When you have a problem with your horse, or when you are just trying to teach your horse something new, you probably spend some time thinking about whether you are doing something wrong.
I always think about things I might be doing wrong and I believe it can be very helpful.
If it worked or ten horses it doesn’t mean it will work for the 11th horse
The fact that something worked well with ten horses you tried it with, doesn’t mean that is is going to work well with the 11th horse.
Maybe you have a coach, and he can tell you “try something else, do this now instead”
How to see mistakes when you don’t have a coach?
However, maybe you do not have a coach but you would still wish someone would tell you when you are doing something wrong.
Someone that would say “you are doing this wrong, you need to use more pressure, don’t let your horse think about it too much” or for example “calm down, your horse is scared, you need to relax and get more gentle”
Your horse can be your coach
But think about it, you actually already have someone to tell you all that. Who can always reliably tell you what you are doing wrong is your horse.
You can just observe him and listen to him.
When you ask your horse to trot, and it doesn’t matter if it is from the saddle or from the ground, observe the way your horse reacts.
How to understand what is your horse telling you?
Pin this article on your Pinterest!
If your horse doesn’t go to trot, or goes to trot but is very hesitant and takes long while doing it, it means that you were not using enough pressure. You should ask again as soon as possible using more pressure.
If your horses’ reaction is a bit exaggerated, and he goes into a faster trot than you wanted, or if he jumps to the side as you ask him (in case you are asking him from the ground) it means that you were using too much pressure this time. It can also mean that your horse is scared of you.
In this case, you should calm down and slow your horse down back to walk. Then ask again using significantly less pressure. Avoid doing rapid movements and make your every move slower and calmer.
But what should you do when your horse does nothing when you ask?
If you are asking your horse to do something he is familiar with, that he knows how to do well enough already, but he doesn’t react, he is basically telling you that you are not consistent. He is saying that you should definitely pay attention to being consistent or that you asked him in a way that he doesn’t recognize.
What else is your horse telling you?
However, your horse tells you more than just whether you are using the correct amount of pressure, or whether you are asking him the correct way.
By his behavior, he is also telling you whether you are working with him correctly long term, or whether there are things that you need to improve.
If your horse continues improving, even if the improvements are slow, he is basically telling you that you are working with him correctly. Even slow improvements are a hundred times better than when things slowly get worse.
If your horse continues to get worse for three days in a row, he is clearly telling you that you are doing something wrong. You should change something because he is getting fed up. Maybe you are practicing a particular exercise too often, or you are asking him wrong, or you are doing something else wrong.
There is something your horse needs you to do
It is really important to be thinking about what you want your horse to do when you are working with him.
Be in the moment and focus on your horse. Do not think about what happened yesterday, or about what you have to do tomorrow. You want your horse to be paying attention, so pay full attention yourself.
If you listen to your horse you will learn a lot about what you are doing wrong, and what you are doing right. It will definitely help you to improve the relationship you have with him.
If you want to learn more about one extremely common hidden mistake that makes your horse confused, click here and claim my free video series!
