One of the most misused "techniques" I have found is how people present asking the horse to move around a circle.
Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares horse training and horseback rider coaching, philosophies, and approaches she has developed over three decades. Offering horsemanship clinics worldwide, distance horse coaching instruction, equine consultations, equine re-education and rehabilitation, colt starting, and lessons. Follow her #alternativehorsemanship on all social media platforms.
One of the most misused "techniques" I have found is how people present asking the horse to move around a circle.
As with everything, there are many interpretations when it comes to the terminology associated with horses. I try to be clear and precise in the words that I'm offering, but there still can be a gray area in the human student's understanding. This often comes from their level of awareness, background, and unintentional anticipation/expectation of their mind "getting ahead" of wherever they are currently at with their horse.
Ponying the Horse- Continuing Quality Conversations
I find when ponying, many folks focus on getting the ponied horse to follow the movement of the ridden one. This can create mindless movement in the ponied horse and contributes to what seems to willingly compliance (as long as nothing specific is asked of him) but he is not thoughtful, mentally directable, or physically adaptable.
I never thought when I chose to work professionally with horses and help educate their owners that I'd be "taking on"...
The human emotional chaos
Mis Perceptions of the Halt
Many humans view the halt as a physical yielding or obedient behavior. There is little or no concept of the difference between the feet not moving versus a horse mentally present, physically soft and balanced when asked to stand.
"Following a Feel"
Those words had no value to me in my initial years of riding (groundwork was nonexistent.) I interacted with the horse offering unintentional, continuous tension- on the lead rope, on the rein, in my leg, etc. There was never a pause, time for mental processing, recognizing separating directing the thought from movement, adaptability in my aids or any conscious release of pressure towards the horse (other than during a jump.)