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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] More on Bells and the Whip...
  • Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:06:12 -0700 (PDT)

Thanks Una.
 
One of the things you can do also in bell training is  to take a long whip...not a longe whip, but a long whip as there is a difference and take the jingle  bells and tie them to the tip of the whip.  You use the whip as an extension of your arm to give you some added "safe" space in handling the horse.  To use this training "aid",  you must first tie the horse to something solid object, preferably a  closed wall as opposed to a slatted fence or other type of partition  with a quickrelese tie.  We like to use trailer ties attatched to an "O" ring on the wall.  The quick release is there if you need to get the horse loose for whatever reason if the horse comes unglued.  And the wall is there and will help also if the horse comes unglued as e can pull and not hurt himself providing the halter is strong enough too.
 
Now, you take your whip and stand a good length away from the horse and gently introduce the bells that are tied to the end of it and jingle them, touching your steed lightly with them.  IF he accepts it then you can move and touch different parts of the body until he fully accepts them enough to be able to attatch the bells to him.  It may take a few lessons and never assume he will like it the next day even though he accepted it the day before.  You are essentially "sacking" the horse out with the bells.  You let him sniff and listed and feel and you touch every part of his body as he accepts it.  Having the long whip, gives you that extra step in an out if the horse comes unglued and you can either move into him or away depending on his defensive move, that is if he decides to fight with this exersize.  And your best move for safety is knowing how he shies prior to doing this.
 
I hope to post some pics at our farms website and will transfer my training comments from here to there so if anyone is wanting to see what I am talking about, they can visit the page.  Please give me a few days and I will post that URL.
 
Also, on whips as aids, you can tie rags that you are using for scent training to the tip, or other objects.  One of my faovrite training attachments on the whip is a peice of crinkle paper.  his is a peice of paper that is actually plastic and virtually indestructable, makes a heck of a noise and is great for desensitizing!  You can tie plastic garbage bags to it, yoiu can add cans to the garbage bags, or string the cans to make a rattle and tie that to the tip.  Just what ever you do, do it very cautiously and don't run in there like a bully in a china shop on your first times.  ou build up to  abruptness as the horse tolerates and accepts.  And never abuse the animal as what you are trying to do is to build his confidence if he is timid and keep him calm if he is a figher.
 
Some trainers that I admire for their excellent methods in training are Pat Parrelli and Tracy Porter.  I had the great pleasure of knowing Tracy was she was a teen.  And my how she has developed some wonderful methods and aids.  These two trainers have it goign on good as far as I am concerned in how and the way they work with the horses!  They are gentle and firm and accomplish much!  I beleive both have tapes and books out on their methods.  They use a mirade of training aids form soem things I have mentioned to those huge exersize balls and much more!  Everthing can be an aid and it pays to know your equipment and how it is supposed to work on a horse.  Especially when it gets down to bites.  If you do not know how they are supposed to work, stay away form them.  You will do more harm than good if you use it wrong. 
 
Thanks and may you all ride a safe horse.
 
K. Nesbitt
VMSAR
Iroquois County - Illinois
 



  • [MSAR] More on Bells and the Whip..., Karen Nesbitt, 08/30/2008

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