The purpose
of the exercises on which we concentrated during our February
clinic was to increase our horses' ability to focus on what we
were asking them to do. It's not easy, in a clinic environment,
for either horse or handler to stay focused on the tasks. But
that's where the learning lies.
Using a specially constructed obstacle course, we were able to
work through a range of increasingly difficult tasks. All the
while, we worked to maintain the gentle, consistent and confident
way in which we would ask our horses to complete the task. After
all, like us, horses will lose focus the more pressure we put
on them.
Here's just a few of the comments at the end of the day:
" Instead of using a lot of pressure to get a small
response, I learned I could use a small amount of pressure to
get a much, much larger and more willing response."
"I didn't realize till the end of the day I wasn't riding
with a crop – I didnŐt need it. My horse was listening to
me."
"I can see how much work I have to do before the next clinic
– and I can't wait to get started!" |
|
|
It's important
to get your groundwork right. |
|
Then your horse
is comfortable moving on to more difficult tasks – and we had
a lot to choose from!
It takes a lot
of concentration on the part of this young gelding to follow a subtle
cue asking him to lie down in this busy clinic environment.
