Consistency is the Key for Your Little Darling !

When it comes to working with horses, consistency is the key ...  " Consistency is your greatest ally and inconsistency is your worst enemy".

This is one of the best lessons I have ever learned and it makes a HUGE difference in the interaction between you and your little darling.  Why?  Because he is not confused and "gets it" - you gave him the real opportunity to understanding a behavior that you want from him.

A few simple examples:

If you expect him to always drop his head for haltering then that is what you need toalways insist on.
If you allow him sometimes get away with raising his head in the air and you still halter him and then other times you expect the head to be lowered, you are inconsistent and confusing to your horse.

It really does mess him up because he then thinks both actions are just fine.

If you sometimes let him rush out of his stall and other times require him to wait for you.

If you allow him to jig back to the barn and other times require that he quietly walks back.

If you allow him to stomp his feet for feeding and you feed him and other times you  insist that he is mannerly or allow him to head dive in the feed bucket and later don't allow it.

If you allow him to move when you get up on the saddle and climb up there anyways and other times you require him to stand still.

When you ask your horse to stop and allow him to leak forward or move out on his own instead of doing what you have asked him to do.

And the list goes on and on and on ....

You are always training your horse and too often it is easy to forget that.  They are aware of nearly everything you do when you are around them.

So, to help your little darling always be good and well-mannered, be aware of what you are doing and BE CONSISTENT.

                                                  

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)         www.RideNYS.com

#48 Your Horse is Smart - Mine is Stupid

#48  Your Horse is Smart - Mine is Stupid

Many times I'll hear how smart one person's little darling is or how "stupid" he is.  It doesn't work well thinking in those terms - smart and stupid - the sweethearts aren't human - they are simply what they are.

It is true that some horses do seem to catch on quicker than other horses - well, so what ? - it just simply takes more repetitions and clarity for some sweeties to understand what the heck it is you are asking them to do.

Often, but not necessarily, it's your fault - you may not be clear in your instructions, or more often than not, you are not consistent in what you are asking, or you never really let him know that he got the right answer, or is getting it.  (meaning, you kept doing what you were doing instead of stopping what you were doing when he is starting to get on the right track - "the release")

Other times, he simply needs more time - "it takes the time it takes" - a great motto for a horse person to understand. 

My Jose - used to take FOREVER to get something - but through the years we understand each other so well that it no longer takes him very long to "get it" any more.  It is a huge difference.

Horses have different personalities which also influences their learning speed.  Some, like my Jose, have - had - so much fear in them - that it intruded on their capability of concentration for learning - their attention was split between fear and learning.

Some have an obstinate nature - (a human term) - they are passive aggressive and have more whoa than go - you need to keep the lesson interesting and take lots of breaks or they become bored stupid and just could go into their own little zone.  (my Pozo)

Others are incredibly "human oriented" - they want to learn simply to please you - and get so darn excited in trying to get the right answer that they end up doing everything they know & every trick they know, all at same time.  (my Dusty)

It is up to you to know and try to undertand your horse as well as you can - he deserves it - he will get what it is you are trying to teach him in his own good time - YOU ARE NOT ON A TIMELINE or you shouldn't be working with horses !!!

You are there to enjoy them and they should enjoy you.

Take the time it takes - there is no hurry.

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS          Mary Dixon  

  Smilla13@gmail.com                      www.RideNYS.com