Learning To Learn

Polly after one month of work, and hills! Looking much more filled out. 

The biggest challenge we face with neglected, abused, or horses that have been living outside of the working population for a long time is not about teaching them skills or tricks, but it is teaching them to learn. Whether it is a horse or a person, their ability to progress through their education is based less on athleticism or intelligence, and more on the ability to process information and learn.

Learning is the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behaviors, or skills, and usually involves synthesizing different types of information. Of course, it does not happen at all once, but continues on a curve (hopefully an upwards curve!) and builds upon and is shaped by what we already know. The ability to learn is built largely upon the student's ability to understand that there IS an answer somewhere, and their persistent quest for that in order to achieve either success or a reward. 

Polly is working more on the lunge line now.

With horses, we use a system of pressure and release, so when we ask a horse to do something, we encourage them to find the answer that results in the release of pressure. However, horses that have been abused, neglected, or mishandled, do not necessarily understand this learning process, because history has taught them otherwise. 

Unfortunately, a lot of horses have been shown through experience that handlers and riders are irrational, unpredictable, and inflict intentional or unintentional discomfort to their horses on a frequent basis. Therefore, taking a horse that has years of information about humans in this way and telling them that you are rational, forgiving, and ALWAYS release pressure when they find the right answer, and ONLY implement pressure when you are asking for a response, well...this is sometimes a difficult task!

Bath day!!

Polly has been here officially for a month now, three weeks of which she has been in work. I was out of town competing for one of those weeks, and her struggle is certainly the idea of listening to me, and learning to learn. As a ten year old that has probably never been treated fairly before by riders, she has lots of experience ignoring her rider, and generally not enjoying the educational systems that she has had to deal with. 

She has a good nature, and an overall willing attitude, but she definitely is a self sufficient animal (which is probably why she has survived thus far) and does not seek guidance from me as much as my competition horses do. 

Her chiropractic adjustments, electro stimulation and bodywork have done wonders! She is so much more comfortable now, and I can tell you that even the first morning she showed us that her back was feeling better than ever by bucking and leaping and imitating a Lippizaner in her field!

Polly: July 13

Now that I know that her physical issues are being resolved, I can begin to really focus on her ability to learn, and press her to trust me a little more each day. 

We have been working on the lunge line before every ride, for a short time only. This reinforces her ability to listen to my voice commands, and to move her body freely without feeling constrained in any way. That way, when I mount, she's already thinking about listening to me, and perhaps a little calmer for her warmup on the circle.

Polly: August 13!

The other exciting thing is the changes in her body! Just having a short little workout every day, plus the added hills in her turnout have already begun to change her body into a fuller, more muscular looking horse. With the new schedule of coming inside during the day, as well as some great nutrition from Cavalor, her coat has taken on a new deep red hue that is quite lovely, and her hair is much softer thanks to daily curry sessions and weekly bubble baths. 

I haven't had the chance to get somebody to come video our rides, but I did film a little of her lunging session today....which I will add to our Facebook page later! We are working over poles and very small jumps, just to get her thinking about her feet, her balance, and her timing as she moves forward with her training. Until next time!