Student Horse Training
Hey there folks, Al Ragusin here. In this instructional video, you’re going to watch this student go from an uncollected trot and an uncollected lope to a collected lope and a collected trot. Now, folks, what we did and changed was that his stirrups were too short, and that’s why he was bouncing in the saddle. We lowered the stirrups down one notch, and then I put my breast collar on him instead of his. His was fine, but he didn’t have the bottom part to keep the breast collar where it’s supposed to be. We adjusted the breast collar to be four inches above the slant of the shoulder.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Collection
Now, folks, I want to emphasize what collection is. It’s transferring the weight from the front to the back, but here’s the rub – how do you get that done? It takes months and years to do it. Back in the late 1950s, when I started working with horses, I tried to invent a way to collect because I noticed that when I turned my horse loose by himself with no saddle or anything, he collects himself. So I thought all I have to do is find a way to show him what I want him to do and let him do it, and it’ll be a lot faster.
Using the Mexican Bit
Now, folks, this is a Mexican bit that is used in Mexican rodeos. What I want to show you is that this bit should engage right here, straight down. But it’s not engaging until I pick it way up here. So what I’m going to do is unhook it and take it up one notch, and now it’s engaging where it’s supposed to.
The Cabochon
Now, folks, the Cabochon keeps his mouth on the bit. It goes right below this bone, which is a very sensitive bone, and you want the Cabochon to be right below it. I just adjusted it here nice and loose so that he can’t open his mouth, and it keeps him on the bit.
Working with the Horse
Now, folks, there are two ways of riding a horse. The way that you just saw him riding, where he turns the reins loose, and the horse goes by in front of the bit. What we’re going to do by collecting them is we’re going to make him run behind the bit. But we’re not going to be pulling on the bit. We’re just going to have to set his head in one position for right now until he gets his rear end underneath him, which would make it a lot smoother for him and for you.
Getting the Horse to Collect
Now, folks, to get him to collect, we’re going to push him into the bit, and make him go forward. Elena here has been riding a long time, so he didn’t have to tap the horse, but for those of you who have not, all you have to use is a little tap. Keeping his hand in the same place, squeeze your legs again and tapping.
Conclusion
Now, folks, we got him from an uncollected trot and an uncollected lope to a collected lope and a collected trot. He’s doing very well, and he’s very comfortable now. Once he’s collected like this, he can stay collected as long as he has the reins on him. Remember, the horse is not going to put himself in an uncomfortable position. That’s why he must do this before the rider gets on him so that he can understand that it’s between him and the reins.
