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.
Accessing the Feet - Part 2
The two pairs of photographs that follow illustrate working with a float and using ‘feel and release’ to ask Spring to turn left or right, on the ground.
“Pressure is what we’re trying to get away from, so we might not mention it” Bill Dorrance
Accessing the Feet - Part 3
These important characteristics directly relate to quality and accuracy in right and left turns, backing and stopping on the float. The result is a foundation for a ride in which the horse has freedom of movement, lightness and correctness in the basic maneuvers.
Feel, Timing and Balance & Restoring Natural Movement
If you have trouble picking up a right lead at the canter, notice the details about the way your horse uses his left diagonal in his groundwork at a walk.
Understanding Confinement
We teach him how to think his way out of confinement or to make himself comfortable within confinement, through his own micro actions, and find inner stillness as a result; we teach him he can be sure that we will help him when he needs us, and how to draw on our help.
Feel and Release in the Round Pen
Leslie was never in the center except to pass through on occasion, and there was no pressure directed towards any of the three very different colts at any time.
Bridling Through Feel
These horses are not just accepting the bridle, they are coming up with the decision to pick it up. There it is again: “feel and release” them to what you want. This may not sound that significant but it is quite clear that the horses know about the difference.
Saddling Through Feel
Leslie didn’t teach her to saddle, she taught her to unsaddle, and taught her to park right by her on the fence for mounting in the process.
What About Those Feet ?
My response to reaction to kick towards my head and swing her bared teeth at my back, was to stand bolt upright, but with an instinctive knowing that I had to be still for her right then, to avoid sending her over the cliff edge. I had then paused, breathed, unweighted my foot on her side and thanked her for not connecting that strike. It could have been over, right there, had it not been for the kindness she offered in her decision to miss, this time.
Ready for the First Ride
Spring had demonstrated in this short sweet introduction to a rider, a beautiful foundation for lightness and a start on shaping herself for all these maneuvers through meaningful, reciprocal feel.
