The Training Flag (or stick)
What is the training flag?
The training flag is a long black, carbon fibre stick with a detachable nylon flag at the end.
The stick has a light foam rubber handle for excellent grip. The stick is very light and comfortable to hold in your hand.
A brightly coloured flag or training string can be attached to the end.
Why would you use it?
Horses are prey animals whose instinct it is to jump and run when they see anything out of the ordinary.
This could be a paper bag blowing in the wind or a fully grown tiger - they can both be just as scary to the horse!
As horse owners, it's our responsibility to make sure our horses are safe to ride and to provide our horses with the best quality of life we can. Too many horses
end up in the dog factory because they have thrown their riders and are classed as 'unsafe' to ride.
Using the training stick helps horses to get accustomed to movement all around them. Once accustomed, the horse is much less likely to spook or get scared when out riding or when confronted with something new.
The training stick, when used properly, can make a scared, jumpy horse more confident and can also make the confident horse more bombproof.
How do you use a training flag?
1. Customise the horse to the flag
Firstly, stand at the side of the horse making sure you keep hold of the lead rope and his head turned towards you but at arms length. Hold the stick in the other hand and move it slowly all over the horse. Using the stick as an extension to your own arm you are well out of kicking range and out of harm's reach.
The stick should initially be used slowly and gently from the ground. The horse should not be terrified or unduly upset. Before you wave or move the flag around too quickly, make sure you can rub your horse all over with the flag. This teaches him that the flag isn't anything to be afraid of in it's own right. Rub the flag all over the horse, around his legs, on his belly and even under his tail.
If the horse does start to move his feet, then move with him BUT DON�T STOP RUBBING. You should only stop when the horse is standing still and relaxed. If he doesn't settle down then decrease the pressure by slowing down the rubbing or moving the stick to another part of his body. This is very important � if you remove the stick when he's upset then he will think that he was right to be scared and will be worse next time.
Make sure you change hands and do the same rubbing from the other side of his body. Keep the flag on the side of the horse where you are standing so he will always be moving away from you if he needs to move his feet.
2. Up the tempo from the ground
Once he's relaxed with the stick being moved all over his body, then you can start to up the tempo a little. Move the flag from the ground to his face, past his blind spots, wave it over his back and behind his hind quarters, still making sure he doesn't get terrified by slowly increasing the pressure bit by bit. Use the same technique working on one side before the next, keeping him at arms length and moving with him when he gets anxious.
3. Repeat from the Fence
Once he's pretty relaxed on the ground with the flag waving all around him,
then do the same from a fence. Working from the fence places you in the position from which
he will see you when you are on his back, but there's no chance of you getting bucked off!
Sit on the fence and stand the horse next to you.
Start again by rubbing him all over and then start to wave the flag over his back,
head and hind quarters. He should stand quietly and not be over afraid.
If he does get afraid then either lower the tempo or move back to the ground again
and work on the sticky spots.
From the fence you can move the flag right over to the other side of his body without him
stepping on you. He will be seeing you from one eye and the scary flapping thing from the other
- again something that will happen one day when out on the trail!
Make sure you do the same on both sides
4. From his back
Once completely relaxed and calm on the fence you can move to doing
the same procedure from his back while riding. You can use the stick as a tool to help move your
horse and teach him to yield to pressure.
Example: When moving left, hold the flag in your right hand so it can be seen in his right eye.
When you squeeze your left leg just slightly back from the girth, the flag will 'push' his head
around while your leg pushes his hind quarters. With some practice you should be able to
direct your horse without using any reins where you will feel more 'as one' with your horse.
What's Next
The only thing holding you back now is your imagination. Repeat the same techniques using all sorts of scary objects - even a tarpaulin!
Your horse will thank you for it and live a much more relaxed life!
Visit the store to purchase a training flag