mounted patrol way, jackson hole police citizens mounted unit, patrol horse, desensitization
Watch your pace. Expose your horse only
to what he can handle. Proceed at a pace
that helps him succeed.
Never train alone. When you train, make
sure someone is around, even if it’s a neighbor
watching from afar.
Be patient. Mounted patrol training is an ongoing
process, not a one-time event. Practice
these steps as often as your schedule allows.
Training Basics
As you work with your horse, keep these
training basics in mind to optimize success.
Be positive. Your mind-set, outlook, energy,
and anxiety level affect your horse more
than any other tool or technique. Ride over
and through obstacles as if they’re no big
deal, and your horse will adopt the same attitude.
If you have fun and view the training
as a game, your horse will, too.
Focus on your destination. When you’re in
the saddle, your horse will follow your gaze.
Pick out a tree, a sign at the far end of the
arena — any object in the direction of your
destination — and focus on it.
HorseLink Magazine
9
Issue 8 2009
Click left for a training video
by author jayme Feary, as
demonstrated by judy nalley,
the 2008 rookie of the year,
jackson Hole Mounted Police
Citizens’ Unit. nalley was fearful
of riding her green horse on
the trail until she joined jackson
Hole’s mounted unit. The
training changed her outlook.
“it gave me confidence in myself
and my horse,” she says.
Use the principle of pressure and release.
With all forms of equine training, the basics
of pressure and release apply. Maintain pressure
(e.g., hold the lead rope taut, maintain
pressure on the bit, or apply a leg cue) until
your horse gives you the slightest approximation
of what you want. Then release the
pressure, and reward him with a rub.
Pause for the moment of learning. Learning
happens when you release the pressure
at a specific response from your horse. Then
pause long enough for the lesson to sink in.
Use your horse’s sense of smell. When
approaching a new obstacle, horses may
pause for a sniff. This is part of the acceptance
process. Smelling an object indicates
that he’s willing to consider dealing with it.
After he seems satisfied, ask him to continue
forward across or through the obstacle.
jayme Feary is a writer and horseman based in
jackson, Wyoming. He’s a member of the jackson
Hole Police Citizens’ Mounted Unit and
The Long riders’ Guild.
news training
events
adventures
HealtH CliCK & sHop Hoof it
Hauling
Q&a
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.