Podcasts
November, 24
2017
Teeth, Hooves & Training | RES 058
Well, we’ve been roughing it through a South Texas winter – which is to say we practically have our bathing suits on in the near 90 degree weather. This week was Thanksgiving here in the states, and I hope you all got to spend some quality time with your families and horses, too. This week we’re going to talk about a question I’ve gotten a lot as of late, which is how dental care and hoof maintenance pertain to training.
Key Takeaways
Proper hoof care is incredibly important. For example, have you ever walked around in a pair of shoes that “almost” fit, and then walked around in a pair that actually fit? The difference is huge. Horses don’t have the means to communicate to us that their shoes don’t fit, so to speak.
You want to work with an experienced farrier that understands how a horse hoof works, not do a trial and error run with someone who just throws a bunch of trimming tools in the back of their truck.
Think of it this way – I was a running back in college. At one point, I stubbed one of my toes incredibly hard. I wasn’t able to accelerate to my fullest ability or even jog in a straight line properly. My balance was off and there was a good deal of pain associated with trying to play. And that was just one toe!
So, how can you tell someone is learned in the ways of hoof trimming? Checking to see if a Farrier has attended a school approved by the American Farrier’s Association is a good start. Being a member of the AFA also shows that the Farrier likely is continuing their education and training outside of the approved courses. Ask if they go to conferences and how they keep up their knowledge and practice it.
Pricing for a trim can vary from region to region. For South Texas – if some offered to trim for $25 a head I would be a bit worried – that’s underpriced for these parts. $50 a horse is more about what a properly trained Farrier will charge.
So how do teeth play into a horse’s performance? Well, the easier it is for a horse to eat the more nutrients they will get out of their food, making them more efficient. The health of their teeth directly ties into their physical performance as well. Once I’ve weened a baby from its mother I know I have about 2 years until they start shedding their caps – losing their baby teeth for their adult teeth to grow in.
If the caps don’t shed properly a horse can get a “wave”. See, horse’s teeth never stop growing. They grind them down as they eat. So, if one adult tooth is protected by a cap for too long it won’t get worn down evenly with the rest. This can result in a wave of unevenness.
Think about where bits sit in the horse’s mouth – right in the corners of the mouth. If they move their jaw wrong or we are too rough sore spots can develop on the inner tissue of the mouth. This can result in the horse not responding or being incredibly anxious with the bit because they associate it with that pain.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
November, 10
2017
Hurricane Harvey: What the Wind is Blowing | RES 056
Welcome back to Ride Every Stride! We’ve been on a bit of a hiatus, if you haven’t noticed, but we’re good to jump back in the saddle now. So why have we been gone? We were way more fortunate than others after hurricane Harvey – we only lost power for ten days. However, getting an internet connection back up and running took a good bit longer. There aren’t any landlines out here and all the towers had been damaged by the winds. Everything is good to go now and you can look forward to more episodes dropping week to week.
Now, I’m from tornado country in North Texas – in fact, we had two tornadoes touch down in five years on our property. But after moving to south Texas I heard about the dangers of hurricanes and kind of shrugged off any worry about them. Well, after seeing roofs blown off houses and tin sheets soaring through fields, it’s safe to say I’ve changed my mind about that. Huge swaths of south Texas saw massive flooding and got absolutely hammered – I’ve just never seen devastation like that.
Thankfully the damage to our ranch was extremely minimal. We decided not to evacuate as well and watch over all our horses and clients horses as well. I’ve never been in a situation like this before, so I asked around, got some advice, and did the best I could. I moved all the horses away from structures that might be damaged by wind and didn’t trap them in any building. As you may know, I’m a big proponent of letting horses do their own thing. I wanted them to be able to flee if they needed. I gave clients the opportunity to move their horses further inland but most decided to keep their horses under my care – now that things are said and done, I would’ve encouraged them more. Storms like this are just so unpredictable and it’s better to be overly cautious than sorry forever.
While we got off lucky, I’ve heard horrific stories of ranches that flooded with cattle and horses swimming through water and getting trapped in the fences we build to try and keep them safe. The whole experience has made me understand the value of being prepared for the worst. For having a plan and knowing the area you keep your horse and what the hazards of the area are.
While I’m saddened by what many lost in the storm, I’m personally grateful for the experience. I’m better prepared now to help out in case of another storm like this comes about. Looking back on what happened makes for good coffee shop conversation, but what we need to do now is look forward, find routine and normalcy, and get back to finding our stride.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
November, 17
2017
Rescuers vs. Traders | RES 057
I’m in high cotton this week, but the subject we’re bringing up gets me pretty upset. Last week we talked about Hurricane Harvey and evacuating. This week we are going to talk about people who pander to your heartstrings with their “displaced horses” to try and make money. These, quite frankly, scumbags will go to a horse sale and buy horses for cheap – then turn around and post pictures of them on Facebook saying, “If someone doesn’t buy this poor horse by Tuesday it’s going to the slaughterhouse.” Reputable rescue facilities don’t do this, and I’m here to give you an earful about it.
Key Takeaways
I’ve had the pleasure to work with wonderful rescue facilities in the past. They aren’t trying to turn a profit off of their horses. The most you’ll pay is an adoption fee and a fair one at that. I’m talking about $150 dollars, and maybe at most $500. Not $1,500 or $2,500 – and just the other day I saw a $3,500 adoption fee.
The whole point of a rescue facility is to prevent the horse from being slaughtered, not to threaten you into purchasing the horse.
This topic has come back up as people have rescued horses and cattle from the aftermath of Harvey, saying that if you don’t “adopt” the animal they’ll be shipped off to slaughter. This is preying on kindhearted people who buy into the scam to “save” the animal.
A legitimate rescue facility should happily give you their 501 C3 non-profit information. If they balk at this or stop responding or delete your post – you’ve likely caught them in the act. There are a few things you can ask a rescue facility to make sure they have good intentions:
Ask how long they’ve been in business and where they are located – on top of getting their 501 C3 information. Find out what their procedure and process is for acquiring and placing horses. Many facilities also let people foster their horses, where you can take care of them while the Rescue facility still owns them and is trying to place them.
Unfortunately, the only way these horse traders will stop this practice is if it stops working. They may very well go take those horses to slaughter if no one buys them, but the practice will sadly continue the longer and longer it works.
If you have any questions about adopting a horse from a rescue facility don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@vanhargis.com
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
July, 21
2017
Use your Doomafagie & Face the Gate | RES 055
This week we’re answering questions from two different listeners. Both still had questions after listening to previous episodes, and Laura and I are here to clear the air.
Key Takeaways
First question - what to do with horse that won’t respond to go forward cues. Well, it depends - first off is you want to make sure you are being deliberate with your request. You don’t want to send subtle cues that might make the horse think a fly just landed on their back. You want to get their attention, and make a deliberate request. Once the horse yields a bit to that request, you want the horse to feel a change in your demeanor and energy. You are demanding that they respond to your commands, you’re looking at them like you are almost a hungry predator. If that look is enough to have them move then you release it and make sure the horse is following through.
How do you make them follow through? If your horse stops or doesn’t move to begin with, you want to swing your lead rope to their neck at the spot you were looking at - but not making contact. Then after that first swing you move yourself forward and do it again, but make contact with the spot. Then if no response, I’ll do it a little harder. Same if your horse won’t increase speed. Swing first at their belly and rump, then the second time make contact, and increase pressure from there until they pick up the pace. You have to show the horse you are its leader - you make their feet move, not the other way around.
Horses learn from the release of pressure. So again, I will refer to my saying of squeeze, bump, kick and kill. You have to commit to increasing pressure until you get a response. If you don’t the horse will just become desensitized to your requests. But as soon as the horse caves to your pressure, you need to release it to reward them. Then repeat the same steps. Soon the horse will learn it can skip having you bump or kick ‘em and just do what you want at the “squeeze” stage. That’s how you get your horse to be more soft, supple, and responsive.
Question two - this is a common one. A listener reached out to me saying she is having problems with horsing jerking and bolting off when being turned out to a pasture or ring. As soon as her or the workers at her border facility start to get the halter and lead rope off, the horses are making a run for it. So, what can she do to train her staff to kick this behavior in the horses they’re charged with?
First thing is to walk past where you are going to release them, then turn them around and make them face the gate. Don’t let them look at where they want to bolt off to. If the horse starts to get excited you need to slow the process down. Maybe have them run a quick exercise, anything to keep their focus on you.
Now, in terms of training the staff. The manager or owner has to take it upon themselves, be a leader, and retrain the staff and borders too. Consistency is the only way to get rid of this problem, and if you have anyone breaking with that consistency the horse will jump at the opportunity to fall back into their old habits.
Special Offer!
Make sure you go back and listen to Episode 54 and find out what milestone we discussed in order to find out how to get a huge discount on a special item. This offer only runs through the end of July, so get to listening.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
July, 16
2017
Spurs -Why & How to Use 'Em | RES 054
This episode is dedicated to that iconic symbol of all cowboys and cowgirls: the boot spur. Mine never come off my work boots. I check them in my luggage when traveling and as soon as I get to where I’m going they go right back on. They are a part of me and my culture. There are some mixed emotions about spurs and so today we will be going over many questions I’ve got about them. Whether you need spurs, don’t need them, and what purpose they serve.
Key Takeaways
First off, no. You don’t need to have them. At a base level, they are just an extension of your heel. They let me communicate with just a little less effort to whatever horse I’m riding. With the smallest movement, I can give a subtle message to the horse, and I like to be as soft as possible when doing so.
Here is my response to those who may think they are cruel and could hurt a horse. The truth is they are only as harsh as the person using them. They aren’t sharpened like knives. Now, for the inexperienced user or someone not in control of your emotions, you bet they can be brutal. Even what you think would be a mild bit can be abusive if used incorrectly or with too much force.
The bit and spur don’t have any intelligence. They don’t think whatsoever. That said, for new riders spurs aren’t necessarily a great idea. As you learn to balance correctly you often use your feet and hands to stabilize, putting a lot of pressure on the horse. This is why you want to give new riders the most mild bit you can. Same goes for spurs. You need to have proper body awareness before strapping something on that could hurt the horse.
For me, spurs also stand for a bit of mastery over my own horsemanship. It helps me to know that I don’t “need” them, since as I’ve progressed I use less and less of my hands and feet. I’ve learned to give my horse signals in other ways and with more of my posture.
Again, where you release is what you teach. If you’re always kicking and pounding with the spur, then the horse is less likely to listen to you when you apply a gentle pressure. They’ll tune everything else out until that amount of force is applied.
Spur selection. You need to think about the size of your leg length and the horse’s barrel. Say you’re riding English on a large horse and your legs aren’t that long. Your spurs are going to rest right on the widest part of that horse. It doesn’t make sense for your to have long shanks then since there will be a lot of pressure on that horse’s midsection. For Western riding on shorter horses often a longer shank can be useful.
Essentially, you should only use spurs if you don’t really need to use them. You have to be keenly aware with how you are using your spurs and the subtleties of what things you can communicate through them. They are tools of refinement, not aggression.
Make sure you listen to the episode for a special promotion I'm offering this month!
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
July, 10
2017
Wet Saddle Blankets | RES 053
Welcome back to Ride Every Stride – we’re in the thick of summer now and I thought it’d be good to have an episode about something you all have probably heard. “Oh, that horse just needs some wet saddle blankets. That’ll do them some good.” I get where this comes from, the idea of getting a horse busy to have them fall in line with the behaviors you want. But you can’t just give a horse busy work and expect them to grow. That’s the equivalent of throwing a monkey on a border collie – just putting a rider on and running your horse aimlessly won’t teach them anything. So, wet saddle blankets alone don’t get you a whole lot of anything. It’s the purpose and intentions behind the work that matter.
Key Takeaways
When you work with your horse you want to make that time valuable. Productive time means you’re doing something positive for you and your horse’s relationship and education. Remember, practice doesn’t make perfect – practice just makes permanent. So keep this in mind: are you training your horse to be average, or above average? If you’re going to get wet saddle blankets either way, why not aim as high as you can?
Beginner riders can benefit from having a professional show them how to communicate effectively with a horse. If you observe horses from afar you can pick up on the subtleties of the way the convey messages to one another. Certain tail swishes and ear movements can mean different things. But while your horse may not understand every word we speak to them, don’t let that stop you from talking to them. When you talk out loud you have to organize your thoughts. You can then use that organization to turn your thoughts into effective actions.
Sometimes it can be good to let y our horse relax too. I’ll do what I call “mindless riding” where I ride out and give the horse a pretty easy job, one they already excel at. This practice doesn’t place a whole lot of psychological stress on them, which teaches them how to perform a job while relaxed.
You are a trainer, make sure you understand that. Every time you interact with a horse you are training them, so you better do it with a purpose. Just loping circles is a surefire way to get your horse bored and dull your relationship.
Laura knows that being busy is a badge of honor in society now, but if you aren’t doing your work with a purpose in mind you won’t get far.
Picture what a perfect day with your horse looks like, and then see what you can do today to get there. Every time you get in the saddle you should have a gameplan, but remember your horse may not have read it, just like life. Think about how you are going to handle your obstacles while staying positive and working towards your perfect day.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
June, 23
2017
Saddle Up | RES 052
I’m often approached by those who consider me a saddle expert. And yes, I have designed saddles with manufacturers that I’m extremely proud of. However, I’d hesitate to call myself a saddle expert. I spend my energy thinking about the horse and what they need far more than I think about what adjustments I need made to any given saddle. I like to keep things simple. My saddle should be basically neutral, not causing myself or the horse any problems. You may’ve gotten advice from a saddle expert, talking about saddle fit and custom saddles, but before you run off and get something tailor made I’d ask yourself this: where are this expert’s intentions coming from? We’re giving you the rundown on my take on saddles this week, so let’s head off.
Key Takeaways
It can be intimidating when you go into a tack store and see racks and racks of saddles. You’re not alone if you find yourself not knowing where to start. So, let’s make your saddle buying decision a bit more simple. First, let’s see if your current saddle is the cause for your horse’s riding issues. 90% the saddle has nothing to do with your horse’s behavior. I’ve made every stupid mistake you can think of with a horse and saddle, and every time both have come out completely fine and unharmed.
Keep in mind that different breeds have different builds. A huge mistake I see all the time is this: someone’s selling a saddle online. They put down a tape measure in front of the gullet to show how wide it is. This is completely wrong. Because after the saddle is manufactured, you can only gauge that width by the saddle tree itself, because the tree is the foundation. It has to be a bare naked tree to understand the true width.
What are some scenarios in which you might consider getting a custom saddle made? Well, if your horse has some sort of deficiency - say one shoulder is atrophied and the other is more developed. This might be a case where you’d want to look into getting a custom saddle built to compensate for the lesser shoulder.
Horses generally show weight gain most prominently over their withers and buttocks. This can be a bit of an issue with custom saddles, because as seasons change grasses become more abundant or sparse. This results in weight gain and loss. Does this mean you need a new saddle every time your horse packs on a few pounds? Of course not. You just need to invest in quality saddle pads to compensate for any change.
What’s a good saddle worth? A better question is how much cheap saddles are going to cost you as they wear out over and over again. Go buy yourself something with great workmanship, great materials, and that’ll last you. Be picky, inspect the stitching - you want something that you can really rely on to withstand what you’re going to put it through. Remember, a good quality saddle doesn’t cost you anything to keep.
If in doubt about making any saddle purchases feel free to ask me any questions - I try not to push my own products on anyone, although I love that I’ve had the opportunity to work with manufacturers and design my own products. But send me an email at info@vanhargis.com - I’ll respond best I can, but including any pictures of your horse and current saddle would definitely be helpful.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
June, 09
2017
Finding the "Why" of an Aggressive Horse | RES 051
We have another listener question that will be the focal point for this week’s episode. While I like to respond to these personally, sometimes I like to bring them up for episode topics as well. This topic, in particular, is something many horse owners may have dealt with, and that’s aggressive horses. The question that came in was specifically about a 15-year-old mare - one that was bottle fed at some point because her mother couldn’t produce enough milk. This mare will get aggressive on trail rides if any horse comes up from behind. She’ll stop and run backward to kick at the other horses. Keep in mind that my suggestions here are what I “might” do. There’s not a surefire solution I can give without being there myself, but this should provide a good starting point for anyone with similar issues.
Key Takeaways
Let’s find the source of the problem first. When another horse approaches from behind the mare gets aggressive. So when another horse is out of her range and approaching she reacts. This is most likely a fear response. Since she has probably had less horse -to-horse interactions (from being bottle fed) she can’t tell if the horse is a friend or foe. So, to defend herself, she turns around and goes about kicking.
So what do we do about this? Well, there’s usually no better teacher than Mother nature herself. Putting the mare in a large turnout with other horses can help them work things out amongst themselves. This won’t completely solve the problem, but it’s a good step in the right direction.
To start getting rid of this behavior through training you want to teach the mare to focus on you, not the other horses. Start with tons of groundwork exercises you are familiar with. Make sure the exercises are done correctly and if the horse’s attention drifts, run the exercises again and more intensely. They’ll come to learn that focusing on you is the easy thing to do. You’ll move to being saddled and running these exercises, and then finally inviting over some friends and their horses in a controlled environment to help the mare adjust to focusing on you while other horses are around.
Again, finding out the cause of the issue comes first. There are multiple ways to solve any problem. So when we discover the why to an issue we can then go about discovering which how works best for us and our horses.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
May, 22
2017
Chasing Change - Slow & Steady | RES 050
There’s a story I’m reminded of just about every day. It’s one that comes to mind when I’m pushing myself and my horses to be the absolute best that we can. Back around when ranch horse versatility events were getting popular I started exercising my competition skills. I’d take clients horses and often win first, second, and third place with their different horses. It got me some recognition from some publications, and one of my clients took notice, too. He started bragging about me, boosting my ego and getting my hat a little too tight, and asked if I could get him to see 1% improvement a day with one of his horses. I said yes sir, of course I can do that. Well, he went on to tell me that he’d bring me the horse 100 days before a competition to get them ready. Of course, I immediately realized it was going to get that horse more than 100 days to be show ready, and so did he. It was a humbling lesson in the way we progress both through our horsemanship and humanship, and it’s one I’d like to share with you today.
Key Takeaways
Don’t think about the clock so much. We often put time limits on things that don’t necessarily need them. Now don’t get me wrong, setting goals and deadlines for yourself and horse can be a good thing. They can make you work harder and more readily to achieve those milestones. However, realize that reality doesn’t always line up with our expectations.
Keep in mind that change comes about slowly in many cases. Sometimes it comes so slowly we don’t even see it happening. It builds and builds until suddenly our horse does something really well and we get to sit back and think, wow, how did we get here?
Another quote I like to throw around is that the minute you start working with a horse be looking for a place to quit. Have a clear goal in mind for your training session and understand what you are trying to teach them. Be aware, and once your horse has your lesson down then stop. Let one step be enough instead of pushing your horse too far.
Not to contradict myself, but sometimes pushing your horse too far can be a good learning experience as well. You can’t find out how far you can take your horse until you’ve gone a little too far and have to work to rebuild some of the confidence lost in the process.
Horsemanship teaches us to be patient. This can be hard when training for a competition and want to get everything done in one session or weekend. But you have to be happy with improvement as it comes, step by step. It means you’re going further than you have before.
Celebrating the journey is critical because we don’t hit life changing milestones every day. Real change happens between the big noticeable transformations. Some of those moments will be more memorable than others, but all of them add up to make growth in your journey possible.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
May, 12
2017
Just Use A “Bit” Of Knowledge | RES 049
We’re back from the pacific northwest where we’ve had some excellent clinics and met some great people. I fielded a fair amount of questions on the trip and many of them had to do with bits. When I get asked, “What kind of bit do you use?” my favorite response is “Just use a bit of knowledge.” In all seriousness, what bit you use depends on a lot of factors. But keep in mind that bits are just tools. Buying a new one just because it’s easier than learning to use the one you already have is not a good reason to switch bits. We’re going over how to look at why certain bits work for certain people and horses, and also what kind of mentality you need to have when exploring them.
Key Takeaways
Another of my favorite sayings is that you know why there are so many bits, dont’cha? It’s because none of them work. Again, jokes aside, manufacturers have demands put on them by the consumer, who goes into retail stores and sees all the products. Unfortunately, some riders have the idea that buying a new bit is going to fix their problems.
Remember this: a bit can’t think. It’s a tool and it will only do what you tell it to. No bit has a secret that will make you a master of all horses. With this in mind, it is important to look at a rider’s knowledge and skill level in order to pair them and a horse with a proper bit.
At a clinic recently there was a woman who I saw riding a bit unbalanced, bouncing her arms. This made the horse hold its head up high almost in a defensive mode. The reason for this is that she was using a harsh bit and did not have good control of her hands yet. Switching her to a snaffle bit, which is lighter, helped reduce the pressure she was putting on her horse's mouth.
Snaffle bits are 1 to 1 ratio bits. The amount of pressure you put on it is the exact amount the horse is going to feel. This allows you to be very direct with your signals to the horse and know exactly how much pressure is needed to get the horse to respond. For this reason, snaffle bits (the D-ring version) are my favorite go to bit.
Hackamore bits are sometimes used because a rider thinks that it will be less harmful to the horse since it doesn’t rest in their mouth; it rests on their nose and lower jaw. They can either be made of rawhide (traditional) or metal (mechanical). But in the end, any bit is going to respond as gentle or as harsh as the hands behind it.
Remember that ignorance can be way more harmful than any bit you might choose. Be honest about your skill level and your horse’s skill. Seek advice from professionals you trust, not just any random employee from a retail store - although there are great and knowledge people in many stores. Once you learn what you want to do with your riding and learn what the bits do you will be able to make your own decisions about which to use.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
April, 21
2017
Can We Know if Our Horses Are Happy? | RES 048
Some of my favorite questions are more philosophical in nature, and recently I’ve been asked an interesting one: How do you know if your horses are happy? Understanding this boils down to the main differences between horses and people. We tend to apply human emotions and characteristics to our horses that often don’t apply to them. But horses don’t jump out of airplanes or go to the movies or go on hikes to find happiness like humans do. Horses are very different animals from us with different ways of expressing themselves. In this episode, we’re going over signs that your horse is anxious or frustrated and thinking about what horse happiness actually looks like.
Key Takeaways
In order to give a cure you first have to find the cause - this is something Jack Brainard once taught me. So, if we want to make our horses happy it will do us well to figure out why they are unhappy first.
Horses can show their anxiety and frustration by swishing a tail or pinning their ears, even if they go on to do what you ask of them. With an attitude. Anyone who has had the privilege of raising a teenager will know what I’m talking about.
We need to understand that almost everything we ask of a horse is a favor. A trail ride or loping circles in an arena has no benefit for the horse. It is for our entertainment. So it is important to know if what you are asking is fair of the horse, and time your requests properly. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard.
If your horse is giving you some attitude don’t give in and back off. That simply rewards the horse. Remember, where you release is what you teach. By staying firm with our requests, and asking more of them every time they give us some attitude, our horses learn that the only thing causing them to work harder is the way in which they are doing what you ask.
Keep in mind that there is no absolute measure for whether or not a horse is happy. It will be impossible for us to ever know. But if we observe them in their natural habitat we can see what is normal for them. Being soft in the face, hanging out in the shade, playing with one another - all these things show us that if the horse is behaving differently than normal there must be some sort of stress in their life.
In general, horses want to be left alone. And the less we bother them, the more we can get an understanding of what keeps them relaxed and at ease.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
April, 14
2017
Asserting Yourself In The Herd | RES 047
If you’re familiar with our show you’ve heard me talk about horse’s herd instinct. You may have wondered though if that instinct still survives in our domestic horses, and if so, how strong it actually is. Well, the answer is that yes, horses still very much seek out herd interactions with fellow horses. Us humans tend to be a bad replacement for another horse in this regard. In today’s episode, we’re going to be discussing aspects of how horses behave in herds and how that affects how we as trainers and riders interact with them.
Key Takeaways
If you watch horses objectively as they interact with one another you’ll see that they tend to group up. In a large group of say twenty horses, you might see three or four subgroups form as well. And not only are these horses ranked in the whole herd, but they are ranked in their subgroups as well. Identifying where your horse falls in these groups can help give you a leg up in understanding how to best communicate that you are their leader.
Communicating that you’re a horse’s leader comes down to assertiveness. You need to realize where you rank in the herd. If you’re not the leader to all of them in the herd, you have yourself a bit of a problem. But you don’t have to become snappy and mean in order to assert your position. Being the leader means consistently making decisions, following through with those decisions, and making them apply to the whole herd.
If you don’t assume the leadership position a horse high up on the herd’s totem pole might try to take it from you. In order to deal with this kind of aggression from a horse you need to form a safety bubble around yourself, and by no means let the horse into it, or shy away from it yourself.
In contrast, if you don’t take a leadership position with a horse lower on the totem pole that horse’s anxiety might increase. They’ll be looking around for potential threats while wondering who their leader is, and if it’s not you, or them, then who is it?
The best way to gain and maintain your leadership role is to make decisions that are in the horse’s best interest. You may want to head out and practice flying lead changes, but if the horse is having issues you need to be committed to building a solid foundation. When you make decisions with the horse’s best interest in mind they’ll learn over time that you make their life easier. In this way, they become more comfortable giving you the respect that comes in having a leadership position in their herd.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
April, 07
2017
Are You Ready To Buy A Horse? | RES 046
We’re tackling a pretty in depth question this week from another one of our listeners: how do you know when you’re ready to buy a horse? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that horses are large animals. Much larger than any other pet. And with that increase in size also comes an increase in time, effort, money, and responsibility. I’m going to walk you through some steps that should help you decide if you’re ready to make the kind of commitment it takes to keep a horse in your care. And as you might’ve guessed, it starts with gauging how truly passionate you are about these wonderful animals.
Key Takeaways
Finding out how passionate you are about having horses be a part of your life can be a bit of a process. No one wants to rush into buying a horse and end up having to sell it after a month because they didn’t know what they were getting into. This is why I recommend volunteering. You get to see first-hand what it’s like to shovel poop, clean the stalls, and groom the horses. Therapy ranches and boarding farms are a great place to get a foot in the door and test out how committed you want to be.
Getting a professional’s help is key in pairing up with a horse that’s suitable for your lifestyle and goals. You need to keep in mind that not all horses are going to be as easy as the ones you’ve worked with through volunteering. A professional can take an objective approach and assess your skill level in order to find horses that will be a good fit.
Just because you find a horse that pairs well with you doesn’t mean you have to buy it right off the bat. Leasing horses has become an increasingly popular option for getting to know a horse more in depth. You generally pay a deposit and then make monthly payments to buy time with the horse. This gives you the time to see if the horse can perform in the ways you need while also stepping up your commitment level.
Something that’s not talked about enough is this: how do you feel about yourself? Are you the kind of person that’s comfortable in a leadership role, or are you more prone to follow? Horses will quickly show you who you are, and you don’t want to be bossed around by one. There is a lot of humility required to own a horse, as failure is going to be a part of the relationship at times. You have to be committed to that leadership role and work through those times so that both you, and your horse, can progress.
We didn’t have this episode to dissuade anyone from buying a horse - only to make sure you’ve carefully considered all the work and effort required to take care of a strong, but delicate living and breathing animal. Laura and I can both attest to how wonderful it is to learn and grow through horsemanship so that our humanship can shine brighter as well.
What do you think?
We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling or just curious, let us know!
We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word
If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please share it with your friends and consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.
Learn More About My Co-Host
My co-host, Laura McClellan, is a wife, mom to five, and attorney who also hosts The Productive Woman, a podcast about productivity for busy women. Check it out!
Next Time on Ride Every Stride
We’ll be sharing more practical tips for better horsemanship (and humanship). If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride!
Van
Van Hargis Horsemanship
March 31
2017
Gender Bias | RES 045
We’ve been getting some great feedback about our show and some great questions have been flooding in. So this week we’ll be addressing a listener question that just came in: should we have different expectations when training mares vs. geldings. To answer this we need to first acknowledge that we expect a job of our horse. We want them to perform. Take a second to look at the kind of performance you’d ask of a man or woman at their job. Regardless of gender, you’re going to be expecting equal performance. And so it is for our horses. My expectations for males and geldings don’t differ. However, there are some things we need to understand the nature of horses that will help us keep our expectations consistent.
Key Takeaways
The core of this episode is about setting expectations, standing by them, and supporting them. While we shouldn’t expect mares and geldings to behave differently, we need to acknowledge that, at times, they do.
Mares see their purpose, naturally, as one of survival and procreation. Us humans get in the way of this. No matter what way you cut it, when you own a horse you are interfering with their natural purpose. Some mares may change a bit when on their cycle, perhaps seeming to not feel as well as they normally do. But, again, I ask the same of them as always. With time they can learn to handle the s