Helping our horses relax mentally, emotionally and physically through connection techniques helps them find curiosity in training. When horses are curious they have open minds to new things and experiences and if we can teach them to have that with relaxation then we have a horse that will be braver in all it does.
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Picture Quote 7 – ‘To find lightness…’
The main aim of everything we do with our horses should be Relaxation and Lightness. To have so good a connection that our thoughts are our cues…how light and fabulous would that be.
This is why practising everything with consistency and always offering that LIGHT CUE is how the horse will get to see it and take it. If we forget to offer it how can he take it?
So, if when riding we always use our focus (thought) first, then our energy and body cue (bring our life up and look where we want to go), then our weight aid and leg aid and only the rein when needed we’ll find that we start using our reins less and riding our horse becomes lighter and more intuitive.
- Shelley – HorseSavvy
Picture Quote 6 – ‘Don’t make things complicated…’
Exactly what it says on the ‘tin’….KEEP IT SIMPLE. When you ride everything is about moving the feet…forward, back, left or right AND combinations of all of these…SIMPLE…but not always EASY 🙂
I’ve found a good way to practise my own body dynamics for riding is when I’m out walking. I simulate the move I want to try out with my horse BEFORE riding him and it really helps me to know what he will be doing with his feet so that I don’t get in his way when I ask him to try a manoeuvre. It’s worked so far for shoulders-in, hindquarters-in, leg yields, transitions, turns, sidepass, turns on forehand and hindquarters and simple lead changes. I have also done flying lead change simulations so that hopefully one day that will happen too and my body will be ready for it.
By getting my own body dynamics together with how I know my reins and legs move and support my horses body then hopefully it should be simple to get the move I am trying to do.
- Shelley – HorseSavvy