Cuing is not communication!!!

Communication and cuing are not the same thing.

Don’t get me wrong – the horse industry has come a long way since I first started riding. The introduction of natural horsemanship was the starting place for change in the industry. But there is still a very big misconception – that by giving a cue, you are communicating with your horse.

Let’s imagine you are working on a project for a company. Boss A comes in, gives you a set of tools and instructions, a short time-frame to figure it out, and walks out before you can ask any questions. Each time you reach out to share your concern on the deadline, you are repeatedly given the instructions and left to your own devices.

Is that communicating? Or just giving a set of cues to follow?

Boss B, on the other hand, gives you the same set of tools, timeline and instructions, but noting the look of confusion on your face and your moment of pause, asks you about your concerns. You suggest maybe the timeline is a little tight, and B reciprocates and modifies the plans accordingly.

Cuing is giving your horse a set of instructions they have to figure out. Communication is understanding when your horse is asking for more information or support.

Communication is one of the 4 major pillars that have been ignored in historical horsemanship. Horses don’t have the ability to communicate with words, so therefore don’t need more than a set of instructions? I call boulderdash on that.

Horses communicate with emotion, body language and behavior. It is up to us, as horse woman that see our horse as more than a commodity and actually want a connected partnership with these majestic animals, to stop simply cuing and start listening to what our horse is saying.

Are you ready to make a start? Join our Stronger Bond Workshop, where we share more on communication as well as the other 3 pillars, and how you can be the woman of your horse’s dreams.