Oh my goodness how do I describe what I’ve learned the last couple weeks!!
I’ve learned so much from stryker (a young stallion currently in training) and talking with Tara Davis about him. How much our redirection can change a horse’s thoughts. And not only just the action of a redirection, but if they will allow themselves to be redirected.
We can redirect, but if the thought does not change, then the behavior afterwards is still the same.
We want to wait after we redirect before we move forward until they feel better about what is going on.
Redirection can also be about helping your horse Feel safe when they are anxious.
And redirection is not a correction. It’s just bringing the thoughts back to the present.
Your horse may bounce back-and-forth between the present and anxiety and only upping your redirection as a correction will not help.
Making sure you use small movements or touches to redirect will help bring the horse back to the present and calm.
Redirection has everything to do with emotional health and mental focus.
If your horse cannot allow themselves to be redirected, and allow their thoughts to change for the better, then they are not ready to do anything else.
Because no matter how hard you try a skill, if that horse is not emotionally and mentally there, nothing else matters.