14 Thursday, January 9, 1997 Pahrump Valley Gazette
Getting acquainted with a new horse, especially when
• the new owner/rider is a novice or has not been around
horses for a while can be an uneasy time for owner and
animal. A few tips from professional trainer, John Wayne,
can make the process safer and more comfortable.
First, make sure your horse has a safe, clean environ-
ment. Check the area where the horse will be stabled and
worked to make sure there are no sharp edges, like steel
posts or other sharp objects, that can injure the animal.
Remove any obstacles that could cause the horse to get
hurt.
Cleanliness is necessary for the horse's health and
comfi)rt. His stall should be easy to clean and maintain.
Water should be changed daily as horses will not drink
water that is not clean. Use a feeder to keep the hay off the
ground. The feeder should not be more than waist high.
High feeders can cause the horse to develop a very thick
neck.
Get to know your horse by grooming and handling the
animal. You must handle your horse in a manner that
commands respect. Never forget you are handling a large
animal, and you can be hurt if your animal doesn't respect
you. Your horse should never be allowed to kick or bite
you. Biting is even more dangerous than kicking as it is
aggressive behavior and means the horse thinks he is
above you in the social order i.e he does not respectyou.
If your horse does try to bite you, Wayne subscribes to
the same treatment outlined by noted trainer John Lyons in
his book. Lyons on Horses. Lyons says if a horse bites,
.....
RIDING LESSON- Professional trainer John Wayne gives advice to a student
during a clinic..
photo by Patti Babcock
you have three seconds to try to kill him bearing in
mind that the head is off limits. After you have done as
much damage as you can inflict in three seconds, pet the
horse to let him know that you like him but will not
tolerate his behavior.
Wayne says, "You can never allow your horse to get
away with bad habits even in play." To assure your safety
and for you to be able to work with him, your one thousand
pound horse must always know that "you are the boss."
Spend time working your horse on the ground before
you even think about riding. Practice leading, stopping and
tying. Wayne cautions when tying make sure the horse
isn't tied to something he
can run off with. Work the
horse until both you and he
are comfortable, and he ex-
hibits good ground manners.
Ground work also in-
cludes handling the horse's
feet. Wayne says start with
your hand on the horse and
rub down to the foot. Then
ask the horse to shift his
weight and pick up his foot.
Wayne cautions, "Never try
to lift the horse's foot if his
weight is on it, you can't.
You need to ask him to give
you his foot." Walk around
the horse and handle each
foot in the same manner.
Becoming comfortable
with your horse on the
ground may take several
hours or several days or
more. When you and the horse are working well together
on the ground, you are ready to "tack up."
Wayne advises riders to buy good equipment. "In the
long run, it will pay off."
: With the horse tied, place
the saddle blanket and pad
on his back. Next put the-
saddle in place. "Make sure
the saddle fits the horse
without hurting his withers
or hisback. Be sure there is
nothing to pinch the horse."
The next step is to bridle
the horse. Unbuckle and re-
move JEhe halter from the
horses head. Place it around
the horse's neck so you can
hold him if he starts to walk
off. Hold the bridle with one
hand and use the other to
guide the bit into the horse's
mouth with your fingers
placed at the corners of the
mouth. While holding the
bit, use the other hand to
move the bridle over the top
of the head and slide the headstall over the hol:se's ears.
Once the tack is in place and secured, walk your horse
out 10 to 20 feet before you prepare to mount. This gives
you the opportunity to assure that everything is loose and
free. Once you put your foot in the stirrup, get in the saddle.
Don't climb on the horse. "Once in the saddle, you are in
a safe place," Wayne says. "Half way up or half way down
is not a safe place to be."
Safe in the saddle, ask your horse to turn one
direction, then the other. Then ask him to stop. You
might even want to back a little bit. Start in a walk then
trot a while before you lope. Let the horse warm up
before you ask him to do anything. ......
You know how well trained your horse is by seeing
how well he responds to leg clues. Most important does
he stop on voice command? How fast does he calm
down after loping? He should be calmer after the ride
than before you started.
"Don't take the horse home, unsaddle him and turn
him loose," Wayne says. "If you do, you will have a
sour horse. Instead make the horse walk home. Then
tie him where he can't get loose. Go get a drink of
water or do something to give the horse time to relax
before you turn him loose.
Try to spend some time with the previous owner to
find out the horse's habits as each animal is unique. If
you are a novice, you may want to have a professional
trainer work with your horse and with you to get you
off to a good start and to keep you both safe.
John Wayne is a trainer at the Painted Desert
Legacy Ranch located at"3031 West Mesquite (at the
corner of Barney and Mesquite) in Pahrump. The phone
number is: 727-2514. His fees start at $300 per month
to train a horse at the ranch facility. He likes to work
with the horse for the first three weeks and will work
with horse and rider the
last week. He also gives
riding lessons from begin-
ners to riders honing their
show skills for $25 per
hour.
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P.O. Box 6000° $uite 96. 1161 S. Loop P,d. #2
Pahrump, Nevada 89041
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