Human Stories interfering with Horsemanship Skills

 The urgency of the stories in our head...

So many good intentioned equine enthusiasts unintentionally get pressured and distracted by the "story" of 

*last time...

*that one time...

*what if...

*what others think...

*I hope...

None of these thoughts allow for staying present in the moment. Which then makes interaction with the horse feel rushed.

Without doing so, the handler/rider cannot assesss what the horse is communicating in the now, if mentally fixated on the past, or anticipating the future. 

If not recognizing, believing, and helping the horse work through scenarios currently presented, the clarity of communication diminishes and becomes reactive, after-the-fact criticism. 

So why would there be any thought of having a quality session?

Mind-set is everything. I rode for 15 years, on two continents under top & Olympic trainers/competitors without it ever being discussed, other than from an ego-based "make the horse comply" perspective. 

How we perceive the interaction with the horse directly influences the quality of our communication.

If you are experiencing frustration or an emotional rollercoaster when working with the horse, perhaps something has been missed in your understanding of equine behavior or the way in which you are communicating.

The more emotional one becomes, the more defensive in their posture and increasingly chaotic energy will then be imposed on the horse. The animal will then reflect the human chaos, or want nothing to do with it.

Keep sessions short, present communication in segments, and replace judgemental words used (in your head and aloud) to describe why the horse is acting as he is. If the explanation is based on human emotions, it is an inaccurate way to explain the horse's behavior.