Patterned Human & Horse Interactions

Changing the pattern in the small day-to-day interactions can be a great Opportunity to safely assess Holes in your Horsemanship, refine, communicate, and build trust.
If there are any "holes," it can be a safe time and place to start changing up the Conversation, and refining influencing thoughts, without the equine getting overwhelmed. All in preparation for future unfamiliar situations.

Improving the Quality of communication builds trust and reinforces your support towards the horse. Establishing this before the day of unexpected events allows for less traumatic or overwhelming scenarios for both humans and horses.

Think about things you do "all the time" with your horse. Pick three or four scenarios to start practicing incorporating small changes into your routine and any potential patterns in your behaviors. This can be an opportunity to assess your horse's mental availability and adaptability.

None of the suggested experiments are to get you and your horse into "trouble" or criticize him for "wrong" behavior. Instead, it will reflect perhaps overlooked aspects of his willingness that affect all other aspects of the interaction.
You're looking to assess if mental resistance appears if you don't "do" as he expects. Is he unsure? What are his emotions like? Is he mentally available to adapt? Is he physically reasonable?

 
Remember as you start with "changing it up"- this isn't about challenging the horse to get "it" right.

Any initial, subtle concerns in the horse need to be addressed. Don't continue to keep presenting more "new" ways of doing things without addressing his feedback. Believe him as soon as he shows any avoidance, wariness, or insecurity. Then address it. Until. He. Lets. It. Go.

Here are a few ideas:

Haltering- Go out to the pasture or stall to halter your horse, call them over, and when you'd normally put the halter on, stop, and leave. Then come back a while later and actually halter them.
Walking out the gate- Change out the direction, and body position or breaking down down the way you "always" go out the gate.
Leading- Do so from the horse's off (right) side, or from a distance farther ahead or behind than you normally do.
Tacking- Do things out of order, such as bridle first, then the saddle, and then cleaning hooves.
Mounting- Different locations, different sides,s or perhaps get on and off several times throughout the ride.
Riding off- go to a different spot to warm up, and change the direction of the warm-up.
Riding home- head towards home and then turn back as if heading out again, perhaps several times.times throughout the ride.
Riding off- go to a different spot to warm up, and change the direction of the warm-up.
Riding home- head towards home and then turn back as if heading out again, perhaps several times.

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