Negative reinforcement vs relationship dynamics

Pressure/release or negative reinforcement vs relationship dynamics and being a leader your horse wants to follow.

This is a particularly challenging concept to get. Not all resistance to pressure is challenging you as a leader (in fact most is not) and getting stronger with your aid does not prove you are a good leader. You prove your leadership qualities by how well you set up your horse to succeed, how clear you are in communication, how confident you are in navigating an ask safely and communicating safety and confidence to your horse when asking things of them (ie not overfacing yourself and your horse).

Negative reinforcement/pressure release:

• How are you going to guide the behaviour? Use your aversive tool to help shape and guide your horse in to the behaviour you are looking for

• How are you going to mark the behaviour? Release of pressure

• How are you going to motivate your horse to do it again? Technically the relief from the pressure is what motivates them to do it again but we also use praise, pats and treats.

Compassionate leadership:

• Do you feel comfortable giving your horse direction and support?

• Does your horse feel comfortable receiving directions?

Some horses don't like being told what to do so we have to find different ways to support our horse in accepting directions

A lot of riders feel uncomfortable giving direction and are worried about the strength of the aid they are using. We are trying to cue our horse in to lighter aids but we do have to follow through on the ask.

Figuring out our horses individual point of responsivity is the challenge and sensitising them to lighter cues is the goal. We do this by only asking things of them we can confidently follow through on and your horse can confidently answer. Have adjustable goal posts, finish on a positive note feeling like you could've done more, set yourself and your horse up so it is impossible to fail.

Want to know more about Compassionate Leadership skills and how to develop them? Join the upcomingn Stronger Bond Workshop here: