How you define your training aids matters.
Redefining training tools into communication aids
Firstly, let me begin by saying that choosing a heading for this post was not easy. I have strong opinions these days about certain methods. Methods that I myself had learned, and now feel have been the reason that the communication with my horses was/is not what I thought it was.
There is a definite upside to living long enough to have “life experience”. One upside would be the ability to have benchmarks. Benchmarks that allow one to asses where they are in a particular process. “Am I where I want to be?” “Are the goals I set being reached?” “Does something need to change?”
These are all good questions to ask when setting out on a journey such as “horse talk”. After all, what I’m looking for is clear, honest, and peaceful communication.
So how can I achieve that goal with my horses? Well, I have to bridge that gap somehow. We speak different languages. I need/want to learn their language, interpret that language into an understanding, and then bridge the communication gap. I do that with the help of, what I now call, “communication aids”.
Why the importance on the terminology? For years I thought I was training horses, and I was. But, now I realized that training them, or teaching them is NOT what I am wanting to do. I want to have a relationship with them. Meaning I can communicate that I would ask of them to do what is completely “unnatural” as a prey animal, and they would trust/understand me as their confident leader not to put them in harms way.
One of the ways in which I do this is with my aids. For years I have seen, been told, and resisted the word “tool”, “whip”, etc. These term screamed to me submission. There are some methods that would pressurize a horse to the point of “shut down”. Then say, “Look how calm he is!” Well, sorry to tell you this, but he is not calm. He is dead to the world. Completely, shut down and in a catatonic state. At least, this has been my observation of my own horses. Two of my horses were already in shut down/obedient mode, and one is inexperienced. I will go more into this subject in another post, but for now I will stick to the topic.
Let me start with the “training stick”, “whip”, or “wand” for example. These items are merely an extension of my arms and fingers. Since was I not born with 10ft long arms, and 10 inch fingers I need a way of extending my reach so I can communicate an idea or concept to my horse. They are not a form of punishment or pressurization. Do they add pressure? Yes, but not as fear. There is a fine line to walk here. How much pressure to add without causing so much pressure that your horse just shuts down mentally?
Each new aid, or “word”, since this is about communication, I add takes time to for my horse to translate into meaningful understanding. Time is subjective and situational here. Needless to say, I have learned a very difficult concept myself…PATIENCE! Waiting is extremely important. Waiting for them to relax, to settle, to breath, to adjust their nervous system responses, release tension, understand and then accept what you are saying. If for any reason they reject it the process starts over again. Wait, wait, and then wait again.
Now, to answer the original question, “Is it a whip, a tool, or both?”. The answer is neither! They are simply communication aids in my way of looking at it. The beauty of it all is that we don’t need any particular endorsed, or trademarked aid to communicate with our horses. You can, and I do have several. But, that is not my primary objective.
As long as I am working to keep an open line of communication, and I know the purposed for which the aid is needed then anything can be used to translate my thoughts into meaningful language. A twig, a bamboo garden stick, or even a dowel rod can all be gentle extensions of your arm for example. Let’s be creative! After all, the more adaptable we can be in the situation the easier the communication will become.
God Bless you on this heart walk, and joyful trails!-Annie 🙂