Noise in the Silence of Horsemanship

Every season a theme emerges in the emails and conversations we have with our customers and friends at the Performance Pony Company. Many of us at this point in the year have been riding, competing and showing consistently enough to recognize patterns that we aren't sure how to fix on our own.

Before we continue, I want to remind everyone, there is no finish line to horsemanship! Keep it fun by staying curious and finding joy in the process. Too much focus on the outcome, you'll beat yourself. Here we go!

The theme surrounds the concept of the noise in our silent communications with our equine partners. Just like with humans, the signals and energy we use are just as important as the words we say and the physical actions we use.  Even more so with our equine partners because, they don't talk. At least not the same way we do!

Pony Pro Scarlett Weiss displays a focused, confident energy that allows her pony to know what she wants! Ask yourself if you know where you want your pony to go, or are you waiting on them to make the right moves?

Mentally, as we reach the midpoint of the goals we set, the noise starts to get loud. Our minds become cluttered with how close or far we are from reaching the goals we set for ourselves. The bar has been set either by ourselves or by someone else that we're trying to beat, maintain or reach. We've seen the same people long enough that unsolicited advice becomes more prevalent. Patterns have emerged with the same issues presenting themselves consistently. The clear mind we started with gets noisier every time we perform, in the practice pen and/or on the road. The level of the noise in our minds is silent to most of those around us.

If you've ridden for long, you know there can be a lot of noise in that silence that can cause confusion, frustration, poor performance, pain, etc. for our equine partners. The pressure we put on ourselves to perform better than we did the day before gets more intense and so do the signals we send our equine partners. As we enter the arena, our focus tends to switch from the fundamentals of our performance that our horses understand, to the desired outcome and fears of what others might think if we don't perform to a certain level. As our minds get noisier, so do the minds of our equine partners. Only, they don't understand the world outside.

If you switch your attention from the physical actions of yourself or your rider to the energy flowing, or not, throughout the body, you'll start to see a different story. While the physical acts of hand and body placement can look correct, the silent signals are telling the horse something different. That silent energy is tension in our muscles and joints that puts pressure on our horses. Until we learn to control that silent energy, the physical acts and the hardware we use (bits, reins, etc) won't make much of a difference.

With all of this being explained, it's the time to quiet the noise. Go back to the fundamentals for your horse and more importantly, for YOU (or your rider). The foundation. If you didn't start with one, it's time to slow down and build one. Now,

quiet the noise and break it down!

What are my issues?

Where do the issues happen?

• Get specific! At home, at the show, in the gate, before the turn, on the backside of the turn, in the box, on the rail going a certain direction, when a buddy horse is around, etc.

What is causing the issue(s)?

• Is it me? Be honest and accountable for yourself here.

• Is the pony in pain? Poor tack? Lack of knowledge or experience, etc.

What signal am I sending? What is my horse receiving?

• Physically: Where are my hands, feet, head, butt, fingers? Break it down!

• Energetically: Do a full body scan, where am I holding tension throughout my body? Toes, calves, knees, thighs, hips, back, ribs, shoulders, neck, forearms, hands, fingers.

Does my horse have the experience to make this maneuver?

• How can I break it down to help him understand?

Do I have the experience to fix the issue?

• Who does have the experience to help me fix the issue?

Who can give me feedback that I trust?

• The best athletes have coaches, teammates, mentors. Riders should too! Don't be too proud to ask for help. Don't be too stubborn to receive it. This goes for riders & their parents. We aren't meant to do it alone.

Will your horse stand still like Pony Pro Stoker Garreston's pony Snickers? If no, compare a picture of you on your pony to Stoker? Ask yourself how you can release energy to relax like Stoker?

Learning new things adds a new level of energy for ponies and riders. This picture show's Pony Pro Jenna Matthes is a bit tense in her upper body through her arms and wrists as she executes sorting the first time. As she becomes more aware of where she's holding energy, she'll be able to release, relax and reduce the noise in her signals.