Training Yearlings to show in hand

Lulu

Training Yearlings to show in hand

Postby Lulu » Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:24 pm

Does anyone have experience training young horses to show in hand ? If so what techniques do you use to, from the ground, expand and collect at the trot ?

Hypno-toad
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Re: Training Yearlings to show in hand

Postby Hypno-toad » Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:19 pm

It's been ages, but I used to show weanlings and young horses (up to about 3 years) in hand. For training, it really depends on the age of the horse. With the babies, it's just about letting them do it and get used to the hand-working stick/whip/whatever you carry. I just ran them around at the trot everywhere. Going to the paddock? Let's jog it. Going back inside? Jog in-hand time! Shorter legs on the baby makes it easier to get nice extension and pace.

Once they get the whole, "I go faster when the human goes faster" concept, the refining sets in. I always start off with a nice loose lead and a hand working stick up by their face. It gets their attention and if they run off, they will run into it. Most horses go, "woah, I am not messing with that stick" even from the get-go. If a horse wants to run through you, tap the stick on their chest. If a horse won't go, the stick goes behind you and taps them on the haunch. Seems pretty basic, but timing on the human's part is essential.

I try to make a no big deal about being in-hand, and I really try not to get too involved with their head. Getting in their face with contact with a chain/stick/whatever makes them go up. I have seen people make their babies rear because they get too involved with working the head. My stick was up by their face for the most part as an attention tool and once we got going, it usually came down by the chest so I could make contact there if I had to.

My advice, watch some "hired handlers", the people who get paid to handle babies at shows. They often never meet the baby (who often has never done this before) and have to make them look good. You can learn an awful lot about timing and your posture by watching them.

Hope that helps at all! Like I said, it has been ages but for a long while breed shows were my whole existence!

Lulu

Re: Training Yearlings to show in hand

Postby Lulu » Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:48 am

That's what I have been doing with my yearling. Stop start always next to handler etc. I was just wondering if there are any techniques out there to go beyond that to mostly working on tiny collection from the ground, conformation stand and stretch the neck.

Thanks for your response :)

niniane

Re: Training Yearlings to show in hand

Postby niniane » Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:47 pm

In addition to what Hypno-toad said- Teaching them to stand whilst people walk around them staring hard is a good skill. A lot of babies don't like all that staring!


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