Ep 82: Dealing with the Pressure of Deadlines
Many of us are training under some sort of deadline--whether that is a self-imposed deadline or a deadline that is dictated by a certain event, such as a futurity.
When we are faced with a deadline, we tend to feel increased pressure to make our horses "great" in a shorter amount of time. We get so focused on where we want to be, that we begin to lose sight of the system it takes to produce that desired end result.
When we feel pressured, we tend to put our horses under pressure, too. And, this pressure is one of the things that causes a horse to tap into a reactive state of mind.
When a horse enters a reactive state of mind, it can become increasingly difficult to control speed and direction. Therefore, we must establish an exercise that serves as a trigger to get that horse back into a responsive, thinking mindset. When a horse is “thinking”, it is engaged in the signals we are sending and searching for the responses we are asking for.
My go-to trigger exercises are one rein stops and lateral flexion. With each of these exercises, slight adjustments of hand position or bodyweight serve to signal that horse that a change in speed or direction is coming soon.
We often take for granted the impact of subtle adjustments like this. Over time, if we continue to perform these small exercises consistently and correctly, our horses will begin to pick up on our unique “feel.”
The catch here is that many of us don’t take the time to do these exercises on a regular basis. Because we are under pressure, we want to do it correctly a few times, then move on to the next level. But, that is not what creates great horses.
My definition of a great horse is a horse that is close to reaching their full potential both mentally and physically. In my eyes, developing a horse’s full potential is a lifelong process. It is not something that can be rushed. It is a process that requires patience, faith, and consistency.
When people want to experience success in their chosen discipline, they usually assume that the more they practice that discipline, the better they will get. I have found that is not always the case. In my experience, success in a certain discipline often has nothing to do with understanding the discipline itself. It has everything to do with understanding how the horse’s body works in relation to that discipline. And, this understanding comes from correct repetition of those fundamental exercises.
To learn more about the trigger exercises and fundamentals discussed in this episode, enroll in our Foundation to Finish online training program.
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