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Here is a question presented to me by one of my students:
“Hey, I was hoping for some advice. I have this colt, Ace. He was born
May 20th, 2006 and is SUPER SWEET!!! I want to teach him some of the
games you taught us at the horse camp in Burwell and wondered if you had
any suggestions? He knows how to lead and is pretty calm for his age but
I think if I try the games he might get scared. Maybe you have some for
younger or inexperienced horses? I hope you can help!!"
Yes I have suggestions, but there are no special games for a younger inexperienced horse. They are still a horse, with the same set of natural instincts, emotions, and varying degrees of intelligence. Your caution that he might get scared is valid. However, the degree to which he gets scared is going to rely totally in your hands.
(1) The more aggressive and goal oriented you are without a great release when the horse gives you the slightest try the more you may scare him.
(2) The more you forget to ask with a very long phase one giving the horse plenty of time to search and figure out what you want the more you may scare him.
(3) The more demanding you are with nagging phases or too quick to phase four the more you may scare him.
(4) The more you confuse him with unclear communication he will retreat to self-preservation mode. He may not look wild, but may withdraw into introversion because of fear caused by confusion or too much stimulation which I call over-exposure.
(5) The more you approach and keep trying to make the horse do anything when he is unconfident the more frightened he will become.
So the key isn’t in the game or special technique you do with the horse,
(1) but it is in the attitude and way in which you play the game or apply the technique that will preserve the horse’s confidence. Because the opposite of fear is confidence.
(2) In order to get the young one’s confidence you must be fair, clear, playful, and confident yourself.
(3) You must be able to read the horse.
(4) You must learn how to balance approach and retreat, because retreat is what the horse needs when he gets, confused and unconfident.
(5) And finally you must know when to quit! Always stop on a good note, don’t over do it. Drill is not necessary.
So the answer to the question is:
(1) You may play the games you learned at the camp with your yearling, just remember that he is only in kindergarden and may have a short attention span.
(2) Remember that he is a blank slate and is very fragile.
(3) Use empathy, kindness, creativity, be dependable for him, and gain his trust and respect, then he will give you more than you ever dreamed possible in a very short amount of time.
I have a few students who have requested a young horse handling class. So I am going to fill the need by offering this workshop. They will be at Chance Ridge in Elkhorn, throughout the summer. Please look on my website (www.heartinyourhand.com) for details.
Happy Trails,
sherry
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