COMFORT - RELIEF FROM PRESSURE

If a fly is getting more response from your horse than you are, something is wrong We’ve all seen riders kicking and spurring, jerking on the reins, and the horse barely responds at all What’s the deal?

Horses are very sensitive animals They can feel a fly land on their hair – it tickles and annoys them They also know there might be a bite or sting coming so they are highly motivated to get rid of it

Interestingly, horses are less physically sensitive to strong pressure and are more inclined to tolerate rather than seek relief People often label these horses as dull or stubborn when the problem really is that the horse doesn't feel that uncomfortable, nor threatened, or has become desensitized over time

Contrary to human logic, it’s not more pressure that is required, it’s less.

There are two keys to sensitizing horses to pressure:

Light pressure is more effective – you have to be more like a fly!

Relief from pressure is what motivates response

Slow down your application of pressure and remove the stimulus quickly Be softer and more sensitive Give the horse time to process the information and understand the goal, especially when learning

It’s natural for people to use more force when something isn’t working, but this is not productive when training horses It does not produce a sensitive, responsive, and happy horse On the contrary, it makes them dull and they lose trust

Don’t use more pressure and force the horse Be a good teacher, a good communicator Get results through clarity and understanding

Break things down into the smallest chunks of information; make it as simple as possible This prevents confusion and also builds into more complex concepts.

For example, teach your horse to understand how to respond to your hands, your seat, your legs, the bit, the reins – each one independently It’s common for riders to use hands, heels, and seat all at once without realizing the horse does not understand each individually

Be gentle when teaching, don’t get stronger or faster, as it will trigger negative emotions Use gentle, clear gestures and calm, consistent repetition Most importantly soften or release the pressure when your horse tries to do the right thing

Good Communication: Have a clear picture of what you want before you ask your horse to do something In your mind, what should it look like, what should it feel like?

For example, you might want to trot a circle with the horse calmly stretching forward and down into the bit, with rhythmic strides and a quiet mouth; or, you may want your horse to load calmly and stand quietly in the trailer before you close the tail bar; or, maybe you want your horse to lead calmly from the pasture, staying beside you rather than pulling away, lunging at the grass or dragging behind

When you are clear it’s easy to interrupt undesirable behaviors and redirect them towards the desired ones When you are not clear you frequently end up saying ‘no’ to your horse which leads to tension and arguments rather than clarity and calmness

Force: Other words for force are push, compel, and coerce; this is why the use of force has no place in good horse training It’s much more productive to interrupt the unwanted behavior and redirect the horse towards the desired response – “Not that, this.” The only time you need to get firm or fast is if you are about to die! If you have to quickly stop a horse from running off or running over you, you will have to match the energy in order to be effective but without getting angry and punishing it. There is a big difference:

Punishment is a reprimand and usually, the horse has no idea it was wrong Punishment provokes socalled behavior problems such as fear, frustration, and aggression. It ruins trust and diminishes respect

Interrupt and redirect: “Not that, this ” You’ll be amazed at how much better this works than telling a horse "No!" It keeps emotions down and helps the horse to learn the required response.