NEWS
& ARTICLES :
Banish the Bad Weather Blues
Banish the Bad Weather Blues (originally published
in PetFolio magazine)
Make the most out of your down time.
Most of us don't find riding or working with
our horses very fun in the dead of winter, mostly
because it's cold and there is so little daylight.
But rather than putting the two of you up on
a shelf for the winter, try some of these suggestions.
Teach your horse better ground manners in the
safety, warmth and comfort of a stall, barn isle,
or shelter. Work on typical trouble areas, such
as the mouth, nostrils and ears, to desensitize
them for future handling. Use advance-and-retreat
strategies to make this a pleasant experience
for you and your horse. Teach your horse to respond
to verbal commands, such as "foot" when
picking up his hooves, "back" to step
back out of your space, "stand" or "whoa".
Practice massage and stretching techniques on
your horse. He'll love it! Practice skills such
as bandaging legs. Some day it will come in handy.
You can also improve your braiding skills, grooming
skills, or even bridling (make sure the bit is
warmed up first!). In your home, study up on
horse subjects such as body parts, tack parts,
nutrition, and so forth. Exercise, stretch and
stay in shape! Clean your tack, check all the
parts for wear and tear, and repair or replace
parts as necessary. Plan your spring come-back
strategy, or lay out the new year's goals along
with detailed plans to achieve them. Get together
with other horse friends and watch educational
videos. Discuss what you saw or learned from
it. Ask your instructor what sort of indoor programs
she offers to help you with your non-mounted
learning. Instead of canceling your lessons,
work on things you need help with that don't
require things like jumping. Sometimes it's fun
to just ride bareback and learn to feel where
the feet are, or how the horse's back feels underneath
of you. Quiet work such as yielding the horse's
hindquarters, learning to sidepass or opening
gates can be done even when the ground isn't
safe for other things. Making the most of your
winter options can help melt the winter blues.
Spring feels like it's just around the corner. By
Rebekka Rhodes
©2006 by CentaurGenics®. All rights reserved.
