Over the last few years there has been a lot of hype about horse training.
All kinds of "new" techniques were presented, but mostly it is the same show of starting an "untouched" horse.
In my opinion something lost out - "finesse.
" There is more to training, riding or driving a horse than "just get going.
" If the horse takes a halter and kind of follows, the job seems to be done.
But it actually is far from done.
The Spanish riding tradition is a good example of finesse.
Leading the horse is a good way to get started in that direction.
The objective should be something like this: "the horse follows every move of the handler with it's nose at the handlers elbow and without taking the slack out of the lead rope.
" It could mare precise like "at any location", but that will do.
This is about more than "getting from here to there"! The biggest problem in our modern day world of training horses is, that it will take time - a lot of time.
You will not accomplish that in a few afternoons - not even in a couple weeks.
It requires that you have your full focus on the fact that you are leading the horse - and nothing else.
In return it will gain you the full focus of the horse on any slightest move you make - ready to respond.
Only this combination will get you the finesse of leading.
And once you are there, you can take it one step further.
Forget the lead rope and do it without.
Once it works you have kind of reached the "Grand Prix level" of "lead the horse.
" Why would you do that? Why spend all this time on leading? Two answers: First, to me it is a lot of fun.
In my opinion it is worth it to achieve this strong connection with a horse.
This is finesse - and that is what I like.
Second and much more important, once you have this connection, you will not loose it when you move on to more and other training.
Everything else will be pretty much a breeze.
Leading the horse to a level of finesse is the easiest approach to finesse.
All you need is a halter and a lead rope.
There are no cues you need to give - there actually should not even be any voice commands.
If you have to say "back" - you are just not there yet.
Let me give you a final example.
I enjoyed visiting the Dublin Horse Show in Ireland.
And it always amazed me to see the handlers walk through a crowd counting by the thousands with one of these big hunter jumpers on each side.
I am not sure, if these horses even noticed the crowd - their focus was on their handler.
All kinds of "new" techniques were presented, but mostly it is the same show of starting an "untouched" horse.
In my opinion something lost out - "finesse.
" There is more to training, riding or driving a horse than "just get going.
" If the horse takes a halter and kind of follows, the job seems to be done.
But it actually is far from done.
The Spanish riding tradition is a good example of finesse.
Leading the horse is a good way to get started in that direction.
The objective should be something like this: "the horse follows every move of the handler with it's nose at the handlers elbow and without taking the slack out of the lead rope.
" It could mare precise like "at any location", but that will do.
This is about more than "getting from here to there"! The biggest problem in our modern day world of training horses is, that it will take time - a lot of time.
You will not accomplish that in a few afternoons - not even in a couple weeks.
It requires that you have your full focus on the fact that you are leading the horse - and nothing else.
In return it will gain you the full focus of the horse on any slightest move you make - ready to respond.
Only this combination will get you the finesse of leading.
And once you are there, you can take it one step further.
Forget the lead rope and do it without.
Once it works you have kind of reached the "Grand Prix level" of "lead the horse.
" Why would you do that? Why spend all this time on leading? Two answers: First, to me it is a lot of fun.
In my opinion it is worth it to achieve this strong connection with a horse.
This is finesse - and that is what I like.
Second and much more important, once you have this connection, you will not loose it when you move on to more and other training.
Everything else will be pretty much a breeze.
Leading the horse to a level of finesse is the easiest approach to finesse.
All you need is a halter and a lead rope.
There are no cues you need to give - there actually should not even be any voice commands.
If you have to say "back" - you are just not there yet.
Let me give you a final example.
I enjoyed visiting the Dublin Horse Show in Ireland.
And it always amazed me to see the handlers walk through a crowd counting by the thousands with one of these big hunter jumpers on each side.
I am not sure, if these horses even noticed the crowd - their focus was on their handler.
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