There is a lot of discussion and lecturing about the use of energy when working with horses. Energy is certainly a factor in being an effective rider. But energy in itself does not tell a horse what to do or how to do it.
Many years ago, a friend asked me to start a pony that was to eventually be ridden by her five-year-old daughter. The pony was a very sweet and smart six-year-old, eleven-hand gelding – as cute a pony as you could ever wish to own.
People notice when a horse yawns, blinks, changes the position of its ears, or swings its tail. There are so many tiny observations to make that tell a tale about the emotional and mental state of a horse.
One friend asked me which of her horses I thought she should bring to the clinic. I replied that it didn’t matter to me because clinics are not about training her horses ….
