I just love this so very much! The thoughts that popped into my mind: "Activity that a horse finds intrinsically rewarding". Should all horses be so lucky as to find that their owners get them at this level! "Value of our voice". Yes! When we use our voice in a way that reflects our excitement, our excitement comes through and the horses feel it! "When we have a connection with our horse. When we have have a relationship . . . protector leadership, where the horse feels safe with us, where they look to us for safety and security, and feel good being with us, . . . when we have that connection, our praise means MORE to them." "The praise from us . . . the person they are bonded with, really means to them, . . ." I'm just a mere amateur, but I think that they can absolutely sense our mindset. Even if we said nothing, they would sense our utter delight and gratitude for their effort. Just saying it aloud makes US feel it more and amps up our feeling that the horse can pick up on. Patting vs stroking; I asked my trainer years ago as to why we are patting our horses, because it made no sense to me; I had never seen horses "pat" each other in a herd. This is one of the weird human constructs. "It is only a reward if s/he thinks it is a reward"!!!!! < < < THIS! "Release is a reward, . . .horses do not think so!" Interesting! Food for thought! "Horses who are trained solely by pressure and release avoid people, . . . " Interesting how many people struggle with this, . . . "If we are using pressure more like like communication, it is more like dance partners, . . . but pressure and release doesn't need to be a negative . . . if you are riding with very gentle cues, then your pressure and release . . . is like a conversation . . . that's communication rather than a reward". Paraphrazing "When a horse offers something he likes to do, let him do it, then ask for something he finds a challenge". "Tricks have been looked down upon, . . . under estimated way of engaging with our horses positively, . . . " ". . . offering to do something she is happy to do", what on earth is wrong with this? ". . . make a whole interaction rewarding for the horse . . . " a huge challenge for humans! ". . . giving the horse feeling of success, so that he can feel good about himself . . . " Learning to observe and recognize this in a horse is a challenge when we are not used to considering the feelings of the horse, let alone acknowledging that they have any relevance! - Reward given at a time that makes sense to the horse, not after the whole 45 minutes of riding. Going to the trainer as a "reward": I have seen a lot of horses go to the trainer to relax. A lot of them veer toward her all the time during the lesson, depending on the level of insecurity of the rider. I'm no expert, but I feel that the horses sense who is experienced/calm/source of stability and comfort/the "lead mare" in the situation, so they naturally gravitate toward her. Just the few observations that came to my mind during this. Such wealth of food for thought!
I was unable to attend the zoom, so thank you so much for posting this on TH-cam! I also loved the conversation! It gave me some new ideas and validated some things I currently do.
something that wasn't mentioned, but may simply be too obvious, is hand grazing your horse (I take my mare to graze with me before and after each ride or ground work/liberty session, and have done so with all my horses) Sure, the grass is a food reward/bribery, but it is also an opportunity for bonding, and it is something horses do together naturally in the herd. I do notice that it makes for a much better session, and it enhances the trust/bond much sooner, and puts something in the horse's stomach, which helps with digestion and exercise.
Love this conversation. You are speaking my language. I love how you both explained it.
Excellent discussion and SUCH an important topic for improving our ability to communicate with our horses, Thank you.
I just love this so very much! The thoughts that popped into my mind:
"Activity that a horse finds intrinsically rewarding". Should all horses be so lucky as to find that their owners get them at this level!
"Value of our voice". Yes! When we use our voice in a way that reflects our excitement, our excitement comes through and the horses feel it!
"When we have a connection with our horse. When we have have a relationship . . . protector leadership, where the horse feels safe with us, where they look to us for safety and security, and feel good being with us, . . . when we have that connection, our praise means MORE to them."
"The praise from us . . . the person they are bonded with, really means to them, . . ." I'm just a mere amateur, but I think that they can absolutely sense our mindset. Even if we said nothing, they would sense our utter delight and gratitude for their effort. Just saying it aloud makes US feel it more and amps up our feeling that the horse can pick up on.
Patting vs stroking; I asked my trainer years ago as to why we are patting our horses, because it made no sense to me; I had never seen horses "pat" each other in a herd. This is one of the weird human constructs.
"It is only a reward if s/he thinks it is a reward"!!!!! < < < THIS!
"Release is a reward, . . .horses do not think so!" Interesting! Food for thought!
"Horses who are trained solely by pressure and release avoid people, . . . " Interesting how many people struggle with this, . . .
"If we are using pressure more like like communication, it is more like dance partners, . . . but pressure and release doesn't need to be a negative . . . if you are riding with very gentle cues, then your pressure and release . . . is like a conversation . . . that's communication rather than a reward".
Paraphrazing "When a horse offers something he likes to do, let him do it, then ask for something he finds a challenge".
"Tricks have been looked down upon, . . . under estimated way of engaging with our horses positively, . . . "
". . . offering to do something she is happy to do", what on earth is wrong with this?
". . . make a whole interaction rewarding for the horse . . . " a huge challenge for humans!
". . . giving the horse feeling of success, so that he can feel good about himself . . . " Learning to observe and recognize this in a horse is a challenge when we are not used to considering the feelings of the horse, let alone acknowledging that they have any relevance!
- Reward given at a time that makes sense to the horse, not after the whole 45 minutes of riding.
Going to the trainer as a "reward": I have seen a lot of horses go to the trainer to relax. A lot of them veer toward her all the time during the lesson, depending on the level of insecurity of the rider. I'm no expert, but I feel that the horses sense who is experienced/calm/source of stability and comfort/the "lead mare" in the situation, so they naturally gravitate toward her.
Just the few observations that came to my mind during this. Such wealth of food for thought!
Great convo! Really great ideas! 😊👍
I was unable to attend the zoom, so thank you so much for posting this on TH-cam! I also loved the conversation! It gave me some new ideas and validated some things I currently do.
something that wasn't mentioned, but may simply be too obvious, is hand grazing your horse (I take my mare to graze with me before and after each ride or ground work/liberty session, and have done so with all my horses) Sure, the grass is a food reward/bribery, but it is also an opportunity for bonding, and it is something horses do together naturally in the herd. I do notice that it makes for a much better session, and it enhances the trust/bond much sooner, and puts something in the horse's stomach, which helps with digestion and exercise.
Very informative, thank you so much for sharing
Belly scratches are definitely a favourite of many of our horses :)