Angus is coming along nicely and organically as horses do in my non pressure approach. I have been helping Angus get back in touch with the Innate Cues that are in every horse that will allow him to get back to the language he was born knowing but got a bit muddled up along the way. Using my Natural Response Training™ there is no need to Train. Every horse already knows this language and the Innate cues that go with them. Once Angus realized I wasn’t looking for all the Conditioned responses he was taught by Traditional Training and so called “Natural” Horsemanship, He began to find his softness and calmness as I used primarily my body language to communicate with him with him as another horse would. As I start to integrate body language that will facilitate his body awareness and preparedness for In Hand work at Liberty, I know is will be an easy intuitive transition for him to each progression.

The first two Trust and Safety areas we worked were on Haltering and Learning how to be Lead. Angus is quite social but derails when tack and equipment come out. So I know we have to back up to the beginning. I want him to be confident and calm with basic handling and Leading as they are the beginning of any technical training. A halter is a bridle and a lead rope is a rein (whether you treat it like one or not) For example, Angus doesn’t seem to be very focused on people around him when you work around him or lead him (a human created problem). He is either un-confident or looking at everything around him in his environment (which unto itself is not a bad thing but in his case is excessive and leads to re-activeness). He often walks past you as though he is not on lead. When I think about these habits is the context of riding they don’t add up to a safe riding horse. A horse that “Knows how to be Lead” in my world doesn’t need a Halter or Lead on them at all. They want to go where you go and be where you are because you have a strong relationship. Angus is learning to trust me and the people who handle him daily and is learning how to let us “Lead” him and watch us for guidance. Some horse don’t need much guidance from us humans. They only need to know what we’re interested in doing with them. Maestro in comparison, is a very confident young fellow. All he needs to know from me is what I would like him to do and once he understands, he is happy to participate. Each experience with Angus is an exercise is re-patterning any behavior by actually simply getting him back to himself and his innate horse intelligence. It’s fun to see him coming back into the horse I know he is. Stay tuned