Horse Training Hub

04/26/2023

I spent a whole lot of this amazing conversation with Nahshon Cook with tears in my eyes, and a big goofy smile on my face. After listening to his podcast wi...

04/13/2023

I want to revisit the topic of curiosity and I’ll be coming back to this topic again and again because it is the most vital component of effective training.

First. What is curiosity?

Curiosity is a state of learning. furthermore, curiosity allows the horse to retain and process information, in a non triggered state of thinking. When a horse is curious, the animal is in a calm and aware state of mind, neither triggered by flight or fight.

The main goal of training should be to nurture curiosity and to use other tools such as pressure and release as a buffer to nurture a curious state of mind. What does this mean? When we are training our horses, the most important job you have is to keep your horse in a curious or “learning” state of mind. This requires awareness on your part and a willingness to adjust what you are doing depending on what your horse needs in the moment. Sometimes, backing off is what they need and sometimes, they need intense pressure, but this sliding scale of pressure and release, give and take is adjusted based on the horses level of awareness and curiosity because if you remember, we learned that horses cannot process and retain anything in a triggered flight state, however; curiosity is in their nature and it is demonstrated when they feel safe and calm. And so, our greatest goal and the foundation of all effective training is to use our tools to nurture, this one thing. ☝🏽

Safe riding,
Samantha

03/01/2023

02/13/2023

Sometimes, the best thing, and often forgotten, is to just hang out with your horse. Neff and I took a nap together in the pasture, laying down back to back, she was snoozing and I was cloud watching and then we had a good mutual groom session. This is relationship and this is the goal.

02/12/2023

Tonight, I saddled up to go for a ride on my mare and as I went to bridle her, she told me, “no”. Actually, she told me, “hell no”. I wanted to share the process I take when either introducing a skill, or, like tonight, reintroducing a skill and I wanted to discuss the quality of empathy necessary to properly handle and train these animals. I could’ve man handled this animal and forced the bridle on her, but her and I both would’ve been left seething with frustration. also, am I a dictator and a tyrant leader, or am I am partner? something to think about. When I train, I match the horses energy, always. I match their resistance and I match their give with release. What does this mean? As much as she is fighting, I match her. I stay with her. I continue to ask and I do not release until she gives me a try. What does this look like? Now, I do not match her energy hoping to force/sneak the bit in her mouth, in fact, when she does relax and accept, I will be sure to match her give with release and that means, when I have the opportunity to sneak the bit in her mouth through force, I don’t do it. If I expect honor and partnership from her, I need to build trust and nurture acceptance not subservience.

The actual process from resistance to fluidity and acceptance? It looks like this.

1) I teach a cue for her to put her head down and in the head stall. I do this with no intention of trying to bit her up.

2) I ask her to tolerate the bit resting on her lips, without opening her mouth

3) I ask her to open her mouth but I do not attempt to bit her up

4) I ask her to take the bit but I remove it immediately without putting the head stall over her ears

5) I expect (now that she is fully prepared to accept) her to take the bit quietly and willingly and put her head down for the head stall.

if at anytime, I am met with resistance, I match both the resistance and the try and I do not move onto the next step until I have both a willingness and an acceptance.

*** I give ample breaks and rest, throughout, to give the horse time to think and process, an important component in the session***

02/11/2023

We should not underestimate the importance of the walk and should learn to ride it well, says Kerry Mack, because in dressage tests, the walk marks are often doubled, then counted again in the mark for paces.