It can leave you scratching your head in wonder, trying to figure out just what happened. Especially if it didn’t look as though they did anything all that different.
Feel and timing, understanding phases and the significance of rewarding at the right moment are something that will come with time, experience and savvy. Understanding inherently that horses like to be comfortable and will do whatever it takes to achieve this, combined with the seemingly opposite fact that they are prepared to push through pressure in order to escape confinement, will take you along way toward success. Being in a situation of confinement can of course make horses feel extremely uncomfortable, however they are prepared to endure this in order to find that comfort. Throw in the fact that horses can feel a fly land on them and find it annoying and you have all the ingredients you need to create a light, soft horse. Just add yourself.
Some of you conscientious, hard working students will get our there and try really hard to achieve something with your horse, only to end up in frustration and disappointment. It seems that the harder we try, the worse things get sometimes. This kind of determination and over-focus are the telltale signs of a predator and will trigger warning bells in your horse. Opposition reflex will be far more likely and quicker to surface, further causing a loss of rapport. Sometimes all it takes is too high a phase in the beginning, which is then perceived by the horse as impolite. Opposition reflex is triggered and the horse will push against your ask.
So, look closely at you start or how you offer your suggestion to your horse. Is it an ask or a tell? Is your phase one really as light as just a fly? Were you just trying to yield your horse or was there a little push in there? When your horse yields, do your fingers, hands, leg etc, stop as soon as he moves or do they follow your horse a fraction? If the push is there, you may not recognize those tiny tries and miss the opportunity to offer comfort. Remember, the sooner your horse finds comfort, the sooner he will learn and consequently the lighter and more responsive he will become.
If you can recognize even the smallest of tries, your release will also improve. It’s the release that teaches the horse, not the pressure, so your timing and when you quit it crucial.
Read More Road To Horsemanship articles.
- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.