Horse Listening

Top 10 Ways to Reinforce Your Horse’s Correct Responses

reward — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

As riders, we need to look for any excuse to celebrate our horse's achievements. Good riders are forever thankful for their equine's efforts as they push further stronger deeper and reach new heights. A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and encouragement.

Don't fool yourself.

Your horse knows exactly how you're feeling during the ride. They can "mind read" (more like body read) and know precisely when you are frustrated, upset, angry and conversely, when you are relaxed, forgiving, joyful and ecstatic. We all know that positive feedback is as powerful a way to communicate as any other, and likely more appreciated by your four-legged friend.

Rewarding your horse doesn't have to be done on the ground with a treat in hand. In fact, encouragement received under saddle is more immediate and fulfilling than anything that is done on the ground after you ride. The key is to identify the right time to communicate your "yes", and to know how to do it in movement.

So, without further discourse, here are ten simple ways to let your horse know he is on the right track.

10. Think, "Yay/Wow/Great/Fantastic" or whatever you feel at that moment, and be convinced that your horse can read your mind. Even though horses can't read minds, they can definitely read the involuntary messages your body sends through your seat, legs and hands - and they know if the thought was positive or negative. So yes, just thinking something nice will transfer seamlessly into your horse's mind.

9. Say a soft, low "good" under your breath so only he can hear it. You don't have to share your thank-you with the whole world; just say it loud enough for the horse's ears to flick back in your direction.

8. Pet your horse, but DON'T smack him! Somewhere along the line, people thought smacking a horse was a good thing, and would be interpreted as such by the horse - it must be, since the horse is so big and strong, right? Well, now we know that the horse's skin is even more sensitive than human skin. It stands to reason that a smack feels like a smack, and a pat or rub is a much more appreciated method.

7. Better yet, slightly release your inside rein while you pet your horse with your inside hand, in rhythm with the stride. Can you rub your belly and chew gum at the same time? Then this one is for you!

While your horse is in motion, reach down lightly (but don't lean too far forward as you will change the horse's balance), and move your hand along the horse's neck in a forward/back movement, preferably in rhythm with the horse's head bob. Keep holding the same rein length through the petting action. In canter, this will release the inside rein while the neck is reaching forward/down, and then the contact will be gently taken up again by the time the neck comes back/up again.

The idea is not to interfere with the horse's movement, but to give a gentle inside rein release while petting the horse.

6. Gently (very small movements) open and close your elbows in synch with the horse's body movements - blend in with him so that he has freedom to swing his head and neck into the movement. You can give through both your elbows in order to move the hands and bit along with the horse. This will create a moment of harmony - no restriction, no instruction, no comment. Just follow along and encourage the horse to take a bolder forward stride thanks to less "stop" from the bit.

5. Move a little bigger into the movement of the horse. You always have the option of "releasing" with your seat: let your lower back become loose and supple and follow along in an encouraging, enthusiastic manner - your horse will love the freedom in his back and just might reach further underneath himself with the hind legs in response.

4. Hold your rein length but give a gentle half halt with an ending forward release so your horse can stretch forward into the contact. In this manner, you can create a small space ahead of the horse that he can reach toward. If done diplomatically, a horse always appreciates feeling the slight freedom of extra space to move forward into.

3. Stop asking for anything. Sometimes, it is good enough to stop everything and just let the horse go along for a few strides. Beware - "stopping" doesn't mean that you suddenly drop everything and become a lumpy bumpy bag of jelly that causes the horse to fall to his knees! You can "stop" while maintaining the status quo - keep doing what you were doing, hold yourself strong and fluid, but just refrain from asking for anything more for the time being.

2. Accept his idea. Often, a horse will take initiative and offer something that you didn't ask for. Instead of correcting or changing what he did, enjoy the "freebie" and just ride along for a moment. You can get back to your topic in a few strides, but teaching the horse to take initiative, especially in the early stages or when the horse is young, can go far to developing a great rider/horse rapport in the long run.

1. Do your horse's favourite movement. All horses have preferred movements that get them all excited! For example, my gelding loves the stretchy trot or canter - he snorts and reaches and the ears flick forward. My mare gets jazzed up with the flying change - again, rambunctious snorts, perky ears, and expression in her face and overall body outline. Find out what your horse's favourite movement is, and then do it at the end of a session or after something difficult!

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The sooner you can reinforce your horse's actions, the sooner he will connect the reward to the desired behaviour. Be light, quick and to the point. Then, go onto the next part of your ride. Look for more to celebrate as you transition into the next movement.

Most importantly, reward quickly and often.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Personally signed books available! Just send me a message.

Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?

By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Take the Credit – Bad AND Good

"The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others." - Don Shula

How many times have you ridden your horse and not achieved the results you wanted?

You automatically run through all the possible reasons, and adjust accordingly:

Maybe the higher than normal winds were causing too much tension in the horse?

Was the saddle positioned too far back, or the bit not adjusted correctly?

Did you use your leg aids to support the inside rib cage?

Were your reins were too long, bumping the horse in the mouth?

Did you lean too far forward?

Was the footing too hard?

Maybe your timing was off - were you aiding when the inside hind leg was off the ground?

And it goes on and on. You challenge yourself, correct yourself, question yourself and maybe even chastise yourself. You try, persevere, develop, grow. You do improve, and your horse improves along with you.

Yet, when things go right, do you take the credit?

Or do you put it down to the horse having a good day?

In our quest for balance (not just on the kind on the back of the horse), it is essential for us to look at our achievements from both angles. Yes, when things go wrong, you are responsible to analyze/scrutinize/change what you are doing. On the other hand, when things do go right, you need to relish that feeling of fulfillment/accomplishment/growth and allow it to bolster you to new heights.

Horses have a way of making you earn your progress, but once it happens, the rewards are eternal (on all planes - physical, mental, emotional - but that is another topic). You discover that you can repeat the positive results over again, and better yet, on the next horse you ride. The time you put into this horse will reap rewards for the future - for you and your next horses.

So... take the credit - bad and good, and be sure to enjoy the ride at all times!

* Thanks to J.V. for inspiration for this post!

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Read more!

What You Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding: There is NO SUCH THING! Why not???

Blueprinting: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Why is it essential that you learn how to ride correctly in the first place?

Demystifying "Contact" In Horse Riding: Sometimes it feels like the word “contact” has other-wordly connotations.

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway! Well, at least, that’s what “they” say. But we know differently, don’t we?

Doing It Because It Makes You Feel Good

When was the last time you did something just to make yourself feel good?

Have you ever done something around/with/for your horses in a "feel-good" way for YOU?

I bet you did! Realistically speaking, our horses are our moments of doing something for ourselves, even if we are doing it with our four-legged friends. So essentially, everything about horses is about our selves too.

So how do the horses fit in? Do they benefit from our benevolence? Or do they become mere objects of our affections, there to make us happy when we feel like it, and dropped to the wayside when we are done with them?

When it comes to horses, we all have differences in opinions and various ways of doing just about anything. As the saying goes, ask twenty-five horse people the same question, and you'll get twenty-five answers! Often, opposite beginnings result in similar endings, so even if you do things a little differently than others, the end result is similar if not completely identical. It is true that in horse keeping, different paths may lead to the same end.

However, when we analyze why we do things, we realize that there are several justifications behind our decision-making steps. If you are asked to explain your rationale, you have perfectly good reasons for why you do things the way you do them.

For example, you might put a rain sheet on your horse in order to give him that extra protection in the still-cool and possibly rainy days of early spring or late fall. Others might say that horses will "survive" just fine without the rain sheets, but some of us will put the sheets on, if for nothing else, so we feel like we did something to create more comfort for our horses (of course, blankets might also help overall coat and health condition).

How about hand-feeding the horse a treat? Horses generally welcome such "special" moments with their humans, especially when something tastes good! Without a doubt, the horse's reaction to treats is different from the human's response - the horse welcomes the tasty treat simply for the taste, while the human undergoes emotional reverberations thanks to the enthusiastic reception by the horse!

Necessity Versus Pleasure

In each case, what is most important is not what is being done, but why it is being done. Dig below the surface to unearth why you made the decision you did. Was it an essential need of the horse, or did you do it mostly because it made you feel good?

If your answer is the latter, keep these two things in mind:

1. So long as we know why we are doing things, then it is fine to do them. If you feel good when you do something, then it is worthwhile in its own right, if for nothing else, then for the emotional release it gives to you, the horse owner. In this case, you know you are doing it for your own sake.

2. What you are doing does not harm the horse. Flash-back to the hand-feeding scene, and notice that although you are making the horse happy when you give him a treat, you also may be teaching the horse to take nibbling to the next step - and develop a biting response. In this case, the harm to the horse might outweigh the pleasure you feel. When there is possible harm involved to either yourself or the horse, then you should revisit your decision.

This need for us to "feel good" when we do things for our horses can span everything from feeding hay (too much can be almost as harmful as too little) to riding (riding too long can harm as much as riding too little).

Keep the horse in mind. When you make decisions around the horse, are you making them for the sake of the horse, or for your own sake? And if you are making the decisions for your sake, admit it, accept it (in other words, know that the horse could be perfectly fine otherwise), and feel good about it!

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New! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Other articles you might enjoy!

Too Good To Be True? Finding Your Horse’s Happy Place: Did you know that through riding alone, you can improve the quality of your horse’s life? All horses respond positively to enjoyable exercise….

Speaking Horse: (a.k.a. “Pushing the Envelope”): It is important to know that speaking “horse” doesn’t mean getting all cuddly and cute. Read to find out how to “speak” so that horses appreciate your presence.

Quit to Persevere: When quitting is the right thing to do.

The Truth About Balance: It isn’t only about balance in the saddle – find balance in all areas of the horse’s life.

Riding For the Rest of Us

We watch in awe as the Super Horses break records, thrilling and inspiring us in our respective disciplines. Without doubt, specialized breeding programs have developed bloodlines to seemingly new heights in the various equestrian sports.

At the top levels, horses are more suited to their events: they jump higher, piaffe with more suppleness, run faster and longer, slide further than ever before. Their conformation is nearing "perfection" more than ever in the history of horse breeding.

While we marvel at the exceptional performances of these elite horses and their riders, most of us come home to our "ordinary" and perhaps even less than perfect horses. Many of us own just one horse over a number of years and recognize that we have chosen that particular horse perhaps not for his exceptional physical characteristics, but rather for other qualities such as temperament, rideability or even something as intangible as emotional connection.

It is possible that your horse is too small, or too large. Maybe your horse is built naturally downhill or with a long, weak back. Other common faults could include the horse with the club foot, the winging or paddling front legs, or the horse with the weak hind end.

Yet all these horses have one thing in common - they can be lifelong partners assuming we can become effective and educated riders, always working towards self-improvement and that of our horse.

So, if we are not going to (be able to?) ride that perfect horse, what can we do to enjoy our favourite four-legged friend for years to come?

1. Know your horse's conformation faults. Study the details involved in how your horse is built, and work with a good instructor on overcoming those physical characteristics that might impede his soundness and progress in the long run.

Learn how to get him to work from the hind end, develop his longitudinal and lateral flexibility, and help him become a happier horse through deliberate and kind exercises that enhance his suppleness and strength.

2. Know your own physical weaknesses. Seek help in discovering your own idiosyncracies. Do you have a tendency to lean one way? Are you too constricted in one part of your body and too loose in the other?

Any imbalances on your part will effect your horse in the long run - so find out what you need to work on and take steps to develop strength and flexibility where you need it the most, OFF the horse's back! Then, do your best to transfer the skills while riding.

3. Don't ignore your strengths. What are you good at? What can your horse do easily? Use that movement as your "play" time - after a tougher series of movements, or as a celebratory "game" for a change of pace.

Whether you want to work on your difficulties or your horse's, don't avoid the tough stuff! Get out there and give it a try - just cut yourself some slack and know that you might not ride like the elite athletes, and your horse may NEVER match the top equines. However, you can both definitely improve and develop a little at a time.

You just might be surprised at what you can achieve!

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:

https://www.horselistening.com2017/10/17/when-we-want-to-actually-ride-from-the-hind-end-but-get-stuck-on-the-forehand/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/08/01/impulsion-how-two-easy-strides-of-energy-might-solve-your-horse-riding-problem/

https://www.horselistening.com2016/09/09/why-boring-is-beautiful-in-horseback-riding/

https://www.horselistening.com2022/01/24/9-signs-your-horse-is-about-to-or-did-spook/

https://www.horselistening.com2022/01/04/it-isnt-magic-top-5-reasons-why-practice-will-take-you-far-this-year/

Top 10 Annoying Riding Habits

* Disclaimer: It is possible that this post may offend some readers. Please be advised that this list reflects solely my opinions and may not match yours! Read at your own discretion (peril?).

heading-out — These riders are being respectful of each other on the trail.

Looks like based on the last post, we're in a "Top Ten" roll. This time, we will consider actual riding skills rather than character traits and maturity (although those also play a factor in every pet peeve below). Enjoy this tongue-in-cheek list coming from the opposite perspective - things NOT to do while riding!

10. Smack the horse as a reward. Your horse's skin is sensitive enough to feel a fly. There is no need to smack a horse to communicate your approval - instead, give it a soft, long rub with flat fingers. The message is much more comfortably conveyed and as effectively understood by the horse.

9. Loud vocalizations - either in reprimand or reward. First off, the horse can hear voice cues given in a normal tone level - or even calm and low, almost under your breath. Secondly, riders that must announce their appreciation/disapproval appear to be doing it for the sake of others around them rather than the horse. Why else speak so loudly?

8. Ignore the hollow back. It truly is difficult to identify when you are riding a horse with a hollow back, but seeing the hollow back is not brain surgery. Riders must spend time watching other horses as they move. With an educated mentor, notice when a horse is hollow. Then, take the (sometimes difficult) steps to change the riding in order to correct the horse's movement.

7. Create excuses for stumbling horses. Although correct trimming and shoeing is important, and some tripping can be caused by lamenesses/uneven footing, please do look at the balance of the horse while being ridden. Is he on the forehand and if so, what is the rider doing to help prevent any further damage to the horse's body and joints?

6. Blame the saddle/bridle/pads/farrier for the problem. Absolutely check out the equipment, but please don't stop there! Next, check out the rider - the horse is always only a mirror of the rider!

5. Avoid correcting obvious rider faults. Be one of those riders that rides THE SAME WAY for twenty years! Better than that, because of their many years in the saddle, they are confident enough to criticize others while turning a blind eye to themselves, even if their horses are sending them loud and clear messages.

4. Am I a magnet? Some riders cut off/trail behind/run into other horses on a regular basis. In fact, the harder you try to steer clear, the more determined they seem to be to interfere with your riding space. They don't seem to know the dimensions of their own horse, nor have an outside rein to discourage fading to the outside to prevent near-misses.

3. Stopped riders. When riding in the ring, please keep moving. A halt is different from a stop in that it is a movement. However, if you are going to stop your horse, even in the middle of the ring, please dismount and leave! Let the other riders keep a flow in their riding and not have to dodge you. To take it one step further, move with the flow of the other riders rather than against it.

2. Trail riders who take off in front of you. That is clearly a safety no-no but so many people still do it without thought to the poor soul behind who has the herd-bound or not so trained horse that feels left behind. ALWAYS check with your riding partners before heading into a faster pace.

1. Don't bother listening to the horse. Of course, this one always tops my list!

What are some of your rider pet peeves?

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Ten Habits of Competent Riders

We can all think of a rider we know that seems to always do well, has calm, happy horses, and steadily improves their horse's physical and mental state in an almost effortless manner.

We watch and admire from afar, but in fact, we can all stand to learn from their regular habits and "way of being" in order to develop our own horse riding mantra.

What do great riders have in common that makes them appealing to watch, steadily develop their riding skills and become role models for others to aspire to emulate?

1. Persistence: Great riders are willing to try, try again. They know that there will be more rides, more days, and the slow and steady approach always wins the "race".

2. Open-mindedness: Great riders know there is something to be learned from everyone, even if to see proof of why NOT to do something. These riders are not discipline exclusive, and are always aware that good riding is good riding is good riding, regardless of the saddle or style.

3. Patience: Great riders are willing to wait to reap the rewards. They know that even if something falls apart today, there will be more days to come and small steps even backward are more beneficial than quick fixes or shortcuts.

4. Quitting: This may seem counter-intuitive, but great riders quit while they're ahead. They ride for short periods of time to their highest ability and then call it a day. They seem to intuitively know when enough is enough.

5. Effectiveness: Great riders seek maximum effectiveness with minimum harm. They make every step count, and they resist overriding the horse for the sake of performance.

6. Self-Improvement: Great riders regularly seek to upgrade their riding skills and general horse education. They are willing to spend time, money and humility in the quest for constant self-improvement.

7. Seeing the Big Picture: Great riders enjoy the "work" and the path as much as they do the goal achievement. They know that each day and each step is as important as the other and is a natural progression in development.

8. Role Models: Great riders know great riding when they see it and seek to surround themselves with those who will not only help them improve on a riding level, but also on a more personal and inspirational level as well.

9. Problem Solving: Great riders can trouble-shoot through problems to come to gratifying solutions. They have many tools in their "tool-boxes" and know there is more than one way to approach a situation. They are always willing to try new things.

10: Horse Listeners: Great riders are expert horse listeners! They are sensitive to the feedback from their horses and adjust their responses accordingly.

It's as simple as that! 🙂

And now that I have humbly created my own ten habits of a competent rider, please take a look at the following video for a much more eloquent description. I was so thrilled to find the new Facebook page of one of my most revered writers and riders of all time, Charles deKunffy, that I thought I'd share it here for your viewing and educational pleasure. He always has a depth of understanding that surprises, even in answer to the most simple questions, and this video is no exception.

Now it's your turn. What is missing from this list? Please add to the comments below.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?
By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:
- the rider’s aids
- the use of the seat
- the half-halt
- accurate turns and circles
- transitions
- horse ownership and horse care
- goal setting for the rider
- rein lameness
… and much more!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

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Demystifying “Contact” in Horseback Riding

Sometimes it feels like the word "contact" has other-worldly connotations. Is it related to celestial retrogrades, or long-told mythical verbal traditions, or is it a yogic position unreachable by the average equine enthusiast?

Simply put, it is a "must learn" skill that every horseback rider needs in their toolbox.

In fact, "contact" as it relates to horse riding is a lot less mystifying than it might initially appear. It is true that "one never arrives" to the perfect contact, and you can devote a lifetime to developing the ultimate level of contact between you and your horse.

But to think that correct and effective contact is something out of the reach of the average rider is simply not true.

Picture This

handshake by Aidan Jones — Handshake by Aidan Jones

Developing contact with your horse is very much like shaking hands with a person. You reach for the person's hand and the other person reaches for yours. You close fingers relatively gently (we are not considering those strong shake-your-shoulder-off aggressive shakes!) around each other's hand and you mutually lift and drop your hands in the shake.

In general, it feels nice to shake someone's hand. You both show a willingness to meet in the middle and share a physical bond that connects you together.

Here's another picture: We've all seen partners in figure skating reach for each other's grasp as if by some mutually-shared secret that is known only to them. As they skate along, their "contact" changes from hand to hand, forward to backward, always meeting at a designated point, never appearing forced or contrived. We see the results - almost imperceptible communication that enables both partners to use each other's talents to bring out the best in each other. You could imagine a similar situation between ballroom dancers, and other such activities.

And so it should be with a horse.

To initiate contact, you must shorten the reins. Don't let anyone tell you that it is "cruel" to shorten the reins on a horse. In fact, intermittently picking up and dropping the contact on the bit might actually cause discomfort for the horse.

So... shorten the reins but don't pull! The trouble that many riders get into with contact is that they think that short reins means pulling reins. This is far from the truth.

Once you have achieved a useful rein length that allows you to hold the bit in the horse's mouth, your next job is to keep that contact steady. This is where it gets tricky - take up contact, and then keep it there (prerequisite: strong core muscles and hands that are independent of the seat so they can respond to the horse's needs rather than using the mouth for balance).

Next, invite the horse to reach forward into the contact. This is the part of the "handshake" where the horse goes to meet you. The trick here is that you have to create room within the contact for the horse to literally reach slightly forward with the whole body (including but not limited to the head and neck) to meet your hands at the end of the bit.

Initiate the horse's reach by asking for more impulsion - from your legs and seat - and then allowing the energy over the horse's back and into your hands. Create a millimeter of space (don't drop the reins!!) for your horse to reach toward. If you feel your horse surge forward into a rounder body outline (creating a "lifted back" to carry you with), you know you're on the right track!

What do you do when you have contact?

Maintain it and then try something new!

Work toward getting your horse "on the bit". You might want to ask the horse to reach further underneath itself for more collection. You might want the horse to transition into another gait. Maybe you want a bend, or a counterbend. In any case, you will always be working toward promoting a better weight bearing position for your horse while you are on his back.

The point is that without contact, you will always surprise your horse into the new movement, you will likely cause discomfort or even pain in the horse's mouth, and there will often be inconsistencies in your communication.

One thing to remember is that the quality of your contact can always be improved. We do always seek "better" contact, developing in the softness, lightness, gentleness and effectiveness of the touch. Each new circumstance requires a small adjustment to the quality and level of the contact, and each horse has different requirements and tolerances.

However, one thing remains true: a horse in good contact is a happy horse! And isn't that what we are all aiming for?

Note: Different disciplines require different "styles" of contact (i.e. western riding using curb bits) but there is nevertheless always a minimum level of contact that enables the horse to work at its optimum.

How do you describe "contact"?

Horses. Riding. Life.

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Demystifying “Contact” in Horseback Riding

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding