Before meeting Marley, we didn’t have any hands on experience with Tennessee Walkers. As Marley has progressed in his training and totally won us all over, we’ve become big fans of the breed.

Marley’s ancestors originated in Tennessee, where Narragansett and Canadian Pacers from Kentucky crossed with gaited Spanish Mustangs from Texas to create ‘Tennessee Pacers.’ Prized for their smooth gaits and calm dispositions, these sure-footed horses were originally used on farms and southern plantations. Tennessee Walkers are best known for their ‘running walk,’ which Marley naturally does under saddle. Their other main gaits are the flat walk and canter, and we’ve seen Marley trot and pace as well.

While Tennessee Walkers are often associated with dramatic movement in the show ring, they also make wonderful pleasure and trail horses. In competition, Tennessee Walkers are shown in two basic categories, “flat-shod,” (with regular shoes and a more natural way of going) and “performance” (where layers of front hoof pads known as “stacks,” and other weighted devices create the high-stepping “Big Lick” style). This controversial form of shoeing is now prohibited at many shows. Tennessee Walkers are the breed most affected by the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970 which prohibits the practice of ‘soring.’ These abusive practices inflict pain in the legs to help create exaggerated gaits in the show ring, and can still occur today despite the law.  

With his relaxed, friendly demeanor and unique gaits, Marley is a great representation of this versatile breed. We love just watching him cruise around in the arena, and he makes us laugh everyday with his antics. Marley has begun work under saddle and has worn both English and Western tack. Those gaits really are comfy to ride, and with continued training we’re sure that Marley will make someone a lovely pleasure and trail horse. We look forward to seeing his progress, and are thrilled to have gotten to know this wonderful breed.

Here at the farm we use a variety of obstacles to help our horses gain confidence and to expose them to as many objects as possible. They are also a very useful way to simulate what the horse will encounter out on the trail, such as streams, bridges, and fallen trees. 

Desensitization to such things as flapping tarps and plastic bags is critical to a safe trail riding experience. We also have our horses walk through a collection of empty plastic bottles, cans, and coffee canisters–debris that sadly are all too often found on trails.  We even have an old mattress (and we all know those discarded mattresses are terrifying)!  

The “car wash.” This type of obstacle helps the horse become accustomed to squeezing through a narrow area, as well as to the feel of the noodles against his side.

Additionally, with imagination and only a little effort, you can construct obstacles that resemble the confines of a trailer–thereby laying the groundwork and gaining your horse’s trust when you ask him to go through or step onto something. 

The base should be sturdy so it is difficult, if not impossible, to knock over.

Another use for poles, standards and tarps.

When introducing your horse to these things, it is important to use approach and retreat. Ask the horse to walk by the object at first, in both directions. Start from farther away and gradually approach the new object. When he seems comfortable doing that, allow him to approach and investigate if he wants. Reward the slightest try by walking away, then approaching again. If he is trying to do as you ask, don’t push him to try harder; wait, retreat if necessary, then approach again. Think of it this way: if you were afraid of heights, and someone forced you to climb to the top of a ladder, this would only serve to worsen your fear and anxiety (and you’d probably start to dislike that person). However, if someone coached you to just begin with one step and progress in stages as you felt more comfortable, you’d begin to conquer your fear much more effectively. The same approach works wonders with horses.

It is important  to watch for signs that the horse is letting go of tension when in this process. Things such as blinking, licking, chewing, sighing, or shaking the head and neck indicate the horse is coming down off adrenaline. These signs of relaxation may be obvious or very subtle, and you may have to wait quite a bit of time before you see them. 

Waiting for these signs is critical because a horse cannot learn when he is in a fearful, reactive state of mind. If you put enough pressure on a horse then, you might force his body to move but he would not be thinking or accepting, only reacting—which may cause him to be worse next time. But if you give him enough “soak time,” you will teach him to think through “scary” situations and to trust that what you are asking of him is not going to hurt him.  This is the beginning of that special bond we all desire to have with our horses.

Jake going through the vertical “car wash.”

Horse rescue is a multi-faceted endeavor. Sometimes the equines are in dire need of critical and supportive care just to get them out of physical crisis. The work and dedication doesn’t stop once they are healthy, however. We need to begin building up their strength and stamina before their bodies, minds and emotions can handle any focused training program. This is crucial preparation that enables them to be successful in their new homes once they are adopted.

A prime example of this approach is what we did with our older mare Cassiopeia. Once we addressed her ailments, we began getting her back into condition by ground-driving, long-lining, and round pen work, which served the dual purpose of showing us how much she knew. We also ponied her off another horse on short trail rides. We did this for  a few months before ever getting on her back. 

Once we had progressed to riding her in an arena, we began trail rides incorporating gentle hills. This hill work, which was all done at a walk, continued to build muscle along her back and in her hindquarters. It taught her to round up into her back and carry herself in a biomechanically sound way, which in turn helps support her joints.  

But riding out (or hand walking your horse on the trail) has many other benefits as well—it enables the horse to move out and gives both horse and rider a nice change of scenery. It also builds mental and emotional fitness in the horse, creating a wonderful all-around partner.

Being out on the trail is a wonderful opportunity to be “in the moment” with your horse, and to connect with nature. Not too long ago one of our trainers was out with a horse on the blueberry barrens above the farm. That place, she said, was “magical,” and she recalled seeing a snowy owl up there.

But not everyone has access to trails or property to ride out on, and maybe not even anything resembling a hill. Not to worry. We like to use poles, barrels, or logs that are no higher than 18 inches. We ask the horse to go over them on circles and straight lines, usually starting out on a long line. Depending on the fitness and health of the horse, we may then progress to navigating the obstacles while riding. Walking through a cavaletti grid is better  for older horses with swayed backs, as it encourages them to stretch their backs and use their toplines.

If riding out on hilly trails, zigzag instead of going straight up or straight down. And, when hand-walking, asking your horse to back up a slight incline really gets him to tuck his hindquarters underneath himself. Start out with just a few steps at first, gradually working up to longer stretches within reason.  

Keep in mind, of course, that your horse needs to be sound to begin this. Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure or if your horse has any problems or discomfort. We incorporate bodywork whenever necessary and any supplements or treatment the vet may recommend, such as for joint problems or muscle stiffness. We try to resolve any physiological issues before beginning a conditioning program.

For more detailed examples of conditioning programs and correct spacing of cavaletti grids and trot/canter poles, search the Web or any online equine library. 

Ground driving continues to be a great way to keep Cassie in shape.

We ponied Cassie to help build up her muscles before asking her to carry a rider.

Here, Cassie is being asked to use her body correctly on a circle.

Cassie on the Camden Hills State Park trails.

If you spend time observing a mare and her foal, you’ll see the foal mirroring every move its mother makes. It will be stuck to her side as if still attached by the umbilical cord. It is a beautiful thing to watch. 

Besides the period of bonding that occurs shortly after birth, the foal is born with an instinct to follow—be it its mother or another herd-mate. Through this, the foal learns about its environment and gains confidence from its mother or pasture/herd mates.

This is a concept that is often used during training. Being with an older, calmer horse gives the young or green horse a sense of safety and security. Pebbles, our three-year-old, has greatly benefited from this practice while she learned what we expect from her.

We have been getting Pebbles accustomed to different types of gear, and observing things out of both eyes while learning to stand to be saddled. We’ve also been teaching her to move out freely and change direction with her tack on.  Then, we started ponying her off Cassie on short trail rides, and when she became worried or insecure she found comfort in another horse being close and moving out with her. This has helped her become comfortable traveling over varied terrain while slowly building her fitness. 

Cassie, being an older, seasoned horse who has become confident on the trail, is the perfect surrogate mother for Pebbles. She is teaching her about the wide world and helping her become accustomed to the sight of a person up above her, as well as riders and horses behind her. All of these experiences are preparing Pebbles to be a steady, confident partner for her humans.

We’ve all seen those ‘Horse for Sale’ ads that read: “So gentle children can handle.” However, sometimes it ends up that the only people who can handle the horse are children. The horse refuses to let any adult into its airspace. Why is this?

Both children and horses live completely in the moment. They are not burdened by past mistakes, worries about the future, or running around with a list of things to accomplish before day’s end.  We adult humans tend to be very direct-line in our thinking and actions and our horses pick up on this energy. They are also very perceptive to our intent. So, if we’re distracted, worried, or carrying around residual emotions from the day, how is the horse to know it is not directed at him?  Similarly, if we are approaching the horse with a focused, ‘get it done,’ attitude, this can be perceived as aggressiveness. 

One of our rescue horses, Jake, was especially sensitive to changes in our energies and intent. He was also less inclined to trust men than women. There are several things you can do to help a horse like Jake through this.

Simply spending some undemanding time can work wonders, and the less focused you are on the horse, the better. Go sit in or outside of your horse’s paddock or stall and read a book.  Reading a book can make a difference because  your thoughts are not focused on the horse; your attention is on what you are reading. Horses are so perceptive they can notice the difference, even if you are sitting there not even looking at him. They are that finely tuned to nuances and focus in our body language.

Once you do begin to approach your horse, do so in a wide arc towards his head. Don’t sneak and don’t approach him from behind or from the side–this is how predators approach their prey in the wild (and horses are, after all, prey animals…and  we humans are the ultimate predators). Walk casually and have the attitude that you are approaching a much-loved friend or family member. If your horse turns or walks away from you, you walk away too in the opposite direction; then start again. You can even begin walking a series of tracks back and forth in front of your horse, instead of approaching him directly. Pretend you are looking for a lost shoe or halter; this takes the pressure off your horse and will bring his curiosity up.

Another method is to turn and walk away as soon as your horse faces you. This will also bring his curiosity up and he’ll want to follow you to see what you’re up to. This works best in a smaller enclosed space, but can be helpful in creating positive habits and teaching your horse to “catch” you as you can see in the following series of photos with Jake:

As you can see, Megan is at an angle to Jake and is not focusing on him.

Jake heads over to investigate as Megan glances at him over her shoulder, still keeping her body facing forward.

As Jake approaches her shoulder, Megan begins walking again and Jake follows along with her. Harmony achieved!

Once you can approach your horse, begin by just walking up to him and putting out your hand for him to sniff it; then immediately walk away. You can also just visit to give him a treat. From there, as often as you can, go out to your horse, put his halter on, give him a treat (you can omit the treat if you wish and it will be just as effective), then remove his halter and walk away. We did this with Jake several times a day and this hard-to-catch horse was soon walking up to anyone who approached him. Then came the acid test: we had Caleb, who had not been able to approach or halter Jake previously, go out to see if all this practice would result in a successful catching and haltering. It was a smashing success, especially considering that Jake had been in the stone-dust paddock all day and the grass was an enormous temptation.

A quick word about treats: some people say never to use them as this is just bribing the horse (and of course if the horse is or becomes mouthy, you wouldn’t want to treat until you’ve established a solid foundation of respect). But for the skeptical horse, it can be a gesture of goodwill–just as when you bring baked goods or a bottle of wine to a gathering. It establishes you as a source of good things. Think about it from the horse’s point of view: exactly what is in it for him to do our bidding? He’d much rather be out grazing with his buddies. But if we can establish ourselves as trustworthy, consistent, and the bearer of good things, it will go a long way towards growing a bond that will create in the horse a desire to be with us.

Caleb approaches Jake head-on, and offers his hand for Jake to sniff.

Caleb walks away.

Jake allows Caleb to put his halter on and he is given a treat as a reward.

This is actually the first time Caleb has been able to halter Jake.

As we bring new horses into our program, our goal is always to learn as much about them as possible. We are looking to address ‘gaps’ in a horse’s education while giving them a solid foundation for riding. In this way, we hope to lay the groundwork so that our horses will be ready to embrace new careers in their future adoptive homes.

Before we ever sat on either Cassie   or Jackson (both newer horses to our program) we had already spent a lot of time working them both in hand and in the round pen. They had been through all of our obstacles and been worked indoors, outdoors, alone and in company.

We had saddled them and let the stirrups hang down while lungeing, to make sure they didn’t mind the noise or the feel of something hitting their side. We did a lot of work with a flag, such as flapping it above their backs while walking to simulate a rider. It wasn’t until we had checked out all of these things (and seen that both horses reacted well!) that we rode Cassie and Jackson for the first time. 

Once we begin work under saddle, there are several questions we ask our horses right away:

1. Can they stand quietly and remain focused while a rider mounts, checks the girth, and adjusts their stirrups? We always bring the horse up to the mounting block (rather than moving the block to the horse) and we expect them to wait until their rider is ready to go.

2. Can they follow the reins to the right and left, without using an outside shoulder to go in the opposite direction? This is very common at first and Jackson in particular needs practice on following the rein to make turns. By using the inside rein when the horse picks up their inside front foot, we can help the horse to understand what we want.

3. Do they brace and resist the rider’s hand, or do they have an understanding of rein contact? In other words, do we have brakes when we want them? An obvious way to check on this is to ask a horse to stop and back up. Ideally, we would like our horses to accept a soft steady contact while being ridden.

4. Do they understand basic leg aids, which for us means both going forward from a squeeze and moving away from the leg. Early on we want to emphasize the concept of bending through their entire bodies, and teaching a horse to move their hind end over off the rider’s inside leg is a good beginning. By teaching a horse to bend we begin to teach them about proper balance.

5. Lastly, we want to know how each horse will react to different types of pressure. Will they tolerate a lot of leg or spurs, what happens if we strongly ask for a halt or back up? If a horse has any triggers or explosive reactions, we want to know about them. At times, that means pushing the edge of a horse’s comfort zone to help them realize that they can work through challenges. 

It’s all a part of the training process: we want to learn as much about each horse as we can, so that we have the best chance of matching them with appropriate homes in the future.

With his good looks and laid-back attitude, Charlie was one of the first horses to catch our eye at the New Holland auction this past December. Upon completion of his quarantine, we began evaluating Charlie and determined that he had soundness issues which needed attention.  Several months later, we now have a clear understanding of Charlie’s needs and have begun the retraining process.

Charlie has been diagnosed with Navicular changes in his front feet. This means that the navicular bone within the hoof has slight damage which than affects a horse’s soundness. Often, corrective shoeing alone can alleviate the discomfort and allow the horse to lead a useful life, and so we put front shoes with a 3-degree wedge pad on Charlie. These help take pressure off the heels, and allow Charlie to distribute weight evenly across his front hooves as he moves around.

Our vets also gave Charlie an injection similar to that currently used in Osteoporosis patients, which promotes new bone growth. Lastly, he received a coffin joint injection to help calm down any inflammation in his hoof. Charlie has also received several massages, as he had tight muscles from over-compensating throughout his body when his front feet were very sore.

Now that we have addressed these issues, we have received the green light from our vets to begin working Charlie under saddle. We had previously done obstacles, work in the roundpen and on the lunge. Charlie has been great for the vet and farrier and clips, ties, bathes and trailers well. He is an easy-going guy with a slightly goofy but definitely sweet personality.  He is very sociable and loves to play with other horses in turnout, but is also independent and does not rely on them for stability.

 Thus far Charlie has been a gentleman under saddle as we have begun gently legging him back up for riding. At this point we have walk/trot/cantered in the ring and have just begun taking him out on the trails.  He will have physical limitations, and ultimately will need a low-key home as a pleasure and trailriding horse. We’ll continue to monitor Charlie closely as we increase his work and expose him to new situations, and look forward to continuing his training. Stay tuned for more updates on this handsome boy!

A teacher asks her student a question: what day is it today? 

The student responds with confidence, “It’s Friday!”

Again the teacher asks what day it is, and this time the student hesitates before saying, “The 7th?”

Again the teacher poses the exact same question, and the confused student replies in frustration, “I don’t know!”

This little story is a helpful reminder for any educator, and applies perfectly to training horses.  Through failure to acknowledge a correct response (while continuing to repeat a question in the same way) this teacher quickly lost the confidence and good will of her student.  

As we work with our rescues, we have to be as clear as possible in every session.  Huge praise when they try to answer our questions and a quick, clear correction for undesired behavior is what allows the training to progress. Initially, if a horse even thinks about trying to do what we ask then we immediately reward that effort. Once they understand that the release of pressure is a reward for desirable actions or behavior, horses will seek to find the comfort of that release again.

Likewise, if a horse is behaving in an undesirable way then we must make the correction, but follow up immediately with a clear contrast. It can be tricky not to get swept up in the heat of the moment, but it is crucial to reward, release all pressure, and carry on normally as soon as the horse responds to our request. We might have to make the correction a hundred times, but that’s just part of the process.  As trainers, we must remember to always give a horse the chance to try again. 

It’s a bit like giving directions to someone who is lost: they will want to know exactly when and where to turn so that they can reach their destination safely. If you say, ‘oh, just turn wherever you want…’ that’s not helpful. Everyone wants clarity, and as flight animals horses take real comfort from knowing exactly where they stand. By being as clear, consistent and encouraging as possible, we give ourselves the best chance of creating confident and willing ‘students’ in our rescues. 

In late November, we brought Tommy and Roman up to the arena for the first time. Initially they were so anxious that we could barely lead them. The transition from quarantine to the busy farm scene was a shock for these boys, and it was immediately clear that we would need to start at the very beginning with their training.

Tommy has strong separation anxieties, and it took days before we were even able to lead him quietly.  In contrast, Roman relaxed quickly into his new routine but appeared lethargic and shut down. While Tommy’s challenges came from his frazzled mental state, with Roman we guessed that extra physical support would be key as we began his training.

Both boys received a month of treatment for ulcers, along with an ongoing magnesium supplement to help calm them and relax tight muscles. Like all of our rescues they also receive bodywork, which is a great way to address physical issues while helping them to remember that people can bring comfort.  You can work with a horse for months, but progress will always be limited if they are uncomfortable.  We have the ability to offer these horses the extra support they may need, and so we always begin by checking up on the physical side of things.

Tommy and Roman have now been in training for several months, and we have seen some nice progress. Both boys have good ground manners and were well-behaved for the dentist and vet. They are not spooky and have easily worked through all of our obstacles.

Under saddle, Roman is learning how to bend and soften through his body. Initially he was very weak and stiff in his hind end, which was likely part of his reluctance to move forward.  As he gains strength and fitness, Roman is more willing to go but struggles to follow subtler steering aids. He still has a lot of stiffness through his body, which will improve with conditioning. The arena can be limiting, and we were thrilled to get this boy out on several hacks recently, which he loved. As we begin accepting applications for Roman, we will be aiming him towards a pleasure/trailriding home.

Tommy’s issue continues to be his strong separation anxieties, as he loses focus when other horses come and go from the barn or arena. He is beginning to look to people for reassurance in times of stress, and everyday we work to redirect his nervous behaviors so that he can learn to be more confident. When Tommy is relaxed, he is a lot of fun to ride as he has comfortable gaits and is forward and very responsive to the aids. We will continue to address his anxieties daily, and trust that he will continue to make steady progress. 

Both Roman and Tommy were previously bound for slaughter, and we look forward to continuing their training. Keep an eye out for updates and videos of these two in action!

When temperatures hit 50 degrees earlier this month, we couldn’t resist the chance to ditch the arena and head to the beach.  We are always looking for ways to expose our horses to new experiences, and after weeks spent doing circles in the indoor, everyone was ready to get outside!

We chose to bring Willow and Toby, and anticipated that the excursion would teach us a lot about Willow in particular. Toby has had several off-property trips, although never to the beach, but Willow is new to us and we are still getting to know her. The horses trailered like old pros and were relaxed upon unloading in the windy beach parking lot, so we knew we were in for some fun.

One of the fabulous things about the beach is that it allows horses a chance to really GO, with no restrictions. In our part of the world, there just aren’t that many places where riders can give horses that opportunity, so it feels like a real treat.

Both Willow and Toby have anxiety around ringwork due to past negative experiences, but outside they can really begin to relax and enjoy themselves. For instance, Willow has a lot of stress around cantering, and had been reluctant to go for it within the confines of the arena. But out on the beach, after realizing that she needed more than a fast trot to keep up with Toby’s canter, Willow really began to open up.

If horses start out a little fresh and tight at the beach, usually all it takes is a brisk trot or canter to the very far end for them to settle down and become increasingly soft and stretchy. There is a lot to take in: crashing waves, weird sand patterns, distant people walking, dogs– but Toby and Willow took it all in stride. Willow was especially relaxed and brave, even walking into the ocean! Of all the horses we’ve taken to the beach in the past few years, she was the first to be unfazed by the waves.

Following their beach day, Willow has been cantering more freely in the arena and Toby has had a better attitude towards his work. As trainers, we are reminded of what can be accomplished simply by letting horses be horses:  the beach really did the training for us, we were just along for the ride.

We are so fortunate to have Popham Beach State Park as a wonderful resource here in Maine.  Here’s hoping that those of you in the area have a chance to ride there one day soon!