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The Art of Communication

Whether or not your horse becomes “broke” is up to you. Your horse’s behavior and performance are affected by how you interact and manage him. The equipment you choose, the pressure you apply to the reins, and the other choices you make have a definite impact. You influence his comfort, state-of-mind, and ability to perform successfully. Sure his personality, conformation, age, experience, etc. matter too, but it’s up to you to make the most, or worst, of that. It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility, but it’s also a huge opportunity to bring your horse to his full potential.

While there are many things to consider when it comes to developing and maintaining your horse’s “brokenness,” (softness, connection, confidence, responsiveness, and balance) the most important is communication. Communication has two parts: listening and speaking. You have to listen first to know what to say. For example, if your horse bucks, or misses his leads, is he in a bad mood or does he hate you…or does his back hurt or you’re off balance in the saddle when you cue him for the lope? Communication is about understanding your horse, from the dynamics of equine locomotion to horse psychology. Having a grasp of what is going on, or is supposed to be going on, in your horse’s brain and with his body provides you with all the knowledge you need to reach your horsemanship and performance goals.

Educate yourself in the art of listening by observing as many horses as possible. Watch horses interact in herd groups. How they behave and communicate with each other is exactly how we need to communicate with them. Notice the contrast between how subtly a horse can communicate in one moment and how deliberate, and downright aggressive, she can be in the next when she is determined to get her point across. Go to horse shows of varying disciplines and levels of competition. On trail rides pay attention to the horses’ expressions as they perform for their riders. Which are relaxed, connected, and actively participating (and probably giving better performances) than those who are going through the motions, are sullen, tense, or showing other signs of being props and not partners.Also train your eye to see what balanced movement looks like. Learn what it looks like when a horse is moving in a correct frame, and when he’s not. A horse that’s heavy on his forehand, hollow-backed, high–headed or whose gaits are unnatural can’t get comfortable. He’ll express his unhappiness with a busy mouth, hard or vacant eye, or clamped or swishing tail. On the contrary, when you see a horse that’s at ease with himself and his rider you will see fluid and even movement, a relaxed topline, quiet mouth, and a soft look on his face.

Whether you’re working your horse on the ground or under saddle, your actions, the way you move, and your energy level continuously communicate to your horse. You are telling him whether or not you are a leader, a follower, or a potential threat. You tell him if you are worthy of his trust and respect. You tell him if you are calm and competent, or unsure of yourself. If you move quickly, you’ll trigger your horse’s defenses, because predators move with speed. If you move hesitantly, you will either create anxiety or dominance in your horse, because a leader who offers a sense of security behaves confidently.

If you cue your horse with harsh yanks to the reins and swift jabs with your heels or spurs, you will be continuously startling your horse and putting him under stress. He will be in a constant state of anxiety. That’s unnecessary, unsafe on an animal that survives from escaping stress in a dramatic way, and denies you both the opportunity to work as a cooperative team. When you ride your horse, the communication should be smooth and unforced. A relaxed, confident, and balanced horse will willingly move forward as though self-propelled. He will willingly change gaits and smoothly transition between them.

Walk in your horse’s “shoes” for a while to see how easy it is to be thrown off balance and be made to feel stressed. You’ll need a bridle and a friend. Hold the bit in front of your body with both hands on the mouthpiece while your friend walks behind you holding the reins. Have your friend guide you with harsh jerks and uneven pulls. Then ask your friend to pull back and restrict your movement while you try to relax, lengthen your stride, and change gaits. It’s a simple but valuable exercise that will give you insight into how you can subtly and effectively communicate with your horse.

It takes a calm, confident, and competent horseman or horsewoman to create and maintain a broke horse. It also takes effort and commitment, but the rewards are well worth it.

“Performance Through Partnership”™

Dale Rudin
“Performance Through Partnership”
Columbia, TN
For more info: www.dale-rudin-horse-training.com