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KBR Horse Training Information
Exercising Body AND Mind
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The Sliding Neck Loop
Part Three
Once you start to get handy with the sliding neck loop, there
are variations as to how you can use it. The photos presented here
were taken during the first two hours of contact with this stocky
6 year old BLM (recently gelded) stallion.
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Ground Driving
You can split the lines holding the loop in one hand and the
running end in the other hand and actually ground drive a horse,
getting him used to feeling the ropes acress his back and slapping
him slightly with the rope to get him to move forward. This can help
generate a response before the horse can be haltered or bitted,
although it is best used in a small enclosure as steering can be a little
difficult.
One key point is to make the loop long enough that you are out of
kicking range in case the horse spooks at the contact of the rope!
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Ground Driving with the Loop

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Desensitizing the hindquarters
The lines can be used to get a horse used to having things against his
hind legs. If he does strike out at the ropes, he's not going to hurt
anyone.
The art here is to move the ropes slowly so he gets used to the feel
and is not inclined to "kick the rope away."
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Getting the horse used to
things behind his legs

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Mild Restraint
The lines can be used to encourage the horse to stand fast while being touched and
rubbed. The idea here is not to force the horse into a confined space as that will
only generate stress and possibly trigger a flight or fight response. What we want
to do is give the horse something to think about and discourage him from backing
up, therefore consciously dealing with our contact.
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Standing quietly while I
Reach over his back

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Please note: Some horses will kick at ropes touching their hind
legs. Avoid any situations that could place you in kicking range in the event a rope
or other object surprises a horse and he kicks!
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