| Page2 The Round Pen
Some Basics in the Round Pen – For those who would like to experiment with the RP
let's assume for the moment that you have a horse If you get to the rail about a half lap ahead of the
horse’s approach to you the chances of the horse changing direction are much greater.
In the early stages of developing any new abilities with your horse lots of room and lots
of time to react are critical. After a successful turn-back you can let the horse go a few
(not many) laps the other way from your center spot and then ask for a change of direction
again. Staying in the center can be a very neutral spot. The horse has a choice of staying
the furthest he can
A relaxed manner from you should reach out to the horse as should a more upright and forthright posture. Movement with the horse, driving him from behind the shoulder, pushing him with your eyes on his hips, all of these should effect a change in how the horse goes. Dropping yourself back to neutral should get him to see that he can too. Remember not to make too many circuits in one direction. Mindless circles are not going to help him see the differences in what you are about. Changing speeds and changing directions will help him feel what you are asking for and how you are asking for it. Endless circles at one speed will just let him disregard you. There is so much more to what the round pen can help build between a horse and a human. Individual needs will may dictate or oftentimes inspire you as to how this tool can be applied to help both horse and human. I find that riding in the RP can often be of help to the human and in the end more help to the horse. It provides a place where the horse can err in the human’s eye and yet not have the situation become too scary for either party. For myself, I do not see that horses deliberately try to do differently than we ask of them. Seems to me that the horses I have been called on to help with over the years have all been about trying the best they knew how. The difference between a problem horse and a willing equine partner has invariably been about changing the human's understanding of what and how to ask the horse for his cooperation. Learning to use the round pen effectively may be a key in helping an individual develop that different understanding, to begin truly seeing what our horse is capable of giving to us. I have found this to be so, I hope you find it to be so… About the Author- Bob Sagely has both made a living and enjoyed a life
with horses for over twenty-five years. He has worked as a cowboy, horse
"trainer" and farrier and is fascinated by the sudden notoriety of the
"natural
|
| BACK TO PENZANCE TRAINING PAGES |
that leaves
at first chance. These are a few basics to try to help him want to stay with you. Get your
horse into the pen ( I'll leave that part up to you) and turn him loose. As the horse then
circles, you can stand in the center and just let it happen for a bit. A very neutral body
position, relaxed manner, slumped shoulders and cocked foot (yours) will often be enough
to drain a whole lot of energy from a horse. Chances are his mind will be outside the RP
and that will be fine for the time being. At some point though it will probably be time to
get more active. Stepping out of the center to a wall or rail you will become a closed
door to the horse. He may reverse or he may just veer out around you. Be sure to make
yourself larger to him by raising your posture and showing him more of you. Raise your
arms if you must. Be aware that some horses can have lost all, or nearly 
all, respect
for humans by the time you get them in the RP and will run people over. Keeping this kind
of horse out of your space can take a good bit of confidence and awareness on your part.
Above all, know your limits and stay safe.
from you out on the rail or he can start looking for another
thing to do. One thing he can do is to slow down and this is something you can use. When
he begins to slow down you can step back, out of the center to the side opposite him and
"give" him almost all of the RP. You may well get a stop and a little thinking
about the situation by the horse. One of many things to watch for, along with slowing down
and relaxing, is the horse’s efforts to look toward you with both eyes. The horse
should begin to pay more mind to what is inside the RP (you) and less attention to what is
going on outside the pen. Even for horses I have met for the first time I find this to be
a consistent response. This is providing you have not fallen into the mode of chasing him
and instead are asking him to respond to your presence and allowing the horse to stop and
consider things when he shows the least effort to do so.
What may happen next is the horse will
actually come to you or toward you and this is a good thing. Allow and encourage this,
meet him halfway if he is willing. Reward him with suitable attention if he makes it to
you or you make it to him. I consider reward to be standing at his withers and scratching
or gently rubbing him thereabouts, grooming him as other horses would do. This is a fine
opportunity to work on just standing there, being together and enjoying each other. Should
he need to leave, you can ask for his attention and he may stay or he may go. If he needs
to leave, let him but do not chase him. Once he is moving out on the rail, it is your call
as to what and how much to ask next. You can let him go and stay neutral in the center,
pull yourself to one side and see if he will stop or you can ask for more energy and life
and then let him back down, a change of gait up and back. This again is to be achieved by
body language or presence though many folks encourage the horse vocally or with a flag or
catch rope. That is more a personal preference, I do not see it as good or bad, just as
what fits the person and the horse.
horsemanship" movement. He was fortunate to have been
started by men who taught him things that made sense to him and worked with the nature of
the horse rather than against it. As a person who has depended on horses to make a living
he has come to understand how hard the horse will try for a human if the human can bring
things to the horse that make sense to it. He is now sharing his understanding and mindset
with others who are looking to build a better relationship with their horse. "The
horse is perfect and we just need to get good enough to deserve what they give us" is
where he operates, while trying to get better himself all the time. You can email Bob at