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"Gentling" By Frank T. Hopkins The breaking of colts has always been a great study among horsemen: some trainers tell me that the well-bred colt will respond to training more quickly than one of unknown breeding in fact there are scarcely two horsemen who will agree on the method of breaking or training. How many times I have seen fine, high-bred mounts rear and shy and even try to run away when a small, harmless piece of paper blew in front of them, yet these horses were trained by expert horsemen! Right here I wish to say that I consider such training poor horsemanship. It makes no difference whether your colt is highly bred, scrub, fuzztail, wild mustang or anything that is horseflesh, he will respond to proper training. After more than 60 years of handling all kinds of horses I do not find any difference in their breeding, horses are much like humans, some are nervous, others quiet, and there is also the mean tempered horse all must be treated accordingly. The highly intelligent horse is the one who is hardest to train. He will try to put one over on you if you dont watch him! In training colts, there are a few things to keep in mind rules that should be followed at all times. If you cannot control your own temper, let some one else train your colt, you must always have patience and not take the advice of anyone or permit friends to stay around looking on while you are giving lessons to your colt and do not have anything around that will attract the colts attention from where you want it. Remember your colt cannot reason as you can, although he can remember for a long time. I recall one horse that remembered his stall over twenty years. I had taken this horse away from the C.H. Ranch, Wyoming, where he was two years old, twenty years later, I brought him back to the ranch and when I loosed him, he walked past thirty four empty stalls to get to the one he had been kept in as a colt - so I must admit they remember. Patting your colt only makes a fool out of him, don't fondle colts if you expect them to obey you. It is well to place a well fitting halter on the colt when he is a few days old, do not fasten a lead or rope to the halter. Allow the colt to wear the halter at all times. If the mare does not object, you can take hold of the halter, but do not stand in front of the colt and pull on it, for he will sit back and most likely rear at the same time. When your colt is about six weeks old, you should teach him to lead and stand tied. This must be done in the presence of the mare. Get a four-foot lead with a snap fastened at one end and snap this into the colts halter; now, have a piece of sash cord about twelve feet long, tie a Bowline knot in the sash cord so it wont slip: the loop should be about three feet across. Take hold of the halter, lead with your left hand facing the colt. Now, flip the loop tied in the sash cord over the colts hips, allowing it to drop down nearly to the hocks. Then jerk on the sash cord at the same time putting a little pressure on the lead rope. Your colt may kick dont notice that but jerk the cord again, keeping both the ropes tight. Remember, do not have the rope any longer than I have told you for you as well as the mare and colt might halter break. Lead your colt in this way he will never be a trailer, that is, he will never hang back. Anything I dislike in horsemanship is to see a man trying to drag a colt along behind him by the halter or bridle yet we see this every day with horse handlers. Train your colt to walk with you not to be a trailer. You do not want to use the sash cord after the second lesson. Each of the lessons should not take more than fifteen minutes. Lead the colt a little each day. Now, teach your colt to stand tied. Stand in front of him and hold the rope. Be sure you do not look straight into his eyes or stare at him. The colt may try to walk but you just hold the rope firmly in your hand and do this over many times. When he stands fairly well by holding the rope, put it around a fence but do not tie it, stand back at the end of the rope and hold the end of it in your hand so you can give and take on it to avoid hurting the colt. As the colt moves about watch how he takes to it. After a few short lessons you will find that you can hold him without slack in the rope. Repeat this a number of times. Your colt will be halter broke for eye. These lessons take only 15 to 20 minutes each for about a week. After your colt stands tied, it is well to pick up his feet, first on the left then on the right side, for you do not want your colt half broken. You must break both sides alike if not, your colt will not be properly broken. Now you have a halterbroke colt and have raised his feet a number of times. The colt is about two months old and it is likely you want to turn the mare and colt out on pasture. That is the best for them. Let the colt have all the play and freedom he wishes. When the colt is eighteen months old, start giving him the real gentling. Do not be in a hurry to get on his back for there are many things he must learn before putting on the harness or saddle. Build a training pen eighteen feet square no larger. This must be high enough so the colt cannot put his nose or head over it. Have the bars close together so the colt cant poke his head through the fence. Now lead the colt into the pen, take off his halter. You get in there with a straight _________and crack the whip a few times, but not loud. When he passes you, lower the whip close to the ground and snap him on the heels as he is going away from you. Make as little motion with the whip as possible and do not strike him hard just sting him a little. After the colt has circled around you a few times he will turn his head to watch you as he passes. But do not look straight into his eyes or he will think there is something wrong. This is just a reverse from what some trainers advise, but after handling and breaking for many years I have found it best not to stare into the colts eyes. When the colt walks to one corner of the pen and faces you, reverse the whip, with the tip end behind you and walk right up to the colt and lay the flat of your hand on his shoulder. Do not pat him. The mere touch of your hand is caressing enough. The colt might try to get away. If he does, crack him low down on the heels; this time he may rush right back to you. If so, lay your hand on his shoulder again, then bring the whip down gently in front of his nose. He will reach out to smell the whip and he will see that it is harmless. Now, rub the whip down his neck and shoulder, then step to the other side and repeat the lesson, but do not go to his rear. Step in front of him, lower the whip gently and tap him lightly on the heel at the same time say come here and move back slowly. If the colt does not follow you, tap him again a little harder this time. Step back as he follows you. Speak clearly when you give the command come here but not sharp or rough. When he follows you around the pen two or three times put the halter on and lead him out to his stable or runway, for that is training enough for one day. Although it may seem to the reader that it has taken hours, this lesson has not taken over twenty-five minutes. It is well to remember that the first lesson taught to the colt is the one he never forgets so be sure it is done right. Repeat this lesson for three days until the colt follows you at a trot around the pen, and be sure he follows you as freely from the left as from the right. Now, you must break his hind-quarters. Your colt not only has gained your confidence but he has gained a lot himself. Without this, you wont get anywhere. When you take the colt into the pen the second lesson he will look for the next act, and will take to it kindly. Get him to follow you then lay your hand on his shoulder. He will stand. Rub the whip over his hips and down his legs. Slip behind him and reach forward with the whip and rub it along the sides on both sides. Now, move slowly around the colt, leaning around him going under his neck and on both sides. Repeat these lessons for a day or two. Who wants a horse that shies and bolts at the least thing that looks strange, or a horse that gets frightened at strange noises? Before you ever harness or saddle him is the time to break him of these faults. If he has confidence, he will trust you that helps when breaking the colt from being scared of noises. Turn the colt into the training pen. Get a large can or pan and let the colt nose this before you start beating on it. Stand a few feet from the colt and tap the can or pan lightly at first, walking in a circle around the colt. Increase the beating as the colt gets used to it, then come closer and walk around still beating on the pan. Then give the command, come here. He will follow you as you beat the can, caring not a hoot about it. Now, throw the pan on the ground kick it around. Soon you can kick it around his feet or behind him without frightening him. Then, get an armful of newspapers, walk up to the colt, let him nose them. Then rattle a sheet of the paper and watch how he takes it. Do not scare him at first and soon you can rattle the paper, throw it on the ground and he will follow you, walking on the paper. Throw sheets of paper above your head letting them fall around the colt, some of them falling on him or blowing in his face. Put a light open bridle on the colt: use a straight rubbercovered bit, with three-inch leather washers against the bit rings. Allow the colt to wear this bridle one hour the first day then use it when going over the lessons, but do not attach lead or reins just let the colt get used to the bit. Watch him, see how he takes to the bit. The leather washers will keep those iron bit rings from chafing his lips. When the colt gets used to the bit, place a three-inch leather band or sur cingle around the body, back of the shoulders; have three rings sewed into the band one at the center of the band to snap in the overhead check one ring on either side about sixteen inches down from the center for the side lines. I use a piece of heavy elastic about eight inches long on the side lines that run from the bit to the belt. I bought this elastic from the makers of trusses for ruptures there is just enough give in the side lines so the average colt wont fight the bit. The overhead check should not be tight, but it stops the colt from reaching down and pulling on the bit and rubbing the bit rings against his forward legs. You can turn your colt out in the pen without worrying about his getting his feet over the side lines colts will bit themselves better than the trainer can do it, with the elastic sewed on the reins he will not fight the bit _____ ____ ____ I had____ _____ colts wearing these rigs in a large corral at one time and every one of them turned out in fine shape. The colt should wear this rig one hour a day for a week. All lessons should be given in the training pen. Now, nail a two by four on two sides of the pen. They should be about ten feet high. Tie a line on these two by fours above the pen stretched across the center. Hang old clothes of different colors on this line. Then, lead the colt into the pen. He may appear nervous at first stay with him until he quiets, then lower the line gradually each day until the clothes touch the colt as he moves around. Soon he will not pay any attention as he learns there is nothing to harm him. Your colt should have a few driving lessons, no matter whether you intend to make a saddle horse out of him or not. Take the short lines off that run from the bit to the body band, replace them with long driving lines running them through the rings on the band, but be sure not to buckle or tie the lines at the ends, for you might get them caught around your foot. Tap the colt with the whip at the same time saying get up. He may try to turn toward you. If so drop the line down near the hock and pull, that will straighten him out. Be on the lookout for this. Soon, he will learn to go straight. Give a quick but light jerk on the lines and give the command whoa and slack the lines at once. If he doesnt respond, do it all over again. When the colt has started and stopped a few times at your command do not tax him further for that day, but slip up to his head and lay your hand on his shoulder as a reward. Repeat this lesson a few times. I have found it is very important to have a horse stop when asked. Train him to stop the very instant you speak - it may save your life it has often saved mine. Now, if you should slip while mounting your horse, or something else goes wrong, you surely would not want to get a flying hoof side of the head or anywhere about your body. Here is a way to prevent getting hurt. Your colt has worn the body band and knows it is harmless. Place a saddle on his back it is best to use a stock saddle and breastplate: do not cinch the saddle too tight. Allow the colt to wear the saddle for thirty minutes the first day. After four of these lessons in the pen take a burlap bag about half full of fine hay packed lightly in the bag, rub it lightly around the colts shoulders working it lower and lower as he gets used to it. Be sure you do this on both sides as in all lessons. Then work back to his rear with the sack of hay and rub gently around his hips and legs. This is enough for the first time. Repeat the next day and carefully work the sack between his forward legs, then do the same things on the hind legs. Repeat this for four days. Then, tie one bag of hay on either side of the breastplate so the bag will hang down in front of the forward leg clearing the ground about six inches. Tie two more bags to the horn or pummel of the saddle letting them hang just back of the forward legs. It is well to lead the colt around the pen a few times in case he gets scared at first, but stand away from him as soon as he quiets down. Do not tax him too long with this lesson twenty minutes is plenty. Continue this for three days 20 to 30 minutes a day, then attach the back strap with crupper to the saddle, hang one bag of fine hay on each side so the bags hang just a little in front of the hind legs and about eight inches from the ground. Lead the colt until you are sure it no longer frets him then step a few paces in front of the colt, give the command, come here and make him follow you around the training pen. If your colt takes to this kindly, you should hang two more bags of hay from the back strap about ten inches from the roots of the tail letting these bags hand around the hocks. Now you have eight bags filled with loose hay hanging around the colts legs forward and behind that is, four forward and four behind. Repeat the lesson with all the bags hanging around the colts legs for a number of times. You will be well paid for your time used in this lesson for your colt has no fear now when anything touches his sides or legs and if the rider slips or falls off, the colt will stop and look around of his rider. I have broken many horses for trick riding and I rode them twice a day in Colonel Codys Wild West Show and in all these years I was never hurt by my horse although I have had hanger straps break and saddles turned when I was hanging low on the side of the horse or going under his belly, and the horses always stopped stiff-legged when I commanded them to by saying whoa. I once had twenty-four horses follow me out of a burning stable by just saying come here and in spite of burning timbers falling all around them, they obeyed. Although some of them were badly hurt, and had to be destroyed, still they remembered their early training. How often do we hear of someone speak of the horses mouth. Horsemen will ask has your horse got a good mouth? Some will speak of a horse having a cold or dead mouth. There are still some strange things about horsemanship indeed. If a man trains his colt to obey the word of mouth instead of putting pressure on the bit, he will never know whether his horse has a good mouth or a bad one. Some horses have tough mouths, others have shallow nerves and cannot stand the touch of iron on their jaws. Yet many horsemen will fill their horses mouth with two large iron bits and besides they will fasten lines enough to those heavy bits to rein a four-horse team. All of this looks stylish on the bridle part for most every park rider does it and every rider wants to be in style but I personally feel those rigs are uncalled for they worry the horse and it surely is very bad horsemanship. Any one acquainted with me knows I never used a bit of any kind in the mouth of my horse when riding in the ring in Codys Show, although I rode at full speed and turned my horses end for end while on the run. Teach your horse to obey instead of tugging at his mouth. This must be done while he is a colt and before he has been saddled. Stepping up in his middle is the last lesson of all and it does not amount to much so far as the colt is concerned. But its a happy moment for the colts owner, and why shouldnt it be when the owner has watched his colt grow from a clumsy, long-legged s-ling to a slick, well-formed youngster, and longs for the day when he can ride that horse he has raised. My memory has led me to drift away from the training lesson. The next step is to get your colt accustomed to the saddle he has worn while going through a few lessons. Lead your colt out of the training pen with the riding reins fastened to the horn of the saddle so the colt will not turn his head. The lines should be even on both sides, but not tight. Walk around the fields with him: take hold of the saddle horn and put some pressure on it. Do this often on both sides alike as you walk with him. Also pull at the stirrups and let them go, letting them swing against the colts sides. Take your colt out on these walks often. At times you should tuck your foot into the stirrups, but be sure the stirrup straps have been lengthened so you can stick your foot in easily and be sure you have a firm hold on the saddle horn, else your colt might learn a bad habit right here. I am not a lover of the flat saddle and will not use it under any conditions and I consider such a saddle not fit to train a colt with. I have seen many fine colts spoiled for life with the flat saddle. If the colt unloads his rider the first time he steps up on him, that colt will surely try it again so get a Western stock saddle of three-quarter rig not one of those make believe stock saddles. Get one with a sixteen-inch bulge at the fork and the cantle should raise about six inches, with a four-inch woven hair girth that has a ring in either end. These girths are fastened with cinch straps; there are no buckle tongues to tear out or any chances of the buckle breaking. Lengthen out these lago straps till the ball of your foot fits into the stirrup. Half of your left should be in the seat, the other half should be in the stirrup. Your knees should not be bent but straight as if you were standing. Throw your feet out away from the horse. Now you are braced in every way but do not stiffen in the saddle or brace back against the cantle sit rather limp forget about the forward seat. Your colt is now nearing his second year. You can ride him a few minutes but do not overdo it. Fifteen minutes twice a week is plenty at first. On these short rides teach your colt to turn, stop, start. These lessons should be given on the walk. Do not excite your colt while doing it when your colt turns fairly well at the touch of the rein against his neck, then teach him to turn quickly. Increase the speed gradually, then you can start jogging the colt but not fast or for long periods at a time. Your colt is perfectly gentled, not afraid of noises or anything he sees or hears. You are riding him. The colt has the best of manners. It is your duty to see that he does not develop any bad habits. I do not approve of making a prisoner out of a colt. By tying him in a straight stall for any length of time he is liable to develop such habits as lip smacking, weaving, and later on cribbing and then wind-sucking. The idleness from standing will often lead to those bad habits. Your colts feet should be kept level from the time he is two months old by using the rasp. It pays to hire a good man to care for horses they are the cheapest in the end. How often do we see groom scratching horses legs with iron curry combs and jabbing them in the ribs because they do not stand for the abuse. Any horse cared for in the proper way will enjoy the company of his keeper. It might appear that my way of training will take a long time but 20 to 30 minutes a day is all the time required. I have trained many colts in this way some that had been spoiled by other handlers still they came through all right. It takes more time and patience of course to train one that has been spoiled. If anyone follows my way of gentling and training he will own a horse worth being proud of. I have learned these methods from some of the most expert horsemen in different parts of the world and have used them for years in my practical experience in handling range-raised horses and a number of wild mustangs that I have trapped myself. I have also handled a number of high-bred horses of all breeds there is no difference in their handling. |
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this site sponsored by The Horse of the Americas Registry, & IRAM - the Institute of Range and the American Mustang email:info@frankhopkins.com |
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