Newsletter #16 September 2010

1st September, 2010

How do we best direct the horse...Intent is a good option

 

 

"The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them" Jim Rohn.

 

Looking like a quieter month near home so I'll get some work done with some youngsters. Watch this space for a nice young horse!

Nelson. Horsemanship. Tuesday 14th Wai-iti contact Kirsten 5419145 or Bob

Blenheim. Lessons 16th-17th Contact Bob 021709775

Nelson. Horsemanship. October 2nd-3rd Wai-iti contact 5419145 or Bob

 Contact me to arrange Clinics or Lessons. Good deals for organisers

 

"Intent"

Realising the part that intent plays in all that we do with our horse can be edifying. How often do we set some goal without really having any idea about what we need to do to get there and what it actually is; sometimes it seems we have a vague misty outline but nothing firm. Not much to work with, certainly not enough to direct another sentient being towards.

For me the simple explanation of intent is a picture in my mind of what I'm looking for or where I'm going.

 

I have come to recognise what a useful tool intent is when it comes to directing the horse and how well understood it is by the horse. I see intent is a critical component in working with the horse as it gives focus, direction, boundaries, and an objective with some flexibility about how or when  we arrive; but arrive we SHALL!

Our intent is, I believe, embodied as energy available both on the inside and the outside of us. The horse is a master of this, he can see, feel, and read what you are thinking or what your intention is through your subtle body energy; he's also in the moment, which is why it's important to hold the intent within you and follow the steps you've mapped towards the big picture.

The following well known terms all have a clear component of intent;

  • Follow a feel
  • Focus on where you're going
  • Direct the energy

We can offer a feel to the horse, direct him in some way, but it will be useless unless we have some intent. Feel is loaded with intent, it's not passive or demanding, but it has a life that needs to be answered; perhaps a benign dictator feel, it's going to happen but I don't mind waiting while you decide to do it. The intent is the energy that gets the job done, the belief if you like. With focus on going somewhere you're taking the horse with you, or better still going somewhere together.

 

Kids and Ponies are a good example of intent—often misguided but effectively good stuff as the horse understands the concept of lets do this together and there's no doubt the horse engages in this – no doubts that he won't and no misgivings when he does--- even if it doesn't work out quite as the rider thinks it might.

 

You can go through a bunch of exercises with a horse but you will not achieve a lot unless you have intent. Intent directs the big picture, it's also the energy and awareness that creates and forms the building blocks of the task so it also has other levels operating.

 

Example 1; Float Training.

Levels may be

·         recognizing changes

·         recognizing tries

·         the big picture of being happily loaded one day in the future

·         the now picture of walking on or looking in with a good trying look

·         the now of softening

·         the now of staying on task

the INTENT will be overall and step by step

·         looking into float

·         taking step with the fore

·         taking step with the hind

·         standing on ramp or in

·         standing happy to be either in or out but with the mind in

·         loading on command

·         standing happy ready to leave

·         happy traveling

·         walking off calmly after journey

 

So there's plenty going on. I suspect as humans we aren't much good at maintaining out intent, or about being flexible within it.

 

Or example 2; The young horses' first few rides

  • Intent is to keep it calm and smooth, but recognizing there may be some rushy or squirty bits along the way but ready to ride it out, keeping out of his way.
  • Quiet intent; lets go over there to buck.
  • Quiet intent; lets keep moving don't mind how or where, we're a passenger.

Once we know he can cope with a bit our intent will change;

  • Our intent starts suggesting direction, gait and speed.
  • When we're ok with that our intent starts directing the horse consistently.
  • Our intent asks and insists on a response, say to go over there, lifting energy to slap on leg to tap with rope to flag but we will get response!
  • The focus is on where we go; the intent is on how we go.
  • Our Intent has to accept the consequences; we mightn't always get what we want or expect.

 

There is plenty of room for possible confusions in getting the job done, these include;

  • Horse fulfilling doubts---riders intent?
  • Creating impossible goals from horses perspective.
  • The difficulty for us of holding both the big picture and micro picture and the management of both and of keeping small, simple steps.
  • The fine line between our engagement of intent and our body reflecting our mind and the horse reading and -or interpreting our thoughts as expressed by our body.
  • Common to be saying several different things to horse. Go but don't go!
  • Niggling or not paying attention is not very clear, nor is not setting or constantly moving boundaries.
  • Does fear get in the way of intent?

 

So how do we develop intent?  It's developing a mental strategy and there are many different ways of approach. We could play with it by becoming aware of how we approach people and parts of our day. Some may find the study of a martial art helpful. With the horse; by paying attention and developing awareness of how and what you offer. Build consistency in the feel offered or in the intent that offers the feeling. Be unafraid to make mistakes. THINK about what you're doing and what you're going to do, but not so much as to be inactive. Most of the thinking can take place before and after you ride. Ride utilizing your intent to direct your responses from your instinct, it won't let you down.

I often, when things have happened well, attempt to hold on to how that moment felt, both in how the horse feels and how it feels to me. That will be the place I intend to return to, even if it takes a while.

 

As I explore this subject I'm wondering about how much intent can be used, how far can I take this? Can we influence cadence or rhythm with intent? How differently does the horse go to work on the beach or to work in the arena; what's the intent, and why is the result often so different?

 

Good Luck and Happy Trails

 

 

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