Mind Horse and Pressure Horse

 

Last post I talked about some of the characteristics of space horses.  According to Josh Nichol’s Relational Horsemanship there are two other needs or types of horses, mind and pressure. 

Pressure horses respond to pressure primarily by running away.  They are very sensitive and easily startled.  The exercises for pressure horses revolve around bringing their focus to the rider/handler first when under pressure and then adding a soft release from the lead rope or rein.  Obviously starting without pressure and then gradually building up to harder things.  Jet is totally a pressure horse and has responded fabulously to the JN ground work.  It’s like I could hear him sigh and think-FINALLY she can speak my language.

Mind horses are always distracted and gazing in the distance.  Basically, their mind and body are separate and that causes them anxiety.  They have trouble being present.  The exercises for mind horses focus a lot on bringing their mind back to the handler/rider and to their own body.  A little video explains it HERE.

I highly recommend the NOËLLE FLOYD 7 day free trial if you’re interested in Josh Nichol’s program.  The videos cover each type of horse, are concise and show the exercises.  It’s easy to cover everything in the 7 days, probably twice.  Then if you’re hooked, I recommend Joshnichol.com and the Masterclass for much more in depth information and much more content.  Enjoy!

Space Horse

 

In Josh Nichol’s Relational Horsemanship horses have three needs, mind, space, and pressure.  Mind referring to keeping their mind present with their body instead of gazing off into the distance.  Space being the horse’s relationship to the energetic space around the rider/handler.  Pressure referencing the horse’s overreaction to any kind of pressure.  Most horses are easily identifiable as primarily one of the three and the training emphasis is slightly different for each kind of horse.

Cruise is definitely a space horse.  Quick VIDEO here.  Always barging onto me, head up in my grill, kind of unresponsive.  Space horses also tend to be slow to the leg and aids in general.  Through a series of exercises in hand all that has changed.  By having a strong energy field around myself and getting Cruise to receive that energy and yield slightly he has become a different horse.  Respectful with his head unless I draw him. Yielding all parts of his body just from my energy field.  Much calmer and connected in general because he knows where I am and also receives my energy willingly.

Interestingly, all of the sudden we have an easy walk to trot in hand for the first time with no bracing.  And even though the JN work has all been in hand, Cruise has become much more responsive under saddle.  I’m obviously oversimplifying things a bit, but this work is kind of amazing.

Josh Nichol

 

 

I know, I know, I promised no more rainbow chasing and to stick with one program.  Then my farm became a frozen tundra for months.  I was pretty much limited to ground work and the occasional ride in my teeny tiny indoor in very cold weather.  I don’t remember how, but I came across a NOËLLE FLOYD PODCAST with Josh Nichol and I was intrigued.  So far, I’ve done the 7 day free trial with Noelle Floyd’s JN content and I’m currently subscribed to Joshnichol.com’s MASTERCLASS.

I finally have an answer for why Cruise won’t willingly go forward, why Jet has completely different challenges, and why neither horse seems to trust my leadership.  Relational Horsemanship feels really familiar to me after the TRT Method, Dressage Naturally, Warwick Schiller, and Patrick King BUT with some huge differences and a methodology that really clarifies things for me.

Cruise is willingly going forward in hand and under saddle.  He is finally out of my space.  I’m finding it much easier to get his mind back with me.  His balance in hand and under saddle is much improved.  Bliss.

I think I’ll do a few posts with YouTube links soon to share the magic!

New Year New Me?

 

This is the current view from my kitchen window.  Only 4 inches or so of snow but it is COLD, like highs in the teens cold, and expected to be awful for the foreseeable future.  So, lots of groundwork in my plans and a couple of quick rides a week in my teeny tiny indoor.  I just finished one of my “quick” rides on Cruise after a bit of groundwork.  We are focusing on forward to a light contact and having the circle of energy.  I got some great stretched over his back walk and trot, nice leg yields, and some quality turns on the forehand and turns on the haunches.  Best of all he was very willing.  

Christmas was lovely with just the two(three?) of us as the kids were off having their own awesome adventures.  Full of good food, projects, planning for our next big trip(hint it involves The Cadre Noir), and a couple of fun day trips.  I missed my kids but I am blessed with Mr. EDB even if he does beat me at Scrabble sometimes.

Jet Set is 22 this year.  During the end of 2024, he had in quick succession an all clear from the chiropractor on his TMJ, Potomac Horse Fever when my vet was unavailable, and a massive accident involving getting his foot trapped in my ring roller.  He is, amazingly, sound, though his legs are still a bit banged up.  I tell you after finding him with his foot through the tongue of that thing(still can’t figure out how he got his foot through a 1.5” diamond hole) I thought he was done for.  It was about 5 degrees, I had to spend 20 minutes underneath him with a wrench and needle nose players taking the whole thing apart, with him covered in blood, hoping he wouldn’t panic again.  He was such a good boy.  He was three legged and I thought for sure something was broken but after extensive X-rays and ultrasound nothing major showed up.  With anti inflammatories, some wrapping with Furazone/DMSO, and time he is 100% sound with some scarring and hair loss on his legs.  I’m still amazed and very grateful.  He is my best boy.

So, new year, new me.  After a little introspection and looking over my riding diary for 2024 I came to the inescapable conclusion that I am a rainbow chaser.  In my quest to become better as a rider I’m flitting from one thing to the next trying to figure Cruise out and it’s not really working for us.  I think I need to stick with one program and problem solve within that program for an extended period of time.  I’ve been having great rides after returning to RS Riding and its emphasis on looseness, forward, and a light connection.  Cruise loves it and settles immediately when I am insistent that he go forward in a rhythm ALL THE TIME as our baseline.  I’m making a commitment to myself to use the RS Riding program as my home-base for 2025.  We shall see how it all works out.

What are your winter plans?