Connection Starts Here.....

Connection Starts Here.....

Here we are working on getting a horse confident working in a main competition and clinic venue. A place the horse has a history of getting anxious.

Horses get anxious when their behaviour is being driven more by the environment than by their rider. Ultimately, we want the horse to get comfort and draw confidence by following our direction and guidance. This is often referred to as “connection”.

This horse ended up working really well today. We worked him from the ground up into the saddle. He ended the session loping around lovely, relaxed and connected.

The starting point was understanding the importance of him going off the point (see video)....not having to give warning clicks or using the whip. WHY - because this is the evidence we need that the horse is focused on us.

Focus is needed to get the horse RESPONSIVE to the handler/rider and not the environment. We then worked until the upwards transitions were CALM. Then we took this into riding...ensuring this same concept of “calm yet responsive” was established in guiding/steering and then transitions into all gaits!

Connection is created from ACTION! You need a “calm yet responsive” horse.

Thank you to one of my favourite people that I work with for allowing me to share this video