Your Horse is Your Student

by John Lyons Symposiums, Inc.  

Did you know that every time you work with your horse, you are taking on a role of a teacher?  Your horse looks to you for direction and guidance every time he comes in contact with you, much like a student does when a teacher is in charge of a class.  Every time you are around your horse, or with him, you should be checking to see if he is responding correctly to what you have taught him.  This is much like the pop quizzes that are given in school.  

I would like to recommend that you develop a "teacher attitude" with everything that you do with your horse.  Have a lesson plan for every handling session, whether it is a review session, or a new lesson.  This includes the simplest task, even if you have done the task hundreds of times (example: putting on a halter).  When you put the halter on each time, it is like a mini quiz.  Will your horse come to you or turn and face you when asked?  Will your horse keep his head at the elevation that you desire?  Will your horse then lead properly to your destination? Even though this is routine for most horse owners, it is also a test to see if the horse responds to your cues.  In this routine you have a specific order of steps the horse must follow to complete the task.  This is a lesson plan that you know by heart. 

Putting on the bridle is routine, but if the horse doesn’t put his head where you want him to, it can be a difficult task.  Know your lesson plan so that your horse responds to your cues to do what you ask.

As a teacher, you must develop all your plans so that they are logical and reasonable (from putting on a halter to working on canter departures).  The important thing is to review your lesson carefully before you start.  Know your plan inside and out.  Some lessons will take a great deal of preparation, others will not.  The key is that no matter what the lesson, you need to be specific with your plan.  The more vague the lesson plan, the harder it will be for the horse to understand what it is that you want him to do.

A helpful hint is to write down the steps of the lessons that you do not have memorized, including every detail.  Look for the easiest thing for your horse to do, which will be your starting point.  This beginning point will be the first step in a series of many small steps on the path to achieving the goal of your lesson.  Develop steps to the lesson that make it easy for your horse to give you “yes” answers every time you ask for something.  Training is nothing but a series of questions.  Ask the horse “can you go left?” The answer should be “yes.” 

A GENERAL REQUEST WILL GET A GENERAL RESPONSE.

A SPECIFIC REQUEST WILL GET A SPECIFIC RESPONSE.

By following a step-by-step lesson plan, you should end up with a better-trained horse. When you are specific, it is easier for the horse to understand what it is that you want because you will send a clearer signal.  The Ground Control Manual has examples of detailed lesson plans to help you with this process.

As a teacher, realize that the “correct answer” (what you expect the horse to do) is always more obvious to you than to the student, your horse.  Even if the horse responds correctly to what he has been asked to do, it does not mean that he has completely mastered the step, or in many cases has even learned it.  It is possible that the horse is not thinking about the exact same thing you are.  His mind could be on something different or he is interpreting the cue a different way while still performing correctly.

The emotions of the teacher can directly affect the performance of the student.  Teachers with a consistent positive outlook have a much better chance of having a top-level performance horse.  There are some people that are too excitable when working with horses.  This may be due to the passionate and/or financial commitment that is made. However, emotions must be kept in perspective.  There are certain emotions that will cause problems when dealing with horses: anger, frustration, haste, and disappointment.  A person can also be too forgiving, too kind and show too much affection.  It is hard to end up with a stable partner when the handler is on an emotional roller coaster every time the horse is handled or worked.  There are two emotions that are helpful.  These are enthusiasm and a sense of humor.   Enthusiasm in the form of encouragement and praise builds confidence in you and your horse.  A sense of humor keeps everything in perspective and keeps you sane!

You may find with some trainers that it is the trainer that tells the horse when the learning has taken place, not the horse telling the trainer.  When the horse picks up the wrong lead, the trainer may scold the horse for doing so.  The trainer says,  “I taught you how to do this.” “You know it.” “You are just being stubborn.” “You did it right before.” The truth of the matter is that if the horse knew it, he would do it.  Many trainers think since they “taught” it, that is all they have to do and the horse should know it.  If a horse is not following your request 95% of the time or more, the skill was not practiced enough or you are not consistent with your cues.  Evaluate what is going on and let the horse tell you when he has learned it.

The better the lesson plan, the better the teacher, the quicker the horse will learn.  The horse seems smarter, but in reality he was always smart.  It is the trainer that has improved, which in turn helps the horse to be successful.

Good teaching consists of these important points:

1. A good teacher is always searching for better ways to communicate with the student.

2. The lesson plan is most important.  The teacher’s ideas are always clear to the teacher, but not always clear to the student.  The good teacher will be patient and give the student the benefit of the doubt.

3. Make your lesson plans with as many steps as possible and always be ready to add more steps if necessary. 

4. The goal of the lesson does not change.  The path you take to get there may change, but the goal will be the same. 

5. Set reasonable time limits on yourself and for your horse.  Most trainers fail because they set unreasonable time periods for training their horses.  Remember, the best trainers in the world take 5 to 7 years to make a great performance horse.

6. Any training method that you are embarrassed to do in front of someone else, you should not be doing anywhere.

7. A good teacher knows that a student never learns it all, or is finished with schooling. Develop a "teacher attitude" in all that you do with your horse.  Your horse is always capable of learning more or in need of improving current performance levels.  We are all teachers.  Become committed to your pursuit in becoming a better horse teacher. 

The KMSHA is pleased to announce that "America's Most Trusted Horseman" John Lyons  will be featured with monthly columns on the KMSHA web site as well as in the KMSHA News. John Lyons is one of the most sought after trainers, speakers, demonstrators and clinicians in the Unite States and abroad. The KMSHA is honored by John's contribution to our wonderful breed.

For more information about John, visit www.johnlyons.com.