lessons

Transcribed lessons from the Band.

Band of horses that is: Epona, Lyra, and Xandra.

June 4, 2008

Lesson One: it’s not personal. When Lyra or Xandra step out of line, Epona schools them back into place, but it isn’t personal. She doesn’t add emotion into the equation, she swishes her tail or pins her ears, maybe even has to go so far as to kick out at one of them, but then it’s done. While the lead mare may discipline, it is done swiftly and then over.

Lesson Two: Escalate. Don’t start off with the harshest measure. When the lead mare disciplines, she starts with a swish of her tail, then pins her ears, then bares her teeth or kicks out in that horse’s direction, then actually kicks them or even runs them off. She goes in stages of gradually escalating her discipline, makes it a lot quicker and easier the next time. Should get to the point where just a look is enough.

Lesson Three: Pressure. Use pressure to get a horse’s attention. If you’ve asked them for a response and they haven’t given it gradually escalate the pressure, go from a look to a movement in air, to slight pressure, to increased pressure, to a lot of pressure so they will start to learn to listen sooner. Should only take a look, not a muscle war.

Lesson Four: Work. Horses, generally, don’t like to work harder than they have to. If the horse isn’t doing what is being asked, make them work for it, the right answer is the easy answer. The wrong answer requires a lot more work.

Lesson Five: Stay Calm. No matter what, stay calm. No matter the situation, if your horse isn’t doing what you ask or your horse is getting nervous, your horse feeds off of your energy, so stay calm. If you breathe in and out and relax, get back to being calm, your horse will follow your lead. You must stay calm though, no one, including your horse, wants to follow a crazy, wound up, irrational, angry, ill tempered leader, they want calm, cool, rational, consistent for their leader. Do as you would have done unto yourself, stay calm.