Never Underestimate the Power of a Solid Foundation in Training
One day, I joined a clinic with a renowned, experienced and excellent clicker trainer. It was an expensive endeavour...
It was pretty expensive to get my horse Kyra, to the clinic: renting a trailer, the clinic fee, expensive lunches (all worth it!) and a stall for my horse.
I was super excited to work on some Advanced Training with my horse with this excellent clicker trainer!
This is what we worked on:
Standing still, relaxation and calmness.
For two whole days!
Pretty dissappointing…
What the Horse Needs
Kyra needed that, because she was pretty nervous in this new environment: the trailer ride, meeting many new people, hearing unfamiliar noises, exposed to new horses, a tiny paddock (instead of group-housing and pasture with her friends), all the smells and everything else...
I understood that.
At first, I was a bit disappointed, if I was being honest with myself.
I wanted to work on new behaviours, learning new exciting techniques or approaches…
Kyra was completely confident at home and was a fast learner.
At home, she was confident, calm and relaxed.
But putting Kyra in a complete context shift, the holes in my training came to the surface.
Holes I didn’t see
Holes that weren't there, if we stayed within our comfort zone!
That's why we worked on these 3 basics:
Standing still
Relaxation
Calmness, in this new environment.
This is what I learned
However, when we went home, I noticed that Kyra was more confident, less stressed (even in new situations), and I could handle her nervousness much, much better.
In the months after the clinic, our training and results skyrocketed!
Only because the foundation of her training had become solid!
In the years after that clinic, and even all the other animals I trained, I still benefited from that one clinic!
That which was "soooo expensive" at first turned out to be the best investment in myself, in my horse and in our safety!
The Basics Are the Advanced Stuff
Never underestimate the power of having a solid foundation with your horse: BASICS.
"Advanced Training" is simply being really, really good at the Basics!
Mindblowing!
I'm super grateful, I decided to Trust The Process, and get on board with focusing on these 3 simple basics during that clinic!
It served me so well!
It served KYRA so well!
Want to Expand Your Basics and Improve the Exercise Training of Your Horse?
That's why, in my new and improved R+ Movement Training program, we'll get everyone up to a SOLID foundation in clicker training and the basics of forward, responsive movement.
For this 12- week beta program, I'm looking for minimal
4 BEGINNER clicker trainers and
4 EXPERIENCED clicker trainers!
Start: end of March.
Want to join the Beta Program?
When you join the beta program, you’ll get full access to all modules.
This beta program is based on proven approaches from previous programs. No worries there.
Beta testers get a discount when they join the program.
Happy Horse training!
Sandra
PS I would love to hear your story about how you found out the importance of the basics in horse (clicker) training