need training tips on parking out my gelding...

[audra burton]

hello everyone!! i need training tips on how to teach my horse to park out. i know its gonna take alot of time and patience but i need somewhere to start..any suggestions would be appreciated. thanx

[Linda Grajewski]

Start him under saddle. Push the saddle horn, cantle over as you gently tap his left foot to move forward, by doing this you are taking the weight off the foot you want to move. Stop immediately when he moves foot forward. When that foot is settled, pull his weight back toward you by pulling saddle and then tap his right foot till he moves, then stop and let him settle. Go slow, if you push to fast he will step forward with hind feet. My neighbor, Steve Kenney, is on this site and he taught me, but he is much better at it. You may want to contact him also.
Blessings, Linda

[audra burton]

thanks! that makes alot of sense. i will definatly try that .so far i have got him to take one step with each foot but he wont strech at all. so i just need to keep alternating his weight a little at a time...?.. . :)

[Susan]

I've got a question, I just recently bought a spotted saddle horse that automatically parks out on her own, when I stop.
I have shown quarter horses and paints in halter classes over the past ten years but I don't have a clue how to make her park on the qround. If you can't touch them, how do you cue them from the ground?

[audra burton]

i like to have a horse that will do things that you ask of them regardless of the reason... a picture would be nice of my horse parked out,sure. i may occasionally get on him like that in a pinch ,maybe. i am very capable of mounting my horse,just in case you were wondering that. also,i dont need to perform your exercise tim, i have raised children and i know how to play horse with them. thanks for your concearn.........lol

[Bubba's Last Words]

Hey Audra, I thought you asked for tips on HOW to park your horse out. Tim must have thought you asked if it was OK if you parked your horse out.

[audra burton]

yes jerimie, i did ask for tips on how.i think this discussion will probally turn into one like," if you should take your dogs on the trail or not" did . funny, how people bring it upon themselves to be a smartie,when they couldve just said" i think mounting a horse parked out hurts their back" end of story. i really appreciate the people that have given good tips. my gelding is coming along nicely. thanks!!!

[julie]

I always wondered if this were hard on them or not. I have one 14hh mare and one 16hh gelding. Both will 'sort' of park out, but I don't push it.

[dusty414]

These days parking out isn't required and most don't do it in the show ring for under saddle horses. I really dislike those horses which are stretched out so far they look miserable. The ones I have taught to park out I first taught from the ground the cues then transferred the same cues only from the saddle and it worked just fine.

[Neigh Neigh]

WE like to use the parking out technic as a way for the horse to know when he is needed to be still. My husband has a 5 yr stud racking horse, that he can lunge with out a line in a circle. Just by pointing, he can also have the horse turn and lunge the other direction by pointing and with voice commands. My husband firmly believes in the voice commands. After he is finished lungeing the horse he will tell the horse to stop in front of him and park out. It's amazing to watch. But all of this work took lots of time and pactaints for a long time.

I start my colts out by ground work. I put my hand on the same place of his back every time. I make sure his back feet are sqared up. With a leadline and halter on, I pull up on the halter causeing the head to go forward, while I'm also pushing slightly with the hand on his back (withers area) away from me taking the weight off the foot you want to step forward. You may have to tap the back of his foot with your toes so he will realize what your asking. Also have commands as your working with the horse. After he/she took a step with the 1st foot, pull the horse/colt toward you taking the weight off the other foot so you can let him know you want him to step out with that foot, again a little push or tap from your foot helps the horse to realize you want him to take a small step. Taking a few more steps (or inches) a day not rushing things really works good also. This is usually the 1st thing I will teach one of our colts just after we start weaning from the mother, the colt becomes attached to you and will listen and learn better. After he has learned your commands for parking while your on the ground you can start useing the same commands when your in the saddle. Tap on he back of his leg with your toes still in strupps and use the command you used before. Your leg not long enough to reach the horses leg, use your riding crop. After a period of time the command its self will work. Oh also while learning on ground little treats seem to be a good insentive to a colt or horse to do will.

[audra burton]

thanks for the advice. we are making progress. :)

[Villa Bartlett]

Hi Audra:

Your gelding is so pretty! I love the way he is marked. We showed Walking Horse yearlings for many years. They were required to park out in the show ring. When training them to park we would first make certain they were calm. We would place one hand on their withers and push out a front leg with our foot by resting it behind the pastern. If they kept it out we would pet and praise them and then try to push out the leg on the other side. If they moved around we would back them up a few steps and start all over again. The main thing is calm repetition until they get the idea of what you are asking them to do. The main thing is patience until they catch on.

[Mike Murphy]

Hey Audra, so how did the "parking out" work out for you and your horse?