Improving Horse Skills - The Check-In
I often encounter people who are surprised or overwhelmed by their horse's responses. There tends to be a major gap in the human's perception of when/what/how things have occurred rather than an understanding of all the ongoing, continuous equine communication that was ignored, overlooked, or criticized and how the animal's feedback would "tell" the person what behaviors were coming next.
In human terms, think if you were walking and someone familiar tapped you on the shoulder from behind. Your focus would be drawn to them, you might slow or pause your behavior, and you would probably engage in conversation to hear what they wanted. But if it was someone you were unfamiliar with or distrustful of, you would respond very differently. The latter responses are how I see many horses act toward people.
The Check-In is a "tool" for both the human and horse to develop that offers a consideration, and acknowledgment of one another.
Initially, it may be done at the halt, but later it will occur as movement continues whether the horse is being ridden or worked with from the ground.
