Sleve Hill Gives Clues To Troining And Horse Core rEtlitor ' s \ otc-Thc grealesl nt ' ed today in thc-l enncssee \\-alkirrg Horse industtl is a comorchensive book olr training and carc of tire Tenncssce Walking Holsc for show ancl pleasure. This need is, going to grow rnore ' and morc acute as thc ever-gaining popularity of this breed continucs to slveeP the land. The Editor is happy to announce that l-re is rnakirtg dcfinite ' iirangements to satisly this need " rtithin a verl-few months ' f he Voice of the Tenncssee ' Walking Horse rvill meaunhilc scek to provide such information on thc fttndarnental^ principles of training in articlcs by Stcve HiII of Beech Grove, Tcnn. He rode Talk of ahc Town to threc unpreccdented successive Grand Championships <. rf thc Worlcl at. the National Celebrations of l 951-52-53.)
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Sleve Hill Gives Clues To Troining And Horse Core rEtlitor ' s \ otc-Thc grealesl nt ' ed today in thc-l enncssee \\-alkirrg Horse industtl is a comorchensive book olr training and carc of tire Tenncssce Walking Holsc for show ancl pleasure. This need is, going to grow rnore ' and morc acute as thc ever-gaining popularity of this breed continucs to slveeP the land. The Editor is happy to announce that l-re is rnakirtg dcfinite ' iirangements to satisly this need " rtithin a verl-few months ' f he Voice of the Tenncssee ' Walking Horse rvill meaunhilc scek to provide such information on thc fttndarnental^ principles of training in articlcs by Stcve HiII of Beech Grove, Tcnn. He rode Talk of ahc Town to threc unpreccdented successive Grand Championships <. rf thc Worlcl at. the National Celebrations of l 951-52-53.)
BY STEVE HILL
' I ' his year-l962-prornises to he the grcatest in all histor, v for thc Tennessee Walking tlorsc as a show animal and there is growing popuiarity as a pleasurc horsc. Registrations _ for horses entered in 196l arc said to have cxceeded 3,000-a ner, r ' high for the last l0 years ancl more. There is a growine throng of young ridcrs and rnany of them r, vant advice
on how best to ricle and train their horses. Lettels come to rne asking manv qucstions. There are few really simple answcl ' s bccausc so many factoIS are involved. flor ' r, ever, I will seek to outline some oI thc elementary llrinciples which all slrotrld Iollorv t ' ith ll. rcii '
Tcnnessec \ Ata Iking Hr; t ' scs.
First, the ridcr shoultl a1ll; r ' ct: iirtc the horsc, rcalize hc is a living ar. rimal and is not to be treatctl likc a machine-like an automobile lor instance. The rider must realizc that the horses are not always the sarne on all ilays, that rlrey can lccl gootl or lt ' el bat [. iust likc ' human llcings. rlrtl they sllorv
how they feel.
A Tenttcsscc \\' alkirrg Horse is very largely dcveloped by- tlaining-altlroush lllc true Walkcr has a natural inher " itance of gaits which rnust bc " brought out " by careful han-dling. fncorrecl- ptocedttre carr impede the dcvclopmcnt of a hne l) rosPect. G. ood training can bi ' irrg oul hnc qualltles in a young horse that might not look
so goo < 1 at first. The first thing to do with a YoYng colt is to be friendlv-show him that vou do uot fear him and that there is no neecl for him to fear You.
This is best done bY treating the colt as a new friend, handle him when he gets to be about seven to l0 daYs
, ridlfind treatment is just as esserrtial to the youllg colt as it is to a Young habv in thc home. The colt will soon
. ut. h on to the fact that you do not wish to hurt him.
Enter Stdll, Paddock \,\/ e enter the stall and paddock at frcouent intcrvals, makc the colt beconie accustomed to our being close to him. I ' et him and handle him, rub his iegs gcntlv and Pat him.-on the nosc and eals, like You would Pet a rlog or cat. Soon You will have his lriEndship and he will bc anxious to have you visit him. Bear in mind also that no two
horses are alike any more than two people arc alike in Iooks, tcmPel ' a- incrir, likes and dislikes, ctc.-yet all respond to kind treatment.
You will find that the Tennessee
\\ ralking Horse has a native intelliecn. c a * nd a naturally docile disposiiion. ' The breed is noted for these cualitics. You can be kind antl under '- siantling to your colts without " spoiling " them.
Ii. rt there are some real " don ' ts " about leecling. Do not ever-feed sugar or apples. It does not " gentle ". a horse ancl^it docs not make him like you or resPect you more. It rea. lly- teaches liim bad manners and he lvill bite you vvhcn y, ru get him accustomed to this typ.',, 1 lcctling-tlrcn withlroltl thc "' qot, tl ics " llonr ltitlt.
( Jse Halters at Six Weeks \\' hcn yorrr colts arc about six rveeks
. ltl lrttt ' lraltcls otr thcm and begin teacliing tlrcm to lead. After they h-ave
become '- usecl to the halter, attach a lorir or fi. ve-foot leacl line to the halter ".
Have an attendant lead the colt ' s mother off in front of him and the younsstcl rvill lollorv her '.-\ fter a { ert
itavs " Lhe colt will respond to)' our rndvements o [ the ] ead [ ine, and rr ' hile following along in the stePs of. his
mother [ e will not even realize he has been taught to lead. Be very careful not to oier-work Your colts, and do not ever let them get tired.
Bear in mind that every colt dernancls cel ' tain particular attention, because elery colt should be treated as
a differeni individual ' However, the above practices at ' e those rvhich are gcnerali;' applicable to almost every iolt. It one particular phase or recommendation hoes not work with Your colts, try another similar lnethod ' As the coll grorvs older we think he
Mqrch,. l962
should be led on a loose rein, the attendant holding the rein some four or five leet fronithe colt ' s head, letting it walk naturallY.
Exlleriencc has taught us noI to leacl ' a colt fast enough to cause it not lo so in a long, loose flat { oot walk or lastEr thatt a " slow running walk; anci rte nevel^ rry holding onto a colt ' s halter antl trying to force it to nod ' \\ ie hale seen a large number of loose colts that rrever del cloped into top horses. \\' e think this was due to the fact that thev l ' ere led so much ' Many colts are tatlght so much excessive motion that rrihen thev are Put under sadclie the \ ale inclined to be choppy in their eaits. Pampered colts being iecl ancl h " elcl back are inclined not to. line ut > ploperly and o [ 1en go wide behind. Thbse ' faults musI be corlected later in order to make toP horses.
Let the Cohs Rw
Frcsh air and plenty o [ exel ' cisc ai ' c good lor growini colis. Therefore we let ortrs rull out Practically the yeal ' ' round dur ing the day and night when the weather '' is pretty; and put thcm in thc barn or some other good drY
. h. lt. t when the weather is cold and bad. After colts are weaned, which
is at about six months oI age ' wc leavc orrr shelter dool open so tllat colts mav c() me atttl go at t ' artdom '
A rr. x ' gh is flaccd irr thc barn or shelter wiiere tLe colts have access tc) a goocl balanced grain ratiorting, tog " ih ". with a good legume. haY '
\ Mc stat ' t to break out colts arouno the { irst of each year ' or when they are a Year and a hait oI ' two years old ' At this age they will range-in.. weight
from 7 " 00 to 7 ' 50 pounds and will stand
approximately i4 hands and three inches.
I like to take rn1 ' colts completely off the paslure ft ' orn 30 to 60 dars ahead of time, and leed tltetn a good balanced ration. During this time when the colts are in the barn and before we begin riding thcm thcy are Placed in a siall convinient to a small paddock for use dur-irlg Prctty rveather. I) urinq this period- a bitting rig is used I5r a shoit time each day. Be very careful not to place a colt in a strain bv reining his head too high. or haviris the siie r-eins too tight ar the beeiining. Tighten the t ' eins gtadually is the iolt bEcomes rrsed to the bitting f ig ' il ' o be continued in rrcxt issue)