Whilst at a camp-draft, I had the opportunity to prepare her for her draft. Then all of a sudden, I realised who she was. I was then able to formulate a strategy to help her deal with her anxiety, when she pranced, she didn’t want to go fast. She wanted to go, wanted to do what the rider asked, but didn’t want to go forward into the future into the unknown and so her energy became stored and kept ready to go, thus the prancing.
I had to show her, explain to her it wasn’t necessary to produce so much energy. There was no real reason for her to feel threatened by her surrounding environment. We can only teach them this by letting go and exuding confidence and by raising her energy levels a little bit at a time, then re-tract the energy by doing the exercises to control her head position and body shape on a loose rein. Whether at a trot or canter, it doesn’t really matter. I cantered her around the camp keeping her on the fence through the shoulders on a loose rein using the head down cue. I then cantered her in and out of the camp and around the outside arena. All areas until she did it on a loose rein and with head down. Which means her confidence level had risen to a point where she might enjoy chasing a cow, which she did, for which she was an awesome horse.
A horse is reading us far more accurately than we are of them. Their language is reading of the body. Which is their most powerful tool for survival.
Allowing the horse to take responsibility for their behaviour. Self Elevation.
The groundwork tools and exercises will help us obtain the correct head position making it easier for the horse to go forward, backup, stop, side pass, walk, trot, canter etc whatever we ask for our horse head position is everything.
NOTE: we teach our horse to find and hold the correct head position helping or showing. The horse comes to realise and so begins the process where our horse takes responsibility for his actions and behaviour. A pathway to less resistance.
Should you like to follow my method, I have produced a series of 4 videos one of which showing you all the points that I have covered in these last 3 posts, I would recommend you look at them to see how you can bring out the confidence in your horse.
FYI, the bridle is a much better tool than the halter when beginning to train your horse.
happy riding, Shane
Shane D. Olver - Master Horseman 