Adaptability, Humans, and Horses

 Adaptability

People and horses get stuck in mental and physical patterns during daily interactions. There is often a lack of clarity or specific communication offered during many familiar scenarios.

Despite not having to "go anywhere," every day scenarios can be Opportunities to help you assess, address and refine your mental presence, clarity, body awareness, aid usage and communication, while practicing adaptability.

 First, start to assess yourself during your horse interactions and notice if there are any unintentionally created patterns.

Notice how receptive your horse is when ask something different from what he has learned to expect or if you change your normal patterns of interaction.

These seemingly insignificant moments or minor changes are the beginning contributors to you building a thoughtful and intentional partnership with your horse. The day you need to ask something unexpected of your equine partner, he will be mentally available and physically soft towards participating in the unfamiliar.

Assessing the Partnership 

How do YOU and YOUR horse respond if:

You go into the pasture/stall with a halter in your hand, but don't immediately catch your horse.

You open the gate/stall door but don't go out of it.

When you do go out the gate, you stop and talk to someone, instead of continuing on to wherever the tack-up area is.

You tack up "wrong"- place your saddle blanket on the horse's neck or rump instead of the "normal" area, or change the order by bridling before you saddle.

You lead from the horse's right side.

Mount/dismount from the horse's right side.

You mount/dismount multiple times throughout a session.

At the end of the ride you head all the way back to the "normal" dismount area, then turn around and head back out as if you were doing another ride.

Many riders due to time limitations, convenience, or lack of awareness, create patterns in their interaction with the horse. This often leads to mindless moments as humans and horses are going through the motions during much of their time together.

Folks are frequently shocked at how little it takes to "bother" their horse, and then how much effort it takes to help the horse let go of his defensiveness when not asked what was anticipated or was familiar to him.

Instead of avoiding potential "holes" in your horsemanship, view recognizing them as an opportunity to address and "fill" them.

Remind yourself to not have self-critique or critically reactive responses towards the horse if he offers unexpected moments. His physical behavior is a reflection of his mental and emotional state.

Notice if you're emotionally triggered by the horse's feedback towards you changing things up. 

Many people avoid change rather than seeing it as a learning opportunity. I meet hundreds of horse owners who are under the illusion the equine is "fine" and then experiencing "all of a sudden" surprising and dangerous moments.

By intentionally acknowledging and refining how and when you offer quality, segmented, specific communication toward the horse, will help him increase his adaptability and reasonableness.