Gullys
How to approach gullies. If you let a horse take a gully at its own speed, most horses will speed up going down and then speed up more going up the gully, some will even jump it. Why? Cause it is easier for the horse then doing it slowly. Also some are afraid, they never learned to do it correctly, so now is the time to teach them.
If you are riding in a group and you come to a gully, one horse jumping it or running up it can set the other horses off and cause the other horse to run or jump it. So it is best to know how to get through them safely.
When you see a gully coming up, shorten your reins and get your horses attention, then slow him down. Guide him to take small baby steps as you go down the hill, reassure him that he is doing the right thing and give praise, at the bottom of the gully pause for a couple of seconds and then hold him to stay slow, so he walks up the other side. If he rushes, you can stop and back down the gully or turn around and do it again until he does it right.
When your trail buddy ahead of you always runs through the gully, just tell them it upsets your horse and ask them to go slowly, if you are in a group, if one goes slow they will all need to go slow, the horses will stay much calmer if you take the gullies slowly instead of scrambling through them.
If your horse tends to jump gullies or wont go at all if you try to make him stay slow, then get off and walk slowly through the gully. Bring some cookies so if he won't move, he or she will usually follow a cookie anywhere, at the bottom of the gully give the cookie and slowly walk up the other side. Then turn right back around and repeat, do this until your horse will walk calmly through the gully, this could take 10-30 times depending on your horse. Make sure if he tries to walk on top of you as you go up the gully that you back him down it and try again. Backing up is hard especially down something most horses will figure this out pretty fast and try to walk slower. Once he can do it calmly handwalking then get back on and try it undersaddle. You can still give a cookie at the bottom of the gully. Once they can do this well over and over again then you can stop giving the cookie.
You will need to ride them each time you come to a gully, at anytime that you do not your horse still may try to run down and up it and it may even take off or buck you off from the excitement that is created. It is called riding now isn't it, so ride them through the gully and stay safe.
How to approach gullies. If you let a horse take a gully at its own speed, most horses will speed up going down and then speed up more going up the gully, some will even jump it. Why? Cause it is easier for the horse then doing it slowly. Also some are afraid, they never learned to do it correctly, so now is the time to teach them.
If you are riding in a group and you come to a gully, one horse jumping it or running up it can set the other horses off and cause the other horse to run or jump it. So it is best to know how to get through them safely.
When you see a gully coming up, shorten your reins and get your horses attention, then slow him down. Guide him to take small baby steps as you go down the hill, reassure him that he is doing the right thing and give praise, at the bottom of the gully pause for a couple of seconds and then hold him to stay slow, so he walks up the other side. If he rushes, you can stop and back down the gully or turn around and do it again until he does it right.
When your trail buddy ahead of you always runs through the gully, just tell them it upsets your horse and ask them to go slowly, if you are in a group, if one goes slow they will all need to go slow, the horses will stay much calmer if you take the gullies slowly instead of scrambling through them.
If your horse tends to jump gullies or wont go at all if you try to make him stay slow, then get off and walk slowly through the gully. Bring some cookies so if he won't move, he or she will usually follow a cookie anywhere, at the bottom of the gully give the cookie and slowly walk up the other side. Then turn right back around and repeat, do this until your horse will walk calmly through the gully, this could take 10-30 times depending on your horse. Make sure if he tries to walk on top of you as you go up the gully that you back him down it and try again. Backing up is hard especially down something most horses will figure this out pretty fast and try to walk slower. Once he can do it calmly handwalking then get back on and try it undersaddle. You can still give a cookie at the bottom of the gully. Once they can do this well over and over again then you can stop giving the cookie.
You will need to ride them each time you come to a gully, at anytime that you do not your horse still may try to run down and up it and it may even take off or buck you off from the excitement that is created. It is called riding now isn't it, so ride them through the gully and stay safe.