My achievement and success with horses is largely due to my understanding
that the horse has feelings which are more developed than ours. Over
the years of relating to the horse, I have discovered that the horse doesn’t
always understand just what we are trying to communicate to them.
From where the horse is physically, mentally and emotionally, it will
generally try to do the right thing. But from where we are, we may not
recognise this. If we are open and can listen to what others have
to say, then and only then can we start to learn their ways and understand
their feelings, for better communication.
If I ask the horse to do something, like stop, I would like to think
that the horse understands my cue and stops. But if the horse doesn’t
stop, it may not have understood what I was asking. At this stage,
I would redirect the feet and set it up so that the horse would want to
stop and simply wait. I just make it easy for the horse to make the
decision that I am looking for, as the horse is looking for the easy way
out. From the horse’s point of view, it still can make a ‘choice’
and doesn’t need to feel restricted. It will therefore develop a
willing or want to attitude. This to me is willing communication.
The trouble generally starts by trying to take control and take away
the freedom of choice from within the horse. You can imagine how you would
feel if a stranger did that to you. Freedom of choice means the same
for the horse as it does for us, so don’t try to take control. Just
ask and direct so that the feet will come, bringing the mind along too.
Pretty soon the mind will come first - that is - the horse will start to
look for the direction and support that you are offering.
Lets say that I want a right hand turn and I ask with the appropriate
cues. But the horse pushes to the pressure of the bit and runs through
my leg. Rather than fighting with the horse, I will wait until turning
to the right is a better option than anything else and guide it through
the turn. Once the horse realises that it made the right choice,
I will show it something new that it can accept so that it feels like an
achiever. We all feel that we can achieve if we are given a good enough
reason.
I make it easy for the horse to make the decision that I would like.
I restrict the options, but the choice is still there. The horse
must have the freedom to choose.
