Path of least resistance

How do you do when training? Is there easily irritation and bickering? The horse does no go where you want it to and you have to use harder and blunter aids than you may actually wish to? Then I would suggest you to follow the path of least resistance!

Did you ever dance and felt you could not lead or follow your partner because you are simply on the wrong foot? Your balance is wrong and your body is on its way in some other direction. Before you can lead or follow you need to get on the right foot again and find your balance. It can be just the same with our horses! If we for example ask them to move the shoulder to the right and we get resistance in return, it may well depend on the fact that the horse is on “the wrong foot”. They are imbalanced and thus cannot move in the direction you want before they have gotten back on “the right foot”. This is where the path of least resistance enters. If you want to move the shoulder to the right but get no answer, ask for a step to the left, rebalance the horse and again ask for a step to the right. Voila, all of a sudden it was maybe a lot easier and you could maintain soft and sensitive in your aids?

Did you ever dance and felt you could not lead or follow your partner because you are simply on the wrong foot?

Try to ignore thoughts like “my horse have to obey me immediately”.  Just as you cannot follow your partner while dancing if you are on the wrong leg, neither can your horse. Do not punish it for this but just help it to rebalance and then again ask for the same thing. And smile big while doing it!