INTERLUDE: Communication Is CRITICAL

After several practices and the recent workshops we had these thouts and wated to share them with you Gentle Reader...

COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL: Observations & Applications

As a group we have been gathering and practicing horsemanship together since 2011. In that time we have seen a variety of horses, horse owners and we heard a truck load of reasons why “my horse won’t….” in a variety of ways. When we take a step back and really look at the “reasons” why someone’s horse won’t do “X” thing it seems to come down to two basic things that the Human (not the horse) has failed to do.

1    Prepare the horse for success.

         Clearly communicate.

We can use all sorts of fancy words and even fancy gadgets in our horsemanship but at the end of the day it is the RESULTS, IMPROVEMENTS and SKILL RETENTION we create with our horses that tells us if we are successful or not.

Think about that for a moment. Go ahead. We’ll wait.

At practices we see all sorts of unclear communication between horse and human. We hear the “my horse won’t…” but when the horse is shown, with clear communication, what the goal is and is given time without being nagged at to figure it out, the horse normally gets the memo and tries its best. Our job as custodians of the horse is to prepare them for success by giving them a solid foundation of skills and the best deal we can to allow a partnership to grow. If we rush the process, skip steps or take shortcuts then our foundation is weak and it will fail us a critical moment. We fail the horse, we fail ourselves and we fail the relationship when we are not clear in our communication.

To quote the great trainer/clinician Susan Wirgler “we need to give our horses C.P.R! Clarity, Patience and Release!”  We need to work hard on CLARITY. Slow down, stay quietly confident and be clear in WHAT and HOW we are asking by being in the right position with the right level of energy. We need PATIENCE and wait for the horse to figure out what we are asking. We have to give the horse a “great deal” and let it find the answer. We have to have faith in its mind, our skill and that it CAN happen. We need to be quick to RELEASE pressure when we get a good effort (remember “good” is relative to the horse’s level of experience and training) and REWARD the horse for a positive action. Being good with C.P.R. is the RESPONSIBILITY of the HUMAN. How do we get good at it? Simple. Practice with real focus and intent. When you work with your horse keep C.P.R. in mind!

Now, let’s be honest. Doing round pen work, lead line work and the “basic skills” of communication on the ground and under saddle is a bit boring. Getting a good hindquarter yield is not has much fun as trotting down the trail. Yet, without good communication and body control that trail ride can become a train wreck pretty quickly! No one wants to “fight” for their entire ride to get the horse engaged and focused yet we see it all the time. Wisdom would indicate that before you can read a book you have to know the alphabet. By developing really solid communication and control with your horse – yes, by doing the foundation building exercises and refining of those skills – you set the horse (and you) up for success. So instead of making excuses and to why “your horse won’t do X” take the RESPONIBILITY to ensure your horse has the skills and confidence to succeed by ensuring that the two of you have good communication and control. The result is a good relationship based on clear communication, quiet conversations (soft cues) and confidence/trust. Isn’t having a horse you can trust and who is a pleasure to work with worth progressing through the “boring stuff” so you can get to the “cool stuff?”

Think about that for a moment. Go ahead. We’ll wait.

            There is a quote (and we are just paraphrasing here) that says “Before you can change your horse, you must first change yourself.” Seems pretty straightforward. The flipside of this is “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” So many people fall between these two quotes. They want the horse to improve but do little to improve themselves. They do not allow the change to happen in themselves first. Taking the steps to improve and change takes COURAGE because it creates CHANGE (which is scary because it takes us out of our comfort zone) and CHALLENGES the participant to STEP UP their skills and STOP being ineffective. The process takes focus and dedication. If you really want a better connection with your horse, you have to be willing to CHANGE and face the CHALLENGES needed to take it all to the next level.

            

            As a group we will continue to focus on improving our horsemanship and our communication. There will be opportunities created to improve within a supportive environment. Yet, at the end of the day the responsibility falls to YOU the horse owning human to take advantage of the learning opportunities. You can choose to accept mediocrity and that is fine. Just own it without making excuses why your horse won’t perform as you would like. Or you can be the catalyst for positive change, growth and improvement in your horsemanship by taking responsibility for your progress. 

The choice is yours.

Think about it then decide your trail.

We’ll see you at practices and workshops.