Lady "C", Center Stage

Take A Bow

By Suzanne De Laurentis
©Voice, August/September 2007

Lady C demonstrates a calm, willing bow.

Teaching a horse Tricks or Equine Agaility is a lot of fun and is also very serious training. Although the activities involved in Equine Agility are taught from the ground, the same good judgement and knowledge of the nature of horses is required as in any other equestrian discipline. Teach every element of a move in increments that make sense to each individual horse.

Why Teach the Bow?
There are lasting benefits to teaching the Bow. Equine Agility (Trick Training) centers around exercises and poses, both classical and just plain fun, that help to build the horse’s range of motion, muscle, self-confidence, trust and willing submission in the sense of agreeing to be agreeable. We all know of many instances of horses who have been caught in wire, brush, and any number of odd entanglements. If a horse will allow a handler to restrain his legs and will remain calm in any situation, it just may save his life or a bigger vet bill. In teaching the Bow, a horse will learn to allow a hobble on his legs, and to be patient and accepting when he is asked to lower his body in relation to that of the handler.

Equipment Required:
The list of equipment required is short, but crucial

•One hobble and rope
•A deep, well-packed pile of shavings or thick piece of carpet
•Polo wraps and a shipping boot
•Western saddle and/or surcingle with belly band that has D rings
•Halter and lead rope
•Bridle with snaffle bit

Getting Ready
The hobble goes on the left front foot. The polo wraps are used to protect the knee on the hobbled leg. Start at mid-cannon bone and cover the knee by wrapping a figure-eight pattern to allow flexibility of the joint. Then, for extra safety, cover the wrap with a shipping boot - placed backwards and upside down. The hobble rope should be of 3/8-inch diameter and approximately eight feet long with a snap on one end.
The Bow can be taught with the Surcingle or with a Western Saddle. The method is the same but the rigging is slightly different.

Surcingle Method Rigging
Clip a rope to the center ring on the belly band and run it down through the ring on the hobble and back up through the nearside ring on the belly band. Carry the rope in your hand to create a “Running V.”

Western Saddle Rigging
Clip the hobble rope on the center ring of the girth (where you would clip the end of a running martingale) and run it down through the hobble ring and back up and around the horn, then to your hand.

Cues
Consistent cues help your horse realize what is expected of him.
• Vocal Cue is to say the word “Bow.”
• Proximity Cue is to stand next to the horse’s left shoulder, facing in the same direction as the horse.
• Physical cue in the final form of the bow will be a tap on the cannon bone.

How To Teach the Bow
Have the horse rigged and ready, including the bridle with snaffle bit, and stand him in the same position and place where he was initially taught the Obeisance. Stand on the horse’s left side.

Stage One:
At the beginning, you will have a lead on the horse’s halter and not use the reins. Lift the hobbled leg, take up the slack in the rope and hold the leg. Some horses don’t mind at all when the leg is lifted and other horses take multiple sessions to become comfortable with the leg being held up. Each time the horse willingly lets his leg be lifted, praise him. Over time when he begins to lift his leg on his own when asked, a food treat may be in order. Introduce the cue that you have choosen for the leg lift. It could be a light tap with the rubber handle on a whip or a very light flick with the snap of a whip. The handler must find the cue that works best with each horse.

Mystic River is obviously comfortable balencing on three legs
and ready for the next phase of training the Bow.

Practice repetitions over multiple sessions, until the horse lifts his leg at the slightest tap(cue). Each time you ask the horse to lift his leg, be sure to lower your upper body (head and shoulders) a bit so the horse can recognize your movement as a proximity cue.

When lifting the leg on cue is confirmed and the horse is comfortable with balancing on three legs in support, then the horse is ready to begin rocking back and forth with his body to complete the Bow.

Stage Two:
Cue for the leg lift. Take the slack our of the hobble rope to keep his leg suspended, hold the reins in place in your right hand over his withers and lift back and up to urge him to tuck his nose and to take a step backwards with the rear legs.

Go slowly; accept incremental progress as the horse lowers his body more each time. Some horses will follow your hand with a treat down and back along with the rein pressure.

If the horse resists, take his head a bit to the right with the reins as you draw him back, as this will help keep him balanced by keeping more weight on the right leg. Often with gymnastic exercises, the horse may seem to resist, but is actually learning how to balance his body in the new pose.

It may take many repetitions for the horse to achieve a real Bow.
Ask him to hold the pose for incrementally longer periods of time - before you release him and let him rise up. Work to eventually get his cannon bone flat on the ground with the nose tucked well under. Offering a treat when the horse is lowered and bowing is usually effective to encourage him to hold the position.

Perfecting the Pose
In time an honest horse will begin to associate the equipment, the location, the cues, and begin to offer the required movement willingly. When this begins to happen, ask for the Bow with the cue you have chosen and only use the hobble rope if needed. At this time, you may choose to remove the wrapping from the leg.

As the horse becomes more responsive, he will respond to the lightest cue possible. Proceed with caution, keeping the horse on the designated soft floored training area so he will not think his knees vulnerable.
The transition from using the hobble to just the tap of the whip is a delicate matter of equestrian tact. Sensitive and thin-skinned horses respond more quickly than cold-blooded ones. On many horses, less is more, so go as lightly as your horse requires. Do not hesitate to go back to the hobble if required, but also remember that delivering a stronger or harder cue will NOT result in the horse yeilding. In fact, a harder cue may result in the horse withdrawing both physically and mentally.

As horses learn independently on the left and right sides, after your horse perfroms well on the near side, take the time, starting at square one, to teach the bow from the off side. The second side usually goes very quickly as the hrose already understands the process.

A full bow, head tucked and cannon bone flat on the (softly padded) surface. Over time, that author will gradually ask Mystic River
for a few more seconds in this position.

Beyond the Bow
The bow is just one of many beautiful moves that your horse can be taught to execute on cue. Equine Agility (Trick Training) is fun for a horse and also fun for the handler - it helps establish willing cooperation on the part of the horse and great understanding on the part of the human.
For help with teaching the Bow or any other Trick, please feel free to contact the author at www.redhorseranch.net or www.imagineahorse.com. Full instructions for the Bow are included in the Trick Training Fundamentals I DVD available from either web site.

Tips

• Remeber that even the simplest things such as placing a hobble on a horse’s leg or wrapping with polo wraps is an individual move.

• Provide a safe and comfortable pile of shavings to work on.

• After each repetition, reward (stroking or a treat) the horse quickly. A short walkabout between repetitions will help keep the horse in good spirits.

• Don’t over-train.

• Do not rush the learning process, as the horse’s body must adjust to the stretching required.

• By using a piece of carpet as a target, you will create a place or mark that helps your horse prepare to execute the Bow.

• Each component of the Bow must be taught separately and be fully confirmed before moving to the next component.

• Each horse learns each and every move at a different pace. Notice your horse’s “try” and also his resistance or lack of understanding and work through each phase patiently.

–Suzanne De Laurentis,
(reprinted with permission from The Gaited Horse)

Sue De Laurentis and Allen Pogue live in Dripping Springs, TX where they own and operate Red Horse Ranch. They founded Imagine A Horse in response to the many requests they received to share their Trick Training and Equine Agility methods with horse enthusiasts all around the globe. You may contact them at 512-264-0442 or their web sites at www.imagineahorse.com <http://www.imagineahorse.com> and www.redhorseranch.net <http://www.redhorseranch.net>