| One of the best ways to get started training a young | | | | - You tell him how fast to move |
| horse or any horse for that matter is at liberty in the | | | | - You decide when he can come to a stop |
| round pen. First-what do we mean by "at liberty"? All | | | | Even better-by working at liberty you're going to be |
| that means is that we remove all control and training | | | | controlling the movement of your horse using energy |
| aids from the horse-so that there's no halter, bridle, or | | | | and body language. So its all going to seem quite |
| lead/lunge line. Aside from being inside the round pen, | | | | natural to the horse-and he will instinctively see you as |
| the horse is basically free. A bridle or halter, of course, | | | | his trusted leader. Another aspect of working at liberty |
| doesn't really matter, what's important here is severing | | | | is that you are also building communications-another |
| direct control between the handler (you) and the horse. | | | | vital step in training a young horse successfully. Your |
| Why is it that round pen training is so effective when | | | | communication skills which you start off in the round |
| training a young horse? | | | | pen will carry over to riding-by applying pressure to the |
| If done correctly, round pen training allows you to build | | | | appropriate spots on the horse. In the round pen, when |
| leadership and trust with your horse in a fundamental | | | | working at liberty, you learn to apply pressure with |
| way that he naturally understands. And this can be | | | | energy and body language. This makes the round pen |
| done in an essentially safe environment-something | | | | not just valuable to your animal-it makes it a great |
| that's really important to keep in mind. Safety should | | | | training school for you too! If you are able to master |
| always be your priority with equines. The less training a | | | | communication with your horse using only energy and |
| horse has, the more control we need to maintain | | | | body language-think about how effective you'll be |
| safety. And when training a young horse it turns out a | | | | when riding and using your reins and legs. You will be |
| round pen is just what the doctor ordered. When done | | | | able to talk to your horse from the saddle light as can |
| at liberty, the horse is free to move and work through | | | | be. |
| his fears without feeling panicked or confined-even | | | | As one specific example, if you want your horse to |
| though in reality the horse is confined, by the virtue of | | | | move out while in the round pen focus your energy |
| being in a round pen he can move off from a scary | | | | and body language on his hip area. At first, you will |
| stimulus if he chooses to do so. Now nothing is | | | | need a tool to help out-but you should have good |
| perfect-and there will be occasions when a horse | | | | success without actually touching the horse as time |
| feels panicked in a round pen or even escapes-I've | | | | goes on. Suppose you keep a lead rope with you. You |
| seen that happen. But in the vast majority of cases, a | | | | can swing the lead rope in the direction of the hip, |
| round pen will safely confine a horse-while giving him | | | | without actually striking the horse to ask him to move |
| the ability to freely move. | | | | out. But what you should really be thinking about is |
| Earlier we mentioned that round pen training is really | | | | focusing your gaze on the top of his hip-and directing |
| effective when training a young horse. And in fact its a | | | | energy there. Focus your gaze on the spot where you |
| great tool to use when starting any horse. Let's see | | | | would actually tap the horse with your crop if you |
| why in more detail. | | | | were using that method. |
| The first reason is that a round pen produces a setting | | | | If the horse doesn't respond, and he may not the first |
| within which it is pretty easy to establish leadership-a | | | | few times, then up the volume. Swing the rope more |
| vital step in training a young horse. This is due to the | | | | vigorously, and then let it strike the ground. If the horse |
| way that horses naturally establish their heirarchy in a | | | | still doesn't move, then at this point direct contact may |
| herd (wild or otherwise). Every group of horses that | | | | be necessary. But you will find with practice that less |
| lives together has a hierarchical structure and every | | | | direct contact is required. |
| horse knows his rank. One thing you will see dominant | | | | Don't be discouraged if you don;t have complete |
| horses doing is making the other horses move around. | | | | success at first-nobody becomes a horse whisperer in |
| I once herd a phrase that sums this up: control the feet, | | | | a day. Keep practicing! With time you will find you need |
| control the horse. In the round pen, you mimic this | | | | less actual contact with your horses to get them to do |
| behavior by controlling the movement of your equine in | | | | what you ask. Round pen training is a great place to |
| four basic ways: | | | | start training a young horse or a horse you don't know, |
| - You tell him when to move | | | | to brush up with an old horse or to just work on your |
| - You tell him what direction to move | | | | own equine communication skills. |