Expectation is the quickest way to damage your relationship with your horse. I had someone say ‘I want to make my horse lay down’ this week. Just the language alone tells me a lot about what’s going to happen here. When we replace ‘make’ with teach or allow it changes the intention, therefore the energy. Also different horses for courses….the lay down is not for every horse. Some horses are way too sensitive for lay down straight up. They need a whole lot of preparation. To learn to trust, to come off pressure, to learn feel. Some take time, some take to it straight away. It’s horses for courses.

Eliza can you post a video on opening & closing gates? I need the breakdown please.

When a horse is fully engaged, it significantly enhances a training session. Similar to a child who is attentive in school, they are more receptive to instruction and can respond to subtle cues. You can no less and achieve more. Distraction is a key factor in horses not responding promptly to cues. Once we have a horse focused and waiting for instruction, we can adopt a more connected, subtle approach. An attentive horse can detect subtle cues, which may give the impression that they are anticipating instructions. However, they are actually responding to our energy and body. Studies have shown that our bodies react 100 ms before we have a conscious thought, rendering our energy and nonverbal cues more potent than physical instructions. A distracted horse will seem ignorant, heavy and you’ll have to be loud. None of that is fun, so getting their attention before anything else is key to a session that feels good - for you and the horse.

Can you please do a video/lesson on how to start training the ground tie?

This category is about help. Feel free to ask for advise or help with an issue you may have. Don’t forget to add a picture of your horse !