Just because we say so, doesn’t mean they will

Everybody learns how to tell a horse what to do.

Not everybody learns that just because you can tell a horse what to do doesn't mean they will do it.

That's literally the saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink

The point of riding schools is to ride horses that will let you learn to tell them what to do so that you can learn how to tell a horse what to do. But most riders who have ever owned a horse know that when it's your horse, telling it what to do is a lot harder and sometimes scarier.

Because what we don't tell you when you come and ride our horses we don't tell you how much we're managing our horses to keep them willing participants. Our horses' health is optimised and prioritised, mentally, physically and emotionally and this is the most challenging part of the congruently willing horse.

Horses have lots of reasons to know want to do as we ask

• They don't trust us

• They don't like us

• They are hungry

• Their saddle is uncomfortable

• Their bit causes wounds on their mouth

• The concussion of the work is too much on their legs and they're developing splints

• Their back is too sore

• Carrying a rider Is hard

• Understanding the rider is harder

• Trying not to fall over while the rider is pulling on its head is harder.

Honestly this list can go a lot longer. Send in a video and I'll tell you what your horse isn't liking.

Managing all these complaints so that the horse is still willingly participating is the most important part of my job. Because if I'm not, I have to pull the horse out of the school.

As soon as they're holding too much tension, it results in physical ailments usually injuries, ulcers and back pain, and if I'm not paying attention to the small details, a flick of the ear, a twist of the hip not only do students start coming off but the horse inevitably becomes physically lame and can be used at all. Some schools push through this by keeping the horse on pain relief. But we are holistic in our approach. We listen to the signs and manage the issues so that the horse enjoys learning, movement feels good and they ask to be ridden.

This means the biggest thing I am managing, that is within my control (aside from saddle fit, body work, chiro, teeth, bit fit and supplements) is how the rider rides.

• I can get them to sit lighter so that their seat isn't hurting their back

• I can get them to centre their balance so that they aren't balancing on the horse's mouth

• I can get them to follow the horses Rhythm so that they aren't breaking their stride and evenness

• I can get the rider to breath so that both horse and rider can stay in a relaxed state of physical effort ing

• I can get the rider to learn how to steer with their legs so that they aren't pulling on the horses head

• I can get the rider to feel if the horses balance is in the shoulders or hindquarters so that the horse isn't dragging itself around with its shoulders

• I can get the rider to feel that the horse is relaxed in to and accepting the contact or lifting its mouth off or bracing against the contact and how to develop hands the horse can trust

• I can teach the rider how to use their seat that they don't have to use the bit.

And that's how I can tell a horse what to do. Not because I can physically manhandle and emotionally manipulate the horse, but I can see what their doing is hard and I can do my best to make their job easier so that it can be fun to learn and feel good to move.

There are a lot of reasons why your horse shouldn’t do what you want them to. But lot’s of reasons why we should build an environment designed to help them choose to do what we ask.

Register for the free Say YES to a happy willing horse masterclass, where I delve into how you can make that a reality with your horse.