Trick Training Saturday

So there we were on Saturday afternoon! We tried to be dressed against the onslaught of the wind and the chill, but most of us failed dismally. Well, I know I did. However, that did not curb our enthusiasm as we ventured outside and next door to the riding school to enjoy the trick training demonstration.

Wicus and his daughter, Aluschka demonstrated the way they teach their (and other) horses trick training. Well not the way really, but the outcome, as you can see Aluschka hanging from the saddle - just as they do in the cowboy and other western movies where the cowboy hides from the gunmen or shoots out from the shelter of his horse's neck. They also demonstrated sliding a leg over the horses' back as the horse is still trotting, or in other instances, going at full speed. Perhaps Butter was also a bit cold on Saturday, because she only went as fast as a trot. It was still quite impressive, as Aluschka swung her leg over, hang down from the saddle and then pushed herself back up again with one leg touching the ground and then swinging back up into the saddle again.

She ended the demonstration by flinging herself off the horse, to land on the ground and roll away, as the stuntmen do, so the last photo is not of her falling down, but a calculated falldown-and-roll-over-jump!

They also showed us other training techniques, but I cannot write too much about that, as those techniques are familiar to us, we know them, we employ them and we incorporate them with Monty Robert's joining up techniques, and common sense and remembering the herd mentality of the horse.

We would have enjoyed to see a bit more of the tricks, as they also show the horses lying down, or rearing up, but I think the cold became a bit too much and in the end, what we saw was quite enjoyable, but we would not suggest anybody try these at home. They are used for stunts in movies and for exhibitions, why anybody would want to do this on an outride besides just showing off, is beyond me.

So happy riding as usual, folks!