Horse Rider Tips- Anticipation and Unwanted Equine Behaviors

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 the above thoughts allow for the human to stay mentally present in the moment. Which then takes away from their ability to acknowledge and assess the horse's communication in real-time. This creates hurried, after-the-fact communication during the equine interaction.
If the handler/rider is mentally fixated on the past or anticipating the future, they cannot offer specific, quality communication to the equine.
If they miss/ignore recognizing, believing, and helping the horse work through scenarios, the human teaches or reinforces unwanted equine behaviors by their constant criticism.
How the human perceives the interaction with the horse directly influences the quality of their communication.
Learning to find an emotional calm and neutrality, while setting one's ego aside, creates a safe learning space for the horse.
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.