An Eye-Opening Seminar: Myler Bits

(This blog was originally posted on May 31, 2011)

 

Several years ago Dale Myler, a co-creator of Myler Bits, presented a seminar about the philosophy behind and benefits of their bit system at the Valencia Sport Saddlery in Santa Clarita, California. Following are my notes about the general role and function of bits, various kinds of Myler Bits that are available, how this product facilitates effective communication between riders and their equine partners, and more.

Signs of resistance to the bit: rooting àMB01 (comfort snaffle/narrow barrel)

Ron Myler started the Myler bitting system. RM rides cutting horses. Bob Myler does cowboy shooting.

Don’t expect more from the horse than you put into it.

When you start working with the horse, handle their face. Better-educated horses need very light contact.

How relaxed is the horse when you handle him?

The horse follows his shoulders. The head and neck are balancing points.

Look for: How can you keep the QD, Master of Equine Dentistry, says: The most important thing about bitting a horse is to make sure the mouth is in excellent condition.

Horse age: 1 year of a horse’s life=3 human years

Myler does dentistry 2x year through first 5 years of its life

Wide/think tongue vs. shallow palate

The lip cushions the bar of the mouth, but the skin at the corner of the mouth is very sensitive

Levels of bits:
·         Pressure points
·         Bars
·         Tongue

On the ground, the bit goes into the palate.

A bit will never collapse enough to be free in the mouth and create even pressure=least amount of resistance.

The animal avoids tongue pressure, not bar pressure.

The horse’s tongue twists and elevates when the animal swallows.

Horses are willing to close off their airway to protect their mouth/tongue.

There is a direct connection between the heart and tongue. The tongue is a sensory organ.

Check the color of the horse’s gums and tongue.

Damage to the tongue can cut off oxygen supply.

The tongue is connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders.

The tongue is the strongest muscle in the horse’s body. It is directly connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders. Tension in the horse’s tongue creates tension in the sternum…resulting in the inability to round up.

Muscles in the TMJ control balance and proprioception (coordination)

When the tongue is soft, the horse moves more freely. Restricting the jaws and neck movement/creates tension that alters movement patterns.

Robert Miller, DVM, observed “how little the horse world—including me—knows about bits and bitting.”
·         According to Miller, bits are “instruments of discomfort.”
·         “Clinging to bits because they are traditional is not justified.”
·         Prey animals’ instincts/response to pain is to flee, and horses enter “flight” mode.

Most people change bits because of resistance, not connection. The horse is trying to release pressure of the bit.

We don’t bit a horse to hurt it; we bit a horse to handle it. Put a bit on the horse that has no collapse/take some pressure-points away. Don’t presume that the horse is being bullish/belligerent if it evades…the only way it communicate.

99% of recreational horses never need a correctional mouthpiece.

Myler bits only use the part of the bit that you need to achieve the maneuver.

How much freedom can we give you and still be able to handle him?

The more places on the bit that you ask from, the less pressure/easier it is for the horse to find you.

Go to www.mylerbitsusa.com to look at the combination bit.

There should always be an introduction to the bit.

Every time the horse does something/makes and effort to do what you ask, he deserves praise/a reward.

Choose the combination bit when taking into account the pressure-points in a horse’s mouth/face include:

·         Hard palate
·         Nose
·         Bars
·         Tongue
·         Chin
·         Groove
·         Outer lip
·         Poll

Look at the size of the horse’s mouth and bit to determine where he’s comfortable to close his mouth.

Horse=prey. Rider=predator.

The more relaxed the horseßà the more relaxed the rider.

The average human produces 32-51 ounces of saliva per day. The average horse produces 10 GALLONS of saliva per day.

Humans and animals will always seek the comfort zone in the job they’re doing. If the horse is interfered with, it can’t stay in that comfort zone.

When you collect a horse, he collects from the brain first. He has to be relaxed into the bridle to lift his withers and back, to move through the hindquarters.

The brain is the most important thing to the horse. He must be relaxed in his mind so he can lift in his withers and move from the back.

When you bit a horse up and he gets nervous, he starts evading again.

MouthàMindàMouth

The horse must press his tongue against the palate to swallow…imagine the discomfort/pain at the dentist.

Bits will not train the animal. People train the horse. The more relaxed the horse is, the more you can do with/teach it.

We need to figure out and develop equipment that is comfortable for the horse, not develop equipment to force the horse’s mouth closed.

Never put more bit on a horse than we take off.

The point is: How can we go out and have fun with our horse?

You want the horse’s withers and back up so he can carry the rider more easily.

Every time you step up on the horse, he’s learning. But he’ll only show you what he’s learned when his mind can relax.

It’s virtually impossible to develop a good/nice set of hands if the horse is always moving away from you.

Help the horse to get relaxed into the bit/bridle so the rider can learn to use other aids.

Horses are like people: they remember the last thing that happened to him.

MB Level 1 bit: anyplace he goes except where you want him, he applies pressure to himself. Correct position I s comfort.

Will the horse allow you to pick up and school/teach him something new?

Only the horse’s lower jaw moves—like people!

Go to the questionnaire on MB Web-site: www.mylerbitsusa.com

Tradition is held by members of the discipline.

The mouthpiece is for the horse; the shank is for the rider. A long shank is OK for gentle hands.

MB01, MB02 bits are acceptable in dressage competitions!

MB Level 2, 04 combination is for starting the horse.

Transitioning from the O-ring snaffle to the Myler bit is no different from any other bit.

You should have 1 to 1 ½ wrinkles at the corner of the horse’s mouth.

The curb balances the bit; the head-stall pulls the bit back into the horse’s mouth.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

Imagery for the Super Bowl XLIX Teams

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office

Super Bowl XLIX is just a few days away.

No doubt the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are preparing for the big game by doing practical things like creating and practicing offensive and defensive strategies to defeat the opposing team. The athletes are probably powering up by drinking water and eating protein and other high-energy nutritious foods to build muscle and increase stamina; hopefully, they are also able to get adequate rest (sleep) so they can be focused and sharp on game day.

 I wonder what they are doing to mentally prepare for the game. I am sure that New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll are giving their respective teams pep talks to help build up the players’ confidence in their prowess on the field. Following are some imagery exercises I would guide them through before they walk onto the field to further increase their confidence so they can focus on the game and earn another championship ring.

·                     Tune out all of the negative discussion, comments and analysis about your team and NFL politics that you may overhear around you. These things have already happened; now it is time to focus on the game you are about to play.

 

·                     Take a minute to relive how confident and enthusiastic and joyful you felt when you won your previous Super Bowl championship. When you have a good image of this experience, draw a deep breath and feel the power, excitement and confidence that washed over you when you made that snap, threw/caught the touchdown pass, ran the football all the way to the end of the field for that touchdown. Release any lingering negativity or doubt as you exhale that breath.

 

·                     Allow your body to do what it already knows how to do. You have successfully done each of these plays thousands of times in practice and during other games. You did them to win your league championship. You did them when you won your last Super Bowl title. Your body knows how to do each of these things, so keep your mind/thoughts out if your body’s way.

·                     Every time you are in possession of that football, notice how every muscle in your body is feeling stronger. Your confidence in your ability to score (or assist that score) a touchdown grows exponentially. You know that you can run faster, throw further, jump higher, block more effectively than your opponent. You catch that football out of the air as if it was already in your possession, and your confidence in your ability to help win this game is twice as strong.

·                     As you play, you know that you are throwing/kicking/catching/running that football the way you have trained all year for this moment to do. You are also throwing/kicking/catching/running that football with all the joy and excitement of that child in you that has always loved this game, dreaming of this moment to win another Super Bowl championship.

·                     Remember: You are already a champion many times over! You are competing in this championship because you earned the right to be there, through the various competitions you have won during the past year.

Good luck, teams!

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2015

The Abreaction

 

                Hypnosis is often one of the last—if not the last—therapeutic modalities that people tend to seek to achieve a self-improvement goal. Having said that, hypnotherapy is typically very successful to help a client change an unwanted belief or behavior such as quit smoking, drop excess weight, increase self-confidence and more. But even when the individual’s conscious mind is completely, 100-percent convinced that the hypnosis and guided imagery program will work, the subconscious mind might take a little longer to get on board with this plan.

                The SCM manifests its wariness to relinquish a familiar, comfortable long-held belief or behavior (known) by abreacting: i.e., physically responding to a suggestion during hypnosis. An abreaction occurs when the critical area of the person’s mind has rejected the information communicated via the hypnotic suggestion to enter the subconscious mind. The physical responses can be the involuntary jerking or twitching of a limb, noncompliance with the hypnotic suggestion, an emotional outburst or even spontaneously coming “awake” during the session.

Remember: The subconscious mind will not accept any hypnotic suggestions that contradict the person’s values and beliefs. Abreactions simply indicate that the client’s subconscious mind is resisting the hypnotic suggestion to make that consciously-desired change. And that is okay. Not only does an abreaction indicate that the person may require more and stronger suggestions to desensitize against a negative association; it also reveals where he or she is more self-protective or even defensive in the therapeutic process. In many instances, the abreaction identifies and indicates where the heart of the client’s issue lies and facilitates more effective achievement of his or her self-improvement goals through hypnotherapy.

               

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

Establishing Personal Boundaries

Favory Alisa II, a Lipizzan stallion
Photo by Sara Fogan

  

My riding instructor owns four stallions. Each horse is well-mannered and trained to go under saddle and be handled on the ground. I have fed, clipped and groomed each one of them. I feel comfortable working with them, and it is exciting for me that I am able to do this because, well, they are stallions. Favory Alisa II (“Amadeus”), a Lipizzan, is not a particularly tall horse, but he is very muscular. He literally oozes charisma, power and attitude no matter what he is doing. Sometimes he goes up on his hind legs and holds a levade (half-rear) for a few seconds, one of the haute école movements for which the breed is famous at the Spanish Riding School. Yesterday I watched him gallop around the turnout arena with his favorite toy, an orange traffic cone, in his mouth. I admit he looked kind of silly doing that and I had to smile. And yet, I know with 100 percent certainty that this is not a horse to be messed with. The other horses on the property know it, too. As I watched Amadeus play, my former trainer’s words echoed in my mind: “He is a stallion and he knows it, and he deserves respect.”

That memory got me thinking about respect in general and self-respect, in particular. Some individual’s possess this quality in spades while others do not. I considered the difference between how I would behave around the Warmblood stallion versus when I handle my current trainers’ stallion. I decided it had to do with my own self-respect. Ten years ago, I was more in awe and a little bit afraid of my former trainer's big bay stud to even consider what I would do if he ever tried to disrespect me, because I never got close enough for that to be an issue. In my mind, that horse was a symbol of all the power and fiery temperament I imagined a stud must possess to be a stallion. The first time I clipped one of my current trainer’s stallions, I had to get over myself and my pre-conceptions about what a stallion really was (a horse) and, more important, what he was and was not allowed to get away with in the context of working with and being around humans. It was a simple arrangement and no different from the one I have with my own gelding: So long as I was handling the stallion for whatever reason, he had to respect me and my space.

Helping my clients to respect themselves and increase their self-esteem is one of the most important things I do in my hypnotherapy practice. Following are 10 things you can do to increase your self-esteem, reclaim your self-respect and earn the respect of other people around you.

1.       Call someone out on the behavior if someone insults you.

2.       Treat other people fairly and expect to receive fair treatment in return.

3.       Hold a person accountable for his or her bad behavior.

4.       Maintain separate own interests, etc. when you are in an intimate relationship.

5.       Confront the issue or problem when a conflict arises.

6.       Stand up to intimidation: Remember who you are!

7.       Stay true to yourself and remain consistent in your opinions, beliefs, and attitudes about the things that matter to you.

8.       Set physical and emotional boundaries with other people. Of course, people can get in to intimate areas of your life but only with your permission and at your invitation.

9.       Ask for what you want.

10.   Let go of a situation that isn’t working out for you or person who has rejected you.

For more information about ways hypnotherapy and therapeutic guided imagery can help you increase self-respect and self-esteem and change those negative thoughts and behaviors that may be preventing positive self-growth, please contact me at (661) 433-9430.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

Adjusting to the Times We Live In

 

In a recent episode of Downton Abbey, Mrs. Hughes, the housekeeper at the estate, observed that “Downton Abbey is catching up with the times we live in” by bringing a Wireless (radio) in to hear King George V’s speech. Although automobiles existed in England during the early 20^th Century, horse-drawn carriages or wagons were also still in use and trains were the primary mode of long-distance public transportation. Telephones were rare, and most of them had multi-party lines, which limited opportunities to have a private conversation. Typewriters existed but there were no computers or Smartphones to send text messages or e-mails. Therefore, the only ways to listen to music or keep up with events going on around you when they happened meant you had to go to a club or attend an event at a town hall.

Needless to say, the butler, Mr. Carson, was not impressed. He was worried about the different ways the new machine and other modern inventions of convenience would destroy the order and way of life he has known throughout his life. He worried that those devices that were being created to make people’s lives easier and more convenient also threatened his livelihood and even identity by making the role of a household servant redundant. Mr. Carson didn’t know how to do any other job other than his roles in a life of service. Where would he and his colleagues go, what would they do, if the Wireless and similar machines took hold and squeezed him out of the only life he knew how to live?

According to Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D.’s Theory of Mind, human behavior is based on the subconscious mental scripts that we create during early childhood. From birth until about eight years old, the SCM is accumulating and storing various message units that will ultimately comprise the subconscious life script. Each message is ultimately categorized as a positive (pleasure) or negative (pain) experience. Anything that the subconscious mind does not recognize falls under the category of “pain.” According to Dr. Kappas, the subconscious mind is uncomfortable about and resistant to doing new or different things even when the conscious mind (logic, reason, will-power/free-will and reasoning) says that it’s okay to do so. The SCM likes and wants to stick to what is familiar, comforting and safe: i.e., knowns.

To put this model in the context of the scenario I described above, Mr. Carson likely perceived the opportunity to listen to the King of England give a speech as a threat to his concept of normal social order. As a butler to and not a member of the aristocracy he served, this experience would not ordinarily have been available to him based on his role in society. In addition, he did not understand how the Wireless worked (let alone the mechanisms that enabled it to work), which likely made the idea of this experience that much more frustrating and anxiety-inducing. Meanwhile, several younger members of his employer’s family and younger members of the household staff were more excited about and open to the idea of having a Wireless. Scientific advancement was a “known” for them; it made their lives more exciting, a little easier and more fun. They were accustomed to enjoying modern conveniences that Mr. Carson and many of his peers had only recently, begrudgingly accepted as part of their lives in a modern era.

 

 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

When Illness Shows Up in Your Handwriting

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

 

                Many years ago, my former boss got appendicitis. Based on the symptoms he described—fever, nausea, severe pain in his lower-right abdomen—I worried he might have appendicitis. One of my colleagues and I told him to go to the emergency room and get it checked out. Our suspicions were correct and he received appropriate treatment. When my returned to work a couple of weeks later, I noticed something very weird about some of the instructions had written to me around the time he was getting sick. There was a tiny gap in the lower-right quadrant of the oval letters before he went to the hospital, but the gap closed up again after his surgery. How interesting, I thought.

I was just completing my hypnotherapy certification at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute at that time, so I consulted my notes and workbook from my class on handwriting analysis. I knew that while handwriting is a manifestation of what you consciously think, it is motivated by a subconscious ideomotor (automatic physical) response. The way you write—the shape and size of each letter, whether you connect the letters and even the speed of your writing—are literally a reflection of your behavior and personality traits. Handwriting does not reveal the age, gender or handedness of the writer; nor did it predict the future. However, it did reveal the writer’s mood, personality traits, suggestibility and subconscious motivations at the time of writing this sample. It could also indicate if the writer had a physical problem based on the way the person forms the letters l, g and y.

To identify which area of the body is affected, the handwriting analysis draws a human body over the letter. The location or area of the weakness or problem in the body is revealed by a break (weak or wriggled stroke or line, or no continuity or a training line) on the letter. A problem in the body may also be reflected in the writing if a corresponding area of the letter is very thick: in this case, the affected letter is usually revealed in writing by continuity or a training line.

If the writer has a problem with his or her feet or legs, the break in the writing will be seen in the stem or at the bottom of the loop. A corresponding break in the lower- or upper-middle part of the loop may indicate that he or she has a weakness in the upper or lower torso. A break at the top of the loop may indicate that the person has a head/brain or neck injury or disease. Emotional and psychological issues would be revealed in openings or gaps at the bottom of a letter, especially an o and a.

As a certified hypnotherapist, it is out of my scope of expertise to diagnose an illness or to recognize/identify specific symptoms that have a psychological or physiological basis. I use handwriting analysis to help me identify specific personality and behavioral characteristics to help me address my clients’ presenting issue. I do not use handwriting analysis to identify, diagnose or treat possible medical or physical issues that the client may have. However, I do and will refer clients to an appropriate licensed medical or psychology professional to determine the cause and/or treat that specific physical symptom that the person mentions. Once this other expert has ruled out a medical etiology of your symptom, with a follow-up referral from that licensed professional, I can continue to work with you in hypnotherapy, which can provide complementary therapeutic benefits and help to alleviate and/or control these symptoms and help you to pursue and achieve your vocational and avocational self-improvement goals.

 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

©2015

Letting Go to Find Yourself

 

                If something causes you to lose your self-confidence, isn’t it great to have someone around to remind and reassure you of all the talents and abilities you possess, encouraging every positive step you take to rebuild that confidence? Similarly, when you lose your keys or your wallet it is wonderful to have support as you look for and set about retrieving that object.

                However, it is not always or necessarily a good idea to “find” what we have lost when it comes to a relationship that has ended.

                Often, at the end of a romantic relationship one partner feels like he or she has “lost” the other person either to a romantic rival or various life circumstances. Of course the emotional distress we experience at this time can be incredibly painful and is sometimes traumatic. Even amicable separations often induce some soul-searching and melancholy: What went wrong? What will happen to me now? Where will I go? What will I do without ____ in my life? And so on.

                Sometimes during a relationship people ignore or even devalue our hobbies or goals in deference to their partner’s expectations and interests. Perhaps they naturally lost interest in or even outgrew (over-rode) their previous interests or beliefs (subconscious life script) during the course of the previous relationship. Alternatively, they may have subconsciously deferred their interests and career goals to benefit those of their partner. Now that the relationship is over, they may want to take this opportunity to reintegrate that behavior in his or her life. On the other hand, they may decide it is time to start completely fresh and create new behaviors and beliefs (subconscious mental script) that are more consistent with their current life situation with no ties to the past relationship.

Therefore, it is important to reframe this client’s goal from “I want to get over so-and-so/the relationship I lost” into a more positive-action goal. I want the person to override the subconscious message that the “lost” relationship must be found. To accomplish this, I will help the person rephrase the goal to one of creating a new life that is full of exciting possibilities for personal and professional growth based on the client’s own terms. For example: “I am working through the issues/feelings I am carrying from this relationship and continue leading a productive and fulfilling life whether I am on my own or in another, mutually nurturing relationship in the future.”

When I work with clients in this situation one of the first things I work on is to help increase their self-confidence and self-esteem so they can enjoy their own interests and pursue personal goals. While the person is in hypnosis I use therapeutic guided imagery to enable him or her explore these different options and possible strategies the individual can use to realize these new goals. Guided imagery and visualization techniques let the person metaphorically see and even experience, in their imagination, how these new behaviors can positively impact and improve his or her new life. Since the subconscious mind does not know the difference between fantasy and reality, the client can draw on those positive messages and images to enact change and individual self-growth in the real world. If appropriate or necessary, I may also take the person through the five stages of loss so the individual can experience and ultimately resolve the grief and sadness that he or she feels about the end of the relationship.

 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

More Inspirational Musings

                Every now and then I like (and need) to take a few moments and remind myself about what is really important to me, in my life. If you follow me on Facebook you may have seen some of these quotes before on this page, or will in the future. Many of these Quotes Of the Day are beautiful examples and illustrations of the work I do as a hypnotherapist, so I will probably draw on them in future essays.

 

·         “Never, ever, let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do. Prove the cynics wrong. Pity them for they have no imagination. The sky’s the limit. Your sky. Your limit. Now. Let’s dance.” – Tom Hiddleston

·         “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win.” – Zig Ziglar

·         “The greatest danger to our life is apathy.” – Jane Goodall

·         “Evaluate the people in your life; then promote, demote, or terminate! You’re the CEO of your life!" – Tony Gaskins

·         “Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.” – www.behappy.me

·         “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve

·         "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." –  Maria Robinson

·         “If you yearn for more faith, if you want answers, you must begin by listening. You must be still and listen.” – Rena Pedersen

·         “Man will never get to the furthest reaches of space until he gets to the furthest reaches of himself.” – Fred Armisen

·         “Hate is like acid. It can damage the vessel in which it is stored as well as destroy the object on which it is poured.” – Ann Landers

·         “Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it.” – Zig Ziglar

·         “Gratitude goes deeper and lasts longer than merely being thankful.” – Cindy Weigand

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

 

Choosing the Right Horse

(A version of this blog was originally posted on March 25, 2011)

 

 

 

“You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other.” –Good Will Hunting

 

 

 

I love that quote. Ben Affleck may have been giving romantic advice to Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, but the insight is also appropriate when you’re looking for an equine partner. Once you start “shopping” for a new horse, you need to ask yourself some very important questions about your goals and ideas about your future, “perfect” equine partner.

 

• What kind of riding do you want to do? Whether you train in dressage, jumping, reining, or any other riding discipline, you should look for a horse that is trained in the area you would like to do.

 

• How much more “experienced” should the horse be? It is usually recommended that less-experienced riders look for a horse that is schooling in that discipline and working at a slightly higher level than they ride. However, the horse should not have so much more training/experience that the animal is likely to get bored working on material he or she has already mastered while the rider is learning to do basic techniques.

 

• What kind of riding ability do I need to have in order ride a horse that is working/training at a higher level than I am currently training? The more time you spend in the saddle, the better. In addition to working regularly with a trainer, spend time working with your horse on your own to practice the movements or techniques you are working on in your lessons. It is important to remain patient, relaxed and calm when you are with your horse so you can feel confident enough in your riding skill to go beyond your comfort zone. For example, before I bought my horse, Galahad, I had never ridden such a “forward” mount; I had to do a lot of strength training and spend time riding him to get used to this kind of action.

 

• What kind of ability/talent should the horse have? This will come down to the horse’s conformation and its work ethic/attitude. If you are looking for a “forward” moving horse that is likely to excel in competitive riding, he or she will need to have plenty of flexibility, impulsion, and action and strength in the hindquarters as well as physical and mental ability to accomplish those goals.
• Which breed of horse should I be looking at? A horse of any breed may be able (or not) to do the kind of riding you enjoy. For example, Warmbloods make good mounts in dressage and jumping competitions. Quarter Horses are typically seen in Western Pleasure and reining competitions. Arabian horses can succeed in English and Western show classes, although they particularly excel in endurance competition. To some extent, the horse’s breed will be less important than his personality/attitude, patience, conformation, and ability to achieve your riding goals. The choice of breed may depend on what you want to do with your equine partner, but keep the motto “Form to Function” in mind. You don’t want to end up “over-horsed” or overwhelmed by an animal that is too big for your body and too strong to handle when you are riding.  For example, if you are very petite like me a large horse such as a Thoroughbred or Warmblood breed would literally be too big for me and possibly a lot of horse to handle. A better choice for you might be a small horse or a large pony in terms of size and ease/accuracy of applying riding aids.

 

• Decision time. Bring someone along to look at the horse who is an experienced rider or horse trainer. Your current trainer or riding instructor is the ideal choice because he or she can evaluate the horse’s talents in the context of your equestrian experience and goals and provide a neutral, objective evaluation of the animal.. Have the current owner ride the horse before you get on, and see if your trainer will do the same. Also, be sure to get a veterinarian to do a thorough physical evaluation of the horse to check for soundness. You may want to get X-Rays of the horse’s legs and hooves and even draw blood to rule out tranquilizing drugs, etc. in its bloodstream. If possible, ask a veterinarian you already know and have worked with to do this check. First, you already have a working relationship and trust with this person; second, the veterinarian can also provide important feedback about suitability of the horse for you based on his or her familiarity with you.

 

 

At the end of the day, it will be up to you to make the ultimate decision whether to buy the horse. Your trainer, the veterinarian and even the person selling the horse can provide information and his or her professional opinion about suitability of the horse for you. But you will be the one who will ultimately spend the most time working with and caring for the horse if you buy it. Whether you want to compete or take long rides along the beach it is important to take your time to make a decision that will be in the best interest of you and your new equine partner.

 

 

 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

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