“Hanging between those reins is a thought” - Harry Whitney
Simple but profound like most good horsemanship. Regardless of discipline the keys to a horse fall under one of the following three simple categories; sending, leading, and directing. Those three all begin with a thought. In this clip you’ll see Clayton begin mining thought with Tonka, an eight month old draft cross weanling, who’s been with us long enough to be prepared and ready for this session.
“Because all a rein does is present a slight suggestion.” (Moates, Tom. A Horse’s Thought; A Journey into Honest Horsemanship. Spinning Sevens Press 2010.) A horse that is with you understands the lightest request and commits to your suggestion with his whole body. If you think about it being able to send, lead, and direct a horse’s thought is the goal of horsemanship. As horsemen and women, if we aren’t able to build a horse’s thoughts in ways that build the responses we are looking for from them, now and in the future, we have to ask ourselves just what the heck we’re doing.
When we begin leading them, guiding them if you will, with their thoughts true unity is created for whatever we endeavor to achieve with them. Now please make no mistake I’m not being fluffy here I just prefer to be with my horse unified and together over the fences rather than any of the alternatives. The same holds true for riders working a cow or riding a dressage test. It doesn’t matter what hat you’re wearing unity is a good thing.
In this clip you’ll see Clayton use a combination of timing, intention, feel, and approach that allows the unfolding of improvement of unity and you’ll witness the grounding effect it has on Tonka. Why you may ask is it important to start this work so early? Honestly for more reasons than could reasonably be listed here. First and foremost the more relevant people are to Tonka the more likely he is to excel at anything he is asked to do. This is a foundational skill he will carry with him from his earliest days of being haltered to his mature days as a finished riding horse. The farriers, veterinarians, body workers, and dentists appreciate this work because it’s pretty darn important for them to be relative too. Horses have to speak many languages over the course of their lives and in order for that to be possible people must be relevant.
So how does one teach a potentially 1,800 pound fight or flight herd animal to allow you to direct their thoughts? One session at a time. For each individual the time frame is unique but they all get there because we prove to them over and over again getting with us feels better than not getting with us. Good horsemanship takes root as easily as poor horsemanship so let the horse be the judge by telling you how it’s working for him. Is he able to give you what you’re asking for? Watch Tonka closely in this clip. Look at the change in his body language, note the softening of his eyes from the beginning to the end. The shift in his thoughts from outside the round pen to inside the round pen with Clayton is visible. He’s all eyes and thoughts on his buddy at recess playing in the nearby paddock initially but keeps his thoughts on Clayton when his buddy is playing later in the clip. That’s pure gold in any horse let alone an eight month old weanling. Also notice the balance Clayton keeps. If Tonka grabs some grass, needs a pause, or has an itch no problem. He keeps “class” relative and appropriate to Tonka in that moment. This is a kindergarten class not a college level lecture. The expectations and asks differ from horse to horse.
What’s the next piece of the puzzle? If you have a horse’s thoughts you have his feet. The moment when Tonka’s carry over from his right side to his left is strong enough to give Clayton his front left foot well, ….. GOAL.
If you can direct the thought you can direct the horse.
Tools;
•Round pen
•Extra soft horse rope with a curved metal hondo for quick release.
•Time
•Patience
The colt in this clip is Tonka Toy a Quarter Horse Shire cross sport horse, eight month old weanling. Tonka is available but you will need to get in line.
#horsemanship #coltstarting #aqha #horses #sporthorse #shire