The Imprint We Leave On Our Horses
“A horse learns to be what he is everyday”…wise words from a true horseman that I had the privilege of learning from when I was a young rider. But what does it really mean “-what he is everyday”? Essentially this tid-bit of information alludes to an often misunderstood concept, that of the imprint that we leave on our horses. Animals, in particular horses, have much greater memories and attention spans than they are often given credit for. In our daily interactions with horses, whether handling them from the ground or while on their backs, we leave our very own “print” on our horses. It is extremely important to remember how much our animals really do absorb from their experiences with us. Anyone that has pursued this sport for any length of time has some familiarity with the phenomenon of hitting “plateaus” in their riding, a period in which things seem to stay in a frustrating zone of mediocrity without much forward progress. Things such as this happen because of a general lack of understanding of how we influence these animals, as well as how the horse perceives what is being asked of it. Horses are creatures of habit, we have the choice to continue reinforcing already existing habits (which may even include undesirable behavior) or, we can thru skilled and choreographed riding, lay down the frame work for new “positive habits” that will cultivate the natural talents of the animal and build them over time into a better athlete and willing participant in the endeavors of sport.
My goal as a teacher is to help my students communicate with their horses in a way that clearly tells the animal what is wanted of them and then quickly rewards them for their cooperative behavior. I often see communication problems between horse and rider because of the rider not understanding the “rewarding” part of the communication process. The way we communicate with horses is primarily thru the sense of touch. The natural aids, the legs seat and hands, as well as the artificial aids, crop or whip and spurs, are all ways to communicate thru touch. As riders we are often quick and persistent to ask things of our horses, but unfortunately not as quick and generous in rewarding them for a job well done. This often leads to confusion in the horse, and tends to create those “plateaus” in our progress that we have all experienced.
When I speak of “rewarding” the horse it is important to note that I am not necessarily referring to giving the horse a treat or stroking or patting it on the neck (although I have used both methods to help train an animal from time to time). For me the most important and practical part of a reward…is the release of the pressure of the original aid given for the particular thing being asked. For example lets say I am riding at the walk and I decide to ask my horse to halt, I keep my weight centered deep in my sitting bones and I apply even pressure to both sides of the bit until the horse comes to a full stop (This is what I refer to as the “asking” phase of the movement), once the horse has responded to my request I will then immediately release the pressure on the reins and put my hands back into what I like to refer to as the “neutral position”. It is this “release” of pressure that tells the horse that it has done its job. It is by repeating this system of “asking” and “releasing” over and over that explains to the horse what is wanted of him and in turn sensitizes him thru understanding to listening to a lighter and lighter aid.
An example of what happens over time when a rider does not clearly ask and reward with their aids is a horse that has a “hard mouth” or a horse that is “dead to the leg”. Although horses are born with predispositions to certain personalities (such as being naturally sensitive as opposed to having more of a quiet or even cold personality), no horse is born dull to any of the aids, they become that way from being ridden by a rider that does not clearly communicate with their aids thus confusing the horse, ultimately causing them to “tune out” their rider!
As you are riding it is helpful to think about your aids as the language you use to speak with your horse, throughout your entire ride you and your horse should be “conversing”. If I am asking my horse to drop his poll and lift his back up and engage his abdominal muscles, I will at first apply pressure with my driving aids (legs and seat) and press the horses energy forward into my hands, I will then close my fingers creating an “asking aid”, once my horse responds by dropping his head and lifting his back I will then immediately release the pressure on his mouth and lighten the intensity of the forward driving aids, rewarding him for a job well done. It is the “releasing” part of the equation that tells the horse “YES, you did what I asked of you, thank you”; this is what motivates a horse to listen to his rider. Horses, after all, are not that different from us. Would you be motivated to work hard for a person that did not reward you in anyway for a job well done?
In my mind the ultimate goal of any horseperson should be to become the kind of rider that can make a horse better and better each time you sit on its back. In order to attain this level in your riding you must first learn to “live in the moment with your horse”, staying conscious of what you are doing at all times. It is important to understanding that your horse’s needs may be different from day to day and moment to moment. Make sure you have a clear goal for each phase of your ride and reward your horse often even for making small amounts of progress. As your horse begins to understand you more clearly you will find that he will in turn become much more enthusiastic and responsive to what is being asked of him. A true rider and horseman does not think of himself as he rides, a true rider and horseman thinks only of his/her animal and how to help that animal thru “communication” become all that it can be each and every day. Your arms and legs do not belong to you, they are instruments of communication between you and your horse. As such they must be handled at all times with the utmost care. Let us always strive to communicate clearly to our horses and to reward them generously for their efforts…
My goal as a teacher is to help my students communicate with their horses in a way that clearly tells the animal what is wanted of them and then quickly rewards them for their cooperative behavior. I often see communication problems between horse and rider because of the rider not understanding the “rewarding” part of the communication process. The way we communicate with horses is primarily thru the sense of touch. The natural aids, the legs seat and hands, as well as the artificial aids, crop or whip and spurs, are all ways to communicate thru touch. As riders we are often quick and persistent to ask things of our horses, but unfortunately not as quick and generous in rewarding them for a job well done. This often leads to confusion in the horse, and tends to create those “plateaus” in our progress that we have all experienced.
When I speak of “rewarding” the horse it is important to note that I am not necessarily referring to giving the horse a treat or stroking or patting it on the neck (although I have used both methods to help train an animal from time to time). For me the most important and practical part of a reward…is the release of the pressure of the original aid given for the particular thing being asked. For example lets say I am riding at the walk and I decide to ask my horse to halt, I keep my weight centered deep in my sitting bones and I apply even pressure to both sides of the bit until the horse comes to a full stop (This is what I refer to as the “asking” phase of the movement), once the horse has responded to my request I will then immediately release the pressure on the reins and put my hands back into what I like to refer to as the “neutral position”. It is this “release” of pressure that tells the horse that it has done its job. It is by repeating this system of “asking” and “releasing” over and over that explains to the horse what is wanted of him and in turn sensitizes him thru understanding to listening to a lighter and lighter aid.
An example of what happens over time when a rider does not clearly ask and reward with their aids is a horse that has a “hard mouth” or a horse that is “dead to the leg”. Although horses are born with predispositions to certain personalities (such as being naturally sensitive as opposed to having more of a quiet or even cold personality), no horse is born dull to any of the aids, they become that way from being ridden by a rider that does not clearly communicate with their aids thus confusing the horse, ultimately causing them to “tune out” their rider!
As you are riding it is helpful to think about your aids as the language you use to speak with your horse, throughout your entire ride you and your horse should be “conversing”. If I am asking my horse to drop his poll and lift his back up and engage his abdominal muscles, I will at first apply pressure with my driving aids (legs and seat) and press the horses energy forward into my hands, I will then close my fingers creating an “asking aid”, once my horse responds by dropping his head and lifting his back I will then immediately release the pressure on his mouth and lighten the intensity of the forward driving aids, rewarding him for a job well done. It is the “releasing” part of the equation that tells the horse “YES, you did what I asked of you, thank you”; this is what motivates a horse to listen to his rider. Horses, after all, are not that different from us. Would you be motivated to work hard for a person that did not reward you in anyway for a job well done?
In my mind the ultimate goal of any horseperson should be to become the kind of rider that can make a horse better and better each time you sit on its back. In order to attain this level in your riding you must first learn to “live in the moment with your horse”, staying conscious of what you are doing at all times. It is important to understanding that your horse’s needs may be different from day to day and moment to moment. Make sure you have a clear goal for each phase of your ride and reward your horse often even for making small amounts of progress. As your horse begins to understand you more clearly you will find that he will in turn become much more enthusiastic and responsive to what is being asked of him. A true rider and horseman does not think of himself as he rides, a true rider and horseman thinks only of his/her animal and how to help that animal thru “communication” become all that it can be each and every day. Your arms and legs do not belong to you, they are instruments of communication between you and your horse. As such they must be handled at all times with the utmost care. Let us always strive to communicate clearly to our horses and to reward them generously for their efforts…
posted by Sanaa Pharayra at
9:30 AM
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