Archive for January 11th, 2012

Please teach you horse what stud chain is and learn how and when to use it. You do this by studying and teaching yourself and your horse Showmanship as we discussed in the previous blog.  A stud chain is not cruel.  It is necessary.  Just because a trainer wears spurs all of the time does not mean they are being used at all.  They are in place for correcting if you and your horse get in a pickle of some sort.  It's like having to get away from a kicker that is sidleing up to you.

A stud chain rarely has to be used if the horse is taught showmanship correctly.  Once your horse is a showmanship pro at home take it somewhere else.  It doesn’t have to be a show.  Go practice in your front yard, on the horse trail, on the street or the parking lot of the boarding facility.  This will teach your horse that it must be respectful when you are on the ground anywhere.  The chain will remind him and keep him focused.

There are many reasons to learn how to use a stud chain and showmanship.  You may think that your horse is lazy and has never spooked at anything on the street when you are hand walking it somewhere.  In that case you have been lucky that an unusual situation such as a gnarly cat fight two feet in front of you hasn’t happened. 

Following is a list of things that could happen if you are leading your horse down the street. (This is supposed to be comical, but they could happen):

Let us know what you think or tell us some bizarre things that might have happened to you while you were walking your horse.  And thank you.