To teach a horse to respond to light cues requires the rider/trainer to be 100% consistent in releasing the pressure as soon as the horse begins to think abut considering the possibility to yielding to the pressure. Do not wait until the horse completes the maneuver and then merely reduce the pressure.
The deal that you make with the horse must be complied with 100% of the time by you. The horse will do his end if you do. If you comply 80% of the time the horse will not learn the key.
The horses that I ride that are not ridden by others are very good at turning wherever I place my visual focus. That is not a magical trick. I look where I want to go, next comes a leg cue, next comes a gently rein pull and lastly comes a firm combination of leg and rein pressure.
By doing this 100% of the time and releasing soon enough, the horse quickly learns that if he goes where I direct my focus he will receive no further pressure and he is assured that if he does not he will receive that pressure.
And it only takes about 10 hours of being ridden by someone who is not consistent to completely set the horse back so far that he must be retrained by reassuring him that I keep my end of the deal. Jennifer is a consistent rider and Ta Sunka appreciates it when she rides him.
I keep trying to be better and lighter. It really shows in Snow too.
ReplyDeletehere is a video by Buck Brannaman on YouTube that shows him working a bridle horse to light pressure, and then lighter pressure..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUaBgdyyOqE&feature=player_detailpage
It is a process that takes some time and practice..but it surely is worth it. Sadly, what the lack of this process brings on is the Horse Industry (tm) comes up with $olution$..usually in the form of curb and spade bits, and complicated martingale like devices to set a horse's head or whatever..I guess next up is to build a robotic horse that can be programmed for lightness and collection..well, at least that will make the manure fork obsolete.
We should all, always take a few minutes on evry horse we climb on to drill for lightness, or flexion, or just a better closeness with the horse. All steps towards that elusive concept of "soft feel" that the Dorrances, Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman and many others speak of. It is a journey taken with the horse, not a destination like the motorcycle dealership. -Lloyd