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Zen Clicker Horsemanship |
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No.5 / November 2005 |
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This month the focus of the newsletter is on Well-being and Being well. We all talk about motivators. And whether you are using the release of pressure or a treat for or both for a job well done, we must always include that the primary reinforcement for all living creatures is that of safety. That sense of knowing that all is well and that no matter what, we’ll be OK. For this reason, I am including two books for our arsenal of awareness this month. The first is by spiritual healer Pamela Au. Listen as she speaks of the parallels of feeling in horses and in humans. The second is long time instructor and author Mary Wanless. I’ll bet all of you reading this newsletter have picked up a copy of one or more of her books. Ride with Your Mind focuses on building a clear mental concept of how it “ought to be”. Changes in the horse and rider can often be profound when deep listening occurs while both come from a place of presence and peace in knowing safety in each other. – Dolores Arste Find these books and others that will improve your riding and ground skills at: http://www.zenhorsemanship.com/ ________________________________________________________________________ Body, Mind and Spiritual Unity through the Art of Equitation by Pamela J.G. Au
CharacterEvery horse has a lesson to teach us. Some horses are explosive by nature, while others may be lazy or cautious, thinkers or daydreamers. By understanding the subtle differences, we can make adjustments in the application of proper riding and training techniques to aid in clearer communication and to avoid confrontations with the horse. With this experience, we become equipped with the tools to better understand different types of people in a variety of circumstances. This allows us to respond in a way that is conducive to the circumstance, instead of reacting without thought. Let's expound on that.Suppose you own a six-year-old thoroughbred mare. She raced for a few years and then was sold to a beginner. After a year of frustration and injury, the beginner put her up for sale. She is a nervous but obedient horse with occasional mood swings. She is talented. You love her. You take her out and groom her, only to find a new cut or scrape on her in the most unusual places. When you ride her, she trips over her own feet. Obviously, she is not traveling in balance. Improper training and handling, along with a lack of understanding, are contributing factors to the horse’s lack of balance and insecurities. If you pressure her, watch out, for she may explode with a temper tantrum. If it is one of her better days, she may give you impulsion that can unseat you. Her previous owners neglected her. This created in her a lack of trust for human companionship. What a challenge this type of horse is. In most cases, they end up going from one owner to the next, where they may eventually meet their doom. To make progress training this type of horse, first, trust needs to be reestablished. This is accomplished by building confidence. Patience, compassion, and proper schooling are essential to begin the re-schooling process. Confidence is gained by reestablishing her natural balance. She now is comfortable carrying the rider. Once the pain and discomfort is removed, there is no need for her to panic and run out of balance. The trainer replaces fear with confidence. Building confidence encourages her to trust in the rider or trainer. She now can perform within her level of ability. The training of a horse must progress in a way that allows physical and mental development to be built upon the previous level of training. Each stage of training supports the next. You cannot expect a two-year-old to have the concentration, balance and skill of an eight-year-old, nor can you expect a horse in training level to execute a flying lead change or extended trot. These movements are too advanced for the level of mental and physical development. To force or manipulate the horse before it is ready will make it lose confidence and trust in the rider or trainer. Most likely, this is reflected by a refusal to cooperate. The horse simply cannot do what is asked. At this point, the rider or trainer must be detached emotionally from the defiance in the horse. Simply ask again in a precise, calm manner. Communication must be implemented properly and clearly within the capability of the horse. By riding and training this way, the horse regains trust and confidence in its ability to perform and in its relationship with the rider. In comparison, let us say you have a son with a similar personality. Maybe he is 8 years old. He is sensitive and his ego bruises easily. He has a strong need to express himself. He stutters when trying hard to communicate. He competes with his older brother, causing frustration. This develops into a lack of confidence. Minor cuts and bruises mysteriously appear on him. While playing ball, he trips over his own feet for lack of balance. He is a strong-willed individual. Letting him surpass a small challenge within his level of ability establishes self-confidence. Developing self-confidence builds trust not only in one's self but also in the surrounding environment. The more trust established, the more confidence develops. Both attributes work hand in hand. When discipline is required, a firm yet direct approach, without pressure, yields results. Mean what you say and follow through with the necessary actions. Discipline that is too lenient becomes an advantage, but applying forceful action will cause panic. A frightened or insecure horse starts to run, fall on its forehand, change gait, or pick up speed to avoid confrontation. In the same way, an individual may lash out verbally, cower, become emotionally unstable, or shed tears due to insecurity. At this point, no learning takes place. A horse's personality/temperament is as individual as a man's. We do not get along with some horses, while we are attracted to others. The same is true of people. There are those with whom we do not care to associate and others with whom we resonate. We can be frank with some people, while others may easily take offense. Some horses need firm discipline while others would feel hurt or rejected by strong discipline. Occasionally, a rider's ego refuses to respect the subtle differences of personality. A mare that is in season, for example, may exhibit a resistance or stubbornness that may irritate or annoy the rider. Refusing to understand and look at the situation clearly, force is applied in efforts to manipulate the situation. Instead of complying, the horse rebels against any forceful action with superior intentions. This is nature's way. At this point, the frustrated rider feels powerless and loses control. The horse senses the rider's loss of power and most likely takes advantage of the situation. The result is an unproductive battle of wills. A child who does not get his way immediately responds with a temper tantrum. The ego of man is like the child. He rebels against being powerless. He refuses to succumb to authority. The authority in this case is nature. Learn to be flexible and feel the subtle differences of personalities. Recognize the signs of powerlessness. Then, you will know “right action.” Right action is critical, whether it be riding horses or being in a heated discussion with your spouse. This skill is a foundation for developing harmonious relationships and bonding with your horse. From this foundation, it becomes easier to understand and abide by natural law. ________________________________________________________________________ Ride with your Mind By Mary Wanless Mary encourages riders to think of their body-mind system like a musical instrument; before they can learn to play music with it they must firstly learn how to tune it. But, most riders want to play complicated music without ever having done this, and as a result there is always discord Like the strings of a violin, the muscles of the body can be too tight or too loose, and different muscle groups might need different adjustments. The mind too can be under focused, where is perceives a large amount of information as a blur, or it can be in the state of over focus which comes from trying too hard. Very, very few people have naturally the right “tuning” in either body or mind, and developing this is the primary challenge facing us as riders. Finding it makes riding – and learning to ride – very much easier than most people believe it is. For some it makes the apparently impossible become possible; for others, it adds ease, grace and an intuitive understanding of how to approach each horse’s problems. If also opens the door to many other skills, and it you let it it has the potential to change the quality of your life ________________________________________________________________________ For all your clicker training wants and needs visit: http://www.zenhorsemanship.com/7501.htm _________________________________________________________________________ Zen Clicker Horsemanship - A Holistic Approach Zen clicker horsemanship strives to take riding into a realm of deeper spiritual awareness and growth where it becomes an art form. It incorporates all the systems of the horse holistically. This includes body, mind and spirit of both horse and rider/owner. Each individual handling and riding a horse has a responsibility. This is one of nurturing, training and communicating. It is a mutual understanding based on trust and being polite. Communication is precise and the results are happy horses willing to work for their owners/riders. Many of the problems associated with riding and being with horses originate from the rider. As long as the horse is sound, the rider is of utmost importance to allow for communication and relaxation. The rider communicates through the seat, leg, hand and voice aids. If these are not in harmony with the rhythm of the horse, if there is tension in the body the communication is not clear and you have a frustrated horse and rider. Riding is about balance and feel. If you are out of balance you can’t feel the rhythm of the horse. If you are holding tension you cannot be in the best balance., And, cannot interpret what the horse is telling you. When you are in balance, meaning sitting in your center as well as the horse’s center of gravity, the energy running through the spine aligns and connects from heaven's energy to earth's energy. This opens a channel and allows clarity of mind or empty mind. This state of mind nurtures a reception center for receiving communication from your horse and the environment. You are better able to sense or read what the horse is thinking about before he has a chance to react. In the deep listening at these times, together you are able to respond or to think first. This creates a safer atmosphere for you and your horse. This holistic approach opens a doorway into understanding and connecting with the horse at a level of oneness. All living things are influenced by a life force that flows in and around us. When a balanced rider synchronizes their “Ki” or life force with that of the horse, harmony and a clear line of communication is the result. Both are working towards the same goal instead of in opposition. Applied awareness to all that we do nurtures an atmosphere of growth. Your horse has an energy system, both physical and etheric. The system encompasses the chakra centers. These centers hold the memory of the past and present emotional traumas. Any aspect of emotional energy that has not been healed or released affects the health and mental state of the entire being. There are many reasons for the energy system of the equine to become sluggish, blocked or broken. Chronic pain, poorly fitted tack, improper hoof maintenance, unbalanced riding, poor nutrition, stress or an emotional habit creates a blockage in the energy system. If left unattended, eventually lameness or other physical discomforts manifest. Symptoms may include but are not limited to; uneven gait, pain, lack of enthusiasm, evasions and spooking. The horse naturally is wired for flight or fight. If he is in pain or discomfort or a frustrating situation, he will choose one of the two options or both. This can manifest in the form of shying, stopping, bolting, bucking, and much more. These are within the horse whatever the horse feels it needs for self-preservation at the present moment. Energy-therapy can help to locate areas of distress in the body as well as recharge the cellular structure. It is a slow release of trapped emotional energy associated with trauma or discomfort. Think of it as an electrical current running through the body. You cannot see these currents but if the current hits a frayed or broken wire, the current becomes weak or dispersed. It manifests itself physically by symptoms of fatigue, weakness or illness. Energy balancing mends the frays and restores a complete circuit of the life force allowing the body to heal itself If the cause of the imbalance is not corrected, it is only a temporary relief. In most cases, poorly fitted tack, improperly shod or trimmed hooves, and poor riding, training and miscommunications are the major causes of these imbalances. With a holistic approach to riding and training your horse, these imbalances can correct itself over time if the cause is recognized and corrected. The more you ride in balance with your horse and allow the horse to carry itself in balance with the rider, the less you as a rider interfere with what the horse knows how to do naturally. The result is a release of trapped emotional energy, pain and discomfort for both the horse and the rider. Riding and communicating with your horse becomes effortless. _________________________________________________________________________ Physioballs – The Easy and Cheap way get ready to ride Are you looking for ways to improve the biomechanics of your riding? Could you use some training, which will increase your balance and stability? Would you love to own a horse but cannot afford to? Would you be willing to settle for the next best thing? Or are you temporarily grounded, and wanting some off-horse activity, which has the potential to enhance your riding? The answer to all of the above lies in a physioball. Very cheap to keep, they take no feeding, and no mucking out. They roll you off, but they never buck you off. For - as you will realize if you let yourself loose on a ball - the vast majority of horses are courteous enough to hold you up when you lose your balance, whilst physioballs are not! Physioballs are commonly used for patients who need training in spinal stabilization. One of the reasons for this is that playing with the balls is so much fun that patients actually do their homework. Exercise that makes you stabilize your spine strengthens the muscles, which surround it, and this often leads to a reduction in pain for those who are recovering from injury. Physioballs are available in three sizes from http://www.evacperformance.com/ And, Don't forget to contact us for all of your saddle fitting needs - Saddle Fitting by Dave _________________________________________________________________________ lots of FUN! " And that's the way it is ...unless it isn't." - Dr. Mary Lynch Come visit us at: Pa Horse Expo - Feb 24 - 26, 2006 3-Days 3-Horses 3-New Presentations And coming in May 2006 Tag Teach Certification Workshop email dolores@... | |
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