LONGEVITY TRAINING
What these horses, and others, have proven to me is that training for longevity is always worth it in the long run. And it doesn’t have to be hard. Just keep these principles in mind:
1. Vary your training each day or two. Cross-train with under-saddle training aimed toward the goals for the horse: groundwork, riding bridleless, trail obstacles, hill training for fitness, and swimming, if possible. I like to teach my horses to drive, too.
2. Don’t drill your horse. It’s true that horses learn through repetition; however, if you drill (for example, ride 20 circles without stopping), you will eventually lose the willingness of your horse. Horses hate drilling! Keep your horse interested in his lesson by changing directions (lateral suppleness) and doing transitions (longitudinal suppleness). Minding this Golden Rule will also help you develop your horse’s concentration for longer sessions over a period of time. Changing direction and doing transitions often teaches the rider to think: Think “in front of the horse,” think about being confident, and think about riding with accuracy and precision.
3. Train “outside the box.” An arena or a confined area is the place to teach the horse something for the first time. When he understands and can manage the skill, do it “outside the box” where there are new challenges, as the horse’s instincts kick in and he becomes more aware of his environment and on high alert. I learned over time that it was harder to have a horse do the same task well outside an arena. I trained my first National and World Champion in the woods of northern Wisconsin for the three months leading up to the competition. My horse was very confident in the ring!
4. Listen to your horse. If your horse challenges you, he is trying to tell you something. Use your common sense and try to understand what he could be saying. Figure out what you can try to do dierently to get a better result. I always start with a check-in with correct rider position. I know my position weaknesses and try to stop them from happening. Position problems can be as simple as looking down at your horse—when you do this, you will be late to direct him with your aids, and this will frustrate him.
5. Turn your horse out daily and give him at least one day o per week.