#44 Perfection

#44   Perfection

In the horse world, the word
 "perfection" is a favorite.  Baloney !!! 

  Perfection will drive you and your darling absolutely crazy.

When you and/or your horse are learning something new or different, you sure as heck are not going to be  perfect -  you guys are  going to be ugly.    So what?

  That is part of the learning process.

If you are scared, or your darling is scared,  forget perfection - the both of you just want to get the deed done without dying or injury.

 .  Eventually, both of you will settle down and you guys won't look like such a mess.

I have thousands of hours under my chubby little butt, but boy, there are days or hours or minutes that I look like I have never, ever been on a horse or my horse looks like he has never, ever had a rider on him.  I have "no seat" as they say.  That's just life in the fast lane, what can I say?

  It doesn't mean you can't ride - you just are crummy then.

  Oh well.  It's not the end of the world.  It'll come back.  Honestly.

So, you DO NOT need PERFECTION when riding - if one did, wars would not have been won with horses, the country would not have been settled, the cows would not have been herded, and there would be no one riding.

Mary Dixon        Adventure Horse Riding in NYS    RideNYS.com

#39 Sixty is the Magic Number !

#39  Sixty is the Magic Number !

For your darling to learn something new or different, it takes about 60 repetitions before he really gets it into his noggin and he knows the lesson inside and out.

So, that means if you are with your horse once a week, and teach him just once a week the lesson you want him to learn, it will take over a year.

Often, though, you will see your horse more than once a week or teach him the lesson more than only once a session.

What you do not want to do, is drill it into him - he will become resentful, spiteful, bored stupid and you'll have lost him.

Reward the slightest  try, then you can ask for more - don't expect perfection at the get-go, whatever you do - and don't make him keep doing it over and over again.

If you want him to move backward, reward him if he simply BEGINS to lift his foot as if to go backwards.  

The reward is when you stop what you are doing - also, referred to as the release.  It's not what you are doing that teaches him, it is when you quit doing it that he learns.

When he lifts that foot 3 times in a row - go on to something else.

Then, a bit later, you can ask for more than just the lifting of his foot.  Reward one stop,  When he does it 3 times, stop and do something else - maybe something fun.

Give him time to think about what he is learning and trying to do - and you keep quiet - don't keep talking to him - he needs the quiet to think and process.

It will take the time it takes - some learn more quickly than others, but figure, on average, the lesson needs to be repeated 60 times.  That is a good guideline.

And remember, horses are supposed to be fun - so don't go getting yourself all stressed out and impatient - if you are getting that way - you go and do something else.

Mary Dixon   Adventure Horse Riding in NYS        RideNYS.com

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