Welcome to the Harmony Program!
Level 2/3 on the ladder to becoming a Horseman!
Once you have over come Opposition Reflex (in Level 1) its important to progress to a point where your horse not only has no opposition reflex, but has positive reflexes. In simple terms this means the horse will respond to whatever you ask “without hesitation”
A positive reflex means your horse does not put pressure on rope when you are playing YO Yo, Circles, Sideways and Squeeze Games. You could do them all with a tiny elastic band between the halter and the snap! And it takes only your fingertip pressure to ask the horse to yield forwards, backwards, right, left, up and down, nothing more than phase 1.
When you are riding it means it takes no more than a squeeze to ask the horse to go and the slightest lift of the rein to slow. He yields backwards and sideways easily, does not change gaits or directions unless you ask and he travels in a straight line without need for correction. He crosses puddles, poles and jumps without hesitation. he leaves the herd without trouble.
Sound like the perfect horse doesn’t it? Positive reflexes are what make a horse a pleasure to handle and ride. There is not resistance. The big question is “how do you get a horse to feel like this”? It takes savvy of course: attitude, focus, feel, timing, balance and experience are the keys.
Level 1 brought great results, and now…
As a result of Level 1 we often have seen great improvement where horses have become much more compliant, some having come a long way form some very disrespectful or fearful behaviour . There is one trap, however, if you play the 7 Games every day the same way and are not provocative enough, the horse will get bored with you. And as you start to become predictable for the horse then they start to become disrespectful again, but now at a different level. Its not so much that they don’t do what you ask, its that they start to delay their response. its important for you to recognise this and do something about it. Level 2 will help you here as well as significantly increases your skills as a hander and rider.
So welcome to a new level of incompetence! The journey to Level 2 opens a lot of doors into your horse’s mind while increasing your skills as a rider and handler.
Summary
Go beyond opposition reflex to positive reflex.
Positive reflex means “without hesitation”
Nothing takes more than 4 ounces… you could do ground skills with an elastic band!
When riding your horse responds without hesitation forwards, backwards, sideways, up and down.
Sounds like the perfect horse… no resistance. How do you get a horse to feel like this?
Great results achieved in Level 1 must not be allowed to stagnate. Horses get bored without progress.
Being predictable causes disrespect from you horse and delayed response.
Welcome to a new level of incompetence!
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