Page 18 midwest horse digest April 09
Getting and Maintaining
the Focus of Our Horses Minds
Have you ever been in a conversation hand, then release him and go back to what
or meeting when your mind starts to wonder? you were previously doing. by doing this you
You are there physically, but not mentally, and are getting several things accomplished. Each
you have no idea what the person talking to time they take there focus off of you and what
you just said. It is the same way with our hors- you are doing try bringing their head in and
es. going into a tight circle, they have no choice
Some other situations that would but to think about the situation... so you regain
make it hard for us (and our horses) to focus. their focus. 1. By bending their neck and body
A. If we were wound-up with excitement or and bumping with your legs until they relax
energy, such as our horse just coming out of their face and body. You are getting them to
his stall. soften up, which most all horses need anyway.
B. If we are stressed or uncomfortable with our 2. You are making the right thing easy by let-
surroundings, such as a horse in an unfamiliar ting him out of a tough position (that you have
by Monty Bruce
place. put him in) by leaving him alone when you
These are the things that make it have his focus; and making the wrong thing
Getting and maintaining the focus of
tough to learn and focus. hard by putting lots of pressure on him and
our horses can be a difficult task at times,
How can we get focus and attention making him work under tougher conditions by
especially if you can't ride/train with them con-
from our horse when we are on their backs? bending him in a small circle when he does the
sistently. Coming out of the winter months can
(So we will have a successful training session) wrong thing (which all takes his attention away
be especially hard because our horses have
First, we need to take the excess from you).
had so much time off.
energy off by trotting some circles. You want This process is not a one time
It is imperative that we have our horse's
to be able to trot nice slow, controlled, and immediate cure, after repetition and several
attention and focus if we expect to get much
round circles. If you feel your horse is gawk- other sessions you will see results and be able
out of our training sessions. If our horse is
ing, whinnying, or taking a hold of the bit and to maintain attention, focus and control of your
always looking somewhere else, whinnying,
pulling you around, you will reach down one of horse enabling you to have much more pro-
unresponsive to our cues, going and doing as
your reins and pull his head around to your ductive training sessions or a more relaxing
he pleases, then we know we have a problem.
knee bumping him with your legs to get him to pleasure ride with your horse.
Our horses cannot learn or retain the things
break free and soften up. Normally they will Until next time good luck and god bless,
we are teaching if we do not have their focus
pull very hard on the rein, but you need to Monty Bruce
and attention.
keep it up and until he quits pulling on your Visit our website:www.montybruce.com
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