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Teaching Horses And Riders

In order to improve how I work with people I have been reading about different teaching styles and methods.

One that stands out for me is the Feynman Technique.

Basically to really know a subject you should be able to break down even the most complicated matter and simplify it.

Try and structure it in your mind and simplify it in a way that might be understood by a child.

Try and do this in your own words so that its not just rhetoric or the words of others.

This is a way of confirming to yourself that you have a grasp of the subject.

Making something sound so complicated that only a genius could understand it might be good for your ego but is a very ineffective way of conveying knowledge.

Parroting the words of others is often used to convey the illusion of knowledge.

This may prove that someone has a good memory for words and phrases but is only effective, in teaching, if those words and phrases are used in context.

The Feynman Technique is as much about learning as it is about teaching.

To know a subject you must be able to break it down and simplify it to the point where you can explain it to a child.

Now, if you are working with an animal you must be able to break it down and simplify it to a point where you can help the animal learn it.

You might consider that you only have actions to make your point.

Ian Leighton and Kendric

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Want a Soft Horse

Every time your horse leans on the reins or the lead rope or on the handler see it as an opportunity.

Don’t just hold and teach him that it is ok to lean.

Don’t give to him and reward him for leaning.

Don’t punish him and make him too frightened to give you a soft feel when you want it.

Ian working with a horse at a clinic. It was cold.

Don’t hold him tight and make him feel trapped so that he feels like he has to lean or pull.

Don’t avoid his leaning
by staying out of his way or letting him teach you.

On the ground or while riding, don’t avoid teaching him his responsibility to not pull or push on you.

Avoid making it something he must endure every time you handle him for the rest of his life. That is neither comfortable for the rider or fair on the horse.

You could just hold a little more and release when he gives you a soft feel.

Maybe move his feet a little until he stops leaning and then let him stand as a reward.

Also, if he is leaning hard enough, follow him and maintain that contact until he stops or steps forward and then release.

You could use your presence and focus to help him understand what to do to gain that release.

Try to set the situation up again a few times so that he has a chance to properly learn how to avoid being in this conflict.

You could be totally consistent about this so that he learns to have a conflict free time every time he is with you.

Find some help with this if you don’t know what to do.

You could teach him in a subtle way at a stand-still how to respond to a soft feel so that he understands it  Giving your horse a nice life means not shirking your responsibilities here. The more you allow him to learn that leaning is ok the more he will have to endure the conflict in the future.

Often the behaviour that causes the horse and rider the most discomfort “is not” caused by anything sinister. It is often caused by unwittingly teaching the horse to respond the wrong way to things.

Remember every time your horse leans you are presented with another opportunity to make his life more comfortable in the future.

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Confused?

Confusion and indecision is rife in the horse world.

There are so many ideas and gadgets and supplements and feeds etc out there all being marketed as the best way to go and the only thing to do if you like your horse even in a moderate way.

Ian and Kendric having thinking time

On the net everyone has an opinion on how everything should or should not be. Often these opinions Continue reading Confused?