Method
UNDERSTAND THE PARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE
The understanding within a horse is brought into existence when links of realizations connect. With any goal, “A horse cannot comprehend a whole pattern when it does not understand each of the parts.” Dr Jim McCall 2
~ Working From The Haunches Forward ~
► Protect soundness.
► Increase lightness and performance consistencies for
show or pleasure.
► Neutralize leaning and stiffness tendencies.
► Gain responsiveness.
► Discover non-existent or incomplete communication
links to increase desired movements and behaviors.
► Diminish resistance for smooth and energy
efficient rides.
► Increase preferred ground manners, tying, bathing,
leading, trailer loading, the vet, farrier…..
Improving your horse’s performance includes, “…aiding the horse in finding his own balance, engaging his quarters and softening any resistances he has developed along the way.”
Deb Bennet PhD 3
~ Listening – Working From The Inside Out ~
Your student has a foreign language, hard hooves, and a muscle packed body run by emotions. “It’s really quite amazing what a horse will do for you if he only understands what you want. And it’s also quite amazing what he’ll do to you if he doesn’t.” Bill Dorrance 4
► Identifying with your horse’s nature allows for a
meeting of the minds.
► Understand where your horse is to work within his
mental and physical capabilities.
► Increase learning and safety factors dramatically.
This allows progressive ability to:
~ Diminish The Negative Positively ~
► See and understand undesirable behaviors and
movements in parts.
► Cause the undesirable to be difficult, counteract them
step by step.
Understand what is going on to get better at causing what you want.
~ Working From The Foot Up ~
Simplistic but fact, it is your horse’s weight shifts and footfalls that take him to your requests. The performance of your horse’s feet comes before his understanding. Knowing where his feet are and where you want them to go puts feel in your body that communicates.
~ Horses Learn By Feel ~
► Exercises trigger associations (yours and his)
between requests and movements creating under-
understandings.
► Increased feel increases timing increasing results.
► Mutual understanding builds confidence and trust.
You will be AMAZED how your horse sees, feels, and responds to the difference!
“If you don’t know where the feet and legs are at any given moment, then how can you encourage the horse to do what you want?”Ray Hunt5
~ Creative Free Lunging ~
Supple your horse’s mind and body while encouraging balance and having fun.
► Without restraints direct his feet towards creative tasks.
► It works WONDERS for increasing lightness in leading,
lunging, riding, and the list goes on.
► Feel how motion from his haunches can be guided and
shaped while you direct his feet.
► Observe and learn as your horse reflects the cause and
effects of requests.
This information, “..teaches both human and horse to communicate with one another through the use of the finest, most subtle body language.”Klaus Ferdinand Hemplfling 6
~ Lower Resistance To Raise understandings ~
Instincts can cause your horse to resist pressure and restraints for reasons of natural self-preservation. If your horse is pressure bothered and his need for relief goes
unnoticed or is ignored a seeming explosion from nowhere can occur.
► Resistance and/or anxiety says he isn’t ready or
doesn’t get it.
► Think of the numbers of pressures coming from all
directions; halters, lunge lines, legs, bits, etc. are
just a few drops in his bucket.
► Helping him find the way to release pressures will
restore his balance and security.
► Whenever necessary explain more.
~ Strengthen Balance – Increase Responsiveness ~
Live weight on/above your horse’s back is unnatural and causes him to counterbalance. Keeping this in mind
establishes a more thorough understanding in working with your horse’s nature. Exercise sequences help you…
► Build a communication and training foundation.
► Identify, stronger areas between the two of you to
strengthen weaker areas.
► Identify and reverse leaning and tensing habits that
dull and inhibit responses.
► Understand how to help him in use his body evenly.
► Comprehend cause and effects.
“To be successful the rider must be able to distinguish between cause and effect.” “Theory is the knowledge, practice the ability.” Alois Podhajsky 7
~ Enhance Your Horse’s Natural Abilities ~
Learning basic anatomy and biomechanics helps you become
aware of movement with four on the floor.
► See, feel, and anticipate actions with increasing
accuracy.
► Work and ride with your horse’s natural movements.
► Increase your problem solving ability.
► Gain more responses with less effort and in less time.
Balance allows the forces of motion to be distributed evenly throughout your horse’s body aiding agility and soundness.
Being one with your horse achieves won goals.
~ Riding Balance Establishes Confidence ~
Balance is as important for your confidence and suppleness
as a rider as it is for your horse. Stability aids consistent and clear requests.
► Anticipate centrifugal forces and its effects.
► Learn visual tools to counteract consequences.
► Problem-solve riding frustrations.
► Increase riding effectiveness and safety.
Mingling your core balance with your horse’s creates confidence and harmony.
Enjoy bonding with your horse! 🙂
