> By Brandon Carpenter, Part 1
This is Part 2: OK, we've recognized what we are doing; now how do we control it? This part is so simple it seems hard. Remember, earlier I said thoughts are things. If you think something, you make it so. You make it so in your imagination therefore your body's emotion, feeling, and behavior change to match the thought. There are several different techniques I use to teach how to control our body's energy to get better control of ourselves and then communicate more clearly to the horse. It is important to remember that energy is constantly flowing around and through our bodies. It shifts and reacts in three dimensions. When I am working with a horse that is excitable and nervous, I think "low energy" and re-create the feeling my body has felt before, like it does when I'm tired. My energy will drop in my body and not radiate away from me. The energy flow slows and becomes closer to me. The horse feels this lowering of the energy and is influenced by the lower energy emotion I am projecting. The horse will reflect what I do because reflection is what it does naturally in the herd. The individuals of the herd reflect the emotion and behaviors of the other herd members. By contrast, if I have a horse that is lazy or dull, I will bring my energy up using the same thought techniques. I think "high energy" and recreate the feeling by body has felt when I am happy, or excited. My energy comes up in my body and radiates away from me in all directions. The energy flows faster and with more energetic movements within and around me. This too influences the horse to reflect what I bring to the relationship and helps to increase its behavior to be more energetic. Let's start with something simple. Ever notice how sometimes a person who approaches or stands near seems to be "pushing" with their presence? They aren't touching you, but it seems they are crowding. You can't see them doing anything, but you certainly feel this encroachment on your personal space. That person isn't even aware how they are affecting you. When the person moves away, you suddenly feel that space open up like you can now move into it. The same thing happens when you have a horse that is a bit resistant to leading. Frequently this occurs with a young, resistant or seemingly lazy horse. What we are doing is overwhelming the horse with our own personal energy. We are unknowingly pushing into the horse just as the person pushed into us with their presence. By being aware of this and "sending" our energy in the direction you want to move, you are moving away from the horse with your energy. Instead of pushing, you are now pulling on the horse with your body's energy presence, before even cueing with the lead rope. You are creating a void of space like a vacuum hat the horse senses it can move into. They feel that release of pressure and are more likely to move into it and follow you. You then reinforce that feeling with pressure from the halter if necessary. Leading is occurring not by pulling the horse, ut more by allowing it to move into where your energy draws it. The horse learns to anticipate your movement by feeling and following without being pulled. It is simply learning to feel and follow your body's energetic response. This is why as a horse is beginning to lead, after the first few steps they relax into leading because you are unwittingly pushing your energy's presence in front of you and away from the horse. (continued) Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
