Yogi Breisner Lecture Demo Retraining of Racehorses.

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digger2

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Had the chance of a lifetime to ride as a guinea pig at Yogi’s lecture last night, some super advice as expected.

Sorry couldn’t take notes, and missed a bit of the flat session as we were getting tacked up – but as much as I could remember –

He’s a big fan of the TB, and obviously a supporter of retraining of racehorses, and tried to dispel some common thoughts like racers being sharp or spooky or not hacking out, he said if you took 100 TBs and 100 sport horses there would not be many more TBs who might be bad hacks compared to the 100 sport horses.

Had a great cross section in both groups from a super looking 20yr old in excellent showing condition, to couple of younger greener ones, and again a couple of horses who had been out of training few years.

Five things to put in place were to be able to stop, go off the leg, turn right, turn left and go straight.

Missed some of the flat session, but onto the jumping group following a warm up, first job was to learn to canter slower, that the race horse has been trained for speed and to balance the weight will be forward, hence a lot will be on the forehand. So lots of transitions to engage.

2 in the group were more green, so they worked on a 20m circle, turning a tight turn to change rein then as they re-hit the circle from walk to canter, canter half circle back to walk (straight away) turn tight circle in to canter. The next group from trot changed the rein with 2 half 10m circles, into canter in the second half circle. These exercises put the horses on the correct bend with quarters engaged when asking for canter, and working on the circle slowed the canter down.

Little bit of work on straight lines, then onto a 3 stride combination, in trot over pole 3 strides pole, then the first element became 3 trotting poles, and then first part a low straight pole, still in trot, he was pleased when the horses lowered their heads to look and shuffled their feet to sort the stride out, and happy for them to continue on in canter over the pole. Then on to high cross, 3 strides to upright. A lot found the distance short, the test was then how they dealt with it the next time. (mine touched the pole first time then shortened next time through :)) finishing this exercise with placing pole to the cross 3 strides to oxer.

He likes to work over a 3 stride combination as they need to do something in the grid and think about the distance, whereas a one stride is more fixed, and a longer distance they can begin to motor on and mess up the exercise.

Finished off on 20 m circle with a single upright and all were able to complete on a fairly even stride all round the circle (couple of the greener ones rushed a bit at first.) One managed a naughty run out, Yogi then stood in the gap, and as they came round again horse saw the gap was closed and stopped.

He used this to reinforce horses are first time learners, the horse had learnt that the gap was acceptable as he had not been stopped and represented to the fence, rather the rider had continued round the circle and come again, making the run out acceptable.

In summary horses are first time learners, and they can learn a bad habit just as quick as a good one, if you do something badly 4 times then repeat well once he has learnt to do it wrong 4 x.

Teach one thing at a time, get it right, then move on - don’t overload a training session. Give him time to learn.

Hope that is of use to someone, certainly gave me much to bring home, thanks to ROR for arranging and giving me the opportunity to ride under the watchful guidance of a such a trainer. :)
 
2nd the comments above, did see the dressage section and poss the best bit of advice I picked up was about getting the horse to accept the contact by holding the reins short up the horses neck - after a few mins standing and then a few mins trotting circles the horse began to accept the contact much better!

It was well worth the hour drive after work and great to have the basics gone over again but with a ROR twist! Even my beginner horsey OH enjoyed it (he's only just mastered rising trot) :D

It was fab to see the older more experienced against the younger greener (I had expected more greener horses) but having the older ones gives you inspiration that you can do it!

I wouldn't have the confidence to be a guinea pig but all riders/horses were superb, it was a real pleasure to attend and I'm pondering doing another ror event soon :D
 
leflynn said:
2nd the comments above, did see the dressage section and poss the best bit of advice I picked up was about getting the horse to accept the contact by holding the reins short up the horses neck - after a few mins standing and then a few mins trotting circles the horse began to accept the contact much better!
Click to expand...

Could you explain this a bit more fully.

Sounds like a fab evening and very educational. His clinics are very interesting.
 
I love Yogi, think he explains things it in brilliant way and although sometimes he is saying things which are completely the opposite to what I've been taught, he explains why he thinks that and it makes sense to me!

I would jump at the chance for a lesson with him, so I am extremely jealous! Sounds like a huge learning experience!

TarrSteps - Not sure if it's the same as what he was suggesting at the Instructors Conference, but he said the horses need to come soft to the hand before you can ride them from behind into the contact. So he likes to ask for them to come round in front then asks them to move with the leg and slowly decreases the gap until he is riding from the leg into the hand. He said otherwise with a young horse you are basically asking them to stop and go at the same time.
So he had them in halt asking them to go round, then moving off in walk. If they didn't respond to the movement of the bit in the mouth (not see-sawing) then he basically held them short until they 'gave', then he relaxed the rein and allowed them to move off.
This was in an exercise between two poles a few strides apart, asking them to halt in tramlines between the poles and building it up to a double.
I have explained that awfully :o So don't worry if it makes no sense :D
 
kirstyhen said:
TarrSteps - Not sure if it's the same as what he was suggesting at the Instructors Conference, but he said the horses need to come soft to the hand before you can ride them from behind into the contact. So he likes to ask for them to come round in front then asks them to move with the leg and slowly decreases the gap until he is riding from the leg into the hand. He said otherwise with a young horse you are basically asking them to stop and go at the same time.
So he had them in halt asking them to go round, then moving off in walk. If they didn't respond to the movement of the bit in the mouth (not see-sawing) then he basically held them short until they 'gave', then he relaxed the rein and allowed them to move off.
This was in an exercise between two poles a few strides apart, asking them to halt in tramlines between the poles and building it up to a double.
I have explained that awfully :o So don't worry if it makes no sense :D
Click to expand...

No, that was great, thanks. That's pretty much what I thought but wondered if it was a new tool for the box. :)

I have to ask though, what do other people do? Do they not ask for softness as a default? This question seems to have been the theme for my day!
 
I think people are really obsessed with riding the horse forward and then asking for the softness, it's certainly what I've always been taught, but he was saying by then its too late. People where really shocked in the audience that he was pulling into an outline (he wasn't, but that's the way it was taken at first) then he explained his thinking and made sense!
 
kirstyhen said:
I love Yogi, think he explains things it in brilliant way and although sometimes he is saying things which are completely the opposite to what I've been taught, he explains why he thinks that and it makes sense to me!

I would jump at the chance for a lesson with him, so I am extremely jealous! Sounds like a huge learning experience!

TarrSteps - Not sure if it's the same as what he was suggesting at the Instructors Conference, but he said the horses need to come soft to the hand before you can ride them from behind into the contact. So he likes to ask for them to come round in front then asks them to move with the leg and slowly decreases the gap until he is riding from the leg into the hand. He said otherwise with a young horse you are basically asking them to stop and go at the same time.
So he had them in halt asking them to go round, then moving off in walk. If they didn't respond to the movement of the bit in the mouth (not see-sawing) then he basically held them short until they 'gave', then he relaxed the rein and allowed them to move off.
This was in an exercise between two poles a few strides apart, asking them to halt in tramlines between the poles and building it up to a double.
I have explained that awfully :o So don't worry if it makes no sense :D
Click to expand...

Sounds like a pretty good explanation to me.The thing people get confused abou with ex racehorses, is thinking they are unschooled, acualy they went to a different school!Picking up the reins on a racehorse has a very specific meaning to him.Its a good job they are so clever and can learn new ideas.I would have loved to go and listen to Yogi.
 
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