Young and Troubled Horse Handling
Seven trainers from Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, Italy, Sweden and the UK, all mentored by Leslie, came together for six days to start colts under Leslie’s guidance at Flying D Ranch in Bozeman, Montana. This clinic in 2008 was a defining one for me, shaped by a superb, though troubled, two-year-old, sorrel filly named Spring.
Spring was apt to launch unexpectedly, teeth bared at anyone who came within a few feet of her body. It did not take much. She also struck and kicked with lightning speed, on a hair trigger.
Spring was assigned to me for six days, during which she connected me to a more instinctive sense of feel - forever. There was no room for doubt, second-guessing, or 'getting in your head'. I will remember her always for helping me extend and weave together the "threads of feel" and launch a canvas for the next evolution in my horsemanship and understanding of what Bill meant by "Feel, Timing and Balance."
I include here a collection of articles, unedited from that time, to share as best I know how, the immense richness of that week, both in terms of how she "raised the bar" and how we worked things out, but also for the rare opportunities that arose to see Leslie's masterful use of creativity within principle.
These articles include philosophy, principle and many illustrated examples of how to build a feel and release foundation.
A Filly with Much to Offer
Spring’s demeanor could change instantly and dramatically - and there was not much margin for error. Ironically, this narrow margin led to an introductory experience under saddle with Spring that I could not have imagined. Not that it was spectacular to the on-looker, yet she illustrated to me through feel - and with a pure clarity - the meaning and result of this foundation as it relates to a light and available ride.
Applying Feel and Release in the "First Ride"
She was like a kitten now, carefully kneading a pillow on the spot, all feet available and freely offered in a move that hinted of piaffe.
Feel and Release… What Does That Mean?
This approach is all about discovering what Bill called “particles of feel”, to explore the feel of a horse’s natural lightness, shape it and release him to a maneuver without the need for pressure. It is a life-time pursuit that can be both fascinating and rewarding for the dedicated horse-lover.
Terminology: What does "root of the neck" mean and why is it important?
I use this term often, so take a moment here to clarify what “root of the neck” means. Its importance is illustrated and in this pair of photos, which show what is meant by the phrase “lifting”, “offering” or "releasing" the root of the neck and “raising the withers” as a consequence.
A Filly out of the Start Gate
Her response to my touch anywhere on her front leg was to snap her foot up in a thought to escape, while simultaneously swinging her head around with bared teeth and offering a lightning strike with her back leg.
First Step: GATES!
Leslie was fastidious. Right here, right now, our horses needed to understand clearly the meaning of an opening gate. If a horse is pushy at a gate, especially a jumpy colt, you are set up for your face to take a trip through it or the adjoining pipe fence.
The Importance of Meaning in a Foundation
My two year old filly’s rendition of the same foundation was clearly unlike the horses on the string. It felt more like that natural life in Spring was all bottled up, corked – and ready to uncork at any moment. To take a fresh start and teach Spring a new foundation, I would first need to find her under that cloak of confused auto-responses.
Taking a fresh start: haltering
Spring was aware of my every move, tight and ready to bolt forwards through the spot I had left open for her if I made a move – or had a thought – that was more than she could accept. Yet she was just a little curious.
A Foundation for Lightness
The feel in the float is connected to his feet via his mind, instinct and natural athletic capacity. Understanding the refinement in this has re-defined the way I handle horses and ride.
Accessing the Mind
Establishing a new “neutral”, with me behind Spring’s elbow, led right into re-working her response to a handler approaching her wither – which was to get tight throughout her body, plant her front feet and evade laterally with her hind quarters. Not a good thing to practice for a saddle horse either.
Accessing the Feet - Part 1
It has been astonishing to me how fast horses are able to tune into clear meaning, simply presented via the float. Comparatively, the methods I used before missed this acute sensitivity to feel and fine intelligence in the horse. The thing about this is… I therefore also missed the true essence of the horse. I thought I had seen “gold” in the form of “softness”, until feeling the depth of offer ‘feel and release’ brings from the horse – it turns out… it had been fool’s gold. The difference was an exciting and addictive one!
