the solid feel of confidence that the horse will relinquish its feeling of fear and replace it with the trust and knowing that you are doing what is right for them. This will continue to happen until finally it does become habit within the horse. The trust that is built upon will then continue to grow until the ability of the rider or handler allows them to start thinking as the horse does. Remembering that the rider or handler has the ability to develop the thought pattern of the horse: through their ability to come down to the mental ability of the horse while at the same time realizing that the athletic ability of the horse is much greater than that of the rider or handler. There is an old saying that you will never out muscle a horse and you will never move faster than the horse but you can out maneuver the horse with the use of your brain.

Getting to this point in your development will allow the horse to be able to place much more trust in you and start to be much more relaxed and be reassured that their life is not in danger. When the horse gets to this point in the your relationship they can then release some of the fear and replace it with the beginnings of trust. Once that the trust has been allowed into the relationship it become even much more crucial for you to be aware of anything that could break down the trust and send the horse back to fear and mistrust. Here again we are referring to anything that could cause pain or injury since that is the one true method for not trusting a predator. It does not have to be pain or injury that allows the blood to flow, it could be the misuse of a whip, line, bit, saddle or any other item that you have introduced into their life.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".

The Communication Factor Between Horse and Man

Communication is just as important to horses as it is to humans. Horses have a desire to be able to communicate; there is also a need to fulfill that desire since it will fill a void within their lives that is also common to mankind.

Once that you do realize that there is an avenue of communication that can be established between you and the horse you will start to realize that the horse has the capacity of having a thought pattern. Next you will start to move from a one-sided conversation thought pattern to one that will allow interaction from both sides and a relationship will start to develop.

Being able to understand that there are structured thought patterns that can be developed by a horse and that they are also capable of communicating with you; it will be realized that the method of communication is quite simple and easy to understand.

To properly understand how a horse communicates you have to be willing to accept that the horse does not have the ability to reason, in plain terms, they can not figure out that there is more than one way to do the same thing. All that they do understand is that they have a specific method or way of accomplishing a task and that is the only way that it can be done. This is the precise point that explains why you cannot deviate in any manner when you ask the horse to accomplish any task. Horses are extremely structured in their society and following that specific pattern, step-by-step, calm them and allow them to understand what is happening.

Our ability of being able to understand that there are many different ways to accomplish the same end result, thus being able to change as well as adapt has allowed us to expand and grow our mental ability. Our ability to reason has placed us in a situation that we take this ability for granted; for since it is second nature and happening without thought we feel that other creatures that we come in contact with can accomplish the same results. In fact the exact opposite is the truth, this is one of the unique features of our species that has placed us above the others. Thus, our ability to reason along with our memory that does allow us to realize that we can file away and categorize past experiences; while allowing us to be able to refer back to specific memories for use at another time.

Although the horse does have a memory, it is somewhat limited in relationship to our own. It has been my experience that the memory of the horse does not include the ability to file experiences away and be able to pull upon that experience for reference at a future date. What the horse does have is a memory that notes experiences, but without the use of any timeline, that is to say that there is no distinction as to how many times an experience was good and how many times that same situation was bad. It remembers the initial experience as either good or bad, therefore every time that the horse is put into that situation where that memory is called upon; it is either good or bad.

I have found that bad experiences can be altered and have the horse start to respond in a favorable fashion. This depends on how the foundation was laid and all experiences from that point on were built upon either a good or bad foundation. In order to make changes in a horse's response to a particular situation you need to tear down what has been built and rebuild the foundation making it a good experience. This goes back to the fact that the horse feels that there is only one way to accomplish what you are asking them to do. So it is better to start out understanding how the mind of the horse does operate before you get started.

It is now becoming known that the human mind goes through various stages of development and when these stages of development happen there is a great surge in the learning ability, the creativity and overall development of individual skills. I believe that horses go through various stages during their development that will allow them to be able to increase their ability to comprehend, learn and develop their motor skills as well. It is our responsibility to watch for and make full advantage of these various stages of development that the horse goes through.

The mental state of the rider/handler is one of the greatest determining factors in the relationship of the horse. You, with an understanding of equine communication, can accomplish a great deal of progress in a relatively short period of time. This can happen in the saddle or on the ground.

The overall concept that needs to be understood is that the rider or the handler needs to be in total control through the projection of both confidence and trust. For once that you have developed the initial trust between you and the horse, the horse will continually turn to you for guidance and reassurance in uncertain times. It is at this point that the horse will start to turn to you and allow you to guide them to the next level. Confidence will develop and build within you as you start to change your outlook and method of operating around and on top of your horse. With the understanding of the communication method of the horse will come the confidence and with the confidence in place the trust will start to build and grow. This will change the mood on and around the horse to be one of calm that will allow the horse to realize that you are no longer something to be constantly watched and analyzed. You are now a friend that has allowed friendship and confidence to build the bridge of trust.

Here is where we need to stress consistency and confidence of the handler that will allow the horse to become consistent and confident as they progress through the process of building a relationship. If you are confident and consistent the horse will be the same. They are looking for the right path to follow and they do want to please you. It is in their nature to want to please and be a member of the herd. If you are confident and consistent, the path to obtaining the necessary trust will be shorter and the relationship with the animal will be built upon a stronger foundation. Once that the foundation is put down and is solid, the building of the relationship will be stronger, more level and will lead to a life-long friendship. There are no leaders in this relationship, only members of the herd having specific jobs to perform. Everyone pulls their own weight and does the tasks that are required of their earned position within that herd.

Introduction of any new horse into a predetermined group of horses and people will start the process all over again; there will be a jockeying of positions and responsibilities of herd members. This can be from the new horse being higher or lower in the overall picture of the herd. Don't forget that there will be an adjustment period any time that a new horse is added to the herd. You must remember that the herd social structure has to follow the required ritual steps that are carved in stone and do not waver. Here is why consistency has to be always foremost and present when dealing with any member of the herd. Consistency breeds confidence due to an unwavering method of accomplishment. This refers the horse's inability to accept change readily and that when change is introduced to quickly they usually react with a "flight" instinct and look for the easiest way out of the situation. We have the ability to pre-judge a situation, its outcome and the reaction that will most likely be received, so it is in our best interest to use that ability each and every chance that we get.

The Physiology of Fear

Fear is a factor in daily life for both the horse and the rider/handler; both horse and rider/handler can conquer it. It has to be done in a manner that both can understand and is best accomplished by the rider/handler taking the initial step and then guiding the horse through the process of calming, starting with relaxing and finally through the projection of trust and confidence. I do need to explain that both the horse and the handler can experience fear, but humans have the ability to reason and then to conquer the fear that has become foremost at the time. We do so by analyzing the point that we at first sense the fear and then process the memory of such an item and then determine if it is worth fearing or not. That is how we analyze fear as human beings, now for the horse's answer ~ I have got to run away! What we need to accomplish is to analyze the fear factor and how both the horse and the rider/handler respond to the fear factor and how it can be controlled.

Most riders that get have problems with a horse over fear compound the problem through the use of their body language to the horse. Let's say that the horse becomes startled at some object, the horse will stop and take a good hard look at the specific item in question, at this point they are waiting for your guidance. It is in the next few seconds of time and the actions that you do and how that is transferred into body language that will determine how the horse will react to your actions. The sudden stopping of the horse has startled you and you are just as unsure as the horse is about the specific item that startled them, you then tense up through most, if not all, of your body, you grab hold of the reins and start to pull back on the bit, your legs clamp around the body of the horse and your mind is racing at the speed of cars running around a NASCAR race track.

Your actions have told the horse the following things to do:

1. Your body tensing up means that you are fearful and that there may be a greater threat than they have found after all you are supposed to be in charge here and if you are ready to run away, the horse will certainly not want to stick around.

2.Your next action was the grabbing of the reins and pulling back on the bit, this lets them know that you are wanting to stop and stop now, no second guessing here and then with the increased pressure of the bit it becomes painful and the horse now has pain in addition to fear to contend with.

3.Once that you legs clamp around the body of the horse it is the same as if someone came up behind you and grabbed you around the waist when you were not expecting it, you go straight into the air and scream, it is no different with the horse except with the inability to process all of this information at one time the horse will revert back to the instinctual thing to do, run away.

It is at this point that you have lost total control of the situation and there is no way to get control, in fact the horse will now bolt to get out of there so fast that the only concern is their preservation and they feel that they cannot depend on you for guidance at this point so you will most likely end up on the ground and the horse far away from you.

The horse does not need to react this way when it becomes startled by anything. In fact if you have the trust of the animal and project confidence at the same time the horse will turn to you with all of its ability and ask you what it should do. And it can be handled in the following manner, same situation only this time we interject a team effort.

The horse has been startled by anything and stops to look at it and then tries to determine what it is. Again it is the first few seconds that are crucial to the total outcome of the potential accident waiting to happen.

1.Once that the horse does stop you will feel the entire body of the horse draw into your seat of the saddle, at this point it is looking to you for the confidence and the guidance as to what it should to in this situation.

2.You MUST remain calm for the sake of both of you. DO NOT tense up, relax, remember you are the one that is in charge ~ so act like it.

3. It would be best to give the horse a loser rein at this point and allow them to see that you have no fear of the item they are startled over, let the horse have a minute to realize that the whole situation meant nothing to you and that there was no need to get so upset.

As you learn to be this way, the horse will build the trust and confidence in your abilities and the fear factor will tend to reduce. Now it may be there with other people who have the tendency to do as the first rider did and tense up, but once that you understand that you can control the situation through your body language to the horse, the better the horse will be in situations that need understanding and positive actions.

Next we must understand that the fear that is in the mind of the rider/handler is one that is transferable to the horse through the use of body language. There are times that the horse shows much more compassion to man than man shows to the horse, there are also times that the horse will not venture into territory that it does know is unsafe, but mankind has to show its superiority and venture in and then have to confront the situation that they create.

The rider/handler can learn quite a bit from just watching and noting a horse's reaction and response to any situation that it does come up against on a daily basis. You can buy all the books you want on the behavior of the horse and you will never learn as much as when you take the time to observe and learn from the horse in their natural settings. Take the time to watch them in the field both alone and within the herd atmosphere. What a horse does on their own is quite a bit different that what a horse will do interacting with other members of their herd.

One other point that needs to be brought out here is reactions that horses have are confused with what we feel they are. Let's take the example of a horse moving away from you, they can move in one of three ways. First they might try to walk over the top of you, with no regard for your safety that is because they have no respect for you. Second, they may push away from you, that is a fear reaction and are just trying to get away form the danger. Third, they back away from you and this is bad news for anyone that has built a relationship with a horse since they are taking their trust and the position that you have been granted away from you.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".

Let the Horse Understand You

It is a known fact that horses do have a certain amount of intelligence and are able to make decisions that concern them. It is this ability that allows the horse to be able to sense what you are trying to get across to them, it is this same intelligence that allows them to make the decision whether to follow what you are asking them to do. The horse is a "flight or fight" animal and that means that they would rather run away than stand and fight, they will stand their ground and fight, but only if there is no other option. And, if you are asking them to do something that they are unsure of, or do not have the trust in you, then most likely they are not going to stay around. The reaction that you will receive comes from what and how you relate to the horse, be it on their back or on the ground. Some people have called it "feel"; I refer to it as "communication". The communication skills that I do refer to can be accomplished by direct contact with the horse or through the use of your body as a communication tool in an indirect or no contact method.

Once that you are able to understand and properly use these two methods of communication effectively you can control the mind and the body of the horse in a manner that will allow you to have the horse understand what you expect of them.

The mind of the horse operates differently from ours and has an unusual way of processing information, there are many factors and conditions that either help or harm the overall mental state of the horse. First, we must realize that there are certain limitations in dealing with the horse. They have little, if any, ability to reason. If you ask the horse to do something that is unknown to them, they cannot determine the safety factor of what you are asking them to do and if it will hurt them or not. Since the horse has limited reasoning ability it has to be taught that any safe action that can be done on the left side can also be accomplished on the opposite side. It is also important to remember that horses are prey animals, having eyes on either side of their heads. This gives them a greater range of vision, however, what they see on one side does not translate effectively to the other side. They are moving through two worlds of sight at all times. One of the most important points that we have to concede is that we must start to react as the horse does. We have to learn to look at things the way they do and start to realize that once that we start to look at things differently we will start to react differently. What we have to do is become more instinctual in our reactions to objects and situations. This will allow us to be able to successfully learn to properly communicate with horses at their own level.

The first step is to build a bridge of trust. Through your personal and total trust of the horse they will learn to trust you. The length of this step depends upon you and the horse. Just as you have your own personality, abilities and limitations, so does the horse. Here more than any other area you are rewarded for your patience and effort. Remember, you get out what you put into any project. If done correctly, every step that you take allows the horse to learn. Trust comes from within and you must be willing to enter the horse's world both mentally and physically, any indication of your holding back will slow down the entire process of building the bridge of trust.

Humans have developed into a vocal and pitch society where the horse still relies on the use of the body and other senses for communication. Once that you are willing to start using your body as well as your other senses and stop using your voice the faster you will start to build a lasting relationship and have a greater bond between you and the horse. As you become more proficient in using your body and senses as communication tools, you then become more aware of other things that went unnoticed before that time.

Concern for the comfort of the horse is the next step in the building of the bridge of trust. Any horse, just as in people, can be distracted from what is required when discomfort is involved. The best way to compare this is to think of your own self and the items that are comfortable to you, then realizing that the more comfortable that you are, the greater the accomplishments you are able to start and complete. Discomfort can be as distracting to accomplishments as comfort can be to accomplishment.

Any discomfort may be of such a degree that it is so concentrated that it is unable to accomplish any more than just getting one foot in front of the other. In fact the concentration and determination to eliminate that specific discomfort may be so great that you will become totally uncooperative and will do all you can to get it out of your life at that point in time.

There are two important factors to consider in the area of comfort; the care of the feet and legs, as well as the quality of the tack and equipment that you are using.

The care of the feet and legs are of primary importance, due to the fact that through correct care it will allow the horse to be able to move about in a comfortable manner. For what is done to the feet will affect each and every bone and joint, from the foot to the shoulder or the hip, and well beyond into the entire body. Remember, if our feet hurt we can relax, put up our feet or even take off our shoes. When a horse has an uncomfortable set of shoes on they must keep those shoes on until they are removed. This is one of the most overlooked areas of the training and understanding of the performance horse today. For the performance horse, be it any type, has a demanding pace of competitive training. When I do talk of a performance horse it is a horse that is used by a rider in any manner what so ever, they do not have to be in hunter/jumper training, cutting, endurance or any other specialized form of training, if you have a horse and you ride it, it is a performance horse. The proper foot care for your horse is a major maintenance factor that is as important as the regular changing of the oil in your automobile.

All too often the way to judge the quality of foot care is controlled by the cost factor. This brings to mind a particular situation that I was involved in a number of years ago. I was called to a new client's home to come and shoe their new horse. When I got there I found three horses at the house. I shod the horse that I had been called to do; upon completing that job I did ask if they would like to make another appointment for six weeks later. The answer was yes, my next response was if I should schedule enough time for all three of the horses at their home. To my surprise the answer was to schedule time for just the one horse. It appeared from talking to the owner that there were three different farriers doing work there. Each horse had its own farrier. The one horse they had got for $500 and didn't need a very good horseshoer since it was so cheep, the second horse was worth a little more money so it got a little better horseshoer and lastly the new horse was of the greatest value and demanded the best farrier that they could get. The point that I am trying to get across here is it does not matter what your horse costs, they all need good and regular hoof care, by trained professionals.

The second part of comfort is the quality of the tack and equipment goes back to what I was taught by my grandfather, and it was "You can always tell the level of the craftsman by the quality of the tools they choose". So, the quality of the tools that you chose predetermines how far you will go and how committed you are to your project, as well as how strong your belief is. For it is through your commitment to quality tack and equipment, as well as the overall comfort of the horse that will allow you to progress past the point that most people get to in the performance of any animal. Through this total commitment you will allow yourself to put the horse's needs above your own --- allowing you to get more from the horse through asking rather than demanding. I am not saying that you have to go out and buy any and all of the items that everyone says that you need to use in the care of your horse; all that is needed is some common sense. Analyze the situation, look at it as your horse would and then ask yourself if you would like that being done to you or even if you would like to have a specific task preformed on you. If it takes you more than two seconds to analyze and come up with an answer, most likely it will be the wrong answer. Learn to trust your instincts and allow yourself the freedom of being able to trust your own feelings.

The third area in building the bridge of trust is the mind of the horse. I have found it easiest to put it this way; within the horse is the learning ability of a two-year-old human child while at the same time you have to control the physical conditioned body of a college athlete. One of the more important points that I can instill within you is the fact that mankind is on a much higher mental level of ability than that of the horse. And, in realizing that one fact you can then understand that you have the ability to go down to the reasoning level of the horse. But, you can never hope to get the horse to your level of being able to understand. You have the ability to understand what the horse senses, calm the fear of the unknown and then guide them into what it is that you want them to accomplish.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand".

Modern Hoof Care - Two Armed Camps

As you may be aware I have written various articles that pull from my many years experience in the horse industry and specifically as a farrier. When I started into the trade as a farrier, back in 1966, there weren't any great titles, associations or even competitions. All that you found was people who trimmed and shod horses that in most cases keep the welfare of the horse as their primary goal. People that were in the trade did not say that going barefoot was better than having your horse shod, and vice versa. There were only two guidelines to follow when you started to work on a horse, and they were;

1. What was the job that the horse had to do?

2. What could the owner afford to have done?

It was then the responsibility of the horseshoer to fill the needs of those two points before going onto actually accomplishing any work on the horse itself. Taking those two points into consideration created a business that was both large and solid; mainly because it foremost considered the horse and secondly the requirements of the owner. The end result was that the horse was sound and the owner was happy with the result. That is what showed that the farrier was doing the best job that they could do.

This was also a time when the only time that a person could enter into the trade was through an apprenticeship with an established farrier that was willing to help you enter the workforce. There were a few, not too many that were willing to work with young and inexperienced people and that young person had to be willing to commit to a very demanding and rigorous schedule. It was not a commitment of six to eight weeks of training; it was a minimum of three years and in many cases much longer. The trade of working with horses' feet is not one that can be learned in a week-end seminar or a classroom over a period of six to eight weeks. It is a highly skilled trade that requires much knowledge about structure of the entire horse, movement, forward motion (physics), muscle structure and operation, skeletal structure and operation, foot ailments as well as many more areas that aid in the correct operation of the horse as a forward motion animal. Once that the previous topics are learned you then have to start to comprehend and learn how to make them all work together and correctly. You have to learn how to work with and hopefully aid in certain types of foot problems, ones that can be corrected and ones that cannot. If they cannot be corrected you have to know what can be done to make it easier to live with. That is why it is difficult to find good foot care professionals today, be they barefoot or farrier hoof care people.

After a short time in the trade I was introduced to the concept of associations and initially they had a basis of a betterment of the trade. They were based on the fact to better the young people entering into the trade and being able to set standards for the trade to follow, but after a while the direction got changed. It started to be centered on the individual doing the work rather than the work that was accomplished. There was a great push within the industry and trade associations that even permeated in the "Hall of Fame" selection. To be selected as a member of the "Farrier Hall of Fame" your work was based on what you had accomplished for the trade, or as they now like to call it, their "profession"; rather than what was accomplished for the horses that a tradesman worked upon. The focus also became focused upon "competitions" where competitors were asked to create certain types and styles of horseshoeing that were detrimental to the well-being of the horse and the operation of its feet and the overall body function as well. Farriers became focused on these competitions and winning them. They shod all year-long in the style of the competition guidelines and in the process let good farrier techniques fall by the wayside. This is what I base my belief on when I say that the trade became more self-centered rather than centered on the horse.

Now not all of the members of the trade had been centered on the competitions, some remained centered on the horse and the numbers were few and far between. There were studies on how the horse operated and how the hoof itself was and could be classed as a simple machine under the laws of physics. All of this was helpful and gave information that was understandable by the new members of the trade, but it was information that was already available and used by the established older farriers at the time. Then two things happened:

• Established tradesmen started not to take on apprentices. Why did this happen? Simple, we became a structured society that feed off of lawsuits. Young people would enter the trade, in some cases unaware of the dangers and not have the experience of working with large animals, then sue the person offering them training since they had been hurt. People have to be aware, and if you have experience around large animals you understand, that it is never if you are going to be hurt, but how bad.

• Opportunists saw a situation that allowed them to make use of the situation that the trade had put themselves into. With the centering of the work on the individual and not the horse a "program" was created to offer the horse owner an alternative and "natural" "program" that was supposedly centered around what was the most natural way for horse hoof care to be centered, what was right for the horse. Now I and many other senior members of the established farrier community looked and studied the "program" and found that on the initial layer it was a good program. But, like many other "program" that had been created over the years it had its flaws, and they were;

• As the program grew and gained acceptance, individuals made changes to the overall concept of the established method. Starting with small ones that were hardly noticeable and then moving onto ones that became larger and had more of an effect on the operation and health of the horses' feet and soundness.

• The second part of changes that were happening was the introduction of the zealot-like attitude of the people who were performing the work. All other methods and established forms of hoof care were the worst thing that could be done to horses' feet and that their methods were the only thing that was going to save the equine population. Any method is only as good as the person that is applying it, be it barefoot trimming or horseshoeing.

• On the topic of soundness, we have to look at any program that may require your horse to be sore and unusable for up to one year as a program that is not in the best interest of your horse. Not to mention that if you want to ride your horse while in a program such as this you have to purchase some rather large and awkward boots for your horse to wear while out on the trail. The care of the feet of the horse is designed to make the horse comfortable and useable.

At the present time we have two armed camps, the ones that think that barefoot methods are the only answer to all of the foot problems within the equine structure and then we have the horseshoeing camp that do both barefoot methods and farrier techniques. Obviously all I have wanted to do here is to make you sit down, think and realize what is best for your horse. You and you alone have to be responsible for your horse that is the way it is legally. I want you to be educated about the techniques that are out there and available to you. You have to make sure that you have chosen the right person to do the work that needs to be done on your horse's regular maintenance, so chose wisely and carefully.

We don't need two armed camps. The only one that suffers here is the horse and they are the ones that end up paying the price for our mistakes. Remember that education is key, it is not a "program" and it is not association membership or even the number of titles that have been won in competition. It is results that keep your horse sound.

Until next time "Ride for the Brand"