Receiving Energy
Receiving Energy
Do you have trouble getting your horse to understand what you’re asking during a training session? Do you get frustrated when this happens? I bet your horse does too!
Have you ever been around a person who is extremely on edge or constantly in a state of worry? Do you sense from them that they are contributing to your own thoughts and behavior without even saying a word? Body language and state of mind are just as important in overall communication as verbiage is.
Work with your horse by encouraging him to give you positive, relaxed energy, or receiving energy. Know that horses must be relaxed to learn due to their biological imperative to choose flight when anxious.
This has extreme benefits!
Promotes readiness to intake new information
Promotes connection between horse & handler
Promotes beginning stages of good posture
Promotes healthy muscle gain
Promotes emotional regulation
HOW TO:
Ensure you are emulating a calm & positive demeanor yourself.
Put a halter or cavesson on your horse, lead rope attached to the tie ring or middle noseband ring.
Softly ask him to lower his head & relax his ventral neck muscles (brachiocephalicus & omotransversarius), releasing pressure with every try from the horse - sometimes putting a hand just above the point of shoulder helps bring awareness to what you’re asking him to relax & then you can feel when the neck does relax.
Do this often, before every training session (this can be the session too!), while standing tied, while leading from point A to B, walking straight lines, just being with your horse, etc.
**TIP - You can watch/feel for the muscles stated above to relax - or - look for the medial neck to “fill in”, or engage (cervical ventral serrated muscle).
**TIP - If your horse gets anxious at any time, ask for their receiving energy, careful not to force it. Before you know it, he will be openly relaxed standing next to you & ready to move forward.
**TIP - Ensure you never become upset, a horse takes an increase in heart rate from us as a signal to be afraid, so that completely defeats the purpose of this exercise. Trust is essential.
Your horse may struggle with this at first & that is completely fine, they’ll get the hang of it as you continue. Don’t drill it, just 10-15 minutes/day is enough.
Keep in mind - these ventral neck muscles are those that protect the jugular & carotid, in addition to move the neck & shoulders when fleeing, so a horse absolutely •M•U•S•T• be relaxed mentally to relax physically.
*Start at the stand still. If you have trouble, try it at the walk, in straight lines.
The more you understand your horse on the ground, the more effortless things will be under saddle! Do more than just lunging & riding! Every form of communication we use transfers from the ground to under saddle.
The more we treat our horses like the athletes they are (competition or not), the healthier they will be & the longer we will be blessed with their presence!
If you have any questions regarding changing your horse’s life for the better, contact me!
*Credit for introducing me to this idea of thinking goes to the founder of BTMM.
- LR
This video is intended for those who wish to better their partnership with their horse(s) through mindfulness.
