Equine Connections/Articles1

      If your horse trusts you to protect his security, then he has nothing to worry about - right? It would be too much to ask a horse not to be afraid since they are ‘hard-wired’ for suspicion 24 hours a day. If it moves or makes noise, they are always prepared to make the choice to flee or fight. What about asking them to “spook in place”? Although it is a great idea and fits very well into a human’s needs and wants, it doesn’t work all that well for horses.

      Let’s say that you have a fear of spiders and you go to a psychiatrist to get help. Would you flee if the psychiatrist told you to “Get over it” and then threw a spider in your lap? Not only would he be the most insensitive psychiatrist on the face of the earth, but a few people might return to his office after the shock wore off and teach him a thing or two about getting over it! The psychiatrist who really wanted to help you learn how to deal with your fear would use “empowerment” techniques. Since horses don’t have the reasoning powers of humans, “getting over it” is not an option.

      Training strings and plastic bags are easy to desensitize a horse to because they are lightweight and portable. We can attach them to our training stick and have them become an extension of our hand, but what about chain saws; lawn sprinklers; and campfires?

      Empowering horses to deal with their fear of “things” means that you play with them in closer and closer proximity to the “thing”that upsets them. Imagine yourself out for a leisurely trail ride. You hear chain saws running in the distance. Your horse comes to a dead stop and his head goes up in the air. At this moment your horse is telling you that he is at his “threshold of fear”. If you push him any further it is likely going to cause him to panic, so this is the point where you want to work on empowering him to deal with his fear more appropriately. If you feel unsafe staying on your horse - GET OFF!!!!! When you reach a fear threshold with your horse, this is an opportunity to work on empowering him with figure of eights; turns on the haunches and forehand; side-pass; disengagements of hindquarters and forequarters; backing up; etc. Play some “point-to-point” games so that he puts his nose on different “things”. As the horse becomes more focused on you, ask him to get closer to the cause of his fear while playing games. If he gets scared and his behavior escalates, continue to play games and retreat. It is essential that you understand two key elements here: 1) Don’t “ride out” right-brained and impulsive behavior because it will only get you hurt or killed. You can’t be a leader for your horse if you are injured and unable to make leadership decisions. Deal with the right-brain from the ground where you are safer and less likely to get hurt. 2) Use your leadership to focus your horse on you and not the “thing” that scares him. Pushing your horse too hard to deal with his fear is predatory, so work within the area that he allows. It’s NOT about the “thing” - it’s about the connection you have with your horse: communication & leadership.

      Halters and 12' ropes are not just for ground work. Think about riding with them every ride; every time. When you use your equipment to it’s full potential, you will find that it will save your courage and protect your safety, as well as that of your horse.

      See photos on how to incorporate your equipment into your tack. “Mecate Keepers” for English/Western saddles can be ordered here Catalog. Please Contact Us for more information.

Is your horse a little "snotty" toward you? Does your horse do the opposite of what you asked, even though you know you are being crystal clear with your directions?

      Welcome to the dominance games! Have a good laugh, thank your horse for what he is about to teach you, and get ready to have a lot of fun. Dominant horses are my favorite form of entertainment because they only do what you ask IF AND ONLY IF, your leadership is good enough. When your horse tells you "Up Yours" . . . he's giving you some clear advice: "up your leadership". You need to "get bigger and badder", without turning into the junk yard dog.

      Punishment and anger have no useful purpose when it comes to prey-predator relationships. In fact, these are very destructive elements to the partnership because they are counter-productive to developing trust. Respect and trust are on opposite ends of a continuum. In order for you to have the respect of your horse, you must first have his trust. If you want his trust, you must be respectful of him. People who are easily frustrated and eager to hit out of anger, benefit greatly from the Equine Connections program because the fundamental concept in natural horsemanship training is having control of your mind, body and soul first. Horses are so acutely perceptive that they don't allow us to conceal our emotions. The moment you get scared, angry or happy (or any combination of emotions in between), your body odor changes; your facial expressions change; your gait changes; your reaction times change . . . the list goes on. You can't hide your feelings from a horse . . . not even a little. If you are a control freak (and most of us are), you need to warm up to the idea that control of your horse will only come when you have his trust as well as his respect. Enough said.

      How do you "get bigger and badder" without getting angry? The answer is to use: leadership, imagination and unpredictable actions. Use your phases of pressure more effectively. Offer the horse a long phase I (give them time to think about it), and then a quick II, III, IV (consequence to incorrect action or lack of action). Do this a few times and see what kind of reaction you get.

      If the horse is un-phased by your phase IV then your first action is to work on yourself without your horse. Have a family member or friend stand with the halter in their hand facing you. Give your human-horse the same cue and work through your phases. Does your human-horse find you threatening? By the time you get to phase III, you should look pretty scary and behave as though that horse's life depends on following your cue. Remember that your behavior needs to clearly demonstrate the phases of pressure: Ask, Tell, Follow-Through & Strike. If you get to phase III (Follow-Through) and turn into a wimp on phase IV, your leadership needs work. In a herd situation, the wimpy horse is at the bottom. He's the last to eat; the last to drink; the last to get to the choice grazing spots, but he's always the first one to get run off. DON'T BE A WIMP! If you need to work on being more effective with your phases, do it without your horse. Pick an object like a tree or a fence post or a bale of hay. Ask someone to watch so that you can get immediate feedback on your performance.

      What about "imagination"? If your horse doesn't care about Phase IV and still says "Up yours", then learn how to use your imagination to become more irritating without becoming more violent. What would your horse think if you attached a plastic bag to the end of your training stick instead of the string? What would your horse think if you aimed the leather popper toward his "private parts" or his ear? In order to get the attention of a dominant horse, you have to learn how to irritate him. Dominant horses are good at dominance games because they know they can out-last the weak.

      One of the most effective ways to maintain a dominant horse's attention is to become unpredictable. Let's say you are asking your horse to circle you to the right and he just stands there ignoring you. You already went through your phases, and he still didn't move. You aimed for his "wiener" (An industry term for horse trainers), and missed . . . Oops! Ready to have some fun? Drum roll please . . . . . . . . . . . Put the sweetest, most innocent look of defeat on your face, divert your eyes down on the ground, get your equipment ready in your hands as you are starting to walk away (hopefully toward the barn). As soon as he moves his feet to walk with you, send him on phase IV. Let him think that it came out of nowhere and that you really do have eyes in the back of your head! Let him circle around you while you are walking. Change his direction often. Let him negotiate some obstacles in his path. Change the games from circling; to driving him backward; to squeezing him between you and a tree; to sideways (Games on the move).

      Dominant horses are very challenging as well as fun. The more dominant the horse is; the more you will need to improve your leadership in order to gain his respect. If you would like to learn more about using horse psychology to shape behavior, Contact Us.

        Horsemen and horsemanship have changed dramatically in the past 25 years. The days of “horse breaking” and harsh, traditional methods have received criticism, while “natural” horse training and “relationship development” have become widely accepted and popularized.

      For many horsemen, the change has been difficult and long, because they battle with what is familiar and what has been “handed down” by experienced and well-meaning mentors. I know this battle all too well. I work on my horsemanship each and every day, but it presents itself as a challenge because it requires self-improvement on my part. Breaking from the tradition that I grew up with was uncomfortable because it required a change in my thinking as well as my actions. As a result of my improved horsemanship, I am a better and more ‘complete’ human. I know that I am kinder, more gentle, more forgiving, more patient, more compassionate, more respectful and more sincere (just to name a few) toward horses as well as humans in my life. I know that I AM NOT where I need to be yet.

      In the book “The Revolution in Horsemanship and what it means to mankind” (2005), Dr. Miller and Rick Lamb stated: ” . . You might say that the ideal horseman is a man who is in touch with his feminine side or a woman who is in touch with her masculine side. Both masculine and feminine traits are needed for effective communication” (pg. 81). The authors point out that the reason for these changes is because women now predominate equestrian activities and women are more likely to gravitate to training methods which emphasize considerate, gentle and non-violent handling skills.

      Respect goes both ways. When you show your horse respect; your horse shows respect for you. Respecting your horse means that you are polite, gentle, considerate, and ask permission first.   Imagine that you pull up at the gas station and roll down your window to speak to the attendant. Suddenly, he reaches in your window and pets your face. How would you react? Now think about how many times in your life you have seen complete strangers walk through a barn and reach over the stall door to pet a horse. Perhaps you were one of those people.

      Prey animals are skeptics. Every time we provoke fear, we are inciting the horse to take flight. When we approach our horses with anger and punishment, we are telling our horse: “I don’t respect your feelings”. “I am only concerned about my agenda”. “I can’t control my emotions, but I expect you to control yours”.

      Learn to build respect with your horse by setting an example for the behavior you desire. Ask permission by allowing your horse to smell, see and touch you or what you have in your hand before you invade their personal space. Apologize to your horse for startling him by making an affectionate fuss over him. Solve problems like “won’t take the bit” and “won’t stand still for saddling” through positive repetitions, instead of getting angry and aggressive. Teach your horse better ways to control his spookiness by learning to depend on your leadership.

      The more respect you show for your horse, the more respect you receive in kind. Being a good leader means that you can set an example for your horse so that he has reason to trust and respect you. Contact Us

When it comes to horses, it seems that more things can go wrong than ever go right. It’s the major reason why horses are sold, traded and given away, and why 80% of first time horse owners get out within the first year! If you look through any classified ad section under horses, the most common phrase is: “Needs experienced rider”.

When things go wrong, it’s usually a snowball of events and problems that caused it. One thing lead to another, that lead to another, that lead to another. For example, you meet with a friend to take a trail ride. Your horse started out calm and in a good frame of mind, but your friend had trouble with her horse. The horse won’t stand still for saddling. You walk over to help her, and tie your horse next to your friend’s horse. Your friend’s horse rears up, pulls back and scares your horse, so your horse pulls back to escape. After you catch both horses, and start on your way, both horses are “super-spooky”. Your horse isn't normally bothered by traffic, but a truck passes by you and your horse freaks. You are thrown and your horse runs off into the woods.

Was this preventable to begin with? YOU BET IT WAS . . .


      The problem with horses is not about being an experienced rider; it’s about being an experienced leader! The Equine Connections program teaches you how to test your leadership skills by learning to assess your horse’s trust and respect for your leadership. Trust and respect is assessed from the moment you approach your horse. What side of the pasture did he wake up on? Is your horse a willing partner or trying to dominate you?

      Horses won’t tolerate part-time leaders. You cannot possibly expect that you can earn your horse’s trust one minute, but put him into a dangerous situation the next. Leadership is a full-time job, and it requires making choices and sacrifices that are sometimes VERY DIFFICULT to make.

      Let’s go back to the example scenario. 1) You put your horse into a potentially dangerous situation by tying him next to your friend’s explosive horse. Although it was done out of kindness because you wanted to help your friend; nonetheless, you put your horse in danger. 2) You failed to assess your horse’s confidence in your leadership after the tying incident and BEFORE you started riding. How many mistakes in judgment will your horse tolerate before he loses complete faith in your leadership abilities?

      The solution is simple. When things go wrong, your good leadership should tell you to slow down, back-up to a previous point of success, and only make decisions that “protect your partnership”. Regardless of what is happening with your friend’s horse, make sure that your horse is safe and away from the emotionally charged situation. If there is no safe place to put your horse, then don’t offer your assistance except to refer your friend to Equine Connections so that she can learn how to be a better leader (and, her horse will stand still for saddling).

      These are tough decisions to make, and I admit, the commitment to my leadership has cost me a lot of riding buddies through the years. When my horse is in-hand, my first and only job is to protect myself and my partner. If that means that I don’t go riding with my friend, then that’s okay, because what my horse thinks about me may save my life someday. Contact Us

The most common question I hear from horse owners is "How much time do I need to spend with my horse"? The answer is easy . . . how much time do you want to spend?

As you continue through the Equine Connections program, you will learn about training plans, goals, as well as the psychology and scientific rationale. The information is fascinating, and it will completely change the way you look at horses and horsemanship. For more information, Contact Us.

Training in your own Back Yard

If you are a back yard horseman; you are not alone. Many people make this choice for it’s obvious convenience and incentives. However, I hear many back yard horseman say “I don’t have any place to train my horse”. Realistically, if you have a yard or a paddock or a driveway . . . you have a place to train your horse.

The next most common statement I hear is “I don’t have time to train my horse”. In the time it takes to feed your horse and take care of him, you can train him, Can you spare an extra 5 or 10 minutes each day to do a little something more than muck a stall or throw food at him? If you spent 10 extra minutes per day with your horse, you would have a total of 61 hours of training with him every year (and that doesn’t include all the additional recreational time you spend with your horse). In the bigger picture . . . that’s a lot of training because its QUALITY time. What I mean by “quality” is that you will get much, much further because of the CONSISTENCY in training.

When a horse goes to a professional trainer for 30 or 60 days, they receive a relatively short burst of attention. Once the trainer sends the horse home, the consistency generally stops, and within a short period of time, the horse reverts back to old, unwanted behaviors. However, if you are providing a consistent training foundation each and every day, your horse will develop the desired behavior and maintain them 24/7, 365 days a year. Does this sound like a better plan than taking your horse to a professional trainer who will charge you a fortune for what you could accomplish yourself?

Now, let’s look at the less obvious reasons why back yard horsemen may feel less inclined to train their horse. In a boarding situation, you have people around who provide a bit of incentive as well as mentoring (horse people are never short on opinions!). Although you may not think about it, people help to motivate you. If other people are riding their horses, then you are more likely to ride your horse. If someone is training their horse, then you are more likely to watch and learn from what they are doing. But what about you? If you don’t have any other horse owners around, how do you get inspired? How are you going to learn how to do this on your own?

Equine Connections will help you to get inspired, motivated, skilled, and knowledgeable. The network of people who are working on the Equine Connections program will keep you going! The network of people are those who make us feel good about ourselves, our horses and our horsemanship goals. If you don’t have anyone around you like this, then I urge you to participate in a Level I clinic and expose yourself to an entirely different circle of great people who have your best interest in mind.

The “Equine Connections Discussions” page will get you connected with a network of people and professionals who can provide inspiration when you need it; answer specific questions, or provide alternative approaches to help you “tailor” your training more specifically to your horse’s needs. These are the people who will invite you for trail riding, training sessions, cook-outs, etc. because they too, desire the company of like-minded people who make them feel good and know how to have fun with horses.

DON’T STRUGGLE with achieving your horsemanship goals. Contact Us for information on booking a clinic in your area, or our mobile training services. If you have already started the program, but have a question or you would like to let the rest of us know about your successes, please use the “Discussion” page and become a part of this amazing network.

Natural Horsemanship Tools

Having the right tools for the job is half the battle with training. I admit that I’m a picky person when it comes to my “horse stuff”. When I think about introducing a new piece of equipment for sale in the catalog, I order from a lot of different manufacturers. If it doesn’t have all the “bells and whistles”, then I get rid of it. My criteria is simple: 1) It has to be horse and user friendly. 2) It has to be tough & dependable. I don’t want to have to replace it all the time because I have plenty of other things to spend money on. I also don’t want to be surprised when the horse pulls on the rope and it breaks - OOPS! 3) It has to be comfortable for me and for the horse, and fit a wide variety of horses. Since I’m a horse trainer, I work with horses in all shapes and sizes, so I want equipment that is highly adjustable. 4) The equipment has to be safe for me and for the horse.

The most important piece of equipment you will ever own is a rope halter. Our standard rope halter is made with four- double overhand knots on the nose band, using a stiff and relatively thin, non-stretch rope. When your horse pulls back, or requires a correction, you are using the design of the halter to make the horse’s evasions more difficult. Since Alpha doesn’t sweat; you shouldn’t either. The training halter will make your life easier. There are plenty of halters out there to choose from, but the problem is in the lack of quality materials; using a diameter of rope too large to be effective; and, having an overhand knot under the chin instead of a fiador knot. The fiador knot makes it easy to adjust the fit to the horse, as well as put the halter into a washing machine, without fear of it coming apart. As your horse graduates to lighter and lighter responses, you can graduate to less severe halters, eventually working into a “natural halter” which is very soft and flexible. I don’t know about you, but I can spend $18 in the blink of an eye, so buying an $18 halter isn’t a decision that I hesitate about.

I attend a lot of trade shows, so I get to see “first hand”, what is available to the public in the tack and feed stores. “JUNK” is what most of it is. It’s made in Pakistan or some other place by people who don’t have horses. They put a smaller price tag on it so you will buy it, but what you are buying is junk. You will be replacing it within the year because that’s what the manufacturer intended. Retailers love to stock JUNK because it means more sales for them over time. When people are never exposed to quality, they don’t know the difference, so they shop according to price. It only makes sense.

Don’t get “duped” by the JUNK that fills the stores and catalogs. Educate yourself about equipment. Not only is price important, but so is quality, performance, and safety. Find out if they stand behind the products they sell. Does it come with a guarantee? You get what you pay for, and there is no substitute for quality. I would rather spend a couple of bucks more for quality, than to buy cheap, and have to replace it over and over again. My father used to say: “Penny wise and pound foolish”. That is exactly what retail stores and catalogs count on. Although I would love for you to purchase my equipment, I think it’s more important to purchase quality equipment that meets your expectations and needs. Shop “outside the box”. You will be surprised at what is available out there.

If you are still sitting on the fence about it, then ask yourself why Parelli’s, Chris Cox, and Clinton Anderson’s equipment isn’t available at your local tack store? Why don’t these clinicians use the same JUNK that you can buy?

Bareback Riding: The “BARE” Facts

Why ride bareback?

Riding bareback is a great way to improve your balance and refine your natural riding aids. Bareback is the “ultimate” close-contact riding experience.

How often should I ride bareback?

Riding bareback for one - two hours per week will help break the cycle of bad habits, like gripping with your lower legs and knees, jamming your feet into the stirrups, leaning, and bracing. Bareback riding should be used as an adjunct to your regular schooling program in the saddle. IT IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE TO RIDING IN A PROPERLY FITTING SADDLE.

Who should ride bareback?

Inexperienced riders with less than 100 hours of riding time, should learn to ride in a saddle first. Saddles are designed to “hold” your balance while you are learning to develop your riding skills. Saddles are constructed so that they keep the rider in correct (centered) position; therefore the rider’s muscles begin to “memorize” the position necessary to maintain balance. Intermediate and advanced riders benefit greatly from bareback riding because it helps the rider to develop “synchronicity” with their horse’s movement as well as correct any balance problems that they were not necessarily aware of. We DO NOT recommend bareback riding for anyone with less than 100 hours of riding experience.

Why use a bareback pad instead of just riding without a saddle?

Bareback pads increase your safety and security when you choose the right pad. The “Ultimate” bareback pad endorsed by Equine Connections is one of the safest on the market because of its unique design features: non-slip underside, suede top-side to prevent the rider from slipping; no stirrups; and, it uses a regular saddle girth. Using the right bareback pad improves the comfort of the horse and rider so that both partners are able to give a better performance. The bareback pad endorsed by Equine Connections was tested against 10 of the leading bareback pads sold. Hands down, our bareback pad out-performed the competitors , including Parelli’s.

Why does Equine Connections encourage bareback riding?

The Equine Connections program is broken into “Levels”. Each level challenges you to develop better communication with your horse in a step-by-step approach. Once your horse has achieved safe behavior on the ground and in the saddle, we encourage regular bareback riding in order to assess the horse’s lightness in response to your aids, as well as developing lightness and balance of the rider. Developing an “independent seat”; meaning that the upper and lower body is used in synchronicity with the horse; is achieved much faster with regular riding time spent on a bareback pad. The Level II course teaches you how to ride bareback correctly so that your experience can be pleasant and safe. The techniques to riding bareback are distinctly different from riding in a saddle and proper instruction is encouraged.

“When you love your horse too much”

Is it possible to love your horse too much? You bet it is! When you make excuses for why you shouldn’t take corrective action for your horse’s behavior because it might be “upsetting” to the horse, then you have crossed the line of raising a spoiled rotten child. Although your intentions may be good, your actions, or lack of, leads to dangerous, disrespectful and unpredictable behavior. Not only are you putting yourself at risk, but anyone else who comes in contact with your horse is at risk as well. Are you willing to face the consequences of your horse hurting someone else when you could have easily prevented the problem?

Someone once told me a story about a young, adult horse taken for training. The owners never disclosed to the trainer that the horse had been encouraged as a foal to stand on the owner’s shoulders to receive a handful of grain. As the horse got older and bigger, the owners resorted to feeding the horse by reaching through a partition. The horse would rear in response to the grain. I can only imagine how astonished the trainer was the first time he fed the horse. This is a perfect example of someone teaching and encouraging dangerous behavior. What was cute at one time, can become lethal down the road, and these owners intentionally placed the trainer at risk.

Raising a horse is much like raising a child. If you are a parent, I’m sure you are careful not to confuse the line between providing a safe, secure, loving and disciplined environment; versus, an environment where “anything goes” and there are no rules except that your child always appears happy and satisfied.

Whether your horse is 4 months or an old-timer, you are responsible for establishing the rules of behavior. Time and time again, I see people making excuses for their horse’s behavior, and treating obnoxious and potentially dangerous behavior inappropriately, or with apathy.

What would you do if your child stomped his foot at you with impatience? What would you do if your child bit your arm because he thought you were in his way? What would you do if your child physically harassed and threatened you as you were bringing dinner to the table? While most of you are probably laughing at the thought of this; a few of you have a 1200 pound horse in the backyard who needs you to set some rules.

Think about it. Would you leave your child in the backyard to grow up on his own? If your child started biting, would you just avoid dealing with him in hopes that he would eventually stop on his own? Horses require our time and attention, especially when they are young. Horses, just like children, engage in bad behavior because they want attention. They are seeking guidance and leadership. If you want a great horse, you need to start their education early with laying the foundation for emotional, physical, mental and social skills. Regardless of the fact that your young horse may not be ride-able for several years, there are plenty of things you can do to prepare him for the transition to saddle work.

From the moment a horse is born, he is “hard-wired” with the skills to memorize what he sees, smells, hears, tastes and perceives. Horses are well aware of the people around them and the presence, or lack of, horse-like characteristics. As herd animals, they only know what their instincts tell them and they only think in terms of herd hierarchy. A young horse will observe, and mimic how the other horses interact with you. If you allow your horses to push you, bite you, and treat you like the bottom of the pecking order, then your young horse will do the same. Why not? You taught him how to behave that way!

Raising a young horse is a big responsibility, and contrary to what most people think, it’s not for the inexperienced. There are a lot of people out there who buy their child a young horse, in hopes that the two of them will grow and learn together. The only thing that happens is that the child learns to stay away from the horse because its behavior is dangerous, and the horse learns how to escalate their behavior to make the child go away. Young horses require your time, your attention, and your leadership. In order to learn the expectations for behavior, they need to interact with experienced human leaders.

By making the commitment to learn the Equine Connections program, you will gain the knowledge and skill necessary to lay the foundation for emotional, mental, social, and physical performance. But the education begins with YOU. In order for you to turn ordinary into extraordinary, YOU have to develop your skills to match that of your horse. It’s a challenging commitment, but well worth the investment of your time and effort.

BECOMING A NATURAL RIDER

When you ride in balance and in-synch with your horse, you are “riding naturally”.

The habits we develop as riders occur as a result of two sources:

1) We were taught to ride this way, and/or

2) We have developed habits as an emotional reaction to the situation.

Let’s examine this more closely.

Riding instructors typically teach us to ride with contact so we can turn, stop, back-up, and control our speed. We are taught “outside-leg, inside-rein” to pick up the correct lead for a canter, and we are encouraged to drive a horse into collection with our seat and hands, just to name a few.

When we react emotionally to the situation under saddle, it causes us to become more emphatic with our aids and brace in opposition. For example, imagine a timid rider on a horse who becomes more forward than the rider is comfortable with. The rider immediately attempts to maintain her balance by jamming her feet in the stirrups and gripping with her knees and lower legs. The rider may also attempt to slow the horse down by pulling back on the reins. The combination of these actions cause the rider’s seat to lose contact with the saddle. All of these emotional reactions cause the horse to become emotional as well. (See photos)

Now imagine a more aggressive rider who loves speed, but rides a horse that is unprepared to follow her aids. The rider tells the horse to go faster and faster, but then the rider wants to make a turn or stop. The poorly trained horse will put its head up in the air to pull against the rider’s hands. In an attempt to force the horse into the turn, the rider may strengthen her aids and begin kicking. The horse’s back hollows, the stride shortens, and the horse braces against the rider from head to tail. It’s an ugly picture and one of confusion, emotion and fear on the part of the horse.

I’m not suggesting that traditional training and riding methods are wrong; I’m simply proposing a different style of riding and training which takes into account developing a partnership with your horse based on both partners assuming separate and distinct responsibilities.

Riding and Training for “Partnership”

“Partnership begins on the ground where the horse can see your cues and learn how to respond appropriately. When the horse learns to follow your cues visually he will learn to follow a feel easier and faster. When you ride, your horse is essentially “blind” to your aids, therefore the horse must learn to trust you and depend on your aids and leadership to guide him.

Each partner has responsibilities. When the partners assume their responsibilities, they are able to maintain their focus so that responses are no longer emotionally driven.

Most riders micro-manage their horse’s speed and direction by maintaining full rein contact and strong aids. Equine Connections teaches you how to ride without micro-managing, first by only giving you one-rein. When you learn to ride with one rein, you break the habit of micro-managing your horse’s every step because it automatically causes you to focus on your own skill and timing. It takes practice to ride with one rein, so instead of trying to prevent the horse from making the wrong choice, YOU ALLOW HIM TO MAKE MISTAKES AND THEN CORRECT THEM. Breaking the cycle of micro-managing, strong aids, heavy contact, and bracing are how you create a partnership with your horse under saddle, and how you begin to transform yourself into a natural rider. When your horse makes the wrong choice, it now becomes a teaching and learning opportunity. Riders who continually try to prevent their horse from making mistakes, ultimately teach their horse to fight, evade and balk with every step. Breaking this cycle of poor communication is at the heart of freestyle riding.

When you no longer feel the need to depend on your reins as your primary source of communication, you start relying on your other aids. As a result, your horse relaxes and responds with greater respect and willingness. Horses appreciate NOT being micro-managed, just like people.

Anyone can force a horse to cooperate with the rider’s agenda, and depending on the horse’s personality, he may choose to put up a fight which will ultimately make you work harder, or he may just succumb, but never develop true willingness. It takes a true horseman to create willingness by developing trust through patience, love, and consistency first. I would rather put the time into developing willingness, than to make my horse behave according to my expectations and agenda.

If you are ready to learn a different approach to riding, visit the Training Services page to learn more about the exciting clinics offered through Equine Connections.

TEACHING YOUR HORSE TO TIE SAFELY

Most of us have witnessed at least one disaster that was the result of a horse pulling back and panicking while tied. Before my natural horsemanship days, my own horse had broken six sets of cross-ties, and one day she pulled back so hard that she snapped a 6x6 post in half. She ran around with it trailing under her and the incident cost me a $200 vet bill.

I am not a huge fan of tying a horse for the purposes of tacking up for a ride, grooming, blanketing, or anything along these lines. I do however, think that in the grand scheme of foundation training, your horse should tie anywhere you ask them to tie (it should always be a safe place, free of a lot of distractions), and, for as long as you ask them to stay tied.

Teaching a horse to tie safely involves tackling two different training issues:

1) The horse relieves pressure easily and quickly, and

2) The horse does not panic when frightened.

These training issues will take considerable time, but if you can commit to making a significant impact on these goals, it will pay you back in more ways than you can imagine. Now that I know what I do, I encourage you to do something about it now, instead of waiting until your horse breaks something or injures himself.

Following a Feel:

This is where the right tools will help. The first and most important tool is a rope halter, and the second tool to consider purchasing is the Blocker Tie Ring.

Using the rope halter, pull some downward pressure on the lead rope. This will create direct pressure on the poll of the horse. As soon as your horse lowers his head - no matter how slight the try - release your hand and pet your horse. After a series of three repetitions, now put your fingertips on the poll and use steady pressure. Once again, release as soon as your horse responds; even if it is only a slight try.

Don’t turn this into a boring work session. I find that performing tasks in sets of three and then doing an alternate and unrelated activity, leads to the horse maintaining a good attitude and learning faster. I can revisit these tasks repeatedly throughout the day, but not at the cost of my horse’s willing attitude.

I also like to reach around the horse’s face with my arm and hold him (i.e., preparing to put the bridle on). This is a great way to assess the horse’s trust, willingness and tolerance. If you have to stand on a ladder to bridle your horse, then these training exercises will be very helpful to you toward resolving multiple behavior issues, including evasive high-headedness while being bridled and while in-bridle.

Once your horse responds quickly and willingly by seeking relief from the pressure caused by the halter, this is a good time to begin introducing the horse to being tied for brief periods of time using the Blocker Tie Ring. The great thing about this product is that you have a choice of three tension settings. Using the various tension settings, the horse can increase his time being tied from 5 minutes to 8 hours. I would encourage you to use the least amount of tension in the early phases of training.

Don’t Panic:

Teaching your horse not to panic when frightened is a bit more challenging. Keep in mind that it would be unrealistic to think that you could train a horse to not be afraid . . . they are prey animals! It is a totally realistic goal to teach your horse not to panic, rear, struggle, or try to run. You will thank yourself over and over again for taking the time to teach these lessons to your horse.

The lesson begins with being able to touch and rub your horse all over with your hands as well as a training stick. The purpose of this lesson is to teach your horse to rub to a stop. If your horse trusts you, he should feel comfort when he is touched and rubbed by you. Remember that your training stick is an extension of your hand - not an icon of punishment.

The lesson continues with throwing the string and dragging it across the horse, working from head- to-tail. Each time the horse starts to move his feet to evade this, rub him to a stop with the training stick. When the horse stops and stands, begin throwing and dragging the string again. Go way beyond the point where your horse is desensitized and repeat these lessons each and every time you are with your horse!

When your horse no longer seems to care about the stick and string, use your lead rope in the same manner. As you graduate the process of desensitization, attach a plastic shopping bag to your stick. Shake the plastic bag like a flag in front of yourself, as you are walking forward. Allow your horse to drift behind you in his “comfort zone”. Once your horse no longer resists by pulling against the lead rope, start walking backwards while shaking the plastic bag between you and the horse. Your objective is to teach the horse to become curious, even when an object or a noise provokes his fear.

As your horse becomes less and less reactive to the plastic bag in front of him, offer to have him smell it. Rub him with the bag, starting at his head and moving toward his tail. Just because he moves his feet in objection to it, doesn’t mean that you should stop rubbing him with it. Another word of caution: Always start at the horse’s face & head where he can see and smell what you are doing and what you are working with. Don’t proceed further back on the horse until he is completely comfortable with the area you are working in. For example, if you begin your session by rubbing the horse’s hindquarters with the bag and he is uncomfortable with this, you will only have to work harder at “chasing” your horse, and chasing your horse is completely counter-productive to teaching him!

Eventually, you should be able to stand on the right and left sides of the horse, as well as behind him, shaking the bag and touching him with it. If you are persistent with the techniques, he will look at what you are doing, but not offer to evade it.

Another key point to desensitizing your horse is to make sure that you don’t maintain eye contact. You want to send the message to the horse that the bag shaking is NOT about him. You are just simply making noise and acting like an idiot, so he would be wise to ignore it. Your horse needs to learn how to read your body language and intentions, so when it’s about him, you look at him. When it’s not about him, you avert your eyes in any direction other than your horse.

The instructions contained in this article are NOT intended to be used by individuals without prior horse-handling skills or without prior knowledge of these basic horsemanship training techniques.

THE DEEP SUBJECT OF LATERAL FLEXION

Humans have a knack for making things more complicated than they actually are. Lateral flexion is an issue that easily becomes complicated when you consider its overall importance to control; how it is applied to a variety of situations; and, its use in varying degrees. Are you confused yet? Lateral flexion is a deep subject.

Lateral Flexion Defined
Lateral flexion is defined as a side-to-side bending of the horses head and neck. This simple exercise provides the foundation for direction, impulsion, and vertical flexion. It is applied using one rein at a time. If a horse can bite at a fly on his flanks, he is capable of bending his head and neck, upon request, to this same degree.
The more control you have; the safer you are, and lateral flexion is the difference between having control, and risking your life. Aside from controlling a horses direction, speed, and, ability to collect; I want a good set of brakes!
When a rider asks a horse to go forward, speed up, slow down, stop, back-up, and turn, she is using pressure to communicate by cueing the horse with her seat, legs and reins. The rider expects the horse to respond immediately (demonstrating that the horse understands the cue), and with lightness (demonstrating that the horse respects your cue). Anything less than an immediate and light response should be considered a potential argument, and arguments with your horse are a warning that you have a serious problem to fix. Riders who ignore foundation training problems are encouraging their horse to be uncomfortable and exhausting to ride because the horse learns to brace and resist as a way to evade the riders cues. Evasive behavior is NOT partnership.

Lateral Flexion as a Suppling Exercise
A horses willingness to give to pressure is the most important rule for safe and predictable behavior under saddle. When the rider asks for lateral flexion, she is assessing: 1) The horses physical suppleness, and, 2) The horses level of understanding and respect for giving to a pressure cue using one-rein.
As a general rule, the older and less athletic a horse is, the more I expect the horse to be inflexible. A stiff horse cannot perform well under saddle, so when a horse lacks suppleness, I focus my efforts on lateral flexion until the horse can respond with lightness. Not only do I flex my horse laterally from the ground as part of my pre-ride routine, but I ask for lateral flexion as soon as I am in the saddle before my horse takes his first step.
The horse who is athletically unprepared will feel stiff. It is common for horses to be supple in one direction, but quite stiff in the opposite direction. By performing a few repetitions each day, the horse will become soft, supple, and willing in a very short period of time.
Another indication that your horse needs consistent lateral flexion exercises is when you hear or feel, cracking and popping when you flex the horse. A leisurely and sedentary lifestyle leads to stiffness and joint problems human and equine alike. Make sure that you don't over-do-it with horses that are out-of-condition.

One-Rein Stops: 1) Pick up your reins with one hand. Bring the rein straight UP off of the horses neck (NOT toward you). 2) Slide your free hand down one rein (the same side as your free hand) toward the horses mouth. 3) Close your fist around the rein. 4) Bring your fist to your knee. 5) Bring your fist from your knee to your stomach, twisting your wrist so that the palm of your closed fist is facing toward the sky. This exercise doesn't involve the horse moving his feet. If he does move his feet, then hold the rein without pulling any additional tension, until he stops. As soon as the horse stops, release the rein, and generously pet and praise the horse, so that he knows he did the right thing.
Flexion of the head and neck, coupled with a leg cue will yield the horses hindquarters or forequarters depending on where you place the pressure of your leg, and the direction of the flex of the horses head and neck.

Controlling Impulsion:
The term impulsion has a couple of different meanings, but in this sense, I am referring to maintaining control over your horses speed. By using one-rein, and flexing the horse to one side, you will be able to slow your horse. Let me give you a hypothetical situation: Imagine that you are riding your horse and you ask for a change of direction. Your horse resists and begins to pick up speed in an attempt to run-through your cue. Because you are a natural horseman, you know that you can pick up one rein and flex him just until he slows to the speed he was at when you originally asked for the direction change. The moment he returns to the desired speed, you release the rein. Now that you have his attention, you can ask for a change of direction once again. Although it may take a couple of corrections before he decides to willingly follow your cues, consistency and persistence always leads to willingness and understanding.
Many riders will pull back on two reins to check their horse in order to control speed; however, this reaction essentially teaches the horse to resist because its a battle that the horse always wins. If the rider spends all of her time checking her horses speed, then the horse has a better chance of irritating the rider to the point that she might give up. Game over.

Controlling Direction:
Whether you neck-rein or direct-rein your horse in a change of direction, the horse must give in response to the pressure. Failure to respond immediately and with lightness produces a very ugly result.
If your horse has his own ideas about which way you should go, then you know that you have to work on developing his successes with earlier aspects of the exercise, i.e., lateral flexion at a standstill; one-rein stops; and, changes of speed by flexing the horse with one rein. When riders feel compelled to strengthen their cues by pulling harder, kicking and spurring, the horse only interprets the actions as aggressive. Most of you have heard me say: Matching aggression for aggression is the horse-like way. While it is appropriate for you to match your horses aggression under some circumstances; it is NOT in your best interest to invite your horse to become aggressive with you in the first place. Set him up for success by retreating to earlier and easier exercises, so that he thoroughly understands what pressure cues mean.

Preventing Problems:
A lack of understanding by the horse is usually caused by the riders lack of clear communication. Ideally, you want the horse to learn how to follow a feel, but you may in fact, be giving the wrong feel for the horse to follow. Here are some tips to help you perfect your communication:
~ As you reach down the rein to begin flexing your horse, keep your legs off the horses sides, and avoid leaning forward, so that you don't inadvertently give the horse a cue to move his feet or start walking off.
~Bring the horses head toward you only ¾ of the way. Encourage the horse to create slack in the rein and give the rest of way on his own.
~Accept the effort no matter how slight it may seem.
~The greatest reward is your release! Be quick to throw the rein away as soon as your horse gives you the slightest try.
~Make a conscious effort to work both sides equally and give your horse plenty of time to return his head and neck to the neutral position, before asking him to flex again.
~DON'T jerk on the rein. Be prepared to hold the rein as long as it takes, until your horse gives. Jerking on the rein is an aggressive action and invites retaliation. Avoid fights with your horse.
~Keep your elbows close to your body so that you maintain leverage at all times. By turning your wrist as you bring the rein toward your stomach, you are creating additional leverage in the event that your horse tries to pull his head away.
~NEVER release on a brace!!!

If your horse nibbles or bites at your foot, you can ignore it the first couple of times, but when it becomes a game of disrespectful behavior, you need to convince him otherwise. A well-placed jab with the toe of your boot in his nose will discourage him from playing this type of game.
A horse that attempts to pull the rein out of your hand every time you ask for flexion is another common problem. Since a horse that is not completely under the control of your aids is not a safe horse to ride outside of an enclosed area; your job will be to hold the pressure until the horse flexes no matter what he does. When you out-last the behavior, the horse learns very quickly that there is no reward for doing the wrong thing.
If your horse runs-off in an attempt to scare you into submitting to him, work with the horse in a small, enclosed area, such as a 50 round corral. A horse cant pick up much speed in a small space.
Lastly, I encourage you to participate in live-coaching as often as you can. While reading and observing horse training is an important aspect of learning; there is no replacement for the value of participating with your horse in a clinic. When you combine all three learning methods together, it allows you to perfect your feel and timing of the techniques much faster especially when it is a deep subject.

ONE-REIN STOPS

Rearing is tops on my list of scary horse behavior. Number two is the run-away horse. A horse that runs-off with his rider will do so under any number of circumstances: The horse becomes frightened; the rider asks for a change of direction (even if it is a simple and gradual turn); the horse wants to go back to the barn or visit with his friends, while the rider wants to go somewhere else; etc.. No matter why the horse chooses to escape, run-away horses represent serious danger.

I encourage people to teach their horse to yield with a one-rein stop before they ever consider riding outside of an enclosed area. Ideally, you should teach your horse the one-rein stop at the walk, trot and canter.

Consider this fact: By the time your horse is on his third stride of a gallop, you no longer have control. In a panic situation, it is unlikely that you will ever regain control, and it is quite probable that you will fall off, or be thrown. A couple of years ago I was told a story by a woman who was riding her horse down a very short stretch of a secondary highway. In her opinion, her horse was bomb-proof. She never suspected what would happen next. A semi-truck came past them at 55mph and the horse went ballistic. He ran off with her, jumped the guard rail and ran down into a steep ravine, throwing her on his way over the guard rail. The horse panicked at the bottom of the ravine, ran back up the hill, jumped over her and the guard rail, and galloped all the way home down the middle of the highway. Needless to say, I was stunned by this story. Mostly, I was shocked to hear that she and the horse were still alive and not seriously injured. These types of horror stories should be enough to convince all of us that learning the one-rein stop is the key to preserving our safety, as well as that of our horse.

I recommend that you begin the process by teaching your horse lateral flexion at a halt. By helping your horse to become supple and responsive while standing still, the process will be much easier when you teach him to stop with one-rein at a walk, trot, and canter. Below are the teaching steps to follow:
1) Pick up your reins with one hand. Lift the reins straight up toward the sky NOT toward yourself.
2) Slide one hand down one rein (If you pick up your reins with your right hand, you will slide your left hand down the left rein; and so on).
3) Close your fist around the one rein, at the half-way point.
4) Bring your fist to your knee.
5) The moment your horse creates slack in the rein (bringing his head closer to your knee than you asked), RELEASE quickly. Slowly and gradually, you should ask your horse to touch your leg, which will require that you bring your closed fist to your hip or your belly button (whatever you feel most comfortable doing).

Once your horse is able to softly respond to lateral flexion at the halt, I like to teach my horse to yield his hindquarters while I ask for lateral flexion. This represents one more level of safety, because a horse cant run, buck, or rear when his hindquarters are busy crossing over. In whatever direction you flex the horses head and neck, apply pressure with the calf of your leg just behind the girth until the horse moves his hindquarters over a step or two. As the horse becomes more responsive to the leg cue, you can ask for more movement of the hindquarters (i.e.: Begin with one or two steps, but work up to 5 or more). You are teaching the horse, not only to give to your cues, but to maintain his balance when you suddenly flex him (A very important point when you add speed to this exercise, because you don't want the horse to fall over).

After you teach your horse to yield his hindquarters efficiently, now you are ready to work on one-rein stops at the walk. Ask your horse to walk 20-30 feet and then apply your one-rein stop (Bring the rein to your hip or your belly button). There will be no need to apply leg pressure, because the horse will know that he needs to move his hindquarters in order to keep himself balanced, in response to the one-rein stop. As soon as the horse comes to a complete stop, release the rein quickly and reward the horse by petting him and allowing him to rest for a moment before asking him to walk-on again. Repeat this exercise by alternating the rein, so that the horse learns the one-rein stop on both sides. Avoid steering your horse when you ask the horse to walk it doesn't matter where he goes. Don't be a micromanager!

As the horse becomes proficient with the one-rein stop at the walk, you can begin to ask for a slow and steady trot for about 40-50 feet before applying your one-rein stop. Try to focus on achieving success with the slower gaits before attempting the one-rein stop at a rising trot and canter. The quality of the exercise is always more important than moving on to more difficult tasks. Be patient, consistent, and persistent in seeking quality responses from your horse. Repeat the exercises often so that your horse is always physically prepared to respond quickly and with balance, should you need to apply your emergency brake in a real situation.

THE SLOW & DUMB GAME

When you want your horse to start learning . . . Get slow & dumb! Slow & dumb = Comfort. I discovered the power of this concept quite accidentally. Many years ago, I was working with my horse, while I was having some construction done. During my numerous interruptions, I would stop what I was doing to answer questions, locate supplies, or show the workmen something. I took my horse with me everywhere I went, but as soon as I was done with the workmen, I would return my focus back to my horse. Each and every time I resumed the training session after a break, I noticed that she became very cooperative, quick to respond, and much more respectful. Thanks to the construction workers, I learned several valuable lessons that I may not have discovered on my own. The experience defined my horse for me, as well as clarifying for me, why I wasn't making much progress. To my surprise, I realized that my horse was not confident with learning new things. She is a very people-dominant horse because she has learned to be defensive toward what she doesn't know and understand (Not very different from some of the people I have met). She is quite bold about telling me that she doesn't want to learn anything new, which used to make me feel compelled to push her to learn. I used to spend hours repeating lessons like a drill sergeant; assuming that her explosive meltdowns were some sort of personality defect unique to my horse. Not once did I ever consider that my horse was actually trying to tell me what I needed to do in order to help her learn. Instead of convincing her how smart I was; I needed to show her how slow and dumb I could get. The moment I took ALL the pressure off of her and completely focused on everything but her, she wouldn't hesitate to give me exactly what I was asking for as soon as we started the lesson again. Taking the pressure off of her, took the pressure off of me. By learning how to use the slow & dumb game, I began to meet my horses need for comfort.

Horses have three basic needs: security, comfort, and fun. They need to feel safe and secure from harm, and they seek comfort by eating, drinking, resting, and engaging in mutual affection and grooming (generally with the horse they have pair-bonded with in the herd). Horses seek fun through activities which establish dominance. Work and training do not meet any of the basic needs of a horse, and in fact, most horses find training initially, to be threatening. Horses who perceive your actions as threatening can easily become defensive, sometimes to the point of explosive behavior.

The first step toward getting your horse to recognize that you represent comfort is to know when you behave like a predator and stop it immediately. If you approach your horse with a self-serving agenda, you will accomplish very little and give your horse a reason not to trust you or want to be with you. Spend equal amounts of demanding and undemanding time with your horse. Undemanding time requires that you learn to like what your horse likes to do: graze, rest, hang-out together, mutual affection and grooming. When you spend undemanding time with your horse, you are helping the horse to meet his need for comfort.

Creating a sense of security and safety is directly related to developing a herd of two. Your horse needs to know that you are willing to protect and defend him from anything he perceives as frightening, including aggressive horses and people. Two examples of subtle aggression by people are: 1) Allowing other people to ride your horse. Your horse doesn't have a relationship with other people he has a relationship with you! An inanimate object like a 4-wheeler will perform the same way every time, no matter who is riding them. However, a horse has to know that his rider cares, possesses the leadership necessary to protect him, and they need to be able to follow consistent communication patterns. None of these things exist when a stranger handles your horse. 2) People who fail to ask the horses permission before they approach. Perhaps you never thought that this was a big deal before now, but it represents serious aggression to your horse. Lets say that a few people come to visit you in the barn. Despite their good intentions, they reach over the stall door and try to touch your horse. Before the horse has a chance to check out the person and decide whether or not he wants the person to touch him, the person is petting and patting. A natural horseman knows that intimacy with a horse, such as approaching the horse inside his 4 circle of safety, as well as petting and touching, is always done with permission.

Imagine that you pull up to a gas station and roll down your window. The gas station attendant rushes over and begins petting your face. Would you be horrified? What is your usual reaction when you meet up with hikers on a trail and they ask if they can pet your horse? Do you automatically say yes? If someone asked if they could pet your husband or your wife, would you still say yes? If this situation has ever occurred with people asking to pet your horse and you haven't said no, or dismounted so that you could show people how to approach the horse before petting him, then unfortunately, you are part of a bigger problem. If you want people to respect your space, then you need to insist that people respect your horses space.

Horses enjoy playing with one another, and the more horse-like a human can behave; the more inviting play with a human can become. Horses want to have fun, be curious, and play dominance games. Even when it comes to having fun, horses need to feel that there is purpose to their actions; therefore, they sort out dominance hierarchy through play activities. This is where live-coaching becomes important to achieving your horsemanship goals. People learn how to have fun with their horse by experiencing it, and by developing their feel and timing. Learning how to play is not something you can experience by reading or watching video tapes about it. Playing in a horse-like way is something that is developed after you have firmly established your leadership with your horse. Equally important is learning to match his play drive, and your understanding of the horses personality, spirit level, and individuality.

PUSH, DON'T PULL

Have you ever seen a horse and rider making turns and changes in direction that appeared poetic with every stride? This is the difference between pushing your horse through a turn, instead of pulling. Most of us are taught to ask for a turn with our legs and our reins, but a crucial step is missing . . . The use of our seat.

I would like to present a different way to set up your horse for success when it comes to turns. The first and most important aid in a turn is your seat. Try this exercise while sitting in a flat chair, or on an exercise ball: Sit on your balance point in the chair or on the ball, with your feet spread apart. Remember that your balance point is between your seat bones and your tail bone. This requires that you round out your lower back without slouching at the shoulders. Put your hands in front of your lap, just like they would be when riding. Imagine that you are going to make a left turn. Look with your eyes. Let your shoulders follow your eyes. What do you feel with your seat? Does your right seat bone feel heavier than your left? Try making a right turn. Now, imagine that you have a set of eyeballs on your knee caps? If you let the eyeballs on your knees follow the eyeballs on your head, and your shoulders follow your eyes, you should begin to feel a bit more pressure on your outside seat bone. Here is one more trick: Lets say that your horse feels stiff in the turn despite the use of your all the other aids. You can help your horse by bending your ribcage to mimic the bend you would like to have in your horses ribs (This will cause your outside shoulder to come up). Do you feel the difference in the weight of your seat bone? This is how perfect turns begin.

Lets explore these cues in more detail. When you ride on your balance point, you are less inclined to lean forward, or ride with stiffness in your body. For those of you who have attended a clinic, you should be familiar with the use of shims. The idea of shimming a saddle is nothing new. There are many commercial shims designed to help correct saddle-fit problems, however, I encourage the use of shims, not only to correct saddle fitting issues (After you learn to put the saddle in a different location than we have traditionally been taught), but to help riders achieve a deep and balanced seat. The more a rider compensates for the saddle, the more the rider becomes stiff and braces against the horse. Stiffness in your body will cause you to hollow their back, which is completely counterproductive to riding.

I see plenty of riders staring at their horses head as if they were communicating telepathically. Its an easy habit to develop, but difficult to break. If you want your horse to watch where he is going and learn to follow the feel of your aids; you will have to assume responsibility for your own riding, as well as trust that your horse will do as you asked without watching him. The next issue is using your shoulders to follow your eyes. Allowing your shoulders to follow your eyes causes you to bend your upper body, as opposed to leaning into a turn. When your upper body starts to move independently of your lower body, your aids are more clear and effective.

Think of your legs like doors that open and close. If you give someone two doors to choose from, and you tell them to use the door on the right, but they head toward the door on the left; you could close the door on the left to make your instructions more clear. Using your lower legs like doors provides the resistance necessary to emphasize your cues. When I ride, I use my entire leg, by using the different parts of my leg in phases to emphasize what I want. I imagine that I have eyeballs on my kneecaps so that my lower body starts to give the same cue as my upper body. If I'm making a left turn, my seat sets up the turn, followed by my upper body. The deeper the turn, the more I will probably have to use my leg. A gentle turn will probably only require that I close my outside knee on my horse. When I use my knee to provide pressure, my inside thigh also becomes heavy against my horse. The more dramatic a turn is, the more likely it will be necessary that I use my calf to create pressure, as well as my knee (and thigh).

Finally, if my horse tends to track crooked on a straight line; I know I will probably have to help him to bend on a turn. It is quite common for horses to be collapsed on one side of their body because their suppleness and muscle development tends to be better on one side, leading to a unidirectional horse that moves better in one direction, but not in the other. If I use my body to create the bend necessary to help my horse, he will develop his suppleness and musculature much more quickly and easily.

Remember that you dramatize to teach, and refine along the way.

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