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The root of the problem is an ingrained fear of the
horse. It helps, in my opinion and experience, to separate psychological
and mechanical questions. It often helps to take time just to get used to the horse. After you learn to feel comfortable around the animal many difficulties associated with horseback riding basics will go away on their own. |
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Below is an example of the lesson plan. Normally it takes a week before you are able to saddle and ride a horse. The conventional method also requires about a week. I hope that my week will be less traumatic for all parties involved.
Two assistants were required to overcome the initial psychological resistance of the student, compounded by her heel-digging behaviour and verbalizations of the "no! don't!" variety.
Try touching and handling the horse. Hand-feed her. Comb her hair. Watch the facial expression. Walk around the animal till total comfort is achieve no matter here you are. Lift her feet. Put your hand in her mouth. Stand behind to overcome the fear of being kicked. And don't anyone dare pointing that elsewhere I spend a lot of wordage to tell people of how not to subject themselves to uncontrollable contact with hooves, especially shod ones. When it comes to the matters of right and wrong, I adhere to the situation ethics, so don't anybody dare accuse me of inconsistency. Any attempt will be crushed with a barrage of potentially dangerous pseudo-scientific and philosophical terms.
Lesson 2, part 2.
It turns out that the horse is a gentle and obedient animal you can lead by the forelock without appealing to extreme methods such as halters and bridles.
You can putt their tail, and your chances of staying alive and well are still way over 50%.
The aim of this series of exercises is to convince you that your annihilation is not the goal of your average horse.
What they do want is to get rid of you. You are a nuisance, an irritant. They can run away or kick. Or get use to you and do what you tell them to. So make the line of least resistance consist of obedience. Setting the parameters to control this line is your job, as a representative of the zoon politikon breed.
You can even go under the horse. The instructor really had to pretend that the student will die for sure if she doesn't do this exercise. What's more, that belly belongs to Sur. The student still brags how brave she was.
A a certain point your riding instructor will issue commands that
just have to be followed. His teaching style shows most spectacular results when practices under fool moon around midnight. Science is yet to explain this
phenomenon but all the powerful benefits of the "do it or else" approach
are yours to enjoy even now.
This is our spoilt and biting1 Moonie. It turns out you can hand-feed the horse without risking to lose your fingers.
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1Up to today (Jan. 27, 2002) I denied the allegation. I was left alone with the little beastie, with no one else to bite, so she turned to me. Now I admit that she bites. So what? Their biting is almost a sign of affection. Is it their fault that we are freaks with no fur and that the gentlest of nibbling hurts us?
Lesson 2. Leading the horse, plus the repeat of all of the above. Walking, watering and feeding the horse.
Lesson 3. Putting on the bridle and saddle. Repeating all of the above. Usually I am able to convince the student to stick his/her hand into the horses mouth on this third lesson.
Урок 4. Getting on an off, plus repeat of the above. Our aim at this state is to easily mount and dismount, or to roll off you you have to...алезание и слезание, плюс вышеперечисленное. Задача на данном этапе - научиться легко садиться и столь же легко слезать (или скатываться). Да, что делать при необходимости аварийной эвакуации тоже проходим. О роли разминки в предотвращении вывихов тоже беседуем.
Урок 5. Дрессировка. Попробуйте приучить животное по команде давать копыто. Или фыркать. Или подходить на зов. Задача - увидеть, сколь разумна и покладиста лошадь, если у вас в руках морковка или черный хлеб, политый подсолнечным маслом и густо посыпанный солью. И сколь охотно она идет ОТ сарая, поняв, что в конце пути ее ждет четверть ведерка размоченного овса..
Урок 6. Теперь собственно езда. К этому моменту вы ощущаете лошадь, как нечто знакомое и почти дружественное. Я говорю "почти", так как лошадь - не собака, и определенная мера настороженности должна всегда присутствовать в вашем взаимоотношении с ней. Одеваете шлем (на данный момент можем предложить только велосипедные), подписываете бумажку, освобождающую нас от какой-либо ответственности, и едете в поля.
Итак, лошадь не пугает и мы с нее не падаем. Моя миссия считается выполненной, и теперь вы можете спокойно и с удовольствием осваивать технику езды как таковую.