Horse training: how best to train at home, rules and books

The organization of horse training has many features. To teach an animal basic skills, it is worth studying its individual characteristics. It is important to choose the right age for training. Thanks to this, it will be possible to get excellent results and not injure the pet. In addition, when conducting training, it is recommended to organize the correct reward system.

At what age should an animal be trained

Training young horses usually begin at the age of three. In the first months of the animal, he is recommended to provide the most sparing regimen.The first thing to do is to start working with light riders. Their weight should not exceed 60 kilograms. By the age of 4, the load should be gradually increased. At 5-6 years old, it is permissible to teach an animal to jump over logs. The use of the correct technique allows you to keep the activity and he alth of the horse up to 20-25 years.

How to start training a horse

First of all, it is important to win over the horse. To do this, it is recommended to perform certain actions that help to improve mutual understanding with the horse and provide him with self-confidence. This will create an excellent basis for learning.

Getting to know each other better

At the beginning of training, it is worth getting to know the horse better. In the presence of bad habits, it is recommended to carry out appropriate work with the animal, which is aimed at weaning from them. In this case, it is worth using soft methods of education.

Use harsh methods or frequent punishment is not recommended. They won't give you the results you want. To teach an animal to stand on a candle on command, it is recommended that it work with one person.

Immediately after meeting the horse may feel shy and distrustful. This is becoming a common cause of learning problems. To be successful in training, you must overcome shyness.

At this stage, it is important to provide the animal with rewards and perform actions that are attractive to him. This will gradually increase the horse's self-confidence and ensure a good rapport with the handler. During life in the stable, the horse weans itself from external smells, therefore it is recommended to gradually accustom it to them.

Addiction and liking

Horses get used to being part of a herd. Usually horses occupy a certain step in the hierarchy of power. They also include people in such a system of relations. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that the horse is able to identify the trainer as a competitor in the struggle for raising the status. This can lead to some aggression.Usually this problem occurs when the animal is not sufficiently encouraged. As a result, it begins to bite rather than bow. All actions of the animal are recommended to be divided into several groups:

• important deeds;
• useful actions that need to be taught - for this animal it is recommended to immediately reward;
• bad actions - in this case, the animal is recommended to be punished immediately.

To teach a horse to perform certain actions, it should be provided with the right education, which combines gentleness and perseverance. The coach must arm himself with a whole range of qualities - calmness, patience and firmness.

It is important to be able to put yourself in the place of an animal. This provides a better understanding with the pet. If you get irritated while working, you should definitely take a break.

Basic training steps

To ensure the correct training of the animal at home, it is recommended to act gently and persistently.

Tame a horse to a h alter

This type of training is given to foals under 1 year old. For an adult animal, the use of a h alter can cause shock. In such a situation, subsequent training is difficult. Foals should start learning to move at the moment when the mother is nearby. A native object nearby helps to calm the animal and prevent stress. With such training, the person should be to the left of the foal, located at the level of his shoulder. It is recommended to start leading a young animal in the back of the mother, after which - near her or in front.

Line work

In the same period, you can train the animal to work at the bit and bridle. In horses of two years of age, the musculoskeletal system is not fully formed. During this period, it is forbidden to ride animals on horseback. However, at this stage it is necessary to accustom the horse to an empty saddle.

Teaching a horse to ride

Teaching a horse to ride includes a number of successive stages. In this case, it is worth following certain rules.

Getting used to the saddle

It is recommended to train horses at the age of 2 years. In this case, it is permissible to use a simple technology:

• put a saddle without a stirrup on your back;
• wait a certain amount of time.

It is worth removing the saddle from the animal after it calms down. They do it as a reward. When the horse understands that the new accessory is not dangerous, it is acceptable to start tightening the girth. Each time it is recommended to tighten it by 1 clasp. When the horse has adapted to the girth, it is allowed to start riding with the saddle on the lunge.

Using the leg

This allows you to control the back of the horse, make turns, maintain balance and move forward.It is forbidden to use the leg for beating animals. It is also not recommended to knock the heels on the sides uncontrollably. To send, it is permissible to press the legs tightly to the sides.

The main task of the leg is to send forward. In this case, the rider presses 2 legs close. It is recommended to do this directly behind the girth. Leg behind the girth at a distance of 15-20 centimeters helps to control the movement of the hind legs when turning. Also, this movement allows or prohibits movement to the side. The horse must respond to any instructions from the rider. For insufficiently trained animals or to reinforce the team, it is recommended to use spurs and a whip. They are used as additional controls.

The whip is recommended to be used when the animal disobeys the leg send. However, hitting a horse is prohibited. It is enough to gently slap it on the croup or shoulder. This will help draw attention to the team. Spurs are considered an additional means of sending legs, but inexperienced riders are prohibited from using them.

Treat rewards

Various delicacies are actively used in horse breeding. They help not only to pamper the animal, but also to consolidate the acquired skills. The horse associates receiving treats with tasty food. It creates pleasant associations.

With a certain number of repetitions, such an association is fixed in the subconscious. Thanks to this, the animal willingly executes commands.

The following is used as a treat:

1. S alt. It is this product that horses love the most, and therefore willingly eat it from their hands. S alt contains a lot of sodium. It favorably affects the work of the digestive system and contributes to the normalization of the water balance in the body. In addition, s alt helps to accelerate the recovery processes in muscle tissues after complex physical exertion.
2. Carrots. Horses eat this root crop with great pleasure. The vegetable has a pronounced taste and contains many vitamins that bring great benefits to the body.
3. Crackers. This delicacy does not bring much benefit to the body. At the same time, horses are very fond of dried bread.
4. Apples. The fruit is previously recommended to be cut into 4 parts. Thanks to the use of apples, it is possible to strengthen the immunity of the animal and saturate its body with valuable substances.
5. Sugar. Refined cubes help lift the horse's spirits. However, giving her too much sugar is not recommended.

Stopping and dismounting

Stopping and competent descent are considered important moments of training. The safety of the rider and minimizing the discomfort of the animal depends on this. For the correct descent, you should do the following:

1. Grab the animal tightly by the mane and simultaneously hold the reins. Some instructors allow a grip on the front of the saddle. But it is important to consider that it can roll over on its back.
2. Lean forward. At the same time, it is not recommended to loosen the grip.
3. Cautiously throw the right leg over the back of the animal.
4. Slowly lower yourself to the ground and take your left foot out of the stirrup.
5. It is allowed to go down only to the left of the horse.

Other areas of training

There are other areas of training:

1. Horse training. The main goal is the development of agility and endurance. During training, the animal moves in 3 main gaits - walk, gallop, trot. It is important to achieve a stable and fast canter. It's called a quarry.
2. Training for a long run. Long distance racing is considered a serious test for animals and people. Only strong and he althy horses are allowed to compete. Most often they are chosen based on the results of short distance races.
3. Training for jumping ability. There is an equestrian discipline called show jumping. Its essence lies in overcoming obstacles with a rider on his back. The barriers differ in height and width.

Warnings

Training is considered quite a challenge. A beginner should only train a horse under the supervision of an experienced instructor. The more complex the character of the horse, the more skills the trainer must have.

When training, you should take precautions and some rules:

• do not give the animal too much load;
• it is recommended to train a horse systematically, adhering to a certain pattern;
• Any workout should end with a walk - this will help the animal to calm down and dry.

Training Tips

In order for training to be successful, it is recommended to follow these rules:

1. It is forbidden to strain the animal too much. This is especially true for young horses.
2. The duration of the workout should be 45 minutes. There are many observations that confirm that it is precisely this time that an animal can be in concentration and adequately perceive commands. A trained and prepared horse can be trained for longer.
3. It is important to make a training program. Training should not be spontaneous. It is recommended to plan well. The animal gets used to a specific order of actions.
4. It is definitely recommended to finish classes with a step. This is especially important if the animal is tired and sweaty. Taking a calm step will help the horse recover.

Useful literature

To make training effective, it is recommended to read the following books:

• B. Müseler, "Horse Riding Manual".
• R. Klimke, Dressage of a Young Sport Horse.
• J. M. Dillon, “Equestrian sport. Technique and style of the jump.”

Horse training is considered a complex and exciting process. To achieve success in this matter, it is worth following a number of rules and recommendations.

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