Self-Regulation

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Horses are not born into the human world with an understanding of how we humans expect them to behave in our presence or even around other horses.  Foundational training, when designed to put the horse first, provides horses a necessary learning curve of options.  When horses are asked questions, through the body language of a human, the horse learns to answer the question.  The horse must be allowed to figure out the answer.  They must be allowed to get the answer wrong.  The KEY, is how they are provided grace when they provide the wrong answer, and are rewarded very positively when they provide the right answer. 

Foundational exercises teach the horse to isolate body parts, release to pressure, and understand safety boundaries, on the ground and under-saddle.  It's an incredible asset to have the Foundational training also result in the horse learning about self-regulation!  

What are some examples of how Foundational training helps a horse learn how to self-regulate?

• Horses learn to be approached by humans, on the ground, such as farriers, veterinarian, or just people walking by.  (The natural reaction is to pull back, move back, or be reactive.)

• Horses learn to regulate their gaits at walk, trot and canter on a loose rein and on soft contact. (The natural reaction is to pick up whatever gait and whatever pace they feel suits them, or be reactive to legs or rein pressure when applied to their body.)

• Horses learn to be touched on all parts of their body, on the ground and under-saddle. (The natural reaction is to over-react to touch in places that they have not been desensitized.)

When Foundational training is complete, the result should be a horse that can handle many scenarios. This is because this training program recognizes each horses need to have a balanced and regulated nervous system.  

Many horses start their careers by going directly into discipline training.  Discipline examples are hunters, jumpers, polo, 3 day eventing, dressage, trail riding, team roping, barrel racing, cutting, reining, and the list goes on and on.

There is potential for this to be a tricky journey, as the horse has no control over what knowledge the "discipline trainer" has to provide.  Luckily, many discipline trainers have foundational training knowledge and incorporate that into their daily discipline training.  So this is more for the horses out there that landed in a specific discipline barn, with no foundational training available to them.  

What could be missing in this scenario?  (Learning how to use the thinking side of the brain versus the reactive side of the brain.)

• Does the horse know how to self regulate and maintain the gaits at walk/trot/canter while learning about the discipline?

• Does the horse know how to self-regulate his mind when faced with physical pressure in the discipline?   

• Does the horse know how to self-regulate when faced with unexpected stressful situations in a familiar or new environment?

I have consistently seen that horses who started with foundational training move into discipline training with more ease.  They also have more longevity, mentally, in that discipline because of the ability to self-regulate.  

If your horse has discipline training, it never hurts to go back and provide the Foundational training.  You may find your horse will benefit from a different type of brain and nervous system engagement.