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Training Tip Video: ‘Relaxation with Treat Training’

Training Tip Video's
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I’ve been using ‘Treat Training’ for Solly for a few years now and it’s really helped our relationship. Before TT he was obedient and becoming well behaved but I didn’t have his heart, he did things but not with willingness or acceptance and I never just want ‘tolerance’ as I feel it’s not a true Connection. So, I learned my own version of Treat Training to help him ‘get’ what I was asking quicker and he really cheers up and is more willing once he knows quickly that he’s doing the right thing with training. He also used to be a horse that could bite and I never thought I’d be using treats to help train him BUT in fact it’s helped to teach him to NOT bite which is a huge bonus too. 

Here we are today working on Relaxation from in front of his head:

 

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

 

Liberty Challenge 10

Liberty Challenges
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Lots of fun can be had doing Agility with your horse. I find it helps with communication spook busting, finding a smooth connection,  transitions and having fun, which is the most important thing.

This month I put just a few simple things together for a 9 obstacle course and did it at liberty then with long reins and finally ridden, you can start this online if your starting out and there are many ways to keep these 9 obstacles interesting, here are some ideas:

~ Online ~ at Liberty ~ Long Rein ~ Ridden bitless ~ Ridden with neck rein/cordeo ~ done in walk, trot or canter ~ done in obstacle order or in reverse order ~ juggle the order about ~ Choose to do completely different things with each obstacle ~

Here are some video’s from LC10.

 

Long Reining w/Solly

 

Ridden bitless

 

Training Tip Video’s: “Subtle Ridden Conversations”

Training Tip Video's
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The video below shows Solly and I having a very subtle conversation about body dynamics, energy, core strength, foot falls and flexion.

If you look closely you can see how all I do affects all Solly does. It’s a close, almost invisible dance of finding our inner most riding connection. Slowly, using this more, we will flow and dance more. We find our balance together and then we find our go and whoa buttons to make sure they’re working through my breathing. Soon we are finding our hips and shoulder connection and then my hands to his nose. Being able to talk to every part of his body allows me to find the softness within the strength of muscles in places I have in my thoughts. Being able to read his muscles too allows me to hear what he is saying back to me so that our dance gets more and more harmonious.

It takes a TON of focus from me so I try to be on good form for him because if I’m tired then I am pretty sure Solly knows and feels that too. We are learning the dance towards harmony and fluidity. 

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy