New Horse on the farm

Fine looking gelding, Ed. I have been dealing with this issue for a lot of years and might be I am too ignorant and hard-headed, but I just have learned to work with it rather than change it. My oldest mare (19) is a dream horse working single—perfect even for training novices—but no matter who she is hitched with out of our other three she must be in charge and ramps up in a team. Same thing out riding—even if someone else is riding a long-legged thoroughbred/Hanovarian—this scrappy little Fjord wants to be out front. I have tried using a short snub line from her halter ring to the other horses’ hame ring—also tried a jockey stick years ago—she resisted them and just made the driving more messy. I have not tried a buck-back rope–but I am sure this horse would just rub it’s nose raw if I did. So on anything heavy, like disc or spreader—she always goes a little faster than I would wish and even with a Pelham bit I have to hold her back some. My older two horses who work with her but are naturally more laid back, step up to her pace (and settle right back down when I work them as a team), but my youngest just goes a long for the ride and lets her do the work. Oddly, she slows down pretty well for plowing and perfectly well for cultivating—a very smart horse. Now that I have trained in some younger horses that are slower I have come to appreciate the work ethic of this mare–even if I get sick and tired some days of having to hold her back. Also,market garden jobs tend to shorter duration of one hour or less—on longer jags of raking or tedding she can get into what the Muleman calls no-pressure driving. Not much help here–but commiseration.

I have had the same dynamic many times. As I have mentioned before, I found that it seems more a reaction to the slacking attitude of the other horse. A forward horse may be just very responsive, and the other horse unfamiliar, or uncomfortable with the expectations.

Either way, I still follow the old adage, “a working horse is a walking horse”.

When I began using a Liverpool bit so that I could set different leverage on each horse, I found my greatest advantage. Don’t hesitate to use the curb chain. Also don’t forget about encouraging the other horse…… But in the long run, do not accept more bit pressure than you want…. This is your initiative, and while it is also your responsibility to refine the communication so that it is clear what you want, if you want the horse to work slower, that is what you should make happen….. Otherwise you will always just be along for the ride…

As an aside, I am pretty sure that the Mollie horse that was working with Tucker would act the same way…….

Good luck, Carl

They make the curb chain adjustable for a reason. Truthfully it should be snug, but some animals in certain situations may pull on the lines by the way they move their head, and if it is too tight it can compromise their forward motion. I have one horse that tends to need the lines down a notch, but unless the curb is on the last link he acts like I am holding him back.

Here is a quote from Les Barden’s document (attached) on lines and driving….

12. The adjustment of reins to keep horses reined-up evenly is a constant part of driving.

There is in theory a perfect setting that will provide equitable contact to each horse simultaneously, and there is a sweet spot where communication and understanding co-exist, but in reality the wind blows from many different directions all at the same time, and a little change here to address something may work, and truthfully is important, but there are often other areas that also need attention, or areas still that are beyond control, and we should be open to continually modifying our approach to refine communication.

This is what draws me into the teamster relationship. Communication to me is not just the transfer on information, but a dance of individual expression in an effort to attain mutual understanding. If a horse is having a hard time doing what I want, while I respect their individual expression, I am more interested in what it should be telling me about my inadequate communication…… then I start looking for tools and techniques to assist me in clearer messaging.

Another thing I thought of that really has nothing to do with the bit or lines, is the foundational training of a horse. Thinking about Tucker and Mollie, and now Tucker and Oz, I wonder what it is that Tucker doesn’t quite get, that the others do. I have had this problem primarily with one horse that I never really spent much time with individually. Due to time constraints, and the need for a team, I pretty much started him off in the team.

There are a lot of things that horses can learn from the reactions of the other horses, and possibly a comfort level in exposure to equipment and work, but if the more experienced horse is just too responsive, then the novice may be more put off by the sudden activity in relation to a misunderstood or miscomprehended signal. Once that habit starts, there is probably a cascade of other subtle communication that never make it beyond the dynamic between animals.

I found that by using a Liverpool bit, the added individual pressure gave me the ability to hold my experienced mare closer, and gave me the opportunity to work with the novice, encouraging him to get up to speed with the mare. Working him individually is always good, but once a horse develops a habitual behavior related to working in a team, never understanding the need to pay attention to the teamster, or reticent to commit power in the presence of the more aggressive horse, these things really can only be addressed in the team by improving subtle communication calming down the worker, and encouraging the slacker.

Sorry, it’s raining and I’m wasting time before heading our to do some timber cruising…

Good luck, Carl

Hi all, To me this is the essence of being a teamster, and I love it. We want the same response at the same instant from two individuals (the horses) that a) are not identical, and b) need to figure out a relationship between them selves while we ask for them to pay attention to just us. It is surely a dance. Often we try to use our voice, but it is hard to send the message to just one animal with our voice.
With my hands on the lines, my question for myself is: can I send signals that will gradually change behavior, or am I stuck ‘just holding one of the horses back”. I have often used a curb chain and leverage, but I prefer to do it with an animal that will change their response in reaction to the added leverage. My donkey has taught me a lot about the fact that leverage will not work in every case, and is not the only way to convey our desires to an individual.
I have never really thought of curb chains as being adjustable for different responses. Too tight and your animal feels the contact all the time and is uncomfortable. If the chain is full on loose it is hanging down in the loose flesh of the chin, and this will cause a sore. I think two fingers un the chain is best.
I am interested in Les’s comment about reins adjustment and will try to read that later today. We have several options for adjusting the lines. I once had an old friend that was sort of a part time horseman and he was driving an old pair of haflingers. He was having trouble getting one of them to go (the smart one I think). I asked him why the horses were bitted down as they seemed so “off” the bit and quite to drive. He told me that was how the harness had come. We all have to learn how to make these adjustments to get the results we want.

Hey Ed:

Thanks for posting the video. Horses look good. Have you tried playing around with different settings on your lever bit? How is that working?

George