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An effective strategy for for this horse is to get him to FOCUS on us. He can't think of spooking or worrying about stuff if he has to think about us. We go along with his idea of moving his feet, but in a constructive, purposeful way.
When working with an RBE, we need to keep our thoughts in sync with his, meaning you will be thinking, “OK, I'm with you! Let's do this together, and I'll give you the cue to change direction.” He will notice that you are doing what he is doing, yet taking charge.
It's important that you do not get angry. This will fuel the fire. We want to put out the fire with leadership, not dominance. I can't stress enough the value of passively guiding a horse. Our emotions have no place around a horse, except love. By using clear, repetitive cues that are assertive, not aggressive, he will see that you are helping him focus, not attacking him.
On the ground, we can teach him to yield his feet in the direction we choose. At first, he will just want to run in a circle. In a round pen, we can head toward the fence across from him to interrupt his forward motion by reaching out to wave the training stick at the fence. Note: We use a training stick to protect our personal space and put up a barrier for the horse. A RBE cannot think when excited, so this is very important that you can keep him from running into you! When he changes direction, go back to the center of the pen. Repeat this, keeping your energy matched to his.
Read your horse, looking for signs of relaxation: head lowering slightly, blinking, exhaling, licking and chewing, (the Extrovert will show lots of tongue!), eventually he might look at you with both eyes, blow out gently through the nose, cough, shake his neck or body, and, most desirable- yawn! Any of these things deserve a release from you as you immediately lower your stick, cock a leg, tuck your belly button, turn away, look at the beautiful day, and smile! The faster you release, the better.
Any pressure you put on your horse is measured. Was it too much? Too little? Your horse's response will tell you if you appropriately used your energy and training stick. Too much pressure will send him crashing into the round pen panels, so add your pressure SLOWLY, and be ready to QUICKLY retreat.
Retreat not only means lowering your stick in a neutral, non threatening way, it also means removing yourself out of your horse's personal space. Stepping back will allow him confidence to
check in with you. He will feel safer to look in your direction. I call this, ‘asking a question’. Your horse is asking if you are happy with his actions. Your answer, “Yes, I'm here FOR you, my friend.”
Horsenality is the word Pat Parelli coined for horse personality. Horses and people are who they are because of genetics and life experiences. This series is intended to demystify WHY your horse acts the way he does, give you some strategies for correcting your horse's behavior when he acts a certain way, and to create a more willing partner.
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