Master Clooney Demonstrates - Curlies Austria Training Methods

Despite the Weather Clooney gets some saddle work done!

Rain threatens but Christine, Karen and Clooney don't let that bother them!

Clooney has been a little lazy lately. Since mom, Karen, has been busy with all the other horses, Clooney has gotten a little out of shape and it is high time to get him back into condition. Clooney has been worked regularly all summer, but not intensively enough as he obviously needs. Here's some really nice images of Clooney getting it together!

Christine first works him through his paces in the roundpen! It's only the second time she's worked with him and they both did a great job.

Here Clooney shows his very nice extended trot. Clooney is working on giving to the bit, the lines are left somewhat loose in order that the horse works on light contact and release on their own. And, the head position of the horse is set on the cirlce with the light rein.

Karen is up and works Clooney in the walk with light contact to the bit and assisting him in his turns (Clooney has been worked with the bit since last summer so is used to bit contact now).

Karen with Clooney first on a loose rein. Karen takes up contact slowly and allows Clooney to then give to the bit. This is always done first in a standing position before the horse is asked to move forward at the start of a training session. Then, once the horse begins to move, it's a free walk, then turns, and light contact requesting the horse to give to, Clooney is demonstrating this in the standing position below!

Good boy, Clooney!

More turns, this time with a little more contact.

Contact to the horses mouth is then taken up in the walk. This contact is only held for a fraction of a second until the horse gives to the bit and then the contact is immediately (within a fraction of a second) released working with the hand requires a ton of concentration and careful work in order to not frustrate the horse. The riders seat position is also critical, one's feet should not be too short in the stirrups, light weight and leg cues are used with voice commands to ask the horse what to do. These voice commands were already trained in the ground work phase, before the horse was ridden. The horse is quite sensitive to the rider's head position, seat position and leg position. In the level of training, it is when the horse is most influencial, and when taught lightly, will retain that lightness forever unless heavy techniques are used later.

Here are some examples of Clooney as contact is taken up to the mouth (notice the mouth is not pulled upon, rather just as the contact is felt in the hand, it is held lightly) until the horse gives by lightly tucking the head in (in these pictures you see Clooney being "asked" to give) and then you see a the release (the moving quickly the hands forward to release pressure after the horse has given to the bit). None of this is done forcefully, rather via reinforcement training. This is done by using very light impulses from the hands, not simultaneously (in other words not both hands at once, but very quick light impulses) left and right, only a fraction of a second impulse to get the tuck, and one can do this to the left (with a loose outside rein!) or to the right as Clooney shows below!

Clooney working in the trot! Here Clooney is trotting on a free rein. Giving to the bit is also practiced in the trot, however it is best at this stage of Clooney's training to do this with the rider as he is being longed from the center of the circle by a second person. This makes it easier for the horse and rider to concentrate on the hand and light collection. As Christine took the pictures, and was needed for longing, we haven't pictures of the trot work on the bit yet! :)

We hoped you enjoyed this little look into our training methods and our lovely stallion Clooney, who is coming along just wonderfully (you should see the guy back up! He's practically running backwards he loves it so much!) Thanks for reading!

Oh! And, if you have a Curly Horse that you would like properly trained, please feel free to contact us!