Posts Tagged "Cari Swanson Horse Training"
Kids learning to ride in balance at Windrock Farm on a hack with Cari and Lauren leading the kids on Mr. T and Goldie. The rider is in control, however, if there is any sudden movement of the horse, we have control of the bridle with a neck rope to prevent any mishaps. It is critical to instill confidence in the rider from the very beginning of lessons.
The ultimate goal is for the horse and rider to be molded to each other. Together they form a finely balanced whole, a living work of art, which is beautiful and graceful, and which works with the precision of a clock.
Blaze is starting to show his personality more every day, here you can see how regal he can be. Bugsy is very independent and curious like his daddy, and Blaze is more reserved. They are starting to play together every day, especially in the late afternoon when it cools down. Bugsy is now 8 weeks old and a tank, Blaze is 5 weeks old and as tall as his brother.
Your horse should see you as the leader of the herd. From the moment you snap the lead rope on the halter, he should be paying attention to you and respecting your space. A common error we find is that people let their horse walk past them, on them, push into them, try to nip them for treats and ignore the handler’s personal space. How your horse reponds to you on the ground will translate under saddle. If he ignores you light tug to slow down and stay behind you while walking to the paddock, he will ignore your half halts and leg aids. Set the tone immediately, and be the boss.
Establish rules and laws. There must be consequences if these rules are broken or the trouble begins and soon your horse will take over. Remember that you set the tone for your relationship and if you want a safe, confident, respectful horse, you must lay down the law and enforce them at the beginning.
Posted July 20th, 2010 — Filed under
Cari Swanson,
Horse Training,
Horse Wrangler,
horses in film,
Rex Peterson,
Training,
Windrock Farm
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Cari Swanson,
Cari Swanson Horse Training,
horses in film,
teaching actors to ride — No Comments
We have to rear Mr. T for an upcoming scene in a film with the two main actors on the horse. To demonstrate how easy this is on a well schooled horse, we put a novice young rider behind Cari in the saddle and asked T to stand up. He lifts up effortlessly and waits for Rex to let him down. There will also be stunt doubles for the main actors if they are not comfortable with the scene.
Anyone can learn to become a competent rider if you understand the basics of horsemanship and how horses think. Horses are herd animals so it is crucial that you understand that you are the leader of the herd. We train horses to listen to our command on the ground when working with actors who have little experience riding. The audience rarely realizes that the horses on screen are being directed by a trainer off camera.
We are rehearsing a scene for a film where the main actors are riding double and the horse rears. It takes hours of training and conditioning to prepare the horse for the days of shooting. And then it takes a great deal of patience to work with the actors so they do not panic. If the rider panics the horse will not perform and a day of filming could be lost. As with everything, preparation is the key to success. Remember the old boyscout saying, “be prepared.”
Come to the next Rex Peterson Clinic to learn how to teach your horse how to obey your every command.
Check here for upcoming dates
Jonathan Groff meeting RJ with Ang Lee on the set of “Taking Woodstock” in Millerton , NY. Jonathan learned to ride with me with only 2 weeks to prep for the scene. I started teaching him on my schoolmasters before having him ride RJ who is a seasoned Hollywood star. RJ was one of the horses who played Hidalgo in the Disney classic film of the same name. RJ spent months on the set in Morocco, Montana and California honing his craft. Trained by Rex Peterson, RJ learned to work like a pro on set with tthe cast and crew. Jonathan quickly learned to ride with the help of his background in dance and music, after all riding is all about rhythm and balance. Jonathan’s riding experience helped secure a role in Robert Redford’s new film “The Conspirator”, currently filming in Savannah, Georgia.
This photo was taken on this mud field for the last scene of the film. The groundskeeper watered the fields with fire hoses for two days to create the feeling of Woodstock after 4 days of rain. The ground was so sloppy that RJ refused to walk in it. The crew had to lay rubber stall mats to create a path for him to have secure footing.
