Focus from Your Horse

Focus from your horse is important. Focus means that your horse is with you, that he is concentrating on what you might want next and will give it without resistance, that he is relaxed and in a frame of mind where he can, well, focus on the job at hand.

Most horses will not just naturally focus and concentrate for you. They have to be taught just as kids need to learn to concentrate. Ever noticed how kids that learn to play an instrument have the ability to concentrate or focus on something for long periods of time. Kids that have never had to apply themselves to tasks while growing up very rarely do in adulthood. Horses are no different.

We are often told that horses can only concentrate or focus for 15 minutes or so and especially when young. That statement to me is ridiculous as every horse I work with learns to focus on me and what I ask it for as long as I am with it. This could be for hours at a time if I am working at a clinic or gathering cattle or on a trail ride.

If you want a good example of focus watch a cutting horse at work or a good roping horse. Notice how the seemingly block out everything else in the world and concentrate on the job at hand. These horses have a reason to focus.

Ok but what if I don’t work with cattle etc.? How do I get my horse to stay focused?

Here’s the deal. Every time your horse is not focused change what you are doing until he is.  If I am working on the ground and my horse looks away then I am going to do something to regain his attention. These might be any one of the following, back up, stop, side pass, change direction, yield the hind end, yield the front end or go up a pace.

Break it up don’t use the same thing every time but ensure your horse must concentrate on what you may want next. Do it immediately your horse loses focus. Ignore outside influences and encourage your horse to do the same. This reminds him that its his responsibility to not goof off and gives him something to concentrate on.

Be consistent so that your horse is focused the whole time he is with you and that this becomes habit. It is not ok for your horse to ignore you sometimes and not others and this is just confusing to the horse. Even if I am brushing my horse while he is tied up if he looks away I will regain his focus by bumping his ribs with my finger tips or the brush.

Remember safe horses are aware of you the whole time. Unsafe horses tend to ignore you and eventually walk all over you.

Other exercises include: Obstacle courses (again they give your horse something to focus on)

Sending your horse places. Lots of people try to steer their horse places and hold onto them in case they move off course. This makes a horse feel trapped and is micro management  (which nobody likes).

Try sending your horse to a spot somewhere in the arena or in the distance on loose reins. Expect them to walk or trot with energy and only correct them with intermittent use of one rein or one leg. When they are going straight where you are focused and with energy just leave them alone. It won’t be long and your horse will pick up on what you are focusing on and just go there. You will be amazed at their ability to work out what you are focusing on without you doing anything else. You will also find that your horse improves on circles and almost everything else you ask it to do. This should be achieved with horses very early in their ridden life and maintained when necessary.

These exercises are great to get riders to learn to let go and trust their horse a little too. Have fun with it and remember you can’t make a horse go straight, stay relaxed and move with purpose. You can only reward it by leaving it alone when it is when it is. Some might even call this “staying out of the horses way”