My mission statement

I believe in horses.
It may sound as if I am getting ready to say "unicorns", but I'm not.
I believe in horses not only because by many standards they are the greatest animal, but because they believe in me.
My mission statement is to teach horses to believe in their handlers, and teach their handlers to believe in their horses.

1. Training can be easy, or training can be hard. It's all about how you play your cards. My Degree's training is designed to start by giving horses the easiest option, and increasing the pressure as they do not respond.
2. I strive to teach them as naturally as when they learned to take their first step, when they learned how to flee and everything else that comes naturally to them.
3. I don't just want to get my horse listening to me, I want to learn to listen to my horse.

This is Degrees. These are my methods. And this is how I train.

Don't Lose Your Cool-10 ways to beat the heat

For horses like mine, whose lives have been void of the luxury of cool, dark stalls with AC and fans blowing on them all the time, summers can be the pits.
I'll go over just a few tips I like to use when keeping horses during the summer, whether they are in stalls or paddocks.

1. Water is probably the most important source a horse(hey, it rhymes!) can have. The water a horse drinks when in the heat and sun goes to cooling and evaporating through their skin. So its best to keep a large tank of water(preferably out of the sun) in easy access. It's debatable what the "best" way to water horses is. Some like automatic tanks that fill when the horse's nose pushes a "paddle" and releases water, though some horses don't know how to activate this, so if you use one like this, show them first by pushing the paddle and filling it half way, so when they take a sip, their lips press it.
Also, test the water every so often, to make sure that the hose or pipe getting water to it is not in the sun-sometimes when a hose lays in the sun, the water from it can scald us. Imagine what it'd be like if you drank it!
If you keep a big tank like I do, make sure you keep it with constant and cool water. If you find algae or other "ick" on the bottom of the tank, scrub it off! Would you want to drink from that?

2. Shade is of course important. If a horse is out in the sun, it can develop heat stroke or get dehydrated more easily than if provided a piece of shade.
Even if you just set up a simple(temporary) "barn" by strapping a tarp between two trees or two steady poles. (Make sure you desensitize your horse before you put it up, or they may not want to use it)
Even a couple of blankets stacked together would work for a few days while you fashion something more useful.

3. Baths are useful ways to keep horses cool and clean. Try to keep them in the shade while they dry because the hot sun will heat the water and "cook" the horse(Not literally, but it will heat them). Always use a sweat scraper or towel to get the excess water off.
If you don't have a hose handy, a cool bucket of clean water and a sponge will suffice. Just sponge the water on, and sponge the water off!

4. Mister's and Fans are great ways to keep horses cool without having to bath them. Although I've never owned a mister, I've heard wonderful things about them.

5. Ice cubes. I feed my horses ice cubes when its hot, or I put a tray of cubes in their water to keep it cool. I'll even rub an ice cube or two over their steamy backs.

6. Always cool them out after a ride. Bathing them in cool water, wiping them dry and walking them slowly until they are dry are the best ways to keep them going and feeling fresh.

7. Ride later in the day to avoid heat stroke or sunburning. I find I like evenings better, since there's plenty of light and it just gets cooler as you ride. Some like to get up at oh-dark-hundred and get out then, but your time is limited as it gets hotter. But who rides for six hours anyways?

8. Avoid sunburn's by putting sun lotion made for horses on their backs and any white patches on them, which burn easily.

9. Fly masks are like sunglasses for humans. Plus it keeps those pesky flies out of their eyes! (I'm doing it again..Rhyming...)

10. Moving during the heat is another option if you are so financially inclined. Moving them to a place with good ventilation, shade and the right care is a way to have the horses best interest at heart.
Even if it's just a friends house that is well equipped for summer, be prepared to pay a fee. Establish this beforehand so you don't get the bill and keel over, leaving your horse there to rack up the fee's. (I'm joking)
But be sure that if you do move them, your horse is vaccinated and the place you are taking them is reputable.

Respect, Part 1

Respect. The all important item that every horse lover wants and strives for in their equine companions. But all to often, once we achieve this position, we let it go. Little by little, the horse gets the upper hand(or is it hoof?). Why is it that we work so hard to form a bond and gain respect, but as soon as we figure we've done it, we relax, I mean, what's it matter if he walked away from me that time? Oh, he stepped on my toes because he got too close, no biggie. But is it really? I think so. I'm offended when my horses do something like this to me. Why? Because that would be like a mother teaching their children not to smoke a cigarette. So the child (for the sake of the article, his name will be Augustus)agrees. Augustus waits until mom goes to the store, grabs out the pack of smokes and takes a wiff off of one. Augustus' mom comes back, only to find him wreaking of smoke. Shouldn't this offended her? It would me. 
So don't let your horse be Augustus. Demand that he throw away the bad attitude and show him you deserve respect. 

When I was a fresh horsewoman, I would read tons of articles saying that the two most important things in a horse/owner relationship is sturdy respect and a good bond. But half of the articles never really got around to telling me how it was that I did this.
I eventually figured things out and tried lungeing for respect, join-up and LOTS of groundwork before even putting my foot in the stirrup. And still, I love my groundwork.

Join-up is beneficial when you first get your horse. It shows him that you are a confident, steady, sturdy herd leader. Take for instance if you were in the middle of nowhere. Would you want to follow JimmyBobbie over there that doesn't know where in the world he's going and isn't strong enough to lead you all there? No. You'd want to follow the strongest, no-nonsense man with good direction and strong focus.
Horses are the same way. They want somebody who will make them feel secure in what they are doing. They will test you to see if you are really cut out for the job. 


Horses are professional people trainers. They love to test us and feel around for us. They want a leader with a flashlight when their in the dark. A confident one when their upset, and a sympathetic one when their scared.


So in conclusion, be the confident leader that they want. Don't stand for nonsense and don't let them get away with bad behavior.  Look for Respect-Part 2 coming soon!