Now we have our ‘higher bandwidth’ connection and have fine-tuned the Feel we present through our tools, we need the third key to add clarity, even value, from the horse’s viewpoint.

Virtually every problem that arises in our handling of horses and riding boils down to one small thing:

Where does the next foot go next? And... how does it Feel between you and your horse?

If a horse is concerned, he steps away. If he takes over, his next foot goes off course. If he needs to save himself, his next foot might go higher or further than expected.

Convention teaches us to direct or correct the horse ‘against’ the flow of the horse’s feet, through our use of pressure. Our timing is ahead of or behind the horse’s own flow: we’re early or late!

We miss the horse’s timing. And we miss the most important thing to a prey animal: where he needs to put his feet, when and how fast to feel safe. It’s how he is wired. Conventional pressure and its timing challenges a decision the horse already made to fulfill his core need vs. guide him to provide for that need. We erode his trust, confidence and interrupt Flow.

Get With My Feet!

When we find out how easy (really!) it is to guide our horse’s feet from within his Flow instead, it has a dramatic effect on the horse’s trust and confidence as well as inspiring his interest in what we do together – it feels like a private conversation with his most deeply-wired awareness.

The conventional ‘red pen’ focus on what must be corrected or isn't right yet shifts and we enter instead the deep now of true connection. 

As a student posted, “You have shown me the door to Wonderland”.

Take a look at some simple adjustments in your Feel you can try to help your horse at home.