Kyle Davidson
Posts by Kyle Davidson:
Hearts & Horses Virtual Tour
Haven’t made it out to the Hearts & Horses ranch yet? Here’s your chance, thanks to our brand new virtual tour! Discover all of the state-of-the-art facilities designed to heal minds, bodies, and spirits at our 23-acre ranch in Loveland, Colorado.
MULE TALK! PODCAST: Keys to Successful Training Part 2
Keys to Successful Training Part 2 –
- Establishing a bond.
- Feeding.
- Consideration
- Structured exercises.
- Body language and verbal communication.
- Benefits of group lessons.
- Take lessons periodically to stay on track to improve your own skills.
- Lists of trainers and instructors can be obtained from the United States Equestrian Federation and the American Donkey & Mule Society.
Follow along: Read the transcript
Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.
For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com
Side Reins vs. “Elbow Pull”
(Pg. 20, 9-26-16) When I first began training equines, I used “Side Reins” to help my Longears to collect their bodies for optimum use in the Round Pen after leading training for correct postural core strength in the Hourglass Pattern, but it didn’t take me long to realize that there were serious issues with the “Side Reins.” First, the “Side Reins” seemed to cause tension throughout the body instead of producing freedom of movement in good equine posture. “Side Reins” did produce flexion at the poll, but the hind quarters were only partially engaged and were still being somewhat “trailered” behind. The moderate stretch in the “Side Reins” invited my Longears to pull against them resulting in the saddle slipping forward even with the crupper snugly attached, causing the mule or donkey to raise his head instead of relaxing and “giving” at the poll with no tension. And, it did not allow for much freedom of motion. The “Elbow Pull” alleviates all of these issues and produces the freedom of movement in good equine posture that I sought. The “Elbow Pull” is NOT a “Tie Down” or “Draw Reins,” and does not produce the same reaction from the equine. Rather, it is a “POSTURAL AID” that helps them to keep their whole body in good posture during lessons with leading, lunging, ground driving and even riding. It allows the equine to raise his head above the withers with full freedom of movement. They can lower their head and neck all the way to the ground, and as far as they can reach from side to side. It only restricts them from raising their head so high that they hollow their neck and back. Breeds that like to carry their heads higher like Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walkers, Arabians, Thoroughbreds and other “high-headed” individuals can still be quite comfortable in this postural AID (or restraint). My equines gained postural balance with increased core strength in the elements that support the skeletal frame during the leading exercises, and showed increased range of motion with the “Elbow Pull.” They were better able to step well underneath their bodies with their hind quarters for increased impulsion and suspension. They learned to execute turns and pivots properly, staying in good posture through the turns while properly placing their hind quarter pivot foot.
They were better able to collect their bodies for a smooth and truly remarkable ride during more collected demands, such as the very slow Western Pleasure walk, trot and canter, and in the more collected gaits with the added impulsion and movements of Dressage. This freedom of movement has produced amazing versatility in my equines with minimal resistance and has created multiple Lucky Three Ranch champions in all kinds of equine activities, but you must do the correct postural leading exercises in the very beginning before putting the “Elbow Pull” to other uses for the best results. If your equine is over two years old, it is advisable to do the leading exercises in the Hourglass Pattern WITH the “Elbow PULL.” Animals under 2 years will not need this kind of restraint until later. Give your equine the athletic edge and make your training experience resistance free! Peruse our website at www.luckythreeranch.com and look in the various sections under TRAINING and in the STORE for reliable management and training information. How to make the “Elbow Pull” is covered in my EQUUS REVISITED DVD in the STORE. And, if you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at meredith@luckythreeranch.com and I will answer you PROMPTLY.
The Crimped Oats Reward
(page 58) Developing your equine’s physical health is of primary importance, but training should evolve into a balanced, posturally correct and habitual way of moving and behaving. When we do core strength exercises (as opposed to bulk muscle development), it is imperative that the animal learns self carriage, body awareness and discovers the ultimate comfort that can be obtained from being in good posture. Anything less would compromise symmetrical physical development around the skeleton at the deepest level, good postural performance and cooperative behavior. Using Behavior Modification with the crimped oats reward insures that bad behaviors can be replaced with polite behaviors and that repeated ways of moving in good posture will eventually become habitual…a new normal! The difference between our approach and Clicker Training is that your voice (instead of the clicker) provides a means of communication that works more intimately, consistently and effectively with your equine. By the same token, “Rewards” are not the same as “Treats,” and “Bribing” is not the same as “Coaxing.” Very few of us would be willing to work for a simple pat on the head and this is also true with equines. When “paid well” with the healthy crimped oats reward, equines are more apt to repeat good behaviors and in doing so, those behaviors become habitual. This more intimate communication develops a deep and mutual trust. And, contrary to popular belief, when presented correctly for tasks honestly attempted or completed, the equine that gets the crimped oats reward also gets a lot of practice in taking little things politely from your hand without biting your fingers! I LOVE to see people enjoying their equines as much as I enjoy mine! To learn about the correction for any aggressive behaviors, about Behavior Modification and about Rewards, Treats, Coaxing and Bribing, look on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com under TRAINING/MULE CROSSING/BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION (category). Watch our TRAINING TIPS, also posted under TRAINING on my website. Don’t miss our LUCKY THREE RANCH YouTube channel with lost more educational and entertaining videos! HAPPY TRAILS!
MULE CROSSING: Donkey Training, Part 1
By Meredith Hodges
Training your donkey is not really much different than training horses and mules, although there are differences in instinct and attitude that will determine your approach in given situations. The mechanics and techniques, however, remain the same.
The donkey foal needs to begin his life of training with imprinting. Imprinting is simply getting your donkey accustomed to your touch, your voice, your smell, the way you look and the way you interact with him. These are all the things he learns from his mother that will determine the design of his character as he grows older. If he is to be a trainable and tractable individual, you and his mother must teach him to be accepting and willing from the day he is born. This also implies that you and the mother cannot be at odds. She needs to possess the traits you wish to instill in the foal. A well-trained mother will help to produce a well-trained foal. If your jennet is not easy to handle, then she needs this training as well and should be started with imprinting and progress through the steps of training before the foal is born.
When imprinting the foal, think of the kind of attitude you want to cultivate in him—do not come at him with the idea that he must accept you. This is a forceful and intrusive attitude and can foster resistance. Come at him with love, patience and kindness and these are the things he will learn. Give him respect and ask that he respect you and he will begin to learn about behavioral limitations. If he were in a herd, the adults would demand that he respect their space with well-placed discipline. You must learn to do the same without overdoing it. If he bites or kicks, a well-placed slap on the side of the mouth for biting and on the rump for kicking and a loud, “No!” will do the trick. Rewarding his good behaviors consistently will reinforce repetition of what you desire from him and will foster understanding between you and your donkey. This is the beginning of a long-lasting bond of friendship.
Friendships would not be complete without a good balance of work and play. Teachers who make learning fun for children make it easier for the child to learn what he needs to, as well as encouraging a good attitude towards life in general that can carry the child through the most trying of situations. The donkey is no different than a child. If learning is fun and non-threatening, he will enjoy his time with you and you will discover his innate desire to please and to serve. The best teachers are those who realize that they too can learn from the child in this process. Each individual is different in his or her own way, and it is important to recognize the differences in order to foster confidence and self-assurance. Your donkey will appreciate that you not only wish to teach him, but to learn from him as well. This will encourage his enthusiasm for learning and will ensure that he learns well and with confidence. He will learn, right from the beginning, to want to follow you anywhere because it’s the best place to be!
Don’t get in a hurry with your donkey. As a rule, horses have a very quick response time, but with minimal comprehension and memory retention. A mule’s response time is slightly slower than that of the horse, but their comprehension and memory retention is very keen. A donkey’s response time is measurably slower (they appear to be in deep thought for what seems like an eternity to you and me), but their comprehension and memory retention is the keenest of all three. When training each of these different equines, you need to learn to gauge your body language and expectations accordingly.
Whether your donkey is a young foal or an older animal, begin with imprinting and do the steps in sequence. Learn how to properly put on the halter. Let him wear it for a while then take it off, as he could get it caught and injure himself if it is left on. When your donkey is not bothered by you putting on and taking off the halter, you can teach him to be tied. Put the halter on him and tie him to a safe post for one hour. Come by to see him every 10 or 15 minutes, untie him and ask him to “come.” If he does not take a step toward you, just retie him and leave. Come back in 10 minutes and try again. When he takes a step toward you, reward him with a treat and lots of praise. Stroke him on the neck and shoulder or on the poll between the ears, or scratch his chest or rump—whatever he finds most pleasing. Then try a few more steps. Don’t ask for any more steps each day than he is willing to give. Save them for the next time and soon he will lead easily. When he is leading easily, you can start taking walks around the farm and you can begin to introduce him to things he may find frightening. Lead him as close as he will go at your shoulder, then step toward the obstacle as close as the lead will allow and coax him to you. Offer a reward if necessary to entice him, and be sure to reward him when he comes forward. When he is confident about investigating “things” with you, you can progress to an obstacle course.
At your first try going over logs, a bridge, tires, or other such obstacles, you may find your donkey reluctant to pick up his feet to negotiate an obstacle. He will probably try to go around it any way he can. Stand close to his head, holding him on a shorter lead, and ask him to “come.” If he moves only one foot over a log or tire or onto a bridge, stop, hold him there and give him a reward for his effort. Next, ask for the other foot and, if he is willing, let him walk over the obstacle, then reward him again. If he moves only one foot more, reward that, and proceed—slowly! You don’t want him to just run through it. You want him to come when you say “come” and to whoa when you say “whoa.” You are beginning to establish verbal communication with your donkey, so keep it simple and consistent. Do all obstacles the same way. Donkeys like to get crooked over obstacles. When he has learned to step through or over an obstacle but is not going straight, you can step directly in front of him, holding the halter on both sides, and ask for straightness as he negotiates the obstacle.
Once he has learned to follow you over and around obstacles, he will be ready to begin the fundamentals of showmanship. Hold your lead in your left hand, keeping your right hand free and straight out in front of you. He should learn to lead with slack in the lead and to follow your shoulder. If he gets too close, you can use your right hand to push him back into position. Once you have begun showmanship training, ALWAYS lead him this way. Teach him to stand squarely on all fours every time he stops. You are not just teaching him to set up, but to carry his body in a balanced fashion so he will develop good posture and balance. When you want to teach him to trot on the lead, give the verbal command to “trot” and slowly move your own legs into a very slow trot. If he is difficult, do not go to the whip. Try to find something toward which he wants to trot. Above all, don’t get discouraged if he won’t trot the first few times, just slow back down and do something he already knows, then quit for the day and try again the next. Eventually, he WILL get it!
Do the same exercises (outlined in DVD #1 of my Training Mules and Donkeys resistance-free training series) with your donkey as you would with your horse or mule, but be prepared to go much slower and to be calm and supportive when he complies. Learn to reward even the slightest movement in the direction of compliance and allow him to progress at his own speed, not yours. Soon he will be wearing his halter and lead, standing tied quietly while you brush him and clean his feet, following you around and over obstacles, loading into a trailer and learning the beginning stages of showmanship. You will have a good, solid foundation on which to begin your donkey’s formal training.
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com, MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Pinterest, Instagram, MeWe, YouTube and Twitter.
Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com
© 1999, 2016, 2024 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc. All rights reserved.
MULE CROSSING: Moving Beyond Prey Versus Predator
In the past, when equines ran free, they were unencumbered by human interaction and could build and condition their muscles naturally. Today, with increased population but reduced open lands, their activity is often restricted. It then becomes our responsibility to not only train them, but to prepare them physically to perform and keep them happy in their environment. This responsibility becomes even more important when we ask them to exert more energy than normal, in activities like long trail rides, endurance events, showing and equine-related work. Proper preparation for this modern-day lifestyle will help to minimize your equine’s stress, both physically and mentally. https://www.luckythreeranch.com/mule-crossing-moving-beyond-prey-vs-predator/
MULE TALK! PODCAST: Keys to Successful Training Part 1
Keys to Successful Training Part 1 –
- The Work Station
- Tack and Equipment
- In the Round Pen
- Be aware of how your own body language and verbal commands elicit certain behaviors in your animal.
- The Hard Tie as a restraint and how to use it.
- In the Arena
- Open Areas
Follow along: read the transcript
Learn more on Mule Talk podcast.
For more training info: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com and click on the Training tab.
Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl’s Dream production – www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com
Reinsmanship
(Pg. 233, 4-22-15) Ground driving, whether single or double, is not just a driving-based activity. Whether you plan to drive or ride your equine, ground driving will help you to improve your Reinsmanship skills and the connection with your equine. Ground driving gives your equine the opportunity to learn direct rein cues that come from the corners of his lips with the snaffle bit (pull right, go right – pull left, go left) before actually riding or driving. During ground driving in the snaffle bridle, surcingle or lightweight saddle and my “Elbow Pull” (covered in my Equus Revisited DVD/Manual combo), his balance in good equine posture can be maintained throughout the exercises to develop symmetrical core strength around the skeletal frame. Bosals, side pulls and bitless bridles cannot affect good equine posture the same way. Walking in sync with your equine’s back legs will help you to establish rhythm with your equine to obtain a prompt response from him with the slightest of drive line (rein) cues. By the time you finally ride or drive your equine, he will know how to be light in the bridle. Your own body will be more flexible, in sync with your equine’s movement and relaxed from the ground driving exercises. Your seat will be more stable and your hands will be light and effective from this practice. You will be less awkward during those initial riding and driving lessons and better able to stay balanced and in control. The only real task that remains when your equine is finally mounted and ridden is to establish clarity in your seat and leg cues. When finally driving, your hands will then be ready to encourage your equine’s forward motion and responsiveness unobstructed from overcueing. This extra step in the training process avoids throwing too much at your equine all at once, keeps things logical and sequential and lessens the chance for confusion and resistance. Learn more in the various sections under TRAINING for FREE on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com or go to OUR STORE at www.luckythreeranchstore.com to purchase your own copies of our books and videos.
The Crimped Oats Reward
(Page 58) Developing your equine’s physical health is of primary importance, but training should evolve into a balanced, posturally correct and habitual way of moving and behaving. When we do core strength exercises (as opposed to bulk muscle development), it is imperative that the animal learns self carriage, body awareness and discovers the ultimate comfort that can be obtained from being in good posture. Anything less would compromise symmetrical physical development around the skeleton at the deepest level, good postural performance and cooperative behavior. Using Behavior Modification with the crimped oats reward insures that bad behaviors can be replaced with polite behaviors and that repeated ways of moving in good posture will eventually become habitual…a new normal! The difference between our approach and Clicker Training is that your voice (instead of the clicker) provides a means of communication that works more intimately, consistently and effectively with your equine. By the same token, “Rewards” are not the same as “Treats,” and “Bribing” is not the same as “Coaxing.” Very few of us would be willing to work for a simple pat on the head and this is also true with equines. When “paid well” with the healthy crimped oats reward, equines are more apt to repeat good behaviors and in doing so, those behaviors become habitual. This more intimate communication develops a deep and mutual trust. And, contrary to popular belief, when presented correctly for tasks honestly attempted or completed, the equine that gets the crimped oats reward also gets a lot of practice in taking little things politely from your hand withoutbiting your fingers! I LOVE to see people enjoying their equines as much as I enjoy mine! To learn about the correction for any aggressive behaviors, about Behavior Modification and about Rewards, Treats, Coaxing and Bribing, look on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com under TRAINING/MULE CROSSING/BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION (category). Watch our TRAINING TIPS, also posted under TRAINING on my website. Don’t miss our LUCKY THREE RANCH YouTube channel with lost more educational and entertaining videos! HAPPY TRAILS!