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Leading With Energy

leading with energy

If your horse has more drive than draw, then you will start working on Leading With Energy. This would look like a horse that is more anxious than shutdown, more alert than dull, etc.

This is the Leading with Energy exercise as taught to an Andalusian Mare: 

If you are sure that your horse is proficient at the Standing Still & Present flowchart, then go out and practice the leading with energy today (if your horse has more drive than draw or if you’ve already done the Focus & Bend because your horse has more draw than drive).

A reminder how to use this course: click on Mark Complete below and go to Step 19 tomorrow. 

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I had an interruption in progressing-dr appt-then my internet went down. So today (6/10/24) I resumed the 30 day jump start and it went well. Step 17, I repeated until it went smoothly. My question is, since I’m at times working on a wide gravel driveway, after doing “Leading with Energy” exercises today Cricket would stop after he came around me and I scratched him, he would paw the gravel, putting his head down as if to roll, then start to eat small gravel rocks and dirt. He never actually rolled. Then he’d stop that, being still and present, and grab at the lead rope with his mouth until I moved it away.. Any suggestion about what is going on? He did this 3 times and I’d wait for him to roll or ?? he’d sometimes sigh, blink and stick his tongue out and yawn. Other times he just stood there watching me with ears prick to me. If he started to get dirt in his mouth after pawing, I stopped him then. I don’t know what this means or what to do next so I’m writng for suggestions.

Warwick Schiller avatar Warwick Schiller (Administrator) June 13, 2024 at 3:23 pm

Just wait, there is not right answer. If he wants to chew the lead rope, let him chew his lead rope

Thanks so much. I know horse behaviors are from some need of theirs so I was concerned–

MayI know under which Step is Focus and Bend? I can’t seem to fine it.

Warwick Schiller avatar Warwick Schiller (Administrator) August 24, 2024 at 11:12 am

Its in the groundwork playlist

Hi, the 30day jumpstart is going pretty well. My horse now stays present most of the time, and does the focus and bend fairly consistently. I’m starting the leading with energy but when he walks beside me he often tries to bite, in a playful or attention-seeking way. I can’t hold his muzzle in my hands which I do if we are stationary, as I’m walking beside him – so I raise my energy. That works fine for a few steps but he keeps trying, and I keep raising my energy to stop him. He then starts striking out with his front legs as if doing a spanish walk (he is spanish but I have never taught him to spanish walk!) I’m sure it is a redirection of the attention-seeking nipping behaviour but not sure how to resolve this.

Warwick Schiller avatar Warwick Schiller (Administrator) December 4, 2024 at 3:27 am

The rules are the same as standing still, if he tries to bite stop and enage with his muzzle, and at that point you are no longer doing the elading with energy, you are now back at the flow chart.
Does he ever do it when standing still any more? If so, do not do the leading with energy while ever that is still there

This was super helpful (even though it’s not with an Andalusian mare like the title says🙂) because it clearly illustrates how much time it can take, even with an expert like you. Sometimes when my horse takes a long time to catch on, I wonder if I’m doing things all wrong.

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