How do we teach our horses to be patient, good citizens? Does it bother you when your horse walks off as soon as your rear hits the saddle and leaves you scrambling for reins and your other stirrup?
There are several "exercises" that I incorporate into my program to try an instill patience into my equine partners, including:
1) Just Sit
I often just sit on my horses. After I get on, I just sit...after I stop (loping circles, or working on turn-arounds, or working the flag) to let them catch their air, I just sit...when I'm riding with other people, or watching at a show I just sit. If they walk off a few steps, I back them off and then sit. Sometimes I write on my blog, sometimes I talk to friends, sometimes I look at Facebook, and most the time...I just enjoy sitting there. It gives me (and them) an opportunity to "just be." After this becomes a habit for them, I think horses crave the consistency, but also the opportunity to relax.
2) Just Stand
Shortly after I moved to Texas, I worked at a barn where most people rode English. The individuals in that barn were often confused about my "western" approach to my horsemanship. For example, they were confused about why, after I was done riding and had given my mare a bath, I tied her in her stall while I cleaned her stall, put away tack, swept my section of the barn, etc. They asked if I was letting her "think about our ride." This question made me giggle, but it also made me ask myself, "Why do I tie her up?" I realized I tied her up for an hour or so because, well that's what I had always done at the barn where I grew up (a working cowhorse/reining show barn). So I asked myself - what do we gain from this practice? I think it teaches them patience - to just stand where we put them. When I travel to shows or to ride with professionals in the industry, I need to be able to tie my horse up and expect them to stand patiently. Making this practice part of my program teaches them exactly that - to just stand!
