Ep 123: Training Efficiently When You’re Short On Time
For those of us who are in the ranching world, we don't always have the luxury of 'slowing things down' and giving our horses time to find the right answer. When it's time to get a job done, sometimes, getting the job done is the only thing we can focus on in that moment.
That’s why a horse’s foundation is so important. When you are in the middle of a competitive run or a job out in the pasture, your horse falls back on the foundation you have established. How strong that foundation is will determine how well your horse performs in high pressure situations.
In those high pressure situations, it is rarely feasible or realistic to slow things down and correct your horse in the heat of the moment. When we do finally get the chance to slow things down and put the pieces back together, it’s important for our plan, our processes, and our implementation of these processes to be in alignment.
When we do get those small pockets of time, we have to be disciplined enough to use that time wisely. Our horses need those little windows of time when we can reinforce their fundamentals and build their confidence back up.
The biggest fault I see in these scenarios is when people try to fix all the pieces in one day. Your horse doesn’t know how long your to-do list is. All they know is what kind of energy you are bringing into the training session that day. If you are rushing around trying to get too much done, you are not using your time wisely.
Pick one thing to focus on, and approach it with a manageable pace. While it might not seem like you are accomplishing much in the moment, it’s important to remember that the accumulation of small wins like this is what will make the difference for your horse in the long run.
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