b'Break the Habit we might need to use some rein to communicate that desire, and to help him prepare. If we do, we need to be sure that the horse is understanding and responding by giving to that rein, not pushing against it. But the reins dont need to be mindlessly picked up every time we want our horse to move, and that was pretty much what I was doing. It had the effect of developing an Buddy Uldrikson undesirable habit in my horses, that being that when I Buddy Uldrikson Training at Rancho Rio Bonita: buddyuldriksonhorsemanship.com did pick up on the reins, the horses initial reaction was to prepare to go forward, thus leaning or pushing on the Ipick up on the reins, expecting him to do so. Well, whybit, rather than backing off, or giving to it.had the good fortune to be able to spend some time around ashould he slow? Why wouldnt he go faster? I kept tellingAfter becoming aware of this, and then sharing what really good horseman this pasthim that picking up on the reins came just before aId found with others, it became apparent that I wasnt summer. I think I could fill severalrequest for increased forward motion. So when I pickedalone. Ill bet that like me, a lot of folks had heard this editions discussing some of theup on them wanting him to stop, he expected to bementioned, and maybe even thought about it before, but horsemanship ideas that I came away with. One thing inasked to go faster. So then when he went faster, Id pulllike me, they hadnt broken the habit of starting with their particular that became painfully obvious was how muchharder. Theres that part about relying almost exclusivelyhands. So you might check yourself next time you ride.I rode with my hands. If we want our horse to strike off with a particular foot,I thought that I used my legs, seat, and focus a lot, but once it was pointed out, I quickly realized how muchor in a collected manner, we might need to use some reinI relied on my hands, via the reins, as my primary or nearly exclusive aid. I was missing out on a lot of theto communicate that desire, and to help him prepare.very efficient and effective aids. A couple of changes have made a big difference to my horses in a very short time.on my reins as aids. Guess what? My horses got evenAgain I am reminded that to improve the response of my The first is being aware of, and so hopefully alleviating,heavier on the forehand, preparing to brace against thehorse I need to be more aware of what I am doing, I need how much I pick up on the reins when I ask my horse topull, rather than preparing to get stopped. So, the firstto ask myself, what action of mine is causing the horse to strike off, or speed up. The second is not relying so muchthing was to quit picking up on the reins when I want torespond as he is? He is reacting as a horse. I need to look on my hands alone.strike off or increase speed. Just leave the hands out ofclosely at my part of the interaction and analyze what it it. They can stay right where they were. I got to thinkingis that I am doing that is causing the horse to react the Ive made more than my share of heavy-on-the- a lot about the use of my hands and trying to minimizeway he is. If that reaction is desired, I can build on what forehand, leaning-on-the-bit horses in my life; the kindthe amount that I needed them. Im not saying pull yourI did. If it is not what I desired, and I can determine that would seem to be running downhill, and had lessbridle off and get rid of it. The reins are an effective tool,what I did to cause such a reaction, I can change it. One than desirable stops. It was easy to understand a big partand they need to have meaning associated with their use.more time I see that to improve my horsemanship means of the reason why once it was pointed out. Every time IThats exactly why we need to try to be discriminatingworking on myself. In this case it meant eliminating asked the horse to strike off, I subconsciously picked upand consistent about that use. If we want our horse tomindless body movements that were sending messages on the reins. Then when I wanted him to slow or stop, Idstrike off with a particular foot, or in a collected manner,inconsistent with what I was wanting. 32 August 2020'