On Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 11:57:17AM -0000, Susan Coombes wrote: > Does anyone here use rhythm beads on their gaited horses? > > http://www.equinewhispers.co.uk/aboutbeads.html > > They look pretty but do they do anything. When Corrie decides she can > only do walk today I can persuade her to trot if I sing to the rhythm I > want or say trit trot continuously. Should I get her an ipod or the > rhythm beads?
i use a set on stjarni when we ride in the forest, but that is for the bells to warn hunters. i have not noticed any big difference in his rhythm, but the terrain in the forest rarely allows for much of the same rhythm for very long anyway....if you have a flat place to ride it might work better for that purpose. and yes, they're very pretty :) i think you should try to get corrie to associate your "trit trot" with trotting, and phase it out (to a whisper, to a movement of your own head and body) slowly, until she realizes that "trit trot" can be used as a cue for "start trotting, then keep trotting" rather than for each stride. (stjarni is trained for several voice cues -- "walk on", "up-up!", "trr-rot", "canter!" and "whoa".) --vicka
