Back to school with Christian Cazor

This summer and autumn, I have been visiting a local natural horse trainer. I have had many interesting conversations with him about his approach and the way he educates horses. I've seen and learned so much that should help me to improve and refine. I've mentioned Christian Cazor before in this blog; it was he who transported Lucie and Tayenne this summer. In July, he took on a friend's young Camargue mare Apple for educating and backing. During the 2 months she was with him, I visited weekly to follow and report progress to my friend, which also gave me the opportunity to watch and learn. As I was to ride Apple, it was important for me to learn what she had learnt.

I first saw Christian Cazor doing a demo with two horses at liberty, at a local show; he's a bit of a legend around here as a trouble-shooter, often called in to box a difficult horse. His background is Western riding and although he says he isn't an ethologist and doesn't practise any particular method, he is what I would call a natural horseman, he uses the horse's behaviour and movements, and physical and mental state, in his training. He has attended La Cense, with Andy Booth, in France; and in the US, done courses with Ray Hunt and is familiar with the methods of all the main names in natural horsemanship and like all true horsemen, has developed his own approach. His own horses are mainly quarterhorses. He does courses, re-education of (problem) horses and backing youngsters. Outside of this area, he is relatively unknown - no blog or Facebook page which seem to be the essentials of the modern-day horseman. He's now got a simple website (in French) which has been set up by a student but he says he needs to rewrite the text in his own words www.christiancazor-horsemanship.sitew.com

When I first went to him for a couple of day courses in 2007, I had a young horse at home who was a bit much for me. Christian showed me how to control and direct a horse by driving the zones independently in a way I'd never learned before and it was suddenly so easy for the horse to go where I asked. But after a few sessions I realised that as good as Christian was with horses, he wasn't quite so skilled with people and instructing them. I was starting to understand a different approach and wanted to know more but Christian's teaching wasn't structured and I couldn't say what I wanted to know without some practice and a starting point. Then I discovered the Parelli programme as a home study course.

So fast forward several years to July 2013 when my friend Joanna's young Camargue mare is ready for some education, having spent most of her life doing nothing in the field with 3 other horses. When Jo was in France, we'd had her out a couple of times and she'd been led, and had her feet done; but I didn't have the time & energy to take on a youngster, and Jo found her too pushy and didn't feel confident to handle her (Apple is the foal of her quiet Camargue mare Kenia, who she is confident with; the horses are cared for with others on a farm). First choice for the job was Christian; so Apple went to C's yard, and Jo & I went along to watch once a week & when Jo returned to the UK, she asked me if I'd report back to her on progress. So I have been able to see C at work and watch how he starts a young horse from the ground up. I'll summarise here but later I'd like to think more about many of the aspects of his training method.

Apple had not been handled much but always loves being with people and is generally good-natured, but she was bold and pushy in the field and among the other horses, full of enthusiastim and wanting attention. Her dam didn't reprimand her much and she was usually in front of rather than behind her mother, pushing against the fence or past the other horses or humans without much respect. The older gelding would put her in her place but she paired up with the other younger gelding, a 7 yo; life was all play with him.

The first thing she needed to learn was to yield to pressure, yielding the forehand and quarters (disengagement) and backing up. The lateral movements taught on the ground are the base elements of what will be asked from the saddle and provide respect and control.

Our first visit
When we first went to see her at the yard, on 25 July, she was a couple of days into her education and had got to know the other horses and the routine. The horses are paddocked individually and brought into a box preparatory to riding, or to the tie-ups, for saddling. When fetching the horse from the field, or going into the box, Christian moves around them, asking them to turn to him and follow, from both sides (changing the eye, as he puts it) asking by a look in that zone and, if necessary, a little pressure directed at the quarters. He will do this on both sides and by turning away, draws the horse to him so getting its attention. A very simple way of getting a connection with the horse. When the head is alongside, with the horse's attention and co-operation, the halter goes on. The horse soon learns to put its nose into the halter. His routine for taking them out of the field is always about the horse moving around the handler to wait patiently as the gate is manipulated.

In the sand school, we watched Apple learning about lateral flexion and yielding to pressure, with Christian always calmly supporting her through the emotions raised by being asked to move and yield to pressure for the first time and in a strange environment; his tool of choice being a "flag" or plastic bag on stick. First presenting it to the horse, softly but surely moving the flag all over the horse, scratching the itchy spots, brushing flies off the head; always calmly and surely and with rhythm. He repeatedly talked about the importance of timing and feel, and rhythm, not to stop doing what you're doing until the horse relaxes or responds or tries. Always quietly supporting her and helping her to find confidence in the new surroundings and experience. Good practice for being aware of our own body energy too, which must be low unless asking the horse to respond.

So using the flag as an extension of his own energy and intention, he asks the horse to move and yield; from disengaging the posterior to the more challenging forehand; eventually asking the horse to yield in all directions, always offering an open door on the side to which he wants the horse to go; he uses rhythmic pressure from the flag, only making contact with the horse if the horse runs into the flag rather than choosing the desired option of moving away from it, at which point the flag is immediately lowered. Thus not only is the horse learning to yield and not push through pressure, she is learning to be a problem solver, to seek the solution to the question asked; learning that she is not trapped and to think and find the release, the comfort, instead of running into or through it. In this way, the comfort is in doing the desirable and the horse is helped to find relaxation in the task or movement, not in fighting or trying to push through pressure or crowding the handler. More about this concept later. It also showed me how you can use the same tool to sensitize and desensitize at the same time; in this way, the horse is never made dull to it, it's all about reading the energy of the handler; eventually the tool becomes unecessary. Good timing is essential. (I tried using a flag myself and it made me very aware of controlling my movements, and timing. I don't think this is a something to be done by a novice.)

In the sand school, on line, Christian simply let Apple explore to begin with, giving her a little help if necessary; he directed her towards some barrels on their side, and a jump upright, and let her touch and rub on them, then before she ran out of ideas and got bored, he asked her to reapproach until she put her neck over, reaching for the grass on the other side. Very subtly he was controlling her movements and developing her confidence and sense of feel. He asked her to go around the barrels, and to the side, making it seem like her idea; then letting the rope softly bring her head back towards him as it contacted the upright when she passed it. At one point with a little extra pressure, she popped over the barrel, but that wasn't the aim, and it was her choice, what she offered.

He also showed for Jo's benefit how to ask the horse to move around the handler, to respect his space, to find a position of comfort and relaxation by being alongside his shoulder; that the horse should move its feet when asked, not the handler, as it would when asked to move out of the space of a higher ranking herd member.

Teaching the horse to move around you 

Our second visit
Was about a week later, on 6 August, and Apple has learned to stand quietly at the tie-up and in cross ties, no more pulling, although she still plays with the ropes and sometimes paws impatiently for which she receives no recognition so returns to waiting patiently while other horses are attended to. There is plenty going on around her to be interesting if she stops thinking that all attention should be on her. All part of the education process.

When we arrived, she was in one of the boxes next door to another horse. Christian pairs them for education; more of how he uses this later. At our approach her ears were pricked, so I remarked that it's a good sign; he added not always, some horses just view humans approaching as a source of attention or food or being taken to other horses; a convenience, not necessarily happy to see you as a partner. (Food for thought - how does your horse view you?)

We talked about the giving of the feet; how many people are too direct about it, they want the horse to give the feet so they can pick them out or do something to them. As soon as the horse gives the foot they attack it with the hoofpick; the horse may feel trapped, especially if the back legs are taken back for human convenience, as blacksmiths often do abrubtly. This is his method. I have my own cue or "ask" but the principle is similar.

First, the horse should be relaxed when you stand at the shoulder, and can pass your hand firmly with rhythm all over the legs; don't be sneaky or jerky in your movements. Then you can apply a little pressure to leg or foot, e.g. just behind the pastern; or on the hock point; be ready to release as soon as the horse tries, shifts it's weight slightly; caress, ask again, being ready to release immediately, not asking the horse to pick up the foot and not trying to grab and hold it; the horse should want to give the foot and feel relaxed and secure with the foot in your hand, so build up in steps. If the horse evades by walking around, encourage him to move, until he's ready to stand still; make standing still the comfortable choice. If once you hold the hoof he tries to move, or take the foot back, wait until he relaxes before releasing the foot or you will teach him to resist. Once he gives the foot, put it down; don't immediately try to pick it. It shouldn't be about picking out the foot but about the giving of the foot; picking hooves is what humans want to do, it is of no interest to the horse, but we want the horse to be relaxed about us handling his precious hooves. So don't rush, build up in small stages.

Third/fourth week:
Saddling; she has already had the saddle on several times, and been introduced to a bridle & bit (snaffle, copper mouthpiece, large rings), learned to seek and accept the bit and been mouthed. To the sand school and some lateral movements, as before, yielding the posteriors then the anteriors, changing sides, making sure her movements are calm, responsive & well-balanced, that she feels & is aware of but not worried by the addition of the saddle. Apple now leads comfortably, and stops at the shoulder, no longer pushing through pressure.

So to the roundpen where he leaves her free with the rope trailing to go fetch another line; Apple educates herself not to panic when she treads on the rope or gets it round her legs; she soon learns not to step on it; and gets the feel of the tack too. He does some fingertip yielding, backing up & lateral movements off pressure, replicating the feel of the leg on her side. Then moving her with the flag (bit of black plastic on a stick), turning, changing rein, laterals, then caress. Her movements are supple and fluid now. Talks about avoiding creating an opposition reflex, for ex. about grass, which is attractive as they feed mainly on hay here; not to get into a fight about it; you have to work with it, use it: for instance, when she has her mouth full or if she lifts her head, are the moments to ask her to move because there will be less resistance. Head lowered and grazing is a relaxed, therefore somewhat desirable, position. The grass is there, it's natural for them to want it. To get her to raise her head, he uses small rythymic tugs on the rope, making the eating position uncomfortable. Never annoyed, never a punishment or fight. (Another useful method is tapping rythymically behind the saddle until the head pops up.)

In hand, simulating the rein position, leading the head in a direction, asking for movement with the stirrup against her side. Next on the longer line, throwing the rope over the horse's head, then back, then around hocks; eventually when they are relaxed with that, ask them to yield and unwind towards you. (I wish I could swing and place the rope as accurately & softly as that! Need to practice more.) One throw clears horse's head, second clears the saddle, third clears the quarters to drop neatly round the hocks. No fuss, just the arm moves. Asks the horse to turn around towards the pressure, no hurry, let her find her way; she is more resistant on the left eye than the right; but after a couple of repeats she works it out & yields towards the pressure.

Alongside her, if he puts his bodyweight against her side, does she yield, responding to body position and feel. In preparation for mounting, he takes hold of the pommel & moves the saddle on her back quite vigourously; she needs to be conscious of the saddle and its noise and feel, if there is any reaction then better now than when you're on her back. This also makes the horse square its feet to balance itself, so prepares the horse for mounting. He doesn't put his leg over into the saddle first time but plays with weight in stirrup, up the down; up and hold; up and leg over, and gently lowered into the saddle.

In the saddle, creating forward movement from yielding the posteriors. Lead with the hand, yield the posteriors (pressure of leg on side); first one side then the other; keep doing this, to create forward movement. Indirect rein, direct rein; one leg, one hand. Never using the rein unless asking for direction, releasing as soon as the horse responds.

His preference is to continue the education and experience out on the trail; there are more things to interest and stimulate the horse, and encourage them to move forward. Obstacles, ditches, banks, gullies, straight narrow tracks, hills etc. are the training ground. The roundpen or school is an articial environment, not stimulating. They can quickly get bored and dull or resistant.

September visits
The next time Jo is here and we go together, there is a small group of students and C gives a group lesson in basic handling and leading. The others vary from beginners to experienced riders, but with no experience of C's approach. Jo does well for a total beginner and certainly as well as anyone else in the group; Apple responds well, building Jo's confidence; it is the first time she has led her own horse and I know she was nervous. The students lead, turn, and practice disengaging, backing up, and circling their horses around them.

Yielding the hindquarters with Attiuk

Sending the horse onto a circle

Teaching backing on line by raising & lowering energy

On my next visit, without Jo, another "student" of my advanced age joins us, a bubbly lady called Ursula, and we three ride out together, C on Apple, Ursula on Rocky who she has ridden before, and I ride a 16yo QH called Attiuk, who greets me with disdain. C says he has been dulled by being used too often as a school horse, but tells me that he tanked off home with someone who rode him recently - very reassuring! However, forewarned, I am able to quietly persuade Attiuk that I am up to the job and we get along very well; he tests me a couple of times by grabbing for grass but I read his intentions & even ellicit some rare praise from C for anticipating and correcting him. Even the quiet, seemingly laid back, horses are constantly testing, sometimes very subtly.

Our role is as support for Christian and the young horse; but we do not lead. We learn to position ourselves aside or at a distance behind, to give Apple the reassurance of other horses but only as support. Apple is asked to lead the file and to walk or trot on ahead. To build independence and confidence, we take turns to trot past the lead horse, then turn and pass the others and rejoin the rear. To begin with we don't advance far in front or behind before turning, but as each horse gets used to the pattern, the distance can be increased. C reminds us and keeps reminding us that we need to use rythym.

There are a couple of places we ride past where dogs rush out barking behind a wall; C tells the owners not to restrain the dogs and we end up side-passing along the wall, 3 horses in formation; what a great exercise for everyone! C's philosophy is to allow the horse, and sometimes encourage him, to have these emotions but help him to deal with them. It is sometimes necessary to bring up a horse's emotions so you can deal with them in a controlled situation, rather than suppressing them or hoping they won't happen; and having an incident occur and the horse explode later. This is especially true if as he does, you have a period in which to train or educate a horse as a professional trainer; he says he sometimes has to be more direct than he would like, to get the job done.

On my next visit, it is just the two of us, C on Apple and again I ride Attiuk, who now touches my hand as I greet him; seems like that's the most I'll get from him but I feel we have a connection. Apple has some emotional moments & C has correctly assessed that I'm not ready to ride her yet. He keeps diving off into the woods with her & my task is to continue along the track with my horse. If Apple doesn't walk straight and relaxed he gives her something to do, move her feet, direct her energy and mind by asking her to go over some uneven ground or a ditch; this gives purpose and by directing her energy usefully, there is no fight, no resistance; and then she is happy to advance along the trail as desired. C always remains calm; he redirects the horse's energy & emotions, so it is never a fight; he does this by using the lateral movements and always one leg, one rein, so the horse is never blocked by the hands or fighting the legs. If the horse is apprehensive of something, like roadside bins, or dogs behind a hedge, it becomes an exercise. Always have the horse's head towards the object; never let them turn away but don't force them forwards; approach and retreat using disengagement and lateral movements; let them look quietly, then ask for another step; repeat as often as necessary. Use sideways movement. This keeps the head in the right place but engages the mind and legs to move.

I ride Apple
In the final week of her time on Christian's yard, I ride out on Apple. I must admit I was nervous at first, I always am on strange horses; this is bad because the tension communicates itself to the horse. I fully understand the reflex of hanging on to the reins but I still want to do it myself even though I know the consequences! C talked me through it and once Apple & I had gained confidence in each other and relaxed, I found her a very comfortable ride. We confronted the dogs calmly, we trotted and even had a little canter. Again I like C's approach, nothing is forced, everything is in the offer and allow - always giving with the hands, raising the body energy not kicking for the increase in pace but allowing the horse into the canter so it feels as if it was her idea. We ride on a loose rein but always ready to shorten one rein or the other, never pull on both at once so the horse is never blocked, trapped. Only use rein or leg to ask for movement and direction; the rest comes from connection and body energy. Some people are not able to ride if they don't have contact but I would contend that there is mental and emotional contact without physical restraint.

There are many ways to start a young horse and many techniques and tools we can use in our groundwork and preparation leading to having a calm happy safe riding horse. What I have seen here in the last few weeks has resulted in a young horse that is a pleasure and comfortable to ride, a horse that is reactive in the right way, that is mentally, physically and emotionally fit.

I do not usually ride other people's horses but I have ridden several of Christian's, including Apple, and because of the preparation have been confident to ride youngsters. His training and education of horses is based on the lateral movements and flexion. I have been impressed by how extremely flexible and supple his horses are, how willing and connected they are to the rider. I have realised the power of disengagement and that it is fundamental to almost everything we expect the horse to do (not only, but including, its usefulness as a one-rein stop) but also that I have never used it enough or taken it as far as I need to for the horse to be completely relaxed and responsive at the same time.

 Since Apple went home, I contined to ride once a week with Christian during the autumn. I admit I am pushing myself outside my comfort zone each time as I no longer enjoy riding different and young horses; the anticipation stresses me beforehand, and once there, trying to follow someone else's routine and methods makes me nervous and behave like a complete clut. I find learning stressful and difficult now I'm older. Afterwards I get a real zip from the experience. At home, with my own horses, I have integrated much of what I've learned these past months into my own training, often successfully; I continue to practise Parelli Natural Horse-man-ship methods and I do have my own ways with my horses and remain true to what works for me and with my herd, regardless of where it came from.

Set up for success
On Christian's yard, which is a simple arrangment of boxes, paddocks, a round pen and outdoor sand school, all is set up for success - the horses are turned out in adjacent strip fields, each leading up to individual shelters in a row. Saddles are kept ready with the girth neatly attached with a quick release and same for the breastplate; you put the saddle on and the equipment is all neatly ready to let down & use; impressive. Even the tracks and riding areas he uses are chosen to provide helpful environments; an uphill stony track discourages galloping towards home; a natural ravine for advancing straight, etc.