"The Circle"
Many of us can agree that riding in circles in an arena is probably one of the most boring activities to do and watch, without a doubt! However, it is one of the most fundamental building blocks in training any horse. So, why is riding in circles so important?
Riding in circles teaches the horse to:
- Be calm
- Be balanced
- Rate speed
- Be attentive
- Be responsive
- Ride straight lines
- Save energy
- Collect itself
- Build muscle
- Develop patience
And much more.
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This exercise is crucial in the foundational training of a horse. By utilizing trees as obstacles, the horse is given a sense of purpose instead of just moving in circles within an arena. The abrupt changes of direction required in this exercise will make the horse more responsive to the rider's cues and ultimately improve its focus and calmness.
Desensitizing is a word commonly used in the context of horse training. It refers to a process by which a horse is taught to not overreact to stimuli in its environment.
Unfortunately, some people have taken issue with this term, perhaps due to a misunderstanding of what it means.
It is important to remember that horses are prey animals with a very quick reaction time. Desensitizing helps horses learn to use the thinking side of their brain and not overreact to things that happen around them.
However, desensitizing should only be done by experienced trainers who can read the horse's behavior and know when to stop or change the process to avoid overwhelming the horse (flooding). If an inexperienced person attempted to desensitize horses it can end up causing more harm than good. Therefore, it is paramount to have a proper understanding of horse’s behavior and to work with a qualified trainer to ensure the safety and well-being of the horse.
Desensitization is a process that also helps establish trust between a horse and its trainer. When a horse is desensitized, it learns to rely on the trainer and sees the trainer as a leader who will never put him in harm's way. This is similar to how horses trust and follow their herd leader.
In this video, the horse remains calm and relaxed, willingly staying in place. The goal of desensitization has been accomplished, as the horse is now using the thinking side of its brain and is aware that the plastic poses no harm. Therefore, the plastic is not a cause for concern.
Desensitization is just one aspect of establishing a trustworthy partnership with your horse. Therefore, it is important not to solely focus on this aspect, but instead focus on the whole picture. Each piece of the puzzle is equally important, and if not executed correctly, it can compromise the final result. Achieving a strong partnership with your horse requires dedication, persistence, and consistency in your work and actions.
Making your horse walk with a purpose it's a great exercise and can teach a lot of things.
Click on the video below
Let's start this month with our first challenge: Halter & Lead for Trust.
So, how does it work?
Watch the challenge video, practice it at home with your horse, and when you are ready (before the entry deadline), make a video of yourself completing the exercise, and post it here along with the answers to the Challenge questions and any questions you may have for us.
We will review your video, give you feedback, and answer your questions.
The first part of this challenge, Halter, is about haltering your horse. It's not because you don't know how to do it, but because when we do things mechanically, we tend to overlook small but important details that can cause certain behaviors. Be aware and mindful of what and how you do it, and observe the reaction of your horse and his/her behavior as you halter him/her.
The second part of this challenge, Lead, is about leading your horse with a long lead rope (3.5 to 4 meters long) and keeping the horse walking behind you at that distance without crowding or invading your space.
Challenge questions:
- Is my horse behaving like the horses in the video?
- Why not?
- What did I do that makes him/her behave differently?
THE BASICS OF HORSE HANDLING.
How many times a day, a week, a month, a year do we do this simple thing that is: go get the horse and put the halter on.
But are we really sure that we do it correctly?
Do we really use the correct body language?
Does the horse really understand what we want?
Click on the video to find out more and why.
Did you know that you can build a relationship with your horse, that is so strong and so trusting that he will follow you like this, no matter where you go and no matter if it is a mare, a stallion, or a gelding?
🔶 If you like to learn how to do it contact us.
🔶 We are available for private lessons.
🔶 At our location or your stables.
The first ride should always be a pleasure for the horse and the rider. An uneventful, calm, and harmonious moment.
All this is possible only after the proper ground work has been done.
After work, there is nothing better than a roll with you best friend 🥰
After a good work out, horses need time to relax and feel that the arena, is not only a place where we work, and it's always better if they can interact with a friends. It keeps them psychologically happy and in harmony.
Lucy, a six-year-old mare rescued in the Algarve a year ago, was thin, skittish, and mistrusting due to her previous keepers. Much effort was put into bringing her back to physical shape and being trustful of humans. Now, she is ready for training to become an all-around stock horse, a fun and safe partner for many adventures.
From the video, it is evident that Lucy was on her second ride during training. Her movements were stiff and lacked harmony, while her head and neck were positioned quite high due to her previous handling. At this stage of her training, the trainer's main focus is to work on directions, soften her body, teach her to get off the legs, and help her relax.
Mastering your energy is the key to becoming a successful horse handler.
Your energy and emotions are a language to your horse. Hence, it is crucial to be mindful of your energy levels at all times.
Energy is use to ‘’move the horses feet,’’ and as a horse handler, you have the responsibility to learn to recognize and control the energy you project !
If you don't use your energy to ‘’move the horses feet’’ early, and convincingly enough, the horse will than ‘’move your feet’’ and you will never achieve, with a horse, that degree of mutual understanding that horses have amongst each other !
Only by mastering your energy and learning how to use it you can establish a successful relationship with a horse
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Desensitizing is one of the "must do" things if we want to have a calm, trusting and confident horse. Like it is stated in this video: desensitizing, not flooding.
Lusitano mare, born 2014. First ride.
Lusitano mare, born 2014.
First ride.
