Tack n’ Talk
Just another WordPress.com weblogHello Weekend! December theme: In Between
December has brought the cold, frost, and some snow! Horses have been clipped, and have been rugged up for this temperature change. Hopefully it will be a lovely white Christmas this year!
This month on TacknTalk, we explore the notion of “being in between” and how it applies to horses and the equestrian. “Being in between” can refer to a period of flux, or a transition from one state to the next. How does one segway from being an avid competition rider, to strictly a horse enthusiast? How do horses transition from one career and life to the next?
The notion of “in between” can also refer to a bond that unifies. What is special between horse and rider? Is there motar that holds the equestrian community together?
Stay tuned as we explore and develop this concept in more depth this December!
Happy Riding!
Larissa and Libby
“12 Horsey Days of Christmas” Photo Scavenger Hunt Song!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a horse in a red Santa hat!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: two saddled horses!
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: three lunge whips!
Find a picture of each line of the song above (with yourself in it!) and email to tackntalk@ymail.com. For full details on the contest, click here.
The Twelve HORSEY Days of Christmas!!
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me….”
Get your Sherlock Holmes hat ready for:
A Christmas contest sponsored by Edition Boiselle and Kemp Equine.
How it works:
Each day from December 4th, 2009 to December 15th, 2009, TacknTalk Blog will publish one line from our song “The Twelve Horsey Days of Christmas“.
It is your job, as horsey scavenger hunt contestants to find those items that have been sung about that day, and take a picture of yourself next to them!
Ex: If our song lyric was “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree”, then you would find a partridge in a pear tree, and take a picture of yourself standing next to it! Or, if the lyric was “Twelve drummers drumming”…find yourself a dozen drummers, stand next to them, and snap that picture!
Email photos that correlate to the lines of the song, to tackntalk@ymail.com. Contestants that have successfully captured twelve photos that correlate to the 12 Horsey Days of Christmas will be entered into a draw to win an Edition Boiselle 2010 Calendar!
For extra fun, any unique, creative or funny pictures will be published on the blog and on TacknTalk’s Facebook Fan Page throughout the contest!
For song, please click here.
Have fun and good luck! 
Thank You for Entering Our Literary Contest!
TacknTalk Blog’s November Literary Contest is now closed for submissions. Judging for category winners will now commence.
Winners will be posted on the blog Dec. 10th as well as receive a fabulous prize from our contest sponsor, Jillaroo Australia!
READER’S CHOICE GRAND PRIZE DETAILS:
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of each category (nine works in total) will be published on TacknTalk Blog and TacknTalk Facebook Page. Readers will vote on their favorite piece out of these nine published works. The literary work out of the nine published with the most votes will win the GRAND PRIZE. Votes will be received as comments saying “Vote!” under the story. Must clearly say “Vote!” to be counted. Praise or critique of work in comment WILL NOT be counted as a vote. Winner of reader’s choice grand prize will receive fabulous merchandise from Jillaroo Australia!!
READER’S CHOICE GRAND PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 20TH!!
Jillaroo’s Top 10 Ways to Rock Your Equestrian Style!
Story by John Butler
Jillaroo Australia is the inspiration of mother of three, Tammy. While watching her (then) 13-year old horse-crazy daughter at Horse Training Camp, Tammy realized there wasn’t an edgy fashion label dedicated to young girls and teens with a passion for horses – most girls were wearing surf brands! After the class, Tammy chatted to the horse-loving girls about the idea of a funky fashion label especially for them. Receiving a passionate reaction to the concept, Tammy started researching her idea that afternoon.
The label is designed for young girls 6-11 years and teens 12-18 years. Tammy’s research revealed the teenage market was screaming out for some edgy horsey fashion with young girls wanting everyone to know how much they loved their horses without compromising on up to the minute fashion concepts. Tammy has also found her teenage range was selling to the groovy horsey 25+ age group so she has launched the Jillaroo line to cater for the more mature horse lover, again not compromising on fashion flair.
1. Always be unique! There is ONLY one you …stand out!
Want to blend in? DON’T! There is only one you in the world – so why not show yourself off? Wearing the Jillaroo Tees with catchy phrases and bright colors will show off your fashion sense, along with your passion for horses. You strive for blue ribbons…have a blue ribbon outfit! Let Jillaroo Australia help! You’ll be the talk of the barn!
2. Always be proud of your sport! Make it a part of your style!
“Beware The Mare” hoodie is perfect to wear anywhere. Be proud of riding and show your non horsey friends that you can be stylish and horsey at the same time!
Beware the Mare hoodie
3. Always ride like a girl. (Thank you Beagirltoday.com)
Attitude is everything. Always ride with confidence, grace and poise. Get that attitude with Jillaroo’s Eyelet Jacket which is sassy yet very classy at the same time and definitely shows everyone you see that you mean business and have great flair for fashion.
Eyelet Jacket
4. Always ride hard!
Always ride hard…nothing shows this more than our classic “sassy” sayings shirts! “Just Get Over It”, “I Do My Own Stunts” Tees shows your humorous side but also makes a very bold statement. Riding is not for the half-hearted….ride hard or go home!
I do my own stunts!
5. Always be horse crazy. Horse normal is lame.
The Jillaroo girl is always ready to ride…not afraid to spend time with their horses in the cold and rain! From Jillaroo’s awesome collection of bridle, helmet and saddle bags to our very popular Bomber jacket…you and your tack will always be prepared for any type of weather conditions that would otherwise leave you in the barn wishing for better weather!
Jillaroo Saddle Bag
6. Always love your horse…let it show!
Embarrassed about giving your horse that good bye hug – don’t be. Give your horse that extra hug when you leave the stable, wear Jillaroo Australia clothing, and enter TacknTalk Blog’s Literary contest to win Jillaroo merch!
7. Always look better on the inside than you do on the outside.
It doesn’t hurt to look fabulous, but focus on treating your horse and fellow horse-lovers with respect! Give your horse that extra hug and kiss before you leave, exercise your horse properly, and treat him well. Smile to your friends at the barn and be sure to include the new girl at your barn on your weekend hacks!
8. Always keep your eyes up and your heels down.
What better way to rock your equestrian style but through proper position and poise and in the saddle.
9. Always be cool to your barn mom or barn dad.
Mom and Dad want to be involved too and not just by using their checkbooks (but we are very glad they do!). Jillaroo Australia has ladies sizes available for Mom. Remember, Jillaroo is clothing for the young, and young at heart, female horse riders, athletes and proud Moms everywhere!
10. Always wear Jillaroo and show the world you love your own unique style! Win Jillaroo Australia clothing by entering TacknTalk’s literary contest!!
Win Jillaroo fashions by entering Tack and Talk’s November Literary Contest “Why Do You Love Your Horse?” Click here for more details and submit your work and wear Jillaroo with pride!
Sidedness of the horse
Story by Larissa Cox
It’s often heard: “whatever you work on, on one side of the horse, you should work on the other side of the horse.”
This is training sentiment is put into practice to keep a “balanced” approach. This helps to manage the explicit training of one side over the other. It prevents horses from becoming extremely one sided strictly due to preferences of the rider.
However, this does not help to alleviate the sidenedness already present in a horse. If a scale is unbalanced to start with, adding equal weight continuously to both sides will never balance it. A person must first assess the difference in weight of the sides, and then proceed to add and/or subtract weight from one or both sides in minor adjustments to eventually find an even and balanced position for the scales. So to must the rider do for their horse.
1) WARM UP
In order to assertain an accurate reading of the sidedness of your horse, they must be warmed up fully on both sides, otherwise the rider will glean false assessments.
A horse should have 5 to 15 minutes of walk on a free or loose rein, being able to swing and bob their head on straight lines, shallow figures, and large circles. In the trot and canter, the rider should take either a two point seat or light seat and go rising in the trot, to alleviate pressure on the back muscles. Again, the horse should be allowed on shallow figures, large circles and serpentines, and directed to frequent changes of direction. The horse should be encouraged to stretch forward and downward into the contact while maintain rhythm and thrust from the hind. Transitions between gaits are also important to help a horse warm up and encourage them to go “on the aids”. A warmup should be around 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the horse, their age, fitness level, type of work that is being trained, and the specific goals for that day.
2) ASSESSMENT OF THE SIDEDNESS OF YOUR HORSE
Once the horse has warmed up both ways equally the rider will be better able to assess the horse’s sidedness. This is like adding weights to your scale, and letting the scale settle into place before analyzing the balance.
At this point, smaller circles and simple lateral movements are used to see what side is more hollow and what side is more dominant.
Flex your horse at the throatlatch, bringing the head so you can see the eye and nose right, and then left. Which way was easier? That might be your more hollow side. Which way was harder to flex? That might be your more dominant side.
Try working in a small circle or volte in both directions. Does your horse maintain the bend and step underneith themselves maintaining impulsion better to one side than the other? Does this seem to correlate to the result of the throatlatch flexion?
Try a simple leg yeild from the centerline or quarterline to the track. I find moving towards the track, especially in this “assessment” period easier as it gives the rider a guage for straigtness. Furthermore, the wall and corner support your outside aids in the recovery steps of your movement when back on the rail. In the leg yeild, was one way easier than the other? Did the horse trail their hind legs out more noticably in one direction over the other? Did the shoulder buldge out more in one direction over the other? Was it easier in one direction over the other to maintain a parallel line to the track, rather than moving on an angle to the track in more-or-less a straight diagonal?
Try spiralling in and out in leg yeild from a 20 meter circle to a small 10 meter circle. Again, is it easier to maintain flexion and impulsion one way over the other? Did the horse bulge out through the shoulder one way more than the other?
Try doing a series of serpentines down the arena. Is it easier changing the bend from one direction to the other?
You may find it helpful to have a friend be in the arena with you during this initial assessment period of the horse a) take notes and record your feelings of the sidedness of your horse and b) make observations on the apearance of sidedness from the ground.
Once you have recorded these findings, it is helpful to go through them and make correlations between all your assessed movements. Was there one way that was noticeably more “bulgey” in the shoulder? Was one way easier in general to flex than the other? In all your movements, was one way more hollow, and one way more dominant?
If yes, you have discovered the starting balance of your scale. The heavy, bulging, dominant side is the side of the scale with more weight, and the light, hollow side is the side of the scale with less weight.
3) BALANCING THE SCALE
Now that you have asessed the initial values of your scale, it is time to either add or subtract weight from either side to balance the scales. It is at this point that I must reaffirm that a balanced and straight horse does not result from neither overtraining one side over the other, nor from riding both sides exactly the same. The horse exibits different characteristcs on either side, therefore must be ridden slightly differently on either side to relate to these differences.
The dominant side is the side that is heavy, bulging through the shoulder, and stiff through the throatlatch. This side must be encouraged to flex through the neck and ribcage, and be encouraged to lift up the shoulder and step up with the inside hind leg. Try incorporating lots of volte’s within the work to this side. Start and finish your long sides with volte’s to this side, and put volte’s in the middle of lateral work to this direction. Go deep into corners, and really focus on bending around the inside leg and lifting up the shoulder. In transitions, concentrate again, on keeping this dominant side soft and flexible, with that shoulder lifted, and that hind leg up and pushing forward.
The hollow side is often perceived to be the light side of the horse. A horse often has an easier time to bend their neck and body to this direction. In addition, the horse often trails out through the hind end towards this direction, and will find it harder to carry weight on that hind leg, as it is often not under the body, but off to the side. Work on lateral movements putting this hind leg under the middle of the body while maintaining impulsion would be a good idea. This could consist of travers or haunches in with the dominant side on the inside and the hollow rein on the outside. Leg yeilding into the hollow rein both towards the track or spiralling on a circle would also help encourage stretching and lengthening into contact on this side.
When riding to address the sidedness of your horse, you are helping to balance them out into a more even and straight mount. This will in turn help to create a happier horse with more stamina and better ease of movement.
Have fun and happy riding!
~ Larissa
TacknTalk Presents: November Literary Contest! *sponsored by Jillaroo Australia*
Proudly sponsored by:
Get your pens ready folks for TacknTalk Blog’s November literary contest!! If you think your horsey haiku has what it takes, send it over, because you might WIN a fabulous prize from our stylish sponsor, Jillaroo Australia!! Poetry not your thing? TacknTalk Blog will also be accepting short stories and essays for three different age groups ~ as long as it is an original work and fits the theme of telling us WHY YOU LOVE YOUR HORSE! 
In addition, there will be a reader’s choice GRAND PRIZE AWARD based on the votes of TacknTalk readers from the published winners of each of the three age categories! This winner will receive an extraordinary prize from Jillaroo Australia!!
Entries will be accepted all of November! Get those creative juices flowing, and email us your work of literature at tackntalk@ymail.com ~ we can’t wait to hear from you!
Contest details below:
ENTRIES ACCEPTED FROM NOVEMBER 1ST TO NOVEMBER 30TH
WINNERS ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 1OTH
READER’S CHOICE GRAND PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 20TH
THEME:
Why I love my horse!
ACCEPTED LITERATURE:
Original poetry, short stories, or essays under 3000 words.
TO SUBMIT LITERATURE:
Email tackntalk@ymail.com with your original literary work attached (all attachment types accepted.) Please state your name and which category you would like to submit your literature into.
CATEGORIES:
1) 11 years old and under
2) 12-17 years old
3) 18 years old and over
CATEGORY PRIZES:
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in all categories will be published on TacknTalk Blog and Facebook Page! Additionally, 1st place winners in each category (stated above) will receive a fabulous prize from Jillaroo Australia!
JUDGES:
Judges for category winners will be Larissa Cox and Libby Keenan of Tackn’Talk Blog as well as a representative from Jillaroo Austrailia and/or Canamera Distributing USA. Judging will commence December 1st and winners will be announced on TacknTalk Blog and TacknTalk Facebook Page December 10th.
READER’S CHOICE GRAND PRIZE DETAILS:
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of each category (nine works in total) will be published on TacknTalk Blog and TacknTalk Facebook Page. Readers will vote on their favorite piece out of these nine published works. The literary work out of the nine published with the most votes will win the GRAND PRIZE. Votes will be received as comments saying “Vote!” under the story. Must clearly say “Vote!” to be counted. Praise or critique of work in comment WILL NOT be counted as a vote. Winner of reader’s choice grand prize will recieve fabulous merchandise from Jillaroo Australia!
Have fun!!!
~Larissa and Libby
Email: tackntalk@ymail.com
To find out more about Jillaroo Austrailia, check out their website, or their American distributor, Canamera Distributing USA
Horse have an Attitude?
I recall one of the wisest sayings I ever learned regarding the training of horses. A coach of mine for many years, the late Major David Pardoe, often used to say “never pick a fight you can’t win.” Over the years I have come to realize how profound this sentiment is.I have reached the conclusion there is next to nothing to be gained by trying to beat or frighten a horse into submission. At the worst : you and /or the horse could be badly hurt. At the very least you create an atmosphere of mistrust which makes training nearly impossible.
Horses are extremely social creatures. In a herd they mimic and take behavioral cues from the lead horse. In our stables , schools , facilities and humanized environments horses take their socialization cues increasingly from us , their caregivers, stable masters , riders and trainers. They look to us for feedback and recognize us as their herd leaders for better or worse. If we are wise , we will do our best to make them feel safe, secure , non threatened and yet develop an enthusiasm for doing our bidding which may only be that of fair expectations vis a vis their age , conditioning ,ability and schooling.We must also rule out pain or disease as a reason for antisocial behaviour.
As Larissa discussed in the previous post on treats and their place in training , we must be careful not to spoil the horse or overdo rewards which have not been earned. By the same token I use withdrawal of approval as my primary method of discipline with my horses.This should not be confused with correction , which is a normal and necessary part of training. The whip and spur used only as aids and not instruments of abuse cause the horse very little pain or stress and merely emphasize a point in training.
Discipline on the other hand is clear and emphatic notice of strong disapproval leaving the horse with a very clear recognition of the fact that certain behaviours are absolutely non negotiable and unacceptable. Biting , kicking , rearing , setting out to throw a rider , balking, bolting ,dragging are a few examples I would place in this category
Having clearly eatablished to the horse that a pat,kind word or treat represent various levels of reward: we then have the opportunity to reverse the process ie: a sharp NO, no pats , no treats, no interaction at all and a quick return to the stall with no feedback whatsoever except perhaps a rather loud shutting of the stall door and a somewhat exaggerated stomping away muttering very unhappy remarks such as “bad horse” or “we don’t do that here” or” That is not acceptable!”Now the horse having come to seek our approval has absolutely no problem understanding it’s removal.In serious cases I make rather more fuss of grain for everyone else at night feed and a clear “bad horses don’t get grain ” for the offender.Actually a loud pinging of ONE pellet in the bin is even more effective!
Using this method I have found we have not hurt the horse, we have not frightened the horse, we have developed the horse’s ability to make choices and consider consequences, in short to think about their behaviour and decide to do better.
With horses who have a previous history of being abused this method must be introduced slowly and clearly as the horse’s triggers for fear , panic and acting out may still override their reasoning abilities. Over time , with patience I have never seen this method fail to improve their outlook.
We want our horses to enjoy being with us , to have expectations of good things when we appear.Not only do they become happier day to day it also gives us more leverage when we wish to make a strong point regarding the seriousness of a bad behaviour.
Owning a horse is very much like parenting. The same qualities are needed to have a functional life in your stable as in your family life. Consistency of expectations, fairness, clarity of boundaries and no waffling on those boundaries. Then you will have a barn of sane , happy , well adjusted horses who do not suffer the stress of never knowing where they stand. “A thinking trainer creates a thinking horse” Practice happy,positive horse keeping and never hold a grudge. When you have made your point , let it go. Every day your horse must know they have a new chance to regain your favour. Cheers. Libby Keenan
Strange occurence at Fairfield Heights: A Haunting Tale…
Story by Libby Keenan
Photos and Art by Larissa Cox
Jenna and Madison seldom rode together. In fact , they really had very little in common except that they both took lessons from Ms. Pamela Leicht at Fairfield Heights not far from Dover. This particular Friday evening their lessons had been put together. The schedule was all mucked up as it was the night before Halloween and everyone had plans so lessons had been moved , and changed and rebooked the whole week prior. Ms. Leicht liked both the girls well enough but was suffering from back pain as the weather had turned damp and raw and she, truth be known was in no mood to coach! After about 30 minutes of warming up, she suddenly jumped off the large mounting block she often sat on while coaching and said “girls, why don’t you take the rest of the hour and go for a hack down through the orchard?” …but neither girl really wanted to go . It was cold, they were not friends and both had very different ideas of what made for an enjoyable hack. Madison preferred to walk briskly in a nice , long round frame while Jenna loved galloping down all the lanes and jumping any logs or ditches they came across on the way. It was clear that Pamela Leicht was not in the mood to be trifled with so off they went , a very odd couple indeed.
By the time they rounded the corner at the end of the stables and were headed down the path that led through the old apple orchard twilight was falling and a thick fog was settling in making sounds become muffled and giving the old blackberry bushes along the hedge an eerie sinister look , like so many outstretched arms with knarled fingers.
They had little to say to each other and plodded along each lost in their own thoughts. Down the lane past the orchard they heard the chimes of the ancient church bells…
….and wished they were home eating supper and not here in the damp , cold and unsettling atmosphere of the foggy orchard.
They had reached the far end of the orchard and started up along the fence shared by the old church graveyard.They gone only a few yards when the sound of hooves pounding toward them made them both sit tall , shorten their reins and both horses’ ears had shot up as though this were a sound completely new to them….
The hoof beats came closer and closer, then faded again several times as if the rider were circling the graveyard. Through the thickening fog the girls could not see who it was but became even more distraught…
Suddenly out of the mist came a gigantic black horse. His nostrils flared and his eyes seemed to be glowing a menacing yellow. On his back was a tall, masculine figure in a black cape but where this rider’s neck should be was only a large gaping hole!
Madison, her heart pounding furiously, jumped off Corky and pulled him quickly behind one of the apple trees. Jenna and Barker seemed frozen, rooted to the ground. “Oh Lord help us… “ Jenna croaked out in a hoarse whisper,“it’s him, the headless horseman”. They’d both heard the story countless times but no one at Fairfield heights thought it was anything but an old legend meant to scare the girls at Halloween. After what seemed to be a lifetime of fright, the black horse had vanished in the fog again, off on another one of his seemingly endless rounds of the cemetery. With each beat of the horse’s massive black hooves, a ghost from the old graveyard was stirred into animation…
Soon, the whole graveyard in front of which the two girls stood was teaming with spirits from times long gone…
Even the stone wall seemed to have been possessed with a malevolent ghost…
The girls seemed unable to move. They stayed motionless for what seemed an eternity and then finally realized the pounding hooves had stopped. Silence, except for the odd apple dropping off and thudding on the ground, a few more minutes and Madison recovered her breath enough to squeak “let’s get out of here!!!” In a trot so fast that Jenna had to duck her head under apple branches they turned and made for home. By the time they reached the barn each girl had begun to wonder if the fog and their minds were not playing tricks on them. Still, there was no denying the alert uneasiness of the horses.
That night curled up under her comforter Madison chatted on her cell to her best friend Julie. “Hey maddy, are ya comin out with me tomorrow night for trick and treat?” Quietly Madison replied ” sorry Julie , I can’t go out this year, my Da’s sick and I have to stay home and help my Mum give out the candy.” Oh that’s a shame Julie said, “we were all thinking about taking a hike down past the old graveyard by Fairfield Heights… you know like we always do and look for the Headless Horseman! Who knows? Maybe this year he’ll show!” she chuckled, laughing at the ridiculousness of such a notion. “Hmmmm… maybe” said Maddy in a small and thoughtful voice. ” Well, have fun Julie I have to go now. Happy Halloween.”
For more scary treats and tales during this Halloween Fete…make your way to A Fanciful Twist!
Trick or Treat? – Things to consider when feeding treats to your horse
Story by Larissa Cox
Feeding a treat or two to your horse may seem like a great way to show your horse you are a friendly and loving owner. However, before you hand over the peppermint flavored alfalfa cube, think about whether the horse’s behavior warrants the positive reinforcement.
A good education program for any animal (including humans) follows a similar pattern: realistic goals, consistent approach in asking for the achievement of those goals, and positive reinforcement when the goals have been met. Whenever you are working with a horse, you are communicating with them what you consider acceptable social behavior. Giving positive reinforcement in the form of treats at inconsistent moments while working and being with them may cause the horse confusion, and possible problems in the future, especially when unintentionally rewarding bad behavior (ex: pushing on you resulting in getting fed a treat). Be aware what you are communicating to your horse, and what their response was to that cue before you decide to feed a treat or not.
Treats should also be kept in their proper niche in the training scheme: as a positive REINFORCEMENT to a previously given cue that the horse responded in the desired manner towards. Therefore, the treat should not negate the need for an initial cue. Holding out an apple tauntingly in front of a horse so that they may approach a trailer destroys the training process. There is a notion of a goal, but it is not been divided into realistic steps (if the horse walks towards the trailer following the apple – great! Let’s see if he will walk INTO the trailer as well before he gets the apple). There is no initial cue besides holding out a treat to follow, and therefore no connection with affirmation to desired behavior if the horse responds correctly. Instead, when approaching a task, think about the end goal, and the steps the task might be divided into. Decide on a consistent cue that you will be giving the horse to achieve those steps, and be prepared to give positive reinforcement when those steps are completed in a desirable fashion. To use the trailering example again: you decide the end goal is to get all 4 feet into the trailer. You decide approaching the trailer is the first step, each foot in the trailer is a separate step, with four feet in the trailer as the final step, and have decided to unload and re-approach the trailer between each step. You give a treat as a positive reinforcement after each successfully completed step, and keep your cues consistent throughout the task. With this approach, the horse correlates a treat with responding in a certain way to your cues, rather than a treat with something he may or may not get by walking forward after it.
Libby Keenan, co-author of TacknTalk Blog sees feeding treats as positive reinforcement to cues as able to “help build a conscience [in the horse]” as ultimately they will gain an understanding of what is desirable behavior and what is undesirable behavior. Ie: the horse will start to “know the rules.” “They will work very hard for a treat…but some days they cannot resist the naughty behavior and do not even come looking for a treat as they know what the deal was.” Additionally, riders who have used Clicker Training for their horses which works on the premise of a *click* and a treat for positive reinforcement for desirable behavior note good manners around food, and a general understanding of why treats would be given.
On a final note, I do not believe that treats are the only positive reinforcement that can be used in horse training: a pet, a verbal affirmation, or a release of the asking cue, could all be used effectively. The important thing to remember is a positive reinforcement is a necessary step in the training process, and leads to trust and enthusiasm for work. What form that positive reinforcement takes is up to you – and may vary from horse to horse. Looking at various training methodologies and see how the goal –> cue –> horse’s response –> affirmation process is managed, and see if it works for you.
Have fun and happy horse training!!
~ Larissa
