1962-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1962 November Voice | Page 2
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August 28, 1962
Mr. Ben A. Green
Shelbyville
Tennessee
Dear Mr. Green:
You asked me to send you an extended letter on
the subject of how 1 improved my horse. I hope this
will be satisfactory.
My horse is an eight-year-old gelding. He was
shy of nearly anything. What gaits he had were
too sloiv and he needed much work.
First I got acquainted with my horse by being
gentle but firm, I gained his confidence in me and
my trust in him. 1 rode him around any strange
objects until he got used to them. Soon I could ride
him anywhere, and he wouldn’t shy at things be
cause 1 encouraged his curiosity and soothed his
fears.
My horse acquired a blemish as a two-year-old,
so he never learned to canter. His flat walk was too
slow and his running walk was almost a single-foot.
Since just plain riding would not help improve
him, I used a log-chain inside a bicycle inner-tube
to make him lift his feet faster and higher. The
inner-tube protects his ankles from being “beat up”.
I rode him with other shoiv horses and horses in
training to get the right speed for his flat walk.
After a short time he remembered and was going
just fine. Then I pushed him on with the big chains
remaining. He was slow, but he was really reaching
out with his front feet. As I used lighter chains his
speed increased until I found it was not necessary
for the use of any chains. During this period 1 again
rode with the trained show horses.
At First He Loped
When I had decided that he had developed a good
15- ~\Jear- Old ^jirl
running walk, I tried to make him canter. All he
could do was run or lope. Once again I used the
heavy log chains. First to teach him the leads l
put two chains on one ankle, tapped him on the left
shoulder, and pulled the left rein slightly more than
the other while I urged him to gallop. Finally 1 got
him to use the left lead. Then I reversed and
repeated my previous actions. When he had learned
the leads I gave him the signal and headed up a
slope. He cantered for the first time. I tried both
leads and it worked. Then every time I cantered
him up the slope I repeated the word “canter” to
him. Now he canters anywhere at the signal.
During the period of training him to canter I
never let him forget or get out of his flat and run
ning walk. I found that kindness and understanding
have helped my horse. Also I never overworked him.
When shoiv season came around, we had started
to have practice shoivs. Several horses that were to
shoiv this season rode together with one person act
ing as ringmaster and judge.
He called out the gaits and pretended to judge
when we parked out on the rail. Instead of ribbons
and prizes we had constructive criticism. This really
helps you prepare for the show. I have found that
now my horse can do just as well as any of the show
horses.
The shoeing is another important thing in your
horse’s action. My blacksmith, Mr. C. C. Ware of
Florence, Alabama, always tries to be gentle with
my horse and never quicks him and takes the best
care of my horse's feet. He always sees him (my
horse) ivork before and after the shoes are fixed. If
the horse throws a shoe he will put it back on free.
I think the blacksmith is the one responsible for
the best performance your horse gives. End letter.