Horse Articles

An Easy Way To Look At Training
Redirecting Pressure

Your horse is like a garden hose. Pressure, or energy, flows through your horse from one end to the other like water through a hose. To stop the water you wouldn't simply crimp the hose in half – and to stop your horse you wouldn't simply pull back on both reins. You won't stop the water and you won't stop the horse. You'll get leaks.

Until you teach your horse to deal with the pressure.

Crimp the hose and you get leaks, pull back on both reins and your horse "gets leaks." He'll leak that energy. Body parts will shoot out to the left, to the right, up or down. He'll jig to the right or left, bolt, shoot backward, buck or rear.

The solution is this: Use training exercises to let a little pressure leak here and there, redirecting that energy to your advantage. For example, in our Hip-Shoulder-Shoulder exercise we begin by walking forward, then pick up a rein and ask one shoulder to stop while the rear end keeps moving. We cause one shoulder to stop, so we make a connection between the rein and stopping the shoulder – but we allow the energy to continue flowing by allowing (or causing) the hips to keep moving. By not bottling the horse up, we've helped keep him calm, yet achieved a training objective. We've shown him how to channel that energy into a turn, a stop or whatever. And for the horse that wasn't stopping, it's become a simple thing to "turn the water off."

For instance: Is your horse getting jiggy with ya? Does he just kind of dance around, looking for trouble? Look for ways to redirect this energy in your every day riding to calm him down. Want to teach a particular movement? Begin thinking of "re-channeling" the movement of your horse through a combination of body parts. Allowing pressure to escape "out your horse's shoulder" back and to the left creates a spin to the left. Allowing half his energy to go out his shoulder to the left and the other half out his hindquarters to the left creates a sidepass. It's easy when you break it down and stick with it.

This article is part of the "Horse Training Basics" series. To read more, or to find a clinic or Certified John Lyons horse trainer near you, visit horsemanship101.com.

About the authors:

Josh Lyons: One of the most sought-after clinicians in the world, Josh Lyons offers you and your horse a second chance or an enhancement of your existing relationship. His gentle and objective methods, pioneered by his father John Lyons, have helped novice rider and pro alike. Josh continues the “Lyons Legacy,” teaching the John Lyons Certification Program in Parachute, CO and touring often. He is a frequent contributor to national publications like "Perfect Horse" and "Horse & Rider.” Find out more about Josh Lyons at LyonsLegacy.com.

Keith Hosman: If your horse won't speed up, slow down, stop or turn, you missed the latest training methods from Josh and John Lyons. Have you lost your confidence? Want a horse to brag about? Invest one weekend to make big changes with John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman. Keith is based near San Antonio, TX and is available for clinics, private sessions and training. He frequently conducts clinics and demonstrations — with an event coming soon to a town near you. For more horse training articles, or to attend a clinic or find a John Lyons trainer living in your area, visit horsemanship101.com now.

No part of this article may be reproduced without the express written permission of Josh Lyons and Keith Hosman. To contact us regarding reprints or syndication of our articles (in print or online), please contact us via www.horsemanship101.com.