Arabian Horse Fair, Show, Futurity, National Awards

Working Cow Horse Tips

Reprinted with permission of the author, Lynn Campion, from "Training and Showing the Cutting Horse", second edition, published by Globe Pequot Press, New York .

Any changes of wording for the adaptation of Ms Campion's book from cutting horse to working cow horse have been placed in a different font to show the change of wording. Though these tips and training sections were written for training cutting horses, they readily adapt for use with teaching your colt/horse the movement/holding/turning/circling of a cow for Working Cow Horse. Read and enjoy. We look forward to seeing you and your Arabian soon.

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Troubleshooting

When a problem arises during training or showing, you should feel it immediately.

Most trainers will first look to you, the rider, when a horse does something wrong. Were you focused on the cow and decisive in your movements? Were your reins too tight? Was your body twisted or stiff? Were your legs or spurs inadvertently hitting the horse? Did you give the wrong signal? Did he understand what you asked of him? Then, they will think about the horse and situation he was in when he erred. Was he pushed to do more than he was capable of? Was he frightened? Is something wrong with him? Should he know better?

The Horse

The following are common mistakes that trainers see in horses (and riders), and suggestions for fixing these problems.

Hops or dances in front of a cow. This may be the result of pushing a horse to do too much too quickly in training. Let him think for himself. Don't ask him to do any more than the cow is doing.

Wants to commit too early to a cow . This means that you haven't controlled him. Don't let him be too fresh. Make him wait for you on a loose rein. You should be able to have contact with the bit at a moment's notice.

Is short on cow. If your horse is late when moving across the pen with a cow, he probably will be long when going the other way. Even him up so that you have balance during the entire work. Also, be sure that he does not lose the cow when he's late, even if you have to go to the back fence to hold the cow.

Stops long. This maybe caused by you, so be sure you help your horse stop by sitting down in the saddle and staying out of his sides with your legs. If he is still long, he will be short on the cow when she turns the other way. Ride hard to catch up, and he will probably correct himself. Or, stop and back him up over his tracks when he is long, press him in the other direction, and then make him catch up with the cow. Another method is to let him stop and turn on his own, then stop him hard before catching up to the cow. Also, whenever you use your horse to make a cow move, be sure to drive toward the hip of the cow, not the head.

Stops short. Get your timing down. Don't allow him to stop any earlier than when is correct. Exaggerate the correct position by pushing him a little long on a soft cow. Build his confidence. Show him that he can still control this cow if he stops long.

Doesn't stop crisply . Quickly back him a few steps each time he stops.

Ignores you when you ask to stop or back up . If he's a colt, lighten up his mouth by using a twisted wire snaffle for a week. If he is older, back him up over his tracks every time you ask for a stop.

Doesn't pay attention to the cow when he stops . Use your cow-side hand on the reins when you stop. This will keep his nose tipped in toward the cow so that he can see her and learn to read her.

Twists his head toward the cow too much. As a result of this behavior, he may drop his shoulder toward the cow or dive in toward her. Even him out by using your arena fence- side hand on the reins or by holding the reins independently. Let him tell you how much correcting he needs.

Stops early and wants to turn in toward the cow . Let him make this mistake and then show him why he shouldn't do it. Ride him toward the cow if this is what he wants to do. When she moves, make him turn hard and get over to where he should be. He'll soon discover that he has to work harder whenever he wants to move toward a cow.

Cheats by turning in on the ends. Don't ever let him learn that he can scare a cow by turning in toward her, and don't allow a mediocre stop. Shorten up your reins and ride with your arena fence -side hand on them at all times. Set him in the ground when he stops and then leave him alone. If he then tries to turn in, back him up a few steps and then make him go forward parallel to the cow again.

Jumps out toward the cow. This probably means that your horse has learned he can keep a cow away from the fence by scaring her. Take him in a long arena and drive a few cows to the far end before making a cut. Then exaggerate each turn he makes by pressing him with your leg. Make him fade back toward the herd. Also, use your reins to check him quickly when you feel him start to come out.

Rushes the turns. Stop earlier and stop correctly so that he doesn't have a chance to turn in toward the cow.

Turns too slowly. A horse that doesn't have those crisp, hard turns probably lacks a good stop. Put down the foundation before you expect the results.

Makes barrel turns . Often cause by the rider. Be sure your legs are not stiff or gripping his sides, and that your body isn't twisted or leaning toward the cow in anticipation of a turn. A horse that wants to turn in toward a cow on the ends is a horse that has never learned to stop correctly. Get your timing down. Think in terms of what Bill Freeman calls "riding for the stop". Don't even think about turning, because it will happen naturally if your horse is "cowing." Then all you should do is to help him finish his turn if he needs it.

Leaking. If your horse comes out toward a cow at any time during his work, either when turning or when moving the cow in the figure-eights , he is losing his working advantage. A "barrel" turn (or rounded turn) will not allow him adequate time to stay even with a fast-turning cow. And if he comes out toward the cow on his turn, he has lessened his chances of holding her out there in the arena for the figure-eights. Sorry, but making a cow do figure eights will naturally cause a horse to be aggressive instead of defensive. That activity is more like team penning instead of cutting a cow from the herd and preventing its return, so the expectations of a horse will be different.

Check to make sure that your are not stiff or gripping him tightly with your legs. If he still comes out toward the cow he's working, do more driving. Use either the round or square pen to drive cattle out far. After making your cut, break the horse hard to the right and left with your spur. Then leave him alone and let him think about it. Hopefully, the cow will teach him why he should stay back and protect himself from her attack. If you can't find an aggressive cow, ask a helper to push a cow straight toward your horse. Make him learn to be cautious regardless of what the rider is doing.

Fades back too far. If your horse has learned to fade backwards from the cow, it may be because you have allowed him to be late (and behind) on the cow he is working. Control the degree of his turn so that he makes less than a complete turn each time. And don't allow him to be late when he initiates his turn.

Breaks harder to the left. Your are probably getting one-sided on him, using your right leg harder and dragging his head over with your left hand. Use only your right hand on the reins for awhile, and concentrate on being physically and mentally balanced. And practice turning in the direction in which he is weak. Walk him up to the cow's hip to begin the turn, and then use your spur to put him in the right position when she moves.

Does not break hard when turning. Use your leg (and spur) to finish each turn. Practice against a flat section of fence so that you can make sure he finishes each turn.

Runs off on one side. Try to figure out why. Is it something that may have happened in earlier training to scare him? Can it be remedied by tipping his nose toward the cow and working in a less pressured situation? Try some reverse psychology: Encourage him to run off, but then make him get back to the cow by putting a lot of pressure on him.

Flips his head . The bit might hurt, or there may be a problem with his teeth. If this is just a bad habit left over from his past, get more leverage on his head by holding the reins much farther up toward his mouth (midneck). This way, as soon as he tries to throw his head, see-saw on the reins and do not allow him any upward movement. Your must be ready to do this before it happens.

Overreacts to the cow. Slow down and don't keep pressuring him. Concentrate on making only the movements necessary to stay correct with the cow.

Walks away from cow being worked. Drive him to the cow. Make him watch the cow and take responsibility for her.

Is too pushy. Keep your hands down low and wait for him to make a mistake. Then hurt him for it by backing him up hard. Leave him alone again by staying light with your hands until he gives you another reason to correct him.

PROBLEMS

Chasing something is a natural instinct for horses. It's not natural for them to stay back and wait. Therefore, if a cow runs away or cuts across the pen, don't chase her; simply stop your colt and start over by walking toward the cow's hip again. Remember that we're trying to teach a colt how to rate a cow, not rope one! The next time this problem happens, think about your position and whether it was correct at the time the cow ran. Chances are good that you may have allowed your horse to be a little bit behind her hip.

A colt may want to get too close to the cow as they move around the pen. Teach him early to respond to your leg and to move away from the cow when you ask him so that you can maintain a constant, almost parallel distance from the cow. Think of this as like having a tight rope that connects your horse's nose to the cow's hip.

A colt may tend to come in toward the cow at an angle as you slow down for a stop. If you allow him to do so, you will put your horse ahead of the cow where he can't see her. This can leave your colt in a difficult position if the cow turns suddenly, because he won't be able to make such a hard change of direction. It will also prevent him from drawing the cow toward him, which will become quite important later on in his training.

If your colt continually goes beyond a cow that stops, there are a few corrections you can make:

• Hold your cow-side rein a bit tighter so that your colt's head is always slightly directed toward the cow (you can also hold both reins in just your cow-side hand, switching hands each time he turns)

• Let him go past the cow, then tip his nose toward her and circle him around to her front (or rear if she has already turned). Keep your spur in his sides until he has caught up with her again.

• Monitor your position on the cow, making sure you are on her hip. When she stops, don't walk toward her head or shoulder to start her moving. Instead, walk toward her hip.

• Be sure that you are looking at the cow, not at your horse. You must focus all your attention on the cow if you expect your horse to do likewise.

Getting Your Horse Started

Regardless of age, any horse will benefit from being trained, if only occasionally, in a large square pen (also called an arena). This configuration causes cattle to feel more pressure, run faster, and be more determined to return to the herd than an oval or round pen. . .

Trainer Chubby Turner feels that an ideal training arena is approximately 100 feet wide and at least 120 feet long. . . You can use the circumference, or the shorter, or longer sides to train and to correct certain problems that a colt may have ..... . Many trainers feel that using the sides for training creates an artificial learning situation for a colt. They think that the fence, and not the cow, will dictate his movements and reactions. Be that as it may, there is merit in examining the many ways a square pen is used. The more you learn about different training methods, the better you can judge what works best. Change and experimentation are positive: Don't lock yourself or your horse into a specific pattern of training.

Starting a Horse

When starting a colt in an arena, round off the corners with fence panels and use it just as you would an oval or round pen. Work one-on-one around the circumference. Then put five to ten head of cattle in the middle of the arena and work around them.

Working a Cow Against the Fence

A colt will learn to rate a cow in a straight line and for a long distance when you train him to work one cow along the entire length of an arena. . . She will stick closely to the fence line instead of challenging and pressuring your horse and trying to go around him.

To begin, bring a cow into the arena and let her move along the back fence as she tries to find an escape. Position your colt in the middle of the arena at a point where he can directly face the cow. If she does not move, back your colt a step (to get him thinking back ) and then use your reins and legs to urge him to walk straight toward her hip. When the cow moves, your colt should turn and move in the same direction. His position should be exactly the same as in the round pen; parallel with the cow, about 10 to 15 feet from her, with his head directly across from her shoulder. If the cow stops and your colt loses interest after standing in position for a long time, back a step, roll him over his hocks so that he's facing the cow again, then walk him toward her hip.

Good legwork on your part is important, for a rider's legs are the primary mechanisms for reminding a colt to keep his body in a straight line when he stops or moves with a cow. Use your legs as if they were your only means of steering or directing the colt. If he needs to move farther to the left when rating a cow, for example, press him in the right side with your leg. This way, you will avoid pulling his head off a cow by using the reins to move him over.

Working a Horse Along the Fence with One Cow

A tougher situation occurs for a colt when you ask him to work against the fence instead of the cow (as above). He must not only defend the entire fence line from a challenging cow, but he has nowhere to retreat so that she will slow down. He must move at her exact speed and stay in position on her shoulder in order to prevent her from reaching any portion of the fence. Working in this manner will sharpen a colt's reaction time. The fence insures that he makes straight stops, complete and precise turns, and that he moves in a straight line. It will also give him confidence in his ability to hold a tough cow instead of giving ground to her. It is also a way to ensure full, 180-degree turns.

It is best to have at least one helper to start a cow moving and then prevent her from hiding in one of the far corners. If you have no help, back your colt a step and then ask him to walk toward the cow's hip. The moment she moves, your colt should react by getting into position parallel to her with his head directly across from her shoulder. Whenever the cow challenges him, help your colt fade backward so that soon he is working very close to the fence.

Work your colt in this way only when he is physically and mentally ready for the added pressure. An aggressive cow can be a real challenge to a colt's mind, timing, and ability.

A young horse is not quite ready to react consistently and stay in position on a cow that makes frequent and quick directional changes. You must, therefore, help him stop correctly and make complete, 180-degree turns when he is unable to do so on his own. This requires that you read a cow's every move, mentally anticipating each pause, stop, and turn. You should sit the saddle in a balanced position, knowing when to sink down and stay quiet and when to intervene by using your legs or reins. The faster things become, the more correct and automatic your reactions need to be if your colt is to learn how to maintain balance on every cow.

The following situations may arise when training your colt on the fence:

• Your colt is late in stopping and the cow has already turned and is moving away. Simply help him to stop correctly and make a complete 180-degree turn. Then hustle him back to the cow.

• The cow remains in one place when your colt is late in stopping. Stop and hold him there. Then very quickly press your spur in his belly and roll him over his hocks so that he is facing the opposite direction. Just as quickly, roll him back to where he is face-to-face with the cow. This maneuver will quicken him up and make him think hard before he goes past the cow again.

• Your colt stops short in anticipation of the cow's turn and moves out of position. You were not quick enough to correct him. If he starts to slow down too early, quickly push him forward with your legs to where his nose is across from the cow's head. Exaggerate his position on the cow by pushing him slightly farther ahead than normal so that he cannot stop early.

• Your colt makes incomplete turns. These are easy to spot and correct when working against a fence. Find a less aggressive cow for your colt to work and concentrate on making him finish each turn. Every time he is more than halfway through his turn, press your cow-side spur in his belly, keeping it there until he is parallel to the fence.

When you are working in the arena in this fashion, two ways to handle the reins help a horse maintain correct position on a cow:

• If your horse wants to lean in (or shoulder in) toward a cow instead of working balanced and straight, hold the reins in the hand farther away from the cow (your "wall-side" hand) and switch hands on the reins after each turn. Then, when it's necessary to pull back on the reins to check your colt's forward movement or to ask him to stop, you will be just slightly tipping his nose in the direction of the fence instead of toward the cow.

• If a horse's timing is off and you want to be sure that he can always see the cow, hold the reins in your cow-side hand. When you need to pull back or stop, his nose will be turned slightly toward the cow instead of the fence.

Working a More Experienced Horse Along the Fence with One Cow

The difference between working a colt and a more experienced horse along the fence with a cow is one of position and pace. Regardless of the type of cow you use, a seasoned horse should make every effort to maintain position and hold the cow for as long as you ask him to. Regardless of his more advanced level, however, never ask him for too much at one time. Constant pressure from an aggressive, fast-moving cow is a quick way to take the desire out of any working cow horse . And remember that you are still in the process of training. Try to avoid mistakes, but don't scare or sour your horse by demanding more than he can give. And reward him by quitting when he has done a good job, even if it's only after five or ten minutes.