 Cover Stories “Celebrate the temporary moment, not the task”
It’s wonderful to be alive in the information age with the variety of opportunities for learning. We have come a long way from passing the horsemanship traditions down around the campfire or the boot camp style training gained from the military. Books, articles, online courses, videos, expos, clinics and more concentrated learning environments such as camps and schools are available to most of us. The challenge is to keep from being overwhelmed and find a way to assess the vast array of information while keeping your focus on developing a more meaningful relationship with your horse.
In this article I will describe the teaching techniques that I use, how I have developed this approach and how you can use it to become an effective consumer of equine education. We will look at breaking information into digestible chunks, applying them with your horse without loosing sight of the goal for deepening your partnership.
Four Steps to Achieving Your Horse-related Goals
I see four steps in this learning process: Philosophy, Concept, Theory and Task that move from the big picture to a specific applied task.
Step 1 - Philosophy I find it most effective to start with the biggest possible picture. This type of information comprises the philosophical information necessary to better understand your horse. This would include information that allows you to get “inside the mind of the horse” to help you understand the prey animal behavior when in relationship with a human. At this stage the information is general and not applied to your specific situation. It is background information to give you a broad and general understanding of the potential of your relationship with your partner.
Step 2 - Concept The philosophical content becomes the foundation for a conceptual approach to a specific situation. At this level you begin to integrate the philosophy into your evaluation of a particular behavior or problem.
For example; I’ll use an issue of equalization of the “whoa” and “go” with your horse. Imagine your horse is impulsive (too much go). Because your horse is a forwardaholic we need to do exercises to shorten the horse so he/she doesn’t feel the need to run away.
This is where the philosophical content helps. When dealing with a prey animal they are either running away because they are flying from fear or running back to the herd/barn. At the conceptual level you still won’t have a hands-on task. Don’t rush to the task yet because it is essential to fully diagnose the issue without losing site of your goal for relationship. At this point we know the horse wants to run impulsively and it may be out of either fear or disrespect.
Step 3 - Theory The next step would be to offer the theory on how to shorten a horse that wants to run. This takes the philosophical background, integrates it into your evaluation of a specific situation and suggests a proposed procedure for strengthening your relationship with your horse based on your observations.
One such solution would be to travel only short distances with lots of turns, never allowing the head of steam to build up resulting in the impulsive behavior. When you notice more relaxation coming into the movement, stop and reward your horse.
Celebrate the temporary moment not the task. You have just built a more trusting relationship with your partner. At the theoretical level you have a proposed procedure that allows you to “test” your concept, but there still isn’t enough detail to help you to successfully complete the task in a variety of settings.
Step 4 – The Task Finally you are ready for a detailed task. I would instruct you to follow an exact pattern (including a series of straight lines and turns) and if you found your horse speeding up you would tighten the pattern or ask your horse to move backwards or sideways. This will re-focus the horse’s mind on a more complex task leaving little room for impulsive behavior until he/she begins to relax.
The goal of this step is to have developed a detailed task that has a purpose. If the task doesn’t work we don’t necessarily need to change our thinking conceptually, just the details of the task. As long as the big picture of partnership and slowing the horse is not lost then the detail of the task can be adjusted.
Taking time to understand the philosophical reasoning behind the task is critical for success.
At each step you keep refining your understanding of the problem, working toward a specific approach without placing more importance on the task than on relationship development. Remember, you are not trying to conquer your horse, you are trying to provide leadership and develop a partnership.
When you are searching for just the right educational experience, make sure you connect with a clinician or instructor who is able to help you understand your horse at this level and one that can articulate a plan for application. Following are some pointers on where you are most likely to develop your understanding at each of these levels and suggestions for using them more effectively.
What Educational Setting do I choose?
Videos, Books, Articles and CDs
These resources provide the best resources for the philosophical and conceptual levels of understanding and give you the most freedom from time and place restraints. This type of learning establishes the background necessary for success with the hands-on. The down side is there is no feed back when you begin to make application so you need a way to evaluate how you are progressing.
To help make these resources more effective, have someone video you at work and watch that. Use a short tape of what you are doing and compare it to what the video wants you to do. The next step would be to send this to a professional for a more in-depth evaluation. I get over a hundred videos from my students each year.
Expos and Demonstrations
The large horse expos are great for getting a buffet style sampling of the horse industry, under one roof. Go to expos to see who you align with philosophically. You may observe some of the philosophy applied conceptually, but this is not the venue for information at the theoretical and detailed task levels. However you might find the person to help you solve your challenge at the expo.
You are most likely to get to the Theory and Task level of information at the following events:.
Private Lessons (1 to 2 hour private coaching sessions)
Private lesson are a great place to get the detail you need specifically to initiate an immediate change in behavior and relationship with your horse. This is not where you want to pay to hear all about the philosophical reasoning behind the task. You can get that in a book or video in the comfort of your living room.
Clinics, Camps and Schools
These events can vary in size and length. Groups can range from 10 to 30 people and the length of time can be 2 days to several months. These events are where the big changes are made. With the longer term intense time with an instructor you and your horse can settle in to the information and progress on the fast track. You get the continual stream of feed back and are introduced to challenges that are not easily reproduced at home.
Clinics, Camps, schools and private lessons are more intense and the risk for you as an individual increases because your horse is part of the equation. Some may fear the physical risk of dealing with horses hands on and others may fear being the learner in a public environment. However the benefit of such exposure increases exponentially with the risk. Your ability to feel good about not being good at your horsemanship determines what you get out of the investment you have made. It is essential to find a place where you feel safe and trust the instruction that is being provided.
Horse Training (30 days to 2 years) This is where the trainer develops your horse for you. Make sure you have selected a trainer that you are comfortable with philosophically and have analyzed the challenge conceptually. You may decide to use a trainer because you realize that you are not able to achieve the desired outcome without professional help. To make certain you are getting the best value, make sure you are allowed to observe the sessions and have reports sent regarding your horse’s progress. Start with a specific plan in mind. As the trainer begins to work with your horse, they should be able to tell you if the goal is realistic and if not, help you adjust your goal. Don’t fall into month after month of payment without a clear understanding of the time frame and outcome.
A final note on being an effective consumer of educational experiences: Become a more effective learner and you will achieve higher levels of success and relationship with your horse. Push yourself outside your comfort zone and focus on your student skills by developing an open mind and deciding if the message is right for you. The horse is one of the fastest learners in the animal kingdom so we need to become very good students of horses to lead them.
Remember horsemanship is for life!
Getting Ready for hands-on educational ventures
Yourself: § familiarize yourself with pre-course study material if available § practice some of the techniques prior to the clinic or lesson § attend an event as a spectator to know more about what to expect
Your Horse: § Take a trial run with trailering to a new location the weekend before the event. § Practice possible new techniques with your horse before the clinic § If the event is physically demanding, make sure your horse is fit § If water taste differs from home, bring your own or flavor the water.
When you Arrive: Just Free Play it! Go with an open attitude and ask the instructor for as much help as you need. I’m in the business because I love helping people with horses and it doesn’t matter what your horse does. That’s what fun is for me! The discomfort that can be experienced outside of your comfort zone also carries with it the potential for the “wow” moment that deepens your relationship with your horse.
About the Author: Horses have always been a central part of Jonathan’s life. He rode and competed in both Western and English styles. In 1995, Jonathan was introduced to Pat and Linda Parelli . He quickly worked through the Parelli program becoming a horse specialist, and has studied under Master Horseman Ronnie Willis and with 14-time Reining Champion, Craig Johnson.
Jonathan is a visionary in today’s horse-world. He and his wife, Angie, travel extensively giving Parelli Clinics and demonstrations. For more information visit www.jonathanfield.net or call 888-JFFIELD (533-4353)
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