Starting a Young Horse - Picking up a Horse's Feet 1
In the video above you can see Anne Beyerly using the rope to pick up Elektra's hind foot.
For a full description of how we start teaching a horse let us pick up it's feet see Starting a Young Horse diary entry Picking up a Horse's Feet.
Starting a Young Horse - Picking up a Horse's Feet 2
In the video above you can see Anne Beyerly picking up Elektra's hind foot without using the rope.
For a full description of how we start teaching a horse let us pick up it's feet see Starting a Young Horse diary entry Picking up a Horse's Feet
These exercises and more can be found on Kate Farmer’s Thinking Horse DVD. Click on the icon under Elizabeth Recommends on the right of this page.
Starting a Young Horse - Introducing Elektra to the Surcingle
Anne Beyerly introduces Elektra to the surcingle. See Starting a Young Horse diary entry Teething Troubles
In the video above you can also see an example of "hooking on" in the round pen.
In this video Elektra is “hooking-on” to Anne. i.e. Elektra willingly chooses to be with Anne, turning in towards her from the perimeter of the round pen. She is accepting Anne’s leadership and safety-zone.
Anne can invite Elektra into her personal space and send her out of it. Using body language and offering mutual respect, as can be seen here, can be a valuable tool to use on which to build all other work with horses. Demand respect from your horse but respect the horse for what he is. Note that Anne practises hooking-on from both sides of Elektra.
Notice also how quitely Anne works and how she brings her own enrgy up or down depending on what she is asking Elektra to do e.g. if she wants Elektra to canter Anne brings her her energy up in her feet, before twirling the rope as a stronger signal. These are quite clear signals for Elektra to understand.
In the video above: