So, reading through my stack of magazines I got behind in reading over the last semester of school, I made a point to read her article in the May 2012 Dressage Today, "reprimand and praise." I make a point to read every month's article, not just because she has great things to say, but because her way of saying certain things brings a smile to my face (much like Jim Woffords articles in Practical Horseman, some things are just a little funny, haha).
Anyway, in this article, Courtney touched on perhaps one of my biggest pet peeves in the ENTIRE EQUINE WORLD...I will quote the article (because this smidgen of idea needs to be engraved in gold and then replicated and hung in every barn EVERYWHERE and engrained in the brains of ALL because what she talks about just darn obnoxious...but CKD says it much classier than I..)...."Nagging can happen on the longe, too. It always bugs me when people just won't be quiet while longeing. They're constantly clucking, saying 'good boy' or flipping the whip. Like riding, how's the horse supposed to understand when you're asking him for something if you're saying something, through voice or body language, all the time?"
I cheered, hooted and hollered seeing this, it's not just MY pet peeve, it's some else's too and her opinion counts a bit more than mine. I also tried to figure out how I could tear this article from the magazine and save it forever and show it to everyone without messing anything up..haha...Anyway, having been in numerous boarding facilities this is something I have encountered very often, and the tinge of pain I feel watching this happen never eases. It's one of the first things I teach with any horse (actually, somewhat voice commands, which is something CKD doesn't like BUT the point is the same, one cue to one action): on the lunge (and thus when riding) one " whoa" means four legs stop moving, one cluck means four legs move FORWARD (not back or sideways), and with some a "kiss" to canter...I go into this more in Pogo's blog on The Thoroughbred Chronicles site...but regardless, I had to point out that I am not the only crazy person out there that thinks it's bad training to confuse the horse (and annoy spectators) with incessant cues that never end...
Thats all for today...haha :D