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JP's Essential Horsemanship Method, a state of the art program, dramatically enhances the horse's comfort & performance.

Entry for July 14, 2009: Yahoo has disbanded their blog system, and you may find access to the new blog by linking to JP's farm site at: www.baroquefarmsusa.com. Under construction still as of July 13, '09

Tuesday July 14, 2009 - 01:25am (EDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Subscription Program for www.EquusAcademy.com: Q: Can you explain a bit more about the Equus Academy.com site that you are about to launch? I understand that it is full of training and lesson videos and can be viewed thru subscription.

A: What does it cost?

A: Monthly $24.95, Yearly $249 Special for the first 100 pre-registered
members $125

Q: What is included?

A: A large library of my video lessons (2 hours of new stuff a week),
articles, and a forum dedicated to discussing the videos

Q: When will it launch?

A: As soon as we have edited the first 40 hours (soon)

Sunday June 14, 2009 - 01:06pm (EDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Intro' to Endotapping: The 3 R's of Endotapping

If you don’t have “The 3 R’s of Riding...” book, here are some instructions to get you started with using the Endo-aids, however, if you encounter any problems, or if you would just like to be more educated on “The 3 R’s” method, we would suggest you order the book.

Briefly, "The 3 R's of Riding" is a new training technique developed by JP Giacomini to relax a horse anytime, anywhere - it is a complete physical and emotional conditioning method for horses at any stage of their life. The 3 R's helps establish obedience, performance and soundness using relaxation. IT IS AS IMPORTANT TO ADULT HORSES AS IMPRINTING IS TO NEWBORN FOALS. It is easily taught and brings a radical solution to the oldest problem of horse training: how to get the horse to replace the primal stress reflex of contracting his body, in preparation for fight or flight, by a new reflex of relaxation and attention to the trainer. "The 3 R's is the "RELAX REFLEX THAT REWARDS". It is an automatic, on cue, pleasurable response, that brings the horse's mind back to attention and softens his body instantly.

The following is essentially a very condensed and sometimes paraphrased excerpt from J.P. Giacomini's book, "The 3 R's of Riding - A New Horse Training Method Based on the Relax Reward Reflex and the Endo-Aids". You can get much more in depth details from the book, but the point here is to try and be concise and get your feet wet.

Here's how you create the 3 R's using the Endo-stick :

Endo-stick (soft rubber ball attached to the end of a flexible whip-like handle) in hand, take your horse, with a halter and lead rope on, into a small area (I prefer a stall, but a roundpen is okay). In order to be effective, you must be sure to obtain your horse’s attention (horse looks at you), your horse’s respect (your horse moves away from you forward, backward and sideways), your horse’s trust (your horse stops and come back to you with a friendly attitude). Before you get started, remind yourself to expect the following sequence of reactions and check the progress at all times:

Everytime you “Endo-tap” a new spot on the horse’s body or everytime you get into a new situation, the horse is likely to follow a predictable pattern. Some overlapping may happen between phases but it is usually limited and temporary:

1. The horse ACTIVELY RESISTS the Endo-tapping, by contracting, leaning against it or you, or tries to evade the tapping by moving forward, backward, sideways. 2. The horse PASSIVELY RESISTS the Endo-tapping, by IGNORING it and APPEARS desensitized (this is where most "sacking out" methods stop). 3. The horse finally RELAXES to the Endo-tapping, demonstrated by STRETCHING HIS NECK PROGRESSIVELY DOWN TO THE GROUND, a probable consequence of endorphin release, back relaxation and other physiological factors currently under scientific investigation. OTHER SIGNS OF RELAXATION are chewing, licking, head/neck shaking and 'passing gas' (all in addition to the head going down). Now the horse is ready to be tapped with the Endo-stick on the next body location and the process starts from #1 again.

4. After all body areas have been “endotapped”, the horse can be ENDO-TAPPED while requested to MOVE (in hand or under saddle) IN ANY REQUESTED DIRECTION, AT ANY GAIT, and remain relaxed (head down).

The entire process has to be reinforced (repeated) every time the difficulty of the movement or the “emotional content” of the situation is increased (such as fear or aggression stimuli).

One can start anywhere on the horse, but Endotapping is most efficient when started on the fleshy part of the back, below/behind the withers until you get 'his head down'. Then move to the loins, the croup, the belly and finally, the neck. - WHEN YOU HAVE ACHIEVED RELAXATION IN ALL LOCATIONS ON ONE SIDE, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HORSE, exactly as you did the first side.

Some more tips: 1. Some horses will take literally one tap of the Endo-stick before they put their head down (my own horse, case in point, (except on the croup, which took a lot longer), he was most contracted there), other horses may take 5 minutes, 15 minutes or 45 minutes!! You have to be patient, the light weight of the Endo-stick makes it easier on your arm to tap that long!2. Introduce only one new element at a time to the process and MAKE SURE it is completed (head to ground) before starting something else. 3. The "3 R's" first stage is accomplished in the stall (or R.P.) and UNMOUNTED (yes, we'll do it mounted as well), first standing still, THEN walking around the stall turning left and right, tapping the horse all the while and the head should be down and neck relaxed. 4. It is then applied on the lunge line at the walk, and then on an increasingly larger circle (we have designed an "Endo-blanket for this stage, balls attached all over) - if the horse becomes un-relaxed when too far away from you and you can't reach with the Endo-stick, then just keep the horse within range. 5. When that stage is well-confirmed WITHOUT a rider, it is done again using the Endo-stick while riding at the 3 gaits ON THE LUNGE LINE IF HELP IS AVAILABLE, or in the ROUND PEN so the rider can concentrate on the 3 R's work rather than the guiding of the horse.

Final point: At the end of each lesson, the horse MUST be asked to do a simple stretch at the walk and at the halt. This precaution works like a “sponge on a blackboard” by erasing the tension arising eventually from any learning process. The horse will finish the session in the maximum of calm and return to the stall with the best feeling possible about his lesson. This principle is also essential to help prevent anticipation. Horses are always eager to show off the last trick they have learned that made their trainer so happy. By insisting on performing the exercise previously learned, we remind the horse that ALL lessons are to be remembered in whichever order the trainer orders. OBTAIN COMPLETION of each repeatable stage of the progression. When the horse is learning, he will go through stages that are, by nature, transitory. Others are clearly defined by their degree of difficulty and must be solidly confirmed before a new stage is attempted. To be able to repeat several of the exercises and perform it each time a little better, demonstrates that the horse has completed that stage. At each stage of the process and only when this list is completed, can the trainer consider the horse trained for that particular exercise: 1. Physically: the horse performs the proposed exercise in a recognizable form. 2. Mentally: the horse understand the exercise and it can be repeated with little prompting. 3. Emotionally: the horse accepts the exercise and likes it, as demonstrated by licking, chewing and a happy comfortable expression.

WE INVITE YOU TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE 3 R’S METHOD AND THE ENDO-STICK.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR JP’s CLINIC SCHEDULE OR TO ORDER ENDO-STICKS

Happy Riding!

Shelley Giacomini

tmundi@bellsouth.net

Friday June 12, 2009 - 01:15pm (EDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Letter to JP from Reader: Q: JP, these are fantastic videos on Shoulder-In and Half-pass! Your aids work like magic! I was so amazed to find that simply stepping down into the outside stirrup and sitting to the outside automatically results in bend to the opposite side....little or nothing else required and amazingly, my horse doesn't seem to have a 'stiff' and a 'soft' side when I do this!

I've had much difficulty maintaining left bend in left half-pass doing it the "correct way"; that is, sitting to the left and pushing my horse over with the right leg. My horse is always an angel, and tried so hard, but he just couldn't do it. With your method, (as shown in the video and written about previously on this blog) he maintains left bend and moves left with ease with minimal effort on my part....just a little tapping of the whip on his inside hip. Wow! Thank you so much for sharing these videos!

I would love to clinic with you. Do you ever go to the Dallas area?

MK

A: I am glad you were able to put my advice (somewhat unclear in the video) in practice. The truth of the matter with training horses is not to follow blindly THIS or THAT theory of the application of dressage principles, but to use the aids which work best with the horse's BODY, and that is the only truth worth considering.

Classical horsemanship is generally correct in its principles, yet its techniques are usually a reflection of the equine science of the times. Most classical books had a riding part and a "hippology" part (what we call today Equine Science). The 2 followed each other and the riding techniques often showed the mistakes of the science of the day.

In particular, the way the horse's back works and specially the rounded top line mechanics is a very recent idea that has only been truly understood by a FEW chiropractors/osteopaths/vets in the last 3 decades. I wrote an article with photos in the British "Horse and Hound" magazine in 78 that was violently attacked by a writer of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (Newmarket). Later on, my statements were confirmed by the French osteopath Giniaux.

In fact, what I consider to be Natural Horsemanship is a system which includes the aids that work for the horse's body naturally with the least amount of effort on everybody's part. NH should not be limited to the approach that conforms best with herd dynamics.

Contrary to popular belief, dressage doesn't have to be made any harder than it already is. Talented riders find the easiest way to ride horses, this is why they do not encounter many resistances. I simply try to explain what I have seen done by the best riders I have had the good fortune to watch, and what has been proven to me to fit the horse's biomechanics that interest me.

JP

Saturday June 6, 2009 - 03:38pm (EDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments
Q & A--about video on half pass and shoulder-in--BENDING: Q: I was watching a riding film the other day and the instructor was having the riders sit on the inside (weight to the inside stirrup) for bends. I get confused about the differing opinions on what to do, and wondered if you’d could clarify any more.

A: A HORSE CAN BEND IN 2 WAYS: WITH HIS BACK ROUND OR HOLLOW.

(ROUND) FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU WATCH A HORSE SCRATCHING HIS EAR WITH HIS HIND FOOT THE BACK IS BENT AND ROUND. IN THAT POSITION, THE INSIDE OF THE BACK IS UP (TORQUE OF THE SPINE) AND THE RIBS ARE THICKER ON THE INSIDE DUE TO THE SHORTENING OF THAT SIDE. THIS IS WHAT WOULD OCCUR WITH MAXIMUM ENGAGEMENT.

I BELIEVE THAT A HORSE SHOULD BE RIDDEN WITH THE BACK ROUND SO I MUST SIT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS POSITION, THE INSIDE LEG OF THE RIDER IS A BIT HIGHER, BENT AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD; THE OUTSIDE IS LONGER AND STRAIGHTER.

WE CAN OBSERVE THIS IN THE SIMPLE CANTER OF ANY HORSE USING HIS BACK NORMALLY. IN THIS POSITION, WE END UP SITTING PASSIVELY ON THE HIGHER OR INSIDE SEATBONE. BUT TO HELP THIS POSITION TO HAPPEN WE NEED TO LOAD THE OUTSIDE STIRRUP AND THIS IS WHAT CREATES THE BEND. I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN WITH THOUSANDS OF HORSES AND RIDERS, EVEN THE NOT SO EXPERIENCED ONES.

(HOLLOW) HERE IS THE SECOND MANNER A HORSE CAN BEND HIS BACK: OBSERVE A HORSE SCRATCHING HIS HIP WITH HIS TEETH (OR A STALLION SMELLING HIS OWN FLANK). THE BACK BENDS, THE RIBCAGE GOES OUTWARDS BUT THE BACK IS CLEARLY HOLLOW.

IF YOU ARE RIDING A HORSE BENDING IN SUCH A WAY, HE WILL BE BENT AROUND THE INSIDE LEG AND THE PRESSURE OF THE INSIDE SEATBONE WILL HELP CREATE THIS POSITION. HOWEVER, I FOR ONE HAVE NO INTEREST IN RIDING A HORSE THAT GOES THAT WAY. I THINK THE THEORY IS FAULTY AND DUE TO A MIXTURE OF ERRONEOUS SENSATIONS AND A DESCRIPTION THAT SOUNDS GOOD BUT DOES NOT RESPECT THE HORSE'S CORRECT BIOMECHANICS AT LIBERTY AND UNDER SADDLE.

Q: What about instruction that my weight should be towards the movement? Which is correct, and how do I know when I should do which thing?

A: THERE IS NO CONFLICT IN THE SHOULDER-IN BECAUSE THE OUTSIDE OF THE BEND AND THE DIRECTION OF DISPLACEMENT IS THE SAME. HOWEVER, IN THE HALFPASS, YOU CAN SEE AN APPARENT, BUT ILLUSORY CONFLICT. IN ORDER FOR THE HORSE TO LEARN THE HALF PASS AND DO IT WITHOUT RESISTANCE, IT IS GOOD TO KEEP THE WEIGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BEND OF THE HORSE (WEIGHT SLIGHTLY OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT CREATES A PUSH OF THE HORSE SIDEWAYS *AND* DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE LIFT OF THE BEND ON THE INSIDE, AS IT IS NATURAL.)

ONCE THE HORSE CAN DO THIS EASILY, THE RIDER FINDS HIMSELF CARRIED ON THE INSIDE ANYWAY. IF THE RIDER THEN MOVES THE SEAT SLIGHTLY TO THE INSIDE OF THE BEND AND MOVES HIS HIPS HORIZONTALLY IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT *WITHOUT* PUSHING THE SEATBONE DOWN--THIS WORK VERY WELL. THIS WAS VERY WELL EXPLAINED AND PRACTICED BOTH IN SHOULDER-IN AND HALF PASS BY OLIVEIRA. HE NEVER ADVOCATED TO BEND THE HORSE AROUND THE INSIDE LEG IN THE HALF PASS OR THE SHOULDER-IN, HE JUST USED THE LEG BY LIGHT TOUCHES TO KEEP THE ACTIVITY WHEN NEEDED.

THE RIDER SITS THE SAME WAY IN RELATION TO THE BEND, BUT IN THE SHOULDER-IN, AS PREVIOUSLY EXPLAINED,YOU PULL UPWARDS IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT AND IN THE HALF PASS YOU PUSH IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT (AT LEAST WHEN TEACHING IT). REFER BACK TO MY ANALOGY OF SWEEPING WITH THE BIG BROOM.

IF YOU ARE WORKING IN-HAND, WORKING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORSE you tap the right hip in both cases (RIGHT SHOULDER IN OR LEFT HALFPASS), but if you tap when the left foot is leaving the ground you will promote the opening of the leg but if you tap when the right foot is leaving the ground you promote the crossing of the feet?

Q:I STILL don't understand JP's explanation of how the use of the weight differs in shoulder in and half pass. The broom analogy sort of confuses me. Can you explain in another way?

A: IN THE SHOULDER-IN YOU PULL THE HORSE ALONG WITH YOU FROM YOUR OUTSIDE SHOULDER (JUST LIKE PULLING A BARN BROOM TOWARDS YOU), AS FOLLOWS: IF YOU WERE IN A RIGHT SHOULDER-IN, YOUR WEIGHT WOULD BE SLIGHTLY MORE IN THE LEFT STIRRUP (LEFT LEG LONGER). THE HORSE'S BACK IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER ON THE RIGHT SIDE (HORSES RAISE THE INSIDE OF THE BEND IF THEIR BACK IS CORRECTLY ROUNDED) AND THIS WILL MAKE THE HORSE SUPPORT YOU MORE UNDER YOUR RIGHT SEATBONE.
IT WOULD FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY, PLACED ON YOUR LEFT SIDE, PULLED YOU TOWARDS THEM BY THE EAR IN A SLIGHTLY UPWARDS/LEFTWARDS DIRECTION.

IN A RIGHT HALF PASS, YOU WOULD SIT EXACTLY THE SAME WAY (THE HORSE'S BEND IS THE SAME AND THE BACK DOES THE SAME THING) BUT NOW THE PERSON ON YOUR LEFT PUSHES YOUR LEFT SHOULDER DIAGONALLY TOWARDS YOUR RIGHT HIP IN A DOWNWARDS/RIGHTWARDS DIRECTION WITHOUT SHIFTING YOUR POSITION IN ANY WAY. BASICALLY ON A TRAINED HORSE, "HOOKING" THE HORSE WITH YOUR OUTSIDE BUTTOCK LOWER THAN THE INSIDE AND A LITTLE ACTION OF THE OUTSIDE REIN OUTWARDS/BACKWARDS, IS ENOUGH TO GET A GOOD HALF PASS.

GOING BACK TO THE BROOM/SWEEPING ANALOGY, IF YOU ACTUALLY TRY IT WITH A BIG BRUSH TYPE BROOM THAT YOU CAN EITHER PULL OR PUSH DIAGONALLY, YOU WOULD FEEL THE DIFFERENCE RIGHT AWAY. THE OTHER WAY OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE HORSE'S BODY DOES IS TO RIDE HALF PASSES BAREBACK AND THE HORSE WILL PLACE YOU IN THE CORRECT POSITION WITHOUT ANY EFFORT.

THIS WAY OF DOING LATERAL WORK ACTUALLY FEELS MORE NATURAL TO BOTH HORSE AND RIDER, THEREFORE PRODUCES EASIER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE TRAINING SESSIONS.

Q: In your video lesson, were you asking the rider to shift her weight left and right in time with the horse's steps when doing Shoulder-In? I could not see the timing of the shifts.

A: Let me help clear this up---I think you misunderstood. I NEVER USE ANY SHIFTING OF THE WEIGHT DURING ONE GIVEN MOVEMENT BECAUSE THAT WOULD CHANGE THE SHAPE OF THE BACK, HENCE THE BEND OF THE HORSE, AND WE DON'T WANT THAT. I AM TALKING ABOUT THE ACTION OF THE HAND LEFT AND RIGHT,

IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER-IN, THE RIGHTWARD ACTION OF THE HAND INCREASES THE ANGLE OF THE HORSE (USING OUTSIDE REIN GOING RIGHT MOVES THE SHOULDERS INWARD, AND THE INSIDE REIN GOING RIGHT MOVES THE HIPS OUTWARDS). WHEN THE HANDS MOVE LEFT IN THE SAME SHOULDER-IN, IT MOVES THE SHOULDER FORWARDS, AND CAN INCREASE THE BEND AND DIMINISH THE ANGLE.

SO THE OCCASIONAL LEFT AND RIGHT MOVEMENTS OF THE HAND CONTROLS THE ANGLE AND THE BEND AND MUST BE USED A FRACTION OF SECOND *BEFORE* THEY ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT PROBLEMS MORE THAN CORRECT THEM.

Q: When you talk about the horse’s crossing of the legs, which legs are crossing? Is the shifting of the weight done a rhythm with the front legs? How?

A: I THINK I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THE *OPENING OF THE HIND LEGS MORE THAN THEIR CROSSING. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT IF THE INSIDE HIND LEG (OF A HALF PASS) OPENS PROPERLY (PASSES BEYOND THE VERTICAL OF THE HIP LATERALLY), USUALLY THE CROSSING TAKES CARE OF ITSELF. IF THE RIDER TRIES TO FORCE THE CROSSING (TOO MUCH OUTSIDE LEG FOR INSTANCE) THE HORSE MAY CROSS FRACTIONALLY MORE BUT THE FORWARD MOTION IS USUALLY LOST. IF THE LEG OPENS WELL AND THE FORWARD ENERGY OF THE MOVEMENT IS GOOD ENOUGH, THE CROSSING IS USUALLY SUFFICIENT.

AS FAR AS TIMING GOES, THERE IS AN EXERCISE YOU CAN DO IN HAND: IN A RIGHT SHOULDER IN OR LEFT HALF PASS---TAP THE RIGHT HIP WHEN THE LEFT FOOT IS LEAVING THE GROUND AND YOU WILL GET A DEFINITE OPENING OF THE HIND LEG WITH A BIG LATERAL MOVE AND SLOWER CADENCE. IF YOU TAP THE RIGHT HIP, YOU WILL GET MORE CROSSING AND THE FORWARD MOVEMENT MAY EVENTUALLY GET LOST AND THE RHYTHM MAY GET QUICKER. THIS LAST EXERCISE WILL GET YOU DIAGONALLY TIMED STEPS OF THE LEFT DIAGONAL AND CAN BE A PREPARATION FOR PIAFFE.

THE MAIN POINT OF THIS LESSON WAS TO TEACH THE STUDENT RIDER THAT THE ANGLE OF BOTH THE SHOULDER-IN AND THE HALF PASS COME FROM THE RESPECTIVE OUTSIDE REINS IN BOTH MOVEMENTS, *NOT* THE OUTSIDE LEG IN THE HALF PASS OR THE INSIDE LEG IN THE SHOULDER IN. HOPES IT CLARIFIES WHAT I DID NOT EXPLAIN SO WELL IN THE LESSON.

Saturday June 6, 2009 - 03:35pm (EDT) Permanent Link | 0 Comments