© 2005-08, Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman - All Rights Reserved
To train your horse correctly you first need to know what a "give" feels like. To do this you have to raise your expectations. A horse can only ever be as good as we expect it to be.
Take your halter attached to your lead rope and throw the halter portion away from you onto the ground. Throughout this exercise imagine yourself on your horse's back: You're going to pretend like you are riding.
Take your left hand and hold the lead rope as if it's the left rein. Pull the halter slowly toward yourself.
Concentrate. Remember, pretend you're actually training your horse. Feel in your hand how much pressure it takes to bring that rope toward you. You should feel in your pinky how many ounces it takes. Throw it back out and do it again. This time close your eyes and really concentrate. If you get this lesson, horse training gets a whole lot easier. Really focus on what it feels like. How many ounces is it taking to bring that halter back to you? Think of a specific number now - and then later when you're training that horse. How many pounds? How many ounces? One or two? 5 pounds or 5 ounces?
How would you like your horse to be that soft? A pound or two from your horse doesn't seem so bad, does it? Actually, if you're training a horse, it's terrible. Having to put a pound or two of pressure on the rein to get the horse to "come back to you" is just terrible. Take the halter off the lead rope now and throw the rope back out, snap end first.
Do the same thing, drag the snap back to you. How does that feel? It feels pretty light, right? You feel a big difference. But that's still terrible. Now take the lead rope back in hand and throw the opposite end out, the end without the snap. That feels really light. It feels like nothing. It's still terrible.
The reason it's terrible is because when the horse really gives to you, there is no pull, zero. And it's not just neutral that you feel, but energy and movement coming back to you.
Now take the snap end of the lead rope in your hand and throw it back out. When it hits the ground, add as much pressure as you can to the rope - without moving the snap. Now a "give" is when you feel energy come up that rope. You don't pull back, you wait until energy comes up that rope. You feel energy come up that rope, and you let go. That's what you're waiting to feel when you're riding or training a horse. You'll put pressure on your horse and when you feel energy come back to you, when you see a loop in that rein, that's when your horse is really giving - and your training is really working - and you let go.
To make my point, think of it this way: When you reach to shake somebody's hand, what's the first thing the other person does after you put your hand out? They put their hand out. What if you asked somebody to raise your arm, to raise it up and down, away from your side - but you resisted? Is the exercise tough? The exercise itself isn't tough. The "toughness" is caused by the resistance. The exercise and the training is easy. Keep that in mind when you begin an exercise - or your training - your horse is going to be stiff.
This article is part of the "Horse Ground Training" series. To read more, or to find a clinic or Certified John Lyons horse trainer near you, visit horsemanship101.com.
About the authors:
Josh Lyons: One of the most sought-after clinicians in the world, Josh Lyons offers you and your horse a second chance or an enhancement of your existing relationship. His gentle and objective methods, pioneered by his father John Lyons, have helped novice rider and pro alike. Josh continues the "Lyons Legacy," teaching the John Lyons Certification Program in Parachute, CO and touring often. He is a frequent contributor to national publications like "Perfect Horse" and "Horse & Rider." Find out more about Josh Lyons at LyonsLegacy.com.
Keith Hosman: If your horse won't speed up, slow down, stop or turn, you missed the latest training methods from Josh and John Lyons. Have you lost your confidence? Want a horse to brag about? Invest one weekend to make big changes with John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman. Keith is based near San Antonio, TX and is available for clinics, private sessions and training. He frequently conducts clinics and demonstrations - with an event coming soon to a town near you. For more horse training articles, or to attend a clinic or find a John Lyons trainer living in your area, visit horsemanship101.com now.
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