The Importance of Voice Commands and Ground Work

My first post in a while that isn't about some muddy adventure that I have been on, but I've had a few experiences lately that prompted me to write this.

As the title suggests I am a firm believer that not all 'commands' that you give to a horse should be through the legs or the reins, for that matter.

This is demonstrated even more so when trying to lunge successful; because in order to do so you have to train your horse to understand voice commands as you haven't got legs or reins to assist you but more on that later.

As a mainly ground observer I notice a lot of little things that people while riding cannot see. One of them and a massive pet peeve of mine is hauling or jagging a horse in the mouth and I see so many people rely on strong bits and sit on top of a horse practically mute.

Now don't get me wrong, firm bits are 100% needed but so many riders forgot that instead of hauling on their horses mouth constantly they  could be using their voices to help steady their horse.

I've recently been riding the Supercob Scully and he is basically a tank on legs. He is strong and knows it but  i've also found that he is very responsive to my voice when he gets strong.

When we're cantering and he's wanting to gallop off at a million miles an hour I have to say "wooooo steady" and he genuinely does response and steadiest up. That, linked with pulling on the reins signals to him I want him to slow up, or if coming to the end of the track that I want him to slow down and stop.

That way I'm not spending the whole time sat back tugging on his mouth which is overall better for his mouth and better for me not getting exhausted from constantly pulling up.

As mentioned above about lunging - I'm rather rusty at lunging but Georgie asked me to lunge B the other day and she gave me a lesson at it. Georgie (to her credit) has spent a lot of time teaching Beanie voice commands while lunging and he is a true gentleman now because of it. He stops when asked, strikes off when necessary and easily transitions through the paces. 
G has had to do that for him to be responsive and lunge well. You can't go flapping or pulling on a lunge line to slow down or speed up a horse they'll just get mixed messages. And with mixed messages comes frustration and then naughty behaviour as that is often how a horse vents their frustration.

Here is a video of Georgie that she took today after schooling. B really does do as he's asked 

As you can see he stops when asked, turns, trots on etc all from the voice command. He foes get a little distracted from the wind and rain outside the school but on second time of asking, he does as he's told.

Most horses respond extremely well to voice commands, or should I say requests (as riding should be a partnership not dictatorship) as they can really give confidence and guidance. Often a spooky horse can be reassured and helped by some gentle talking and help out hacking or while trying to overcome a scary obstacle.

I've sat and watched before as people have shoved their horses with a broom and shouted obscenities at it while trying to get it to load into a box. That's one sure fire way to terrify your horse while really, a softer approach of patience and vocal reassurance would have helped wonders.

Studies have been done on horses and their owners voices and it has shown that  they really do recognise us and our voices. A lot of it is conditioning, horses start to associate that a certain sound (as really that is what the horse understand, they can't actually understand what we're saying to them) to a positive or negative consequence. Such as when I tell Scully to slow up with a "woooo" sound he has learnt that if he slows down that I take the pressure of his mouth. Same as when a horse does something you want, you tell it it's being a "good boy/girl" and pat them and perhaps give them a polo they associate getting a nice reward of a polo for doing what you ask..

Try it, next time you're in a situation with your horse where he could use some vocal reassurance or commanding/requesting use your voice and you may well be surprised at how much it helps. 

It's easier said than done as in a sticky situation that requires concentration we often forget to use our voices but give it a go and you may well be happily surprised 

S x