Trot, Trot, Trot!

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

I want Isabella to trot out like Angie's 
> horse! 

Well...with Kaboot I can say it's partly just him, but I have managed to
improve Josie's horse's trot-out, even after he'd been competing for
years and dragging along on trot-outs.  First, I recommend a nice long
switch, that will reach even farther back than a dressage whip. I like to
get them from behind, not from the side or they start trying to trot with
their rump to one side.  Sometimes I'll see a stick on the road that fits
the bill and just hop off and do a trot-out as part of our ride.  The
most important thing is not to get ahead of your horse.  If your horse
trots slow and you let yourself get ahead of him, now he *knows* you
can't reach his rump and drops back even farther just to be certain.  

I used to enjoy dog training and we had what we called "nagging" and what
we called a "good correction".  If you tell her to "trot" and tap her
that's fine till she learns the cue, but if she *knows* the cue and gives
you a less than enthusiastic response (as if you're nagging), one good
*surprise* whack across the rump could do the work of a week's worth of
taps. (that's a good correction) I usually sort of drag the switch along
my left side so they can't see it, say "Trot!" and "get him" with a flip
of the wrist".  I'll bet it wouldn't hurt to let her see your left hand
move so you could sort of use that threat during a trot-out at a ride.  
By the way, I also sort of let him know the command is coming. I gather
up my lead, sort of jiggle the snap and say "You ready? TROT!"

If she's so wise that she figures out that she never gets corrected in a
*real* vet check you might try the equivalent of a schooling
show...that's a pretend dog show where you are able to correct your dog
while in the ring and they learn that they're not immune to discipline
there.  Just ease over to the vet check area when they're not
busy...maybe after almost everyone has finished, or the day before and
pretend it's a vet check but get after her if she doesn't move out.  

Josie's horse didn't require much of this, I just tapped him a few times
and then made *sure* I stayed at his shoulder and he decided that he
didn't need to be dragged.

Angie
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