Articles with the Tag Focus

Spirit – Training Video 5

Spirit - Training Video's
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Today we just hung out together after I had trimmed Spirit’s hooves and I decided to just have a wee session with the techniques we’ve been learning. To use those techniques for a purpose is what it’s all about whether it’s trailer loading, getting ready to mount, riding or going through a river….putting feet up on a pedestal helps with all those kinds of things as it builds a trusting connection that gives the two of us a way of communicating. What I try to do is set things up where I ask a question which involves a task and through the process of Spirit asking questions about that task he uses his brain to figure out what it is that I’m asking him. This thinking process is what bonds us more. We started off with the ABC’s of that communication but slowly we are getting more fluid in this language together.

 

Pedestal Update: Third practise session….going pretty well….

 

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

Training Tip Video’s: “Inner Core Energy – On/Off”

Training Tip Video's
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Working on the concept that our ‘inner energy’ can connect with our horse, then testing it can be interesting.
 
To be able to use our inner energy to create movement but to then be able to take that away and only have our ‘outer energy’ or movement working and not have movement…how is this possible?
 
For the most part, if the ‘inner and outer energy’ isn’t separated and the horse/human connection isn’t refined and trusting enough, movement of anything to a horse can mean ‘go’. This is because firstly our horses work on learned behaviours and a predator with energy usually means go AND we also haven’t learned to go inside ourselves and learn how to separate our inner intent/focus/energy from our body movements. This can take time but horses understand it very well once they trust that we, as predators, can do it.
 
Being able to switch our ‘inner’ core energy on/off is so integral to being connected to our horse, when on the ground and more importantly when riding.
 
No matter what our body is doing can we ‘switch’ our energy off to create a halt and then bring it back on to create movement?
 

Hope you find this video intersting….can you see how much focus Stormy has on me? he’s watching my ‘inner focus energy’ to see when it comes and goes even though my body is moving the whole time!!

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

Training Tips: “Jumps for Impulsion”

Training Tips
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Jumps for impulsion

 

I love popping over a few jumps to have fun with Solly but I also find it very useful to help with our impulsion.

The jumps require focus and energy, flexibility and straightness and it helps to teach us to be able to shorten and extend strides, to have light, smooth transitions and a great focus.

There are many ways to help with finding true impulsion that you can use such as using circles to quieten a extroverted, impulsive horse and to use long straight lines for under impulsed introverted horses. Having something your horse likes to do will also help keep the training session fun and help give you a wonderful focus together.

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy