Following A Feel By Brent Graef There's a difference between a horse who is escaping pressure versus a horse who is willingly following a feel.
I use firmness to block the undesirable, not to get the horse to do what I would like him to do. I do not methodically "up the pressure" until the horse finds a way to escape it. I don't want my horses looking to escape pressure, but I want them to be with me mentally... to feel to me, and to follow the feel that I'm presenting. When I'm trailer loading a horse, I don't make it so difficult and uncomfortable outside that the horse goes in looking for relief. I want the trailer to be a good place for him to go, a comfortable place... not just the lesser of two evils. A lot of good horsemen refer to "a feel following a feel." I would say this more closely describes what I prefer to do. I might make a request and get some sort of feedback from the horse. I adjust my feel based on what that feedback is. I don't just methodically up the pressure. Quite a few horses seem offended by that "upping the pressure" approach. Good horsemanship is not about phases. It's about clarity, feel, and timing. Instead of getting firmer, improve your timing. Learn cadence. The best time to influence moving a horse's foot is as it's about to leave the ground. Notice that when you're doing groundwork; and learn to feel it from the saddle. We want softness in our horses... we should make our request with softness, good feel, and good timing. If the horse doesn't understand what we're asking, we need to make sure that we're being very clear; then give him the opportunity to search for the right answer. There is a HUGE difference between a horse moving to evade pressure, and a horse that is following a feel, seeking the release. Evading pressure is avoidance, and creates brace. A horse that is following a feel and searching for a release is a horse that is thinking, and is much more likely to be supple and soft. We should be using "feel and clarity", and give the horse plenty of time to search for the answer. _______________ Judy http://iceryder.net http://clickryder.com
