PONY asks:
 We chatted to Kuchina Jr, aged 12 and Phoebe, aged eight, about their horses and dogs!
Kuchina Jr and Phoebe ride after school a few times a week, fitting it around homework, and every day in the holidays. They love the hols and weekends, 'cos they can ride more! (Who doesn't?!) Both girls have been riding since they were three years old!
 Kuchina Jr taught the luscious Mucho to 'smile' - that's flehmen (or raising the top lip) to you and me! Chico is her horse, and she rides and trains him with help from her mum!
Top Training
Each horse spends between one and three years in training before going out to displays at summer show and they're always learning new things! The winter is spent training the young horses and the experienced ones have some time off.
The horses have a regular daily routine, sawapping between hacking out, schooling and days off. Just like any horse then really!
 Performing Pro!
All the horses know two routines, one that they usually perform and another that they know as an understudy, in case a horse becomes unwell.
PONY asks:
Have you ever had a horse you couldn't train?
"Some find it easier to pick things up than others, and all of them have a 'party trick' that they find really easy, but I've never had a horse I couldn't train.
The trick is never to push the horse until it says 'no', but to train them in pairs so they're competing against the other horse. They like to win and be the best, so they work harder that way.
Very Vocal
 Kuchina uses voice aids, which are very important. She plays on the fact that horses are naturally nosy. Kuchina waits for the horses to do something natural, then rewards them and uses a command word, too. Soon enough the horses learn what she wants them to do, and when, just by her voice!
It's all about repetition, to be a horse trainer you need to be very dedicated. It might take three to nine months to teach a horse something new. But horses mustn't be restricted, they have to choose to do what you're asking, not be forced.
Meet the performing dogs!
 Woody the Lurcher is a brilliant performer at shows, as well as being really affectionate! He has  been taught to jump over a whip held in the air, or over a horse lying down!
"Dan is the best dog I've ever had" says Kuchina. "Although he's an old man now, he still knows all the tricks in the book!" What a star!
Jessy is Dan's grandson. He's in training at the moment, and Kuchina hopes he will take Dan's place at displays!
Perfect pooches!
Kuchina tells us how to train our canine friends!
"Wait until your dog does something that you want him to do, then praise him and ask him to do it again! Use voice and food rewards straight away to let him know that he's done what you want, and remember that it takes time, just as training horses does. Don't expect your dog to learn , loads of new tricks really fast."
 Did you know?
The saying "Get down off your high horse" originates when Native Americans stood on their horses bottoms so that they could see further and check on their livestock.
Spotted!
Have you seen one of Kuchina's horses on TV or in a film? Chances are you have, even if you don't realise it! These gorgeous equines do tonnes of film work as well as their displays - cool, huh? |
