Connecting the Dots: Breakthroughs in Horse Training

Those of you who have followed The Barb Wire for some time know that Consolation has been a challenge to train -- not because she's stupid or spooky; on the contrary, Consolation is quite the self-possessed lady. As such, it's been hard to convince her that between the two of us, I'm in charge.

Our latest (and longest) struggle has been over her reluctance to leave the farm. Months ago, we conquered the associated fear. What has lingered is an abiding desire to be home rather than away, presiding over her herd instead of exploring with me. This has led to many a tedious lesson in which we walk down the road, then back past the driveway and a few hundred feet in the opposite direction, back and forth, up and down, dragging her feet away from home, turning back only when directed, finally ending with ten or twenty minutes of trotting and lateral work in the round corral. Lessons like this, though critical for some horses, are not what makes me get up on the morning.

Yesterday, I spent half an hour commiserating with a friend who is struggling with the very same issue in her green mare. We considered forming a club -- the Recalcitrant Mare Owners of America -- for support. It was, at least, comforting to know that other competent trainers don't have perfect horses, either.

Besides, distantly regal or downright rebellious as she can sometimes be, Consolation and I have our moments of intimacy. Just yesterday morning, I found her caught in the fence when I went outside to feed at daybreak. She stood calmly, surveying me with her lovely, liquid eyes, as I evaluated the situation. Though unhurt, she was tangled sufficiently that wire clipping seemed the easiest way to get her loose. As Travis snipped the wire, she flinched but held steady with my hand upon her neck. Moments later, she stepped free, stiff enough to let me know she'd waited several hours for help.

Times like that tell me I've done a good job with a horse. Consolation didn't panic, but gave to pressure. She stood calmly while I, by all appearances a predator, examined her entangled legs. Once free, she waited to move until given permission, and she did so with her wits about her. All those hours of trust-building, those surges of admiration for the lovely way she moves, lesson after tedious lesson when all I could offer her was quiet firmness and consistency...all these things in the hope that one day, our many points of contact would meld into a miracle, like connecting the dots in a children's activity book to discover a hidden picture.

Yesterday, I saddled Consolation by the golden glow of late afternoon and directed her once more out the driveway. And it happened: She offered to trot.

I was so surprised that I pulled her back to a walk immediately, which was in any case the right thing to do. Energy is always welcome, but gait changes should happen only on command. As soon as my brain caught up with events, however, I asked for a trot and Consolation sprang forward. This was no hustle-forward-under-duress, but a full-on, honest-to-goodness, let's-go-see-the-world trot!

Almost a mile later, we were still going. Sure, we'd stalled to eye a few new sights, weaved a bit like drunken sailors as she explored the possibility of turning back, but we were moving forward! Happily! For the first time on a trail ride with Consolation, I was actually having fun!

If there's one thing I've learned about training horses, it's this: Don't press your luck. Get done while the getting's good. Quit while you're ahead.

And so, during a particularly joyous stretch of eager trotting, I slowed Consolation and turned her toward home. We walked a bit but trotted more, so well under control that I was free to revel in the smoothest trot I've ever had the pleasure to sit.

You know, I could deal with fifty miles of that.
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Related Posts

Breaking Free: Training the Herdbound Horse

Where To, Ma'am: First Trail Ride on a Green Horse

Thinking it Through: Training Horses as Individuals

Moving Out: Increasing Speed and Confidence on the Trail

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Back in Business

Time flies when you have the flu!

Already we're just two weeks away from the Owyhee Canyonlands ride in Oreana, which will be Aaruba's and my last for the year. After a ten-day rest following our first 50-mile race at Old Selam, which coincided most convinently with my flu-induced down time, Aaruba is back on the conditioning trail. Now that his gastric ulcers have resolved, he's gained both weight and energy. Yesterday, he covered 14 hilly miles with such exuberence that I was quite glad to have worked him for 20 minutes in the round corral before saddling up!

I've returned to under saddle work with Consolation as well. Truth be told, I'm a bit alarmed by the amount of work I have yet to do with her this year, and already her coat is thickening for chilly autumn nights. One thing after another has delayed her training so that I'm not much further along now than I was a month ago. On the other hand, Aaruba was at a similar stage this time last year. We'll just keep at it...

Meanwhile, I'm ground driving Acey to build her confidence before getting serious about riding her. Sandstorm and Tuetano await further gentling. Insider could use some handling, if for nothing more than to engage his mind. The two year olds' primary job at the moment is to simply eat and grow up, but they too require periodic tune-ups. It's a bit overwhelming, truth be told.

And, on top of it all, another of my passions has surfaced. I try not to think about writing fiction during horse training season because writing, like training, is time consuming and mentally exhausting. But as others who are compelled to write will understand, a novel sometimes demands to be written. It grabs an author by the shoulders and shakes him senseless. He must comply.

I'm going to start a petition for the establishment of 36-hour days. Would you care to sign?

Cute Couple

Insider is having a good day.

In fact, he's in for a good few months. He and Sandstorm will be sharing a paddock for the foreseeable future.

For the foreseeable future? Certainly! It may not be the usual practice these days, but I can't think of a way to keep a stallion happier than to let him have a companion. Some, like Tuetano, get along with certain geldings -- in fact, our Tuetano and Crackerjack co-exist quite nicely. Many, including Insider, are quite civil and content in the presence of a bred mare.

Like many breeders, we at In the Night Farm are taking care to avoid a surplus of unwanted foals in these tight economic times. Luckily for Insider, an individual commissioned this breeding, which will lead to our only 2009 foal. We're expecting a winner!

Shot in the Dark: Friendship

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it's the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Related Posts
Countdown to Old Selam
Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam
Off to the Races
It's Official: We Do Endurance!
The First of Many! 50 Miles at Old Selam
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Photo by East End Portrait Photography

The First of Many!: 50 Miles at Old Selam

I slept well, considering it was the eve of the race I'd waited years to ride. My first 50!

Still, when my alarm went off at 5:30 Sunday morning, I was already lying awake on my cot inside the horse trailer, listening to distant thunder and Aaruba's growing restlessness as raindrops dappled his blanket and neck. I pulled my riding clothes -- which felt at least as cold as the 34 degree air -- into the warm confines of my sleeping bag and struggled into them. My boots were colder still, but I was far too busy ticking off my pre-ride to-do list to care.

First: Feed Aaruba. He wasn't interested in hay, but that didn't worry me as I'd heard him munching consistently throughout the night. He deigned to consume a couple pounds of Equine Senior before resuming the nervous pacing of his pen.

Second: Feed self. I munched half a bagal with peanut butter while trying unsuccessfully to discourage Aaruba's pacing.

Third: Apply Easyboots. Normally, Travis does this for me, but he was home with the flu. I grabbed a hoof pick, a handful of nylon stockings, and a boot. Slipping two stockings over Aaruba's off hind hoof to help prevent gaiter rubbing, I went to work.

It was a bit like trying to stuff a very squirmy anvil into one of those plastic Easter eggs, but by the time my friend Jennifer arrived at 6:30, I'd progressed to the second hind boot. I panted a greeting and resumed my wresting match with Aaruba's foot. By the time I continued to the more-cooperative front boots, I'd shed four layers of clothing, all the way down to a tank top in the dawn twilight. On the bright side, the rain had stopped.

At 7:00, both ridecamp and Aaruba were wide awake, and I was immensely grateful to have Jennifer handy to mix electrolytes, then hold Aaruba while I finished tacking up for the 7:30 start. She also got out her camera and started snapping.

As usual, Aaruba calmed down the moment I swung astride. We checked in with the ride officials, then paced up and down with the other riders, warming up and waiting for the trail to open. Knowing Aaruba's tendency to be competitive, I made sure he and I were headed away from the starting line when 7:30 arrived and most of the horses took off. No racing today -- he'd need that energy later.

We set off once the leaders were well out of sight, but alas, my plan was thwarted by a U-turn at the very beginning of the loop. The moment Aaruba saw the herd ahead, his race brain kicked into high gear and I had a battle on my hands. He snorted fire when I refused to let him trot like a maniac over the rocky terrain, and as a few more riders came up from behind as we circled, he became so agitated that I dismounted and led him almost a mile up the trail before he quieted.

Finally, he settled enough to stand while I tied my jacket behind the saddle and re-mounted. Now quite alone, we tackled the trail at a brisk trot, climbing gradually up the mountain on old logging roads with excellent footing, slowing to conserve energy on the steepest parts. When we reached a long downhill, we let loose a bit to make up some time. An excellent downhill trotter, Aaruba flew along so quickly I feared we'd catch up with the horses ahead, but the only soul we happened upon was the ride photographer. Steve Bradley had set up shop in a meadow bathed in yellow sunlight. He snapped our picture and waved us along with a cheerful, "Have a good ride!" (You can see proofs of his shots on his website; we're number OS82057 and OS82058 on Day 2.)

We carried on, alternating walking and trotting, stopping for an occasional mouthful of grass as we climbed up a long hill, then down again to a narrow creek where Aaruba drank deeply.

Just over the creek was the section of trail we'd been warned of at the ride meeting: A couple hundred feet of rather narrow, very steep uphill made slick by the passage of many ATV tires. The sides of the trail offered more crumbly footing, but also tangled shrubs that I feared would catch an Easyboot. I pointed Aaruba up the center of the trail and grabbed mane. He plunged upward in a series of powerful leaps.

Halfway up, he drifted to the right as if to ask, "Are you sure, Mom?" (Or maybe it was, "Lady, are you nuts??") A touch of the rein set him straight, and he motored on, bumping my heels with his stifles as I crouched in two-point to free his back as much as possible.

We crested the hill in a surge of adrenaline that powered him along yet another logging road, this one freshly scarred by heavy machinery, then through a long and scenic stretch that I thought must be leading us back toward camp. I estimated we'd averaged 6.5 or 7 mph, and a glance at my watch told me we should finish the 20-mile loop at about 10:30. Sure enough, it was 10:25 when we finally caught up with another rider as she crossed the paved road that told us we were less than half a mile from camp. We rode in together, and Aaruba pulsed down exactly 180 minutes from the start. "Number 510, in at 10:30, out at 11:15!"

We vetted through with all A's except for an A- on gut sounds, which seems to be typical for Aaruba, then headed to the trailer. I removed his bridle and interference boots and left him in his pen with a pan of soaked beet pulp, a flake of alfalfa, and Jennifer (to keep him from rolling with his saddle on) while I ate a banana and mixed another dose of electrolytes. By the time I'd checked Aaruba's pasterns for gaiter rubs -- none! -- and emptied out the sand that had collected in his stockings, it was time to tighten the girth and go.

We were a couple minutes late out of the hold, but no matter. I figured we were already in last place, and besides, we had nothing to prove. All I wanted was to complete the race with a healthy, happy horse.

Aaruba loved the early part of the 18-mile loop, a bit of technical singletrack that bounded up and over a series of short, sharp hills as it swooped down to the creek and up again, finally spilling us onto a wide road of decomposed granite that led up, up, up toward the clouds that billowed dark on the jagged horizon.

A chilly wind swept us along the trail and I wondered if I shouldn't have abandoned my jacket at the trailer after all. But as we kept climbing, mostly up and a little down, the exercise of riding kept me warm. About halfway through the loop, Aaruba's energy seemed to flag. No wonder -- we'd already covered more miles than he'd ever done before! Still, I knew were were just over halfway, so I dismounted to run with Aaruba. By taking the lead for a while, I hoped to give him a mental break as much as a physical one.

We'd been on Loop 2 for almost two hours when I heard female voices drifting on the wind. Several more minutes passed before Aaruba and I rounded a bend just in time to glimpse a pair of horses on the trail ahead. Aaruba perked up at once. He clearly had plenty of gas left in the tank, and we caught up with the other riders in short order. They were taking it easy because their horses had completed the Day 1 50 as well, so rode with them only briefly before trotting on ahead.

Soon, a sign on a paper plate informed us we were one mile from camp. Only a mile? We were ahead of schedule! Aaruba seemed to sense my excitement. He hustled down the last bit of trail, paused for a long drink at the first water tank he saw, then walked on to the pulse down area. In at 1:43, out at 2:28, and all A's from the vet -- even gut sounds.

More hay and electrolytes for Aaruba and a plateful of barley salad for me, then it was back on the trail for the final 12 miles. A few horses were finishing the third loop as we started out, and their presence seemed to rekindle Aaruba's enthusiasm. Though we soon found ourselves quite alone again, he plowed along almost as though we were just starting the race. I found myself working to pace him, lest he burn himself out before the end.

Still, we tore through eight miles or so before the day's work seemed to catch up with him. I noticed that although he remained quite sound, he'd grown reluctant to trot downhill -- Tired muscles? Sore shoulders where the points of the saddle tree slid forward against them? -- so I either dismounted to jog down, or held him to a walk while descending slopes. I later discovered that his skin was a little sore from the motion of his saddle pad in the lumber region, a problem both quick to disappear and easy to remedy.

At 4:10, I promised Aaruba we'd be done in half an hour or less. Sure enough, it was 4:28 when we broke out into the rocky wash, crossed the creek once more, and headed for home. Jennifer was waiting with her camera as we approached the finish line, and the ride officials who knew it was our first 50 cheered as we trotted across. I didn't catch our exact finish time, but I think it was about 4:35, giving us a total ride time of 7:35 at an average speed of 6.7 mph. Perfect.

Even better, Dr. Washington (who, incidentally, was one of the vets involved with Aaruba's near-fatal impaction colic last October) marked all A's on Aaruba's completion exam. I couldn't have been prouder of my boy.

"So," Jennifer asked as we meandered back to the trailer. "How was it?"

"Easier than I expected," I said. "Guess I'll have to try for 100!"

And someday, I will.
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Related Posts
Countdown to Old Selam
Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam
Off to the Races
It's Official: We Do Endurance!

Shot in the Dark: Friendship
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Photos by East End Portrait Photography.

It's Official: We Do Endurance!

Do we look happy? That's Aaruba and me approaching the finishing line at the 2008 Old Selam Endurance Ride for our first 50-mile completion. We did it! Stay tuned for the full story.
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Related Posts
Countdown to Old Selam
Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam
Off to the Races
The First of Many! 50 Miles at Old Selam
Shot in the Dark: Friendship
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Photo by East End Portrait Photography.

Off to the Races

Yesterday morning, en route to the office, I spotted a truck towing a horse trailer down the freeway. I slowed to check it out:

Washington plates. Camper in the truck bed. Portable corral panels. Husband asleep in the passenger seat. Gray Arabian muzzle poking through the trailer window. Blue bumper sticker proclaiming: To Finish is to Win!

Definitely endurance riders on their way to Old Selam. Excitement stirred as I thought, for the millionth time, I want to do that!

...and this time, I get to!

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Related Posts
Countdown to Old Selam
Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam
It's Official: We Do Endurance!
The First of Many! 50 Miles at Old Selam
Shot in the Dark: Friendship
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Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam

On the outskirts of Boise, its forbidding walls juxtaposed against a botanical garden overflowing with roses and herbs, crouches the Old Idaho State Penetentiary. Its construction began in 1870, just ten years after Idaho became a U.S. territory. Over the years, hundreds of convicts labored in the sandstone foothills, hewing out blocks to build the walls and cells within which many of them would perish.

As you might expect of a prison built by its inmates, the Old Pen has a long history of escaped prisoners. Some 500 escape attempts are on record, 90 of them successful. Two of these escape attempts occurred in late December, 1901, with the help of an horse called Selam.

Selam is reputed to have been an unusually good riding and driving horse in his day, but by 1901, he was growing old and had been assigned to the Old Pen as a cart horse. On December 24, prisoner Bob Meeks -- the only member of Butch Cassidy's gang to be arrested for the Montpelier bank robbery -- cut Selam loose from his wagon and headed for the hills. Unfortunately for Meeks, trackers caught up with him the next day and both prisoner and horse were returned to the penitentiary. Merry Christmas.

Just five days later, on December 30, prisoner Samuel Bruner disappeared from his privileged post in one of the Old Pen's power plant duty stations. Convicted of grand larceny in 1899, Bruner had apparently slipped away astride old Selam. Neither horse nor prisoner was ever found.

In 1976, three years after the Old Pen was retired as a correctional institution, the Southwest Idaho Trail and Distance Riders group established an annual endurance ride that attempted to retrace the two convicts' possible escape routes. Originally, ridecamp was set up right at the reportedly haunted penitentiary, but trail restrictions have since forced several relocations. Nevertheless, the Old Selam Endurance Ride remains Idaho's oldest endurance ride to have been held every year since its inception.

Nobody knows what became of Sam Bruner and old Selam. Perhaps they did pass through the area near Idaho City, where this year's ride will take place. Maybe, just maybe, Aaruba and I will retrace their footsteps to freedom, or else kick up the dust of their long-forgotten bones.
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Related Posts
Countdown to Old Selam
Off to the Races
It's Official: We Do Endurance!
The First of Many! 50 Miles at Old Selam
Shot in the Dark: Friendship
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Countdown to Old Selam

Tick...tick...tick...

It's coming too fast, yet not fast enough, this first 50-mile race.


The summer's Limited Distance races have been a thrill, but for years I've looked forward to the real deal:

Endurance...50 miles or more in 12 hours or less. We're going to give it a go at the 2008 Old Selam Endurance Ride on August 31.

Aaruba and I enjoyed our final conditioning ride last Sunday -- 15.5 miles at 7 mph, which is within my intended speed range for Old Selam. Twelve days into his treatment for gastric ulcers, Aaruba demonstrated marked improvement in attitude and energy. Full of enthusiasm, he bounded along the roadside, enjoying a couple long hand gallops before looping back toward home. Remedial training on the return journey slowed our overall time, but he clearly remembered my expectations and responded readily to correction. This may come in handy early in Sunday's race, though we will take care to start several minutes after the trail opens.

Between now and Sunday, I'll keep Aaruba loose and sane with a some brief workouts in the round corral. I had originally planned on two short, easy rides this week, but one of Aaruba's hind heels seemed a bit bruised last weekend, so we're taking it easy and staying on soft ground. No matter; no conditioning benefit can be gained between now and the race, and rest is far more important.

Our plan is to drive the 80 miles to ridecamp outside Idaho City on Saturday morning, arriving around noon. Travis will help me set up, then head back to In the Night Farm to hold down the fort while I stay to compete (or rather, complete, if all goes well). I was a bit nervous about the prospect of crewing myself at my first 50 until a good friend stepped forward to offer her assistance.

Jennifer will drop by ridecamp Saturday afternoon to get a feel for the layout, equipment, and tasks involved with crewing. She'll go back to Boise to be mom to her one-year-old daughter, then return early Sunday with camera in hand. She's quite a good portrait photographer -- you check out some of her work on her blog (scroll down to see my favorites from Mother's Day and Easter) -- and Old Selam will offer a smorgasbord of fresh victims...er, subjects.

I'll spend the rest of Saturday vetting in, taking Aaruba for a short ride to check out the trails, laying out everything I'll need Sunday morning so I don't waste time on desperate searches for hoofpicks and breastcollars in the pre-dawn darkness, and attending the ride meeting.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. There's still a great deal of packing and preparation to be done before we can load the horse and head for the hills. One of the biggest jobs is already finished: in an effort to make Aaruba more comfortable with his travel arrangements, Travis removed the solid window cover at the front of the trailer and welded in some steel bars instead. Hopefully, the view will help Aaruba, who isn't the world's best hauler, relax a bit en route.

Last night, I washed Aaruba's saddle pad, interference boots, and Easyboot Bares. (I think we'll be doing this ride with boots in front and bare hooves behind, but I won't know for sure until after the ride meeting.) I've re-read the AERC rules so I'm clear on the differences between LD and endurance, printed driving directions, double-checked the contents of my vet kit, laundered my favorite riding clothes, kept an eye on the weather forecast (partly sunny, breezy, and 65 degrees), and crushed Tums to add to Aaruba's electrolytes so they're less likely to exacerbate his ulcers.

Speaking of ulcers, my heart sank when I checked AERC's banned substances list and discovered that it includes omeprezol, that is, GastroGard! I called Aaruba's vet immediately to ask about my options. Thankfully, she said he'd do fine switching to sucralfate, which AERC specifically lists as a permitted substance, for the duration of the ride. I'll just need to be sure that at least 24 hours go by between Aaruba's last dose of GastroGard and our pre-ride vetting on Saturday.

Tonight, I'll pack my camping gear and Aaruba's tack and feed. Friday evening, I'll enlist Travis' help to load the truck, then prepare meals to fill the ice chest. As usual, I'm surrounded by piles of nerdy spreadsheets and lists. With luck, I won't forget anything...
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Related Posts
Once Upon a Horse: The Story of Old Selam
Off to the Races
It's Official: We Do Endurance!
The First of Many! 50 Miles at Old Selam
Shot in the Dark: Friendship
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Today's Most Useful Tool

A few days ago, Lynn at Laf'n Bear Studio wrote a post called Today's Most Useful Tool. In Lynn's case, the tool was a nail file. (Who'd have guessed?) My most useful tool today -- and many days -- is Google Earth.

If you haven't downloaded this free software yet, you are missing out. I employ it regularly to plan routes for conditioning rides. Using the "path" option on the "ruler" tool, I can zoom in on the roads near In the Night Farm and click my way to the exact number of miles Aaruba and I are due to ride. On the rare occasion we leave without a route in mind, I can trace our path later to ensure the accuracy of our conditioning log.

Bonus Tip: You can also use Google Earth for a cheap date. Just grab your sweetie, pop some corn, and snuggle in front of the computer for a tour of the world. Visit the summit of Mount Everest. Zoom in on the Taj Mahal. Compare the Great Pyramid to Chichen Itza.

Just don't expect to see Olympians in Bejing -- most of Google Earth's photos are several years old; those of In the Night Farm certainly predate our arrival. Too bad, really. Wouldn't it be fun to spy on the in-laws?
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Related Posts
Log On: Sample Endurace Horse Conditioning Schedules
How to Condition a Horse for Endurance: A Collection of Resources
Rider Resource: Endurance Conversions Chart
Rider Resource: Endurance Conditioning Log
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The Things I Carry

Have you ever noticed that, wherever you go, people ask you the same kinds of questions?

When I'm talking of writing instead of riding, people want to know where I get my ideas (usually from a "what if?" based on a scrap of real life), how long it takes to finish a novel (a really long time, when I'm trying to train horses too), and whether I write romance (um, no).

Among horsemen, there seems to be a preoccupation with what endurance riders carry down the trail. And so, for those who are curious, here's what's in my saddle bag:

1) Water, obviously.

2) A ziploc for my vet card. This lives in my saddle bag full time, so I can't forget it when I go to a ride.

3) My cell phone. I used to use a neoprene leg holster, but it stretched out so much that I can't keep it secured around my calf anymore. Naturally, having a phone in my saddlebag won't do me any good if Aaruba and I part company, but at least I have some of the bases covered.

4) Sunscreen. I'm mildly allergic to sunlight (I know, I know!) so I carry a few sample-size packets, just in case.

5) Hoof pick.

6) A few sheets of Kleenex. Multi purpose!

7) Stethoscope. When I jump off at a vet hold, I like to listen to Aaruba's heart rate before asking for an official pulse check.

8) Map or route reminder.

9) Lip balm, in case I meet someone worth kissing.

That's it for the regulars. I suppose that, in an ideal world, I'd remember some baling twine and a knife, maybe a little duct tape, my epi-pen, a bottle of aspirin, granola bars, a mylar blanket, chlorine tablets, emergency flares...

Nah. I'll risk it.

Twenty Minutes in Photos: Trust-Based Training at Work

Back in May, I wrote about the beginning stages of gentling Sandstorm, who arrived at In the Night Farm as a completely unhandled bundle of nerves. I haven't been able to put nearly as much time into her this summer as I hoped to, but we've spent about fifteen sessions laying a foundation of trust in anticipation of future work. Here's a series of photos taken last Saturday during a twenty-minute lesson on the cusp between gentling and training:

I started by moving Sandstorm around the round corral a few times in each direction, allowing her to check out any changes in the surroundings and prepare to focus on me.

When her inside ear was on me and she showed interest in stopping, I shifted from a driving posture to an not-threatening pose, inviting her to turn inward. I approached her at a medium walking pace, gaze and shoulders dropped. Her body language demonstrated that she was quite unconcerned. This represents major progress since the early days, when I had to creep toward her, inch by inch, while she trembled on the verge of panic.

Sandstorm is distinctly right-eyed. She's doing much better, but sometimes still goes to great lengths to avoid watching me with her left eye. Here, she was thinking about twisting her head around to look at me over her withers. It was this behavior that led me to put a halter on her, though I had to put her in a squeeze chute to do it. She was learning that she could avoid me by turning waaaay away, so I spent a few sessions teaching her to give to halter pressure so I could gently bring her head back around when necessary.

As usual, I touched from poll to tailhead, under her belly and down her legs. My hand on her withers provided a mental anchor, enabling her to better sense my movements, and giving me warning if she was about to leap away.

Notice, too, that I stood with my body touching hers. For humans, this takes some getting used to because it feels unsafe, but to the horse, it is a great comfort.

I've spent hours working on getting Sandstorm to allow me to touch her face, particularly from the near side. It's been a painstaking, inch-by-inch process, but she's finally begun looking forward to getting some rubs on her itchy spots.

Incidentally, I can also touch both ears, inside and out, without the slightest reaction. It's amazing what you can do when you take the time to develop trust instead of forcing a horse into something for which it isn't prepared.

That goes for training a horse to pick up its feet, too. This mare can't be haltered without restraint, barely leads, and is far from being ridden, but she lets me handle her feet better than many a seasoned show horse. Why? Simply because I gave her time to choose to stay. She could run away, but she knows she doesn't need to.

This was only the second time I'd picked up her hind hoof. Notice that I stood well forward, with my right knee soft. If she'd panicked and kicked my leg, she'd probably have knocked me down, but hopefully my knee would have escaped serious damage.

I only held this foot up for a second or two before releasing it. This was critical, because I was asking her to compromise her most basic defense -- the ability to run. She needed to be released before she felt trapped.

Next, I brought out a soft, cotton rope. I rubbed her all over with it, just as I had with my hands at the beginning of the lesson.

At this point, we moved beyond review into mostly new territory. I touched Sandstorm with with the just end of the rope, allowing her to get a good look at the way it stretched, snakelike, between us.

I worked on each step from both sides of the horse, spending more time on her weaker, near side. However, because it was Sandstorm's first time having a rope tied around her neck, I tied the knot (a bowline, which won't tighten under pressure) while standing on her right.

She took a nervous, sideways step when she realized the rope was attached. I let her move but followed, keeping the distance between us the same. You can see by the angle of her ear that she was nervous about the rope, not about me.

If she had chosen to turn tail and run, I'd have not only let her go, but moved her around the round corral, dangling rope and all, until she settled down with her attention back on me. Then, I'd have proceeded calmly as if nothing had happened.

I put light tension on the rope to ask for a "give" in my direction. Sandstorm responded immediately with several, tentative steps. Not all horses will move their feet when first asked to lead, but Sandstorm had the advantage of some earlier "give to halter pressure" lessons performed at the end of a lunge line several weeks ago.

After a few minutes of leading practice, I laid the rope over Sandstorm's neck and picked up her off-side hooves. She stood calmly even when I slapped the bottom of her front hoof with my palm.

When handling her hind hoof, I didn't bring it behind her as I will eventually for cleaning and trimming. That step, which puts me in a potentially dangerous position, is better reserved for when I have a handler at her head.

So, there's the update. It doesn't seem like much...until I recall the days, not so long ago, when this horse shook if anyone so much as eyed her from a distance of twenty feet. When I look at it that way, Saturday's lesson seems just shy of a miracle.

Tack Test: Indian Bosal

I love my mail carrier. Today, she brought a package from Crazy Ropes containing my new bridle. This is a bitless option known as an Indian bosal. Here it is, modeled by Consolation.


Designed for direct reining, an Indian bosal operates very much like a rope halter, with the use of familiar pressure via the knots around the horse's muzzle. However, it offers more control due to the straps that cross beneath the horse's jaw and tighten when the rider takes up the reins.





I think this will make a great endurance bridle, as it doesn't limit the horse's ability to eat as does the Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle I use on Aaruba. The rope halter is built right in, so I'll never have to lead by the reins, and it the soft rope appears very comfortable indeed.

Consolation looks happy about it, too, wouldn't you say?

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Related Posts
Why Ride Bitless?
Call Me Crazy: A Word about Natural Horsemanship

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Want to try an Indian bosal? Enter the Best of the Barb Wire Contest before November 10, 2008, to win a free, custom Halter Bosal Combo from Crazy Ropes!

Where's the Fire?

In my opinion, one of the most irritating habits a horse can have is that of rushing home at the end of a ride. Unfortunately, it's a very common habit. Even more unfortunately, it's a habit into which Aaruba has recently fallen. He'll be perfectly controllable during the first half of a ride, but the minute we head for home, watch out! His head and tail go up, his back lifts, and his legs churn in a frenzy of enthusiasm. He's even offered to buck.

What to do? I could throw up my hands, declare that going bitless won't work for Aaruba after all, and slap a tom thumb bit in his mouth instead. I guarantee that would slow him down...for a while...until he figured out how to evade it. Knowing Aaruba, he'd probably take the head-tossing route, and I'd have an even bigger problem on my hands.

No, this tendency to rush home isn't an equipment problem. It's a training problem. Furthermore, it's not Aaruba's problem, but mine. As Robert Painter told me many times, "If there's a problem with the horse, look to the trainer."

I'm usually pretty sensitive to brewing trouble, able to predict and short-circuit a training issue before it really develops. So how did this one get by me? I think a lot of it has to do with the nature of endurance conditioning. When Aaruba and I hit the road, I know how far we need to go and how fast we ought to cover the miles. We won't make 8 miles in an hour if we walk the return journey. So we trot both ways, maybe canter a little to push his aerobic limits.

There's nothing wrong with that, in and of itself, but when timing becomes more important than training...well, look what I got: a young and excitable horse that's fit enough to blast home in less time than it takes to let fly a string of curses.

Yesterday, I decided to solve the problem. Aaruba and I headed out for a ride at our usual trot. When it came time to head home, however, I asked him to walk. As expected, he slipped into an impatient jig. I immediately took hold of the right rein, pulled his nose around to my toe, and anchored the rein behind my hip. He circled six or eight times before stopping. The moment he stopped, I released all pressure on the rein and petted his neck.

We tried walking again. He broke into a trot, and I pulled him around in more tight, uncomfortable circles, this time to the left. As before, I released the rein only when he finally decided to stop. After one more encore, Aaruba decided that trotting when I'd asked for a walk was way more trouble than it was worth.

That lesson accomplished, I proceeded to ask Aaruba for a trot -- just a few steps, then back to a walk. He responded, but tried to trot again and was rewarded with more circling. I noticed that he stopped much sooner this time.

Walk, trot, walk, trot again, walk again, trot longer, walk shorter, trot some more. Every time Aaruba resisted my request to walk, broke gait, or trotted faster than I asked, we circled. I never lost my temper, yanked a rein, slapped a shoulder, or bruised a rib with my heel. The circling was not intended as punishment for misbehavior, but rather as a means of making disobedience more work than obedience.

Success! Within twenty minutes we'd settled into a medium trot on a loose rein, headed home in a civilized manner. I imagine a few reminders will be in order during our next several rides, and you'll likely see slower times in Aaruba's training log. The training benefit will be worth every second.

Another of Robert Painter's favorite lines surfaced in my mind as Aaruba and I trotted peaceably up the last hill toward home. "Never forget: You aren't training the horse's body. You're training his mind."

Never a truer word, friends. Never a truer word.

Filling the Feedbag

With Old Selam just a week away, it's time to start meal planning for the one day and two nights I'll spend in the woods outside Idaho City.

Anyone who has tried it can tell you distance riding is much more than lounging around in a saddle for most of a day. It's an athletic endeavor that demands plenty of fuel for the rider, as well as the horse. Some endurance riders swear by PowerBars, Gatorade, and miscellaneous other chemical concoctions marketed as superfoods for athletes. Personally, I'd rather eat superfoods that are actually, you know, foods.

As an expedition whitewater rafter, I'm no stranger to the camp kitchen. I can whip up anything from a gourmet pasta dish with scallops and avocados in a Swiss cheese sauce to Dutch oven cinnamon rolls with nothing more than a propane stove, some charcoal, and the roar of rapids in my ears.

I've learned, however, that my level of intense focus at an endurance ride puts me in no mood to cook. Sometimes, it's all I can do just to settle down and eat. Even after the competition, when Aaruba is safely back in his pen, I'm simply not interested in heating up a bowl of five-pepper chili. I am interested, however, in sticking with my preferred flegan diet while filling up on something tasty, nutritious, and highly portable.

My travel itinerary for Old Selam involves driving the three hours or so to ride camp next Saturday morning, riding 50 miles on Sunday, then returning home Monday morning. Sunday dinner will be a potluck rather than a catered meal provided by ride management. All in all, I'll need 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 solo dinner, and 1 potluck dish. Here's what I have in mind:

Saturday late lunch/early dinner: Lentil Salad with Feta Cheese I haven't tried this particular recipe, but I eat a lot of bean, lentil, and grain salads and this looks like a good one.

Breakfasts: Morning Glory Muffins (if I have time to make them ahead of time) or whole grain bagels with peanut butter (if I don't), a banana, and chocolate-covered espresso beans (so I needn't bother with making coffee).

Sunday lunch: Barley "Pasta" Salad. My friend Jennifer, who will be crewing me at Old Selam, is also interested in healthful food and has approved this choice. The dish travels well, but I do recommend packing the spinach separately and stirring it in immediately before serving.

Potluck dish: Corn and Black Bean Salad I've taken this dish to rides before. It's nutritious, filling, quick, easy, flavorful, inexpensive, and holds up well to the rigors of life in a cooler.

Snacks: Raw nuts, grapes, dark chocolate

Beverages: Plenty of water, possibly coffee, some beer, and a decent merlot

Meanwhile, Aaruba will enjoy a smorgasbord of grass-alfalfa mix, pure alfalfa (he doesn't get this at home because too much alfalfa can predispose a horse to azoturia due to nutritional imbalances, but it's a surefire way to get him to eat when he's excited before a ride), soaked beet pulp, and Equine Senior.

Bon appetit!

Back in the Fitting Room: Endurance Tack and Rider Gear

Several months and 465 miles ago, I wrote this post about endurance tack. Since then, I've made several additions and adjustments to Aaruba's and my gear. Here we are, all decked out for last Sunday's 16.5 mile conditioning ride.

As you can see, Aaruba is tricked out with more doodads than he was wearing back in April. Let's go through the items, head to hoof.

Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle: Despite his obnoxiously sales-pitchy website, Dr. Cook has designed a bridle that continues to work well for Aaruba. The beta shows no sign of wear despite many hours of exposure to sweat and sun, and once you become accustomed to the bridle's unusual configuration of straps, it's quite easy to use. When I catch Aaruba up for a ride, I usually bridle him straight away instead of haltering him first for grooming; that way, I can simply tighten the noseband and mount up without having to change his headgear.

The Bitless Bridle seems to give Aaruba clear signals both laterally (for turning/bending) and vertically (for stopping/collecting). I particularly like how it is designed to put pressure on his poll when I tighten both reins, as he is prone to high-headed nervousness and I have trained him to lower his head in response to poll pressure. Unfortunately, the straps that cross beneath Aaruba's jaw sometimes rub a bit when I have to hold him in for long periods, such as when he wants to rush during a race. However, this is more a training problem (we're working on it) than a tack problem, and at its worst, it's by no means severe; it may rub off some hair, but it's never broken the skin.

A definite downside to the Bitless Bridle is that it relies on a very tight noseband for maximum effectiveness. Tighter than a typical, English cavesson, the noseband doesn't interfere with Aaruba's breathing, but it does limit his ability to chew -- obviously less than ideal for an endurance situation, where a little trail side grazing is desirable. The good news is that after fifteen miles or so, Aaruba generally settles down enough that I can loosen the noseband a notch, sacrificing a bit of control in favor of his comfort and ability to eat.

Cotton Rope Rein: This is the second 8-foot, cotton rope rein I've purchased from my local tack shop; the first one needed replaced after a couple hundred miles, when the splice pulled out on one side and the rein came loose of the clip. I prefer a loop rein to split reins because I typically ride with very light hands and I don't want to risk losing a rein if it slips from my grip. The soft, lightweight, round rope is comfortable most of the time, but I need to buy some summer weight riding gloves because the rope has been known to rub my knuckles raw in tight-rein situations.

Lead Rope: I like to keep a lead rope clipped to a side ring on Aaruba's bridle so I can dismount and lead him with something other than the reins. I've had this 6-foot lead since I was a kid. Its snap is one you'd normally see on a dog's leash rather than a lead rope, and the round nylon rope is only a half-inch in diameter. This makes for a lightweight combination that doesn't tug on Aaruba's face. While riding, I keep it looped around my saddle's pommel in such a fashion that it won't loosen with Aaruba's movement, but it will pull free if he or I tangle in it.

Breastcollar: This is a standard, nylon breastcollar in the Y-style that won't restrict Aaruba's breathing. Though I've had no trouble with rubs, I'd still like to find some fleece covers for it. Where do they sell those things, anyway?

Snugpax Pommel Bags: I chose the Slimline Western Deluxe style because it offers two water bottle holders, a small pocket ideal for my rider card, and two pockets large enough for such items as a lightweight jacket or camera. The bag is of good quality, its fleece backing seems comfortable for Aaruba, and its attachment straps work well with my Stonewall saddle.

However, the lower pair of attachment straps that are made to be tied on are slippery and sometimes come untied, even when double- or triple-knotted. This leads to either wasted time during a race, or several awkward moments of attempting to guide an excitable horse while posting and leaning over to re-tie straps in the region of my knee -- not my favorite activity. I'm considering tying on some kind of clip that can then be snapped to the saddle rigging in an attempt to alleviate this problem.

I'm also considering switching to cantle bags because my loop reins tend to get caught on the pommel bags, which is annoying at best and potentially dangerous at worst. This is the reason I only bring the bags along for rides of 15 miles or more; otherwise, I'll go without water just so I don't have to deal with snagged reins. The good news is that my sponsorship saddle from Stonewall will come with rear-mounted water bottle holders similar to those you'd use on a bicycle, so I'll be able to carry water on every ride without any hassle.

Stonewall Lightweight Endurance Saddle: Back in April, I was concerned that Aaruba's head-tossing behavior was related to improper saddle fit. I'm happy to report, however, that we've long-since resolved the behavior issue, and the saddle had nothing to do with it...thank goodness, because I love all 12 pounds of this saddle, from its centerfire rigging that reduces probability of girth rubs to its deep, comfortable seat and minimalist design.

5-Star Wool Saddle Pad: After 600 miles and many washes, this wool felt pad is just starting to show its age. That's just as well, because although I've appreciated its contoured design and quality, its 1-inch thickness is less than ideal for use with my saddle. Stonewall Saddle Company recommends a 3/8 inch, wool pad and offers one designed specifically for their saddles, so I'll be switching to Stonewall pads shortly. It'll also be nice to reduce the surface area of Aaruba's back that is covered by the pad, particularly during summer weather when his ability to radiate heat is critical.

Incidentally, Jackie Fenaroli at Stonewall informs me that a 1-inch change in pad thickness changes the pitch of the saddle from front to back by 1 degree. This is because a saddle pad lifts the saddle more near the horse's shoulder than near his loin; the thicker the pad, the steeper the angle from pommel to cantle. An endurance rider might increase his horse's comfort during a long ride by adding or removing a thin pad at the midway point, thereby slightly altering the pressure on the horse's back.

Cool Tack Western/Endurance Seat Cover: This merino wool seat cover fits nicely on my Stonewall and has certainly contributed to my comfort over the miles. Not only is it cushy, but it adds a bit of friction between my seat and the saddle's, which comes in handy during those dramatic Arab-style spooks. A word of caution about wool seat pads, though: I hear that they can absorb a tremendous amount of water during a rainstorm. I haven't had opportunity to experience this issue personally, but I imagine it would render the seat cover very uncomfortable, not to mention heavy!

Neoprene cinch: If I had a better memory, I'd tell you what brand my cinch is. Instead, I'll tell you that I appreciate its generous width (5 inches) and roller on the near-side buckle, which eliminates bunching problems while cinching up. Its also nice to simply hose the cinch off after a sweaty ride.

E-Z Ride Stirrups: I use the caged, nylon style. Padded, shock-absorbent, and 4 inches wide, these stirrups are worth every strange look I get from passing cowboys. Call me a coward, but I relish the security of the cages that allows me to rest my foot deep in the stirrup without fear of slipping through. Over many miles of posting, the bottoms of my feet sometimes grow numb, possibly because I am in denial regarding my need for bunion surgery. The easy fix is to hop off and jog a hundred yards or so, which I'm sure feels nice to Aaruba as well.

Interference boots: I introduced Aaruba's interference boots in this post, when they were brand new. I've been using them ever since and sure enough, they've eliminated the interference injuries and seem to be holding up well. Last Sunday, though, the off front interference boot joined forces with an Easyboot gaiter to rub the inside of Aaruba's fetlock. I think the bottom edge of the interference boot slipped under the gaiter, so a minor adjustment will likely prevent that particular rub from recurring.

Easyboot Bares: If you've been reading The Barb Wire blog for long, you know I'm committed to keeping Aaruba barefoot if at all possible. His feet are in very good condition and perfectly capable of going long distances without protection, as he proved on Day 2 of the Pink Flamingo Classic. However, most of our training miles are run on the gravel shoulders of paved roads, so boots are necessary to prevent over-wearing of his hoof walls.

Thus far, I've been happy with the Bares, particularly since they loosen up after a few rides and become much easier to put on. I do have my eye on the new Renegade Hoof Boots, which are reportedly very easy to use, but at $169 per pair, they're more than twice the price of the Bares in EasyCare's bargain bin (they come with the old-style gaiter but are otherwise up-to-date). I've lost one boot at each of our two competitions thus far in 2008, so keeping costs down is a good thing. On the other hand, I've not lost a single Bare during hours upon hours of conditioning, and not until last Sunday's ride did Aaruba finally wear one through at the toe.

Gaiter rubs are an occasional problem with the Bares. I've had better luck fastening the gaiters more loosely than recommended by EasyCare, but rubs do sometimes occur on long rides, particularly on Aaruba's forelegs. I suppose the Renegades would eliminate that issue...but mightn't they cause rubs elsewhere?

That's it for Aaruba's tack. Most of my own gear is a bit lower-tech; for example, my riding tights are from the "activewear" section at Target, and this time of year, I've sacrificed fashion to the comfort of a loose-fitting, 3/4 sleeve, cotton blouse. My watch, left over from my distance running days, has a handy "chrono" feature that enables me to track both segmented and overall times during a ride. On rare occasions that I have cash leftover after purchasing tack for Aaruba, I have picked up a few goodies for myself.

Ariat Terrain Riding Boots: Quite popular among endurance riders, these are hands-down the most comfortable boots I've ever purchased. I wear them every evening and all day on weekends, for everything from groundwork and riding to feeding and fence repair.

Half Chaps: Aside from a semi-defective zipper on one chap, I've been very pleased with the fit, comfort, and quality of the Just Chaps, Ltd. half chaps available from Running Bear.

Tipperary Sportage Helmet: I've said it before...If I'm going to ride a 900-pound prey animal at high speeds through unfamiliar terrain, the least I can do is put an extra layer of padding between my brain and the nearest boulder.

'Nuff said.
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Related Posts

The Fitting Room: Endurance Tack

The Stocking Trick (Or, Aaruba Dresses in Drag)

Tack Test: Indian Bosal

New Duds: Interference Boots for a Barefoot Endurance Horse

Upward in the Night

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Shot in the Dark: Mystery

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious...

He to whom this emotion is a stranger,

who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe,

is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.

~ Albert Einstein