Horses In The Park

Please look at the circle on the lower right. Inside it is an eight sided series of straight lines, an octagon. Most riders who believe they are riding a circle are actually riding a polygon like this series of straight lines in the circle. This is because they do not bend their horses. They either don't know how or they lack the core and leg strength to do it correctly, or both.

Bending your horse and holding a bend happens when a rider applies physical strength at the center where the red arrow in the top image is pointing. Additionally, the rider holds their horse between the forehand with the inside hand and rein, and the hind with the outside leg slightly behind the girth.

The point of the red arrow acts like the point on a compass drawing the circle. The inside leg is the compass point at the red arrow defining the center of the arc of the bend. The right hand in the top picture is like the inside rein, and the rider's left leg acts like the pictured left hand. The rider in the picture holds their horse between the right rein and left leg and the "point of the compass" determines the center of the bend.

The process of riding an entire 20 meter circle in a bend might start as an octagon with many straight lines connected by quick turns. At the beginning an accomplished rider might hold a bend in their horse for the length of two of the straight lines, then three, then four and so on.

When the horse holds the bend longer, it requires more strength and stamina from both the horse and rider. Because of the strength required riders must be patient with the muscle development of their horse. To hold a bend throughout a complete circle is much more difficult than most riders believe.

Spectators welcome!

SLOOOOOW DOWN!

SLOW your walking down to 1 step per second with and without your horse next to you.
SLOW your hand movements down as you touch or do things.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your pulls and pushes down on the leadrope.

SLOW to FLOW!

Humans are WAAAAY to fast for horses and this is one of the leading causes of reactivity and opposition reflex in horses.

Speed = stress.

Let me teach you what speed does...

When the brain perceives a threat, it causes the body to release the stress response hormone cortisol. Cortisol levels and speed go hand in hand.
Cortisol provides the body with the fuel it needs to flee a scary situation or fight against it.

The thing with the mind-body relationship is that the brain feels an emotion such as fear, which create a physical response in the body, but the body can also move at a certain speed or in a particular way and create an emotion in the brain. It can be reverse engineered.

This is how special the intimate relationship is between the brain and body.

The other thing to remember is that, collectively as a social animal, when speed is noticed by another mammal (no matter the species), it alerts the unconscious brain to threat.

Speed is an alarm system in a social system (consciously and unconsciously).

If you walked down a road and everyone started running, you'd find it hard not to run even if you didn't know what the cause was. You are noticing that others are running and in a direction, so you mirror them to increase your chances of survival. You don't need the reasoning part of your brain for this. You just activated your primal (survival) part of the brain.

One other thing to remember: HORSES CAN SMELL CORTISOL. So not only does your speed act as a visual alarm system to your horse, it also acts as an olfactory one!

Would you want to interact with someone who caused you to feel constantly on alert?

These little things are the beginnings of what ripples into chronic stress in both humans and horses.
You spend enough time around someone who is fast in their movement, your nervous system will condition itself to being on high alert.
HELLO 👋 CHRONIC STRESS!!!

Slow your movement down = slow your thoughts down.
Slow your movement down = lower your cortisol.
Slow your movement down = feel connected with yourself, the world and others in it.
Slow your movement down = slow your alarm systems down and eventually they'll turn off.

Slow down so much that it is uncomfortable. It won't be uncomfortable for long, I promise 😉

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 🙂

Upcoming clinics

Worcester 18th May 2024
Stellenbosch 19th May 2024

Namibia
1st and 2nd June 2024

Pretoria
15 June 2024 Horses in the Park
16 June 2024 Madrix Equestrian

UK
5th July 2024 Vines Cross ( Fully booked
Only spectator spots available)
6th July 2024Vines Cross ( Fully booked only spectator spots available)
7th July 2024 Sedlescombe ( both participant and spectator spots available)

Port Elizabeth ( dates to be confirmed, please message to be added to event WhatsApp group)
Bloemfontein ( dates to be confirmed, please message to be added to WhatsApp group)

To book for any of the above
WhatsApp 0724703358 (SA)
Email : [email protected]

So looking forward to our weekend! AND my horses cannot wait to see you again!🙌🙌🙌😁😁😁

#horsemanship #horses #equestrian #heartfelthorsemanship #horsetraining #HelloQualityEquestrian

Never underestimate the power of a heartfelt compliment.
Never just assume your trainer/ instructor /trimmer/physio knows the impact they make.
We hear a lot more from the naysayers than those who value our passion and commitment.
Carlene shared this photo in the comments section of a video I shared with the following statement : "You are the safest space for the horse, which is why all the horses gravitate to you during lessons".
This didn't just make my day. It drowned the flood of self doubt that comes with people looking for the flaws in everything you do.
Moral of the story.. Tell your equine professional what a difference they make in your life. If they are at the coal face of the change in the industry, chances are they need it as much as I did today!