kicking

[terre <tobytrot@bigfoot.com>]

	All the suggestions so far have been valuable, IMO, but I want to expand a
little on Jim's.
	He is correct that kicking is a vice that is intolerable in a ride
situation; and also that it is fairly easily curable.  I, too, "growl" at
my horses when they are starting to get 'out-of-line' and this does,
indeed, work--in fact, both of my horses respond to the growled word
"EARS!"--which tells them precisely what the behaviour is that I won't
tolerate.  The secret, as with all training tactics, is to be very quick
with your aid--'growl' long BEFORE the actual kick, as soon as you can
detect the threat.  It's the 'attitude' you need to change; the behaviour
is just the end result.
	The rider needs to work on this at home; she needs to 'set up' the
situation so she can deal with it.  Here is one possible method--she needs
to ride with a friend or friends on a good, wide track (like a logging
road).  Take turns passing each other--ie "leapfrog" up the trail.  Now,
she knows in advance that her horse reacts badly to being passed, so she
should be prepared to deal with it.  (I suggest the wide road so that, at
least to begin with, the other horses can pass far enough away that nobody
gets hurt).  She should probably carry a crop.  So, she's riding along
(best at a trot) and hears another horse approaching from the rear--as soon
as she can detect tension, or flattening ears from her horse she gives him
a tap with the crop coupled with the 'growl'--'no!', "ears!",
"quitit!"--whatever she likes.  The tap with the crop, coupled with the
growl, should return the horse's attention to her--if not, give the signal
more strongly, if there is time.  If he actually boots out in spite of
this--and he may, at least the first few times--she has to get 'really,
really tough' with him--the 'try to kill for 3 seconds rule'.  She needs to
make a lot of noise while she smacks, boots, spins--whatever she chooses to
do to punish him.  You want the noise of the 'growl' alone to become the
aid, and for the horse to associate it with horrible things to come if he
doesn't knock it off.  Repetition of a scenario like this in a safe
environment at home should be enough to 'school' the horse to be obedient
at rides.
	This method has worked for me for several horses--Jim, is that what you do?

Terre