Step 19 – Common Problems When Leading With Energy

We often hear how valuable it can be to witness people making mistakes and learning from them. While Warwick does provide insights into common pitfalls, sometimes it’s more effective to see these challenges firsthand. To facilitate your learning, we’ve included clinic videos and virtual lessons in the video library, organized for easy access. An excellent example of this is when Robyn embarked on teaching Rey the “Leading with Energy” exercise, resulting in a highly informative video series.

Today, we encourage you to watch the video of their first day working together and see if it resonates with your own experiences.

We understand that each horse is unique, and Rey is no exception. Just like your horse, Rey possesses distinct characteristics. However, this video series allows you to observe how we address some of the more common challenges associated with this exercise. These challenges often revolve around the handler’s body control and understanding the necessary steps to execute the exercise correctly.

Don’t skip watching these videos because you don’t have any perceived problems.  Having this information is important so you know what to do if a problem arises. 

For those working on “Leading with Energy,” head out and give it another try.  Work on the first side until it’s solid, which may take 5 days or more. We initiate on the left side, as it’s the standard for teaching horses to lead, and they are usually more comfortable with us on that side. This principle of beginning with the easier side remains a constant throughout our training process.

Take your time with this exercise and don’t rush ahead simply because we’ve provided a plan. You may reach Step 20 on the 50th day of following the videos, and that’s perfectly fine. What’s important is not to be on Step 20 of the plan on the 20th day after you start. Utilize the tip of videoing yourself and refer back to the “Leading With Energy” playlist for more instructional videos.

Work on this exercise (may take multiple days or weeks) until your horse is responsive, reading your body language and energy from the left side. They should be able to adjust their pace, turn, and respond promptly to your cues. When this level of responsiveness is achieved, it’s time to progress to the next step in your training which is the same exercise from the other side.