Her clinic was held Wednesday, June 24, at Great Turtle Park, for 4-H Club members in the morning and for adults in the morning.She teaches both horse and rider how to handle anything that might frighten a horse, and to do this, she builds an obstacle course full of objects both unfamiliar and potentially frightening to a horse. Her supplies include a large inflatable soccer ball, balloons, pool noodles, a radio, battery operated toys, and a plastic curtain cut into strips that brush the horse's head while the horse is walking under it.
With training, Mrs. Veenstra said, a horse can learn to stay still and listen for reassurance from the rider, instead of bolting when, say, a balloon flies by.
The most important thing for the riders to learn, she said, is not to push a horse too far when scared. Otherwise, the rider will lose her status as the leader.Some of the more difficult obstacles in the course include a puddle of water constructed from a piece of canvas contained by a wood frame. Other horses were more leery of the curtain. Leanne Brodeur and her horse, Windigo, spent a long time at the curtain, but in the end, Windigo finally bolted through it. He improved the next few times they tried, going through the curtain in less time and more calmly.
"Talk about a challenge," Ms. Brodeur said. "It's like trying to get a two-year-old kid to do something."
Lisa Brock and her horse, Rosie, had difficulties with the puddle of water, but she did have some success with the pool noodles and the curtain, thanks to the help of Mrs. Veenstra.
Horses and Riders Learn Techniques To Build Confidence and Trust
By Kerri Jo Molitor
July 4, 2009
Horses are frightened of two things, says Kim Veenstra, those things that move and those that don't. Her job, therefore, as director of the Mobile Confidence Clinic held on Mackinac Island last week, was to teach riders how to develop a trusting relationship with their horses, which, in turn, will build confidence in the horse.
She starts every clinic with a lecture, explaining how riders should act whenever their horses are frightened. The focus is on the rider learning how to be a good leader for the horse. When the horse views the rider as an effective leader and trusts the rider, it is much easier to convince the horse it is safe.
"It's not that they're never going to be scared, but to teach them how to be scared," Mrs. Veenstra said.
Mackinaw Island Town Crier
A weekly newspaper serving the Mackinaw Island Community
