Gord and Magic attended a clinic today that introduced horse and rider to Mounted Shooting; something Gord has been wanting to do since he first saw the sport demonstrated at the Mane Event.
Chris Giffen was an outstanding clinician and I truly appreciated that his primary focus was on helping the horses stay relaxed and confident as the day progressed.
As you can imagine, shooting guns at balloons gets really loud and it takes patience and persistance to teach a horse not to over react. Chris started out by keeping all the horses bunched into a herd so they felt safe and then he proceeded to crack a stock whip while the herd followed him. When introducing a horse to scary objects, it is very helpful to allow the horse to follow the scary object as that is far less threatening to a horse than approaching them with the scary object.
It was surprising to see how well all the horses responded, even those who had not previously been exposed to this environment. Gord spent much time preparing Magic, prior to this clinic. He made sure Magic would be comfortable wearing the required ear plugs, and developed his tolerance to loud noises; much the same way Chris did at the clinic. The more preparation we can do with our horses, the less stressed they will get in new situations. Below is a UTube of Magic & Gord walking the pattern with six practice loads.
There are many discplines to choose from when we want to play or complete with our horses. It is so important when choosing a sport, to ensure your horse will also enjoy your discipline choice, especially if you plan to be competitive.
Tovie, Gord and Magic
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