Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal Theory
Inside the Human Factor course, we talked a lot about Polyvagal theory in human terms, but it also applies to the horses.
Remember, today before you go out to hang out with your horse again, we’d like you to first do something inside of the practices portion of the Human Factor course – whether you pick Orienting or Breathwork or even meditating – do this before you present yourself to your horse. Then, when you are with your horse, do another – with them. Breathe with them, maybe do the eco-meditation (this is on the Human Factor playlist of the video library) with them. See if getting yourself into a different state first influences your horse in any way.
This is where you are invited to just bring your curiosity in, no judgment or expectation, just curiosity if showing up in a different way has any affect on your horse.
A reminder of how to use this course: click on Mark Complete below and tomorrow you will move on to Day 8.
This has been so useful to me on shoeing day. I have always “worried “ that my horse won’t behave for the shoer…leading to who knows what type of fights. I started meditating before the shoer arrives, and then while I am holding the horse for him, I monitor my breathing (and sometimes find myself NOT breathing). I then do one of the breathing exercises making the exhales audible. Amazing how relaxed my horses have become on shoeing day!
Great work!
Ive typically needed to use a lot of energy to get a response from my young very pushy warmblood. I’ve been working on building a better connection with him. He seems less pushy and I’ve needed to use less energy. I wonder if we’ve been yelling at each other all this time and now we are learning how to talk.
Probably the big thing with a pushy horse is your energy is never at sero when around them, so your voice gets lost. Better to start on the other side of a fence so you cabn be at zero.
I’ve tried just hanging out with my horse… But he is very mouthy and tries to bite. I tried that technique where you put your hands where his muzzle goes, but he is really fast and I think my hands are going to get bit eventually , I also tried the other technique where you push his face to the side, and he just comes back faster like trying to nip and I’ve also tried sitting outside the stall and he puts his head over and licks and chews and yawns like crazy, after he try’s to reach me and can’t. but when I go in to put his halter on, he does the biting or if I have to pick his stall out he does the biting and tries to grab the halter and what not so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Shannon.
I’d start outside his stall like you have done, far enough away that he can’t quite reach you. This will give him the idea that he wants to try to get you but cant quite. After a while (which is the bit you’ve already done), step closer so he can just reach you stretched out, and engage with his muzzle. Dont reach for him, let him reach for you, and make sure you hold your hand really flat and vertical. Doing this part outside his door prevents him from taking a swipe at parts of you that you arent fast enough to get your hand to, such as your lower legs.Do that until he slwos down his chompiness, and pushiness. I’ve had people do thios from behind a fence at clinics, and it might take over an hour the first time, but the horses are usually forever changed. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Warwick thank you for the suggestion.
Stood outside my horses stall this evening and tried the techniques you suggested. He would reach for me and really lip and try and bite my hand. But then right away turn and try and bite his stall or hinge. Then start making these really weird motions with his muzzle and jaw (releasing tension/stress I’m sure). Then would come back. This went on for about 30 min. Then one time he reached out and let me pet his nose for like 10 seconds. Then he started yawning. Yawned about 6/7 times. Sniffed the ground and walked away from me. Looked out his window and had a poop. Didn’t come back. Not sure how to take this ha ha ha.
At what point would you consider this exercise a win, or perfect?
What would the next step be?
Haltering without biting? (Mind you he needs to be haltered to go to the arena)
Should I work on this before taking him to the arena and letting him loose and start the flag work?
Thank you so much for helping me on my journey!
Hi Shannon
Not sure if you tried step 1, but step 2 sounds like it worked perfectly.
I’d repeat that again, and if it works the same, then open the door to go in. If he comes over and wants to bite, just exit and stand far enough away he can just reach you, and do it again. Repeat those 2 steps until you can go in there without getting crowded and bit.
I did Robyn’s neurofit course and it helped me tremendously. I will always be grateful. Just a few moments ago, I did the orienting technique before going out to the barn to hang out with my horses. I did the same thing when sitting in the barn. Then it came to me that my “spooky” mare (reiner from a performance barn that had little exposure to anything other than her stall, paddock, and arena when I got her) looked completely relaxed. I decided to try an experiment and brought her out of the stall. While just standing next to her, I did some of the breathwork and again the orienting exercise. So here’s the experiment: For the last several months she has frozen and hesitated to walk out of the barn. Just opening the gate has caused her to spook. One time it was so bad she fell to the ground. This time, I felt great and hopeful. We walked up, opened the door, and she walked right out with total confidence. Not a flinch!!!
Thats awesome, great work.
Hello, I’m really curious if you notice your horses need less bodywork when they are operating in the top half of the triangle or with the connection piece working? It seems like so many horses struggle with soundness issues and constantly need bodywork, I wonder if they are able to be more relaxed if it has a big impact on their bodies. I’m kind of also following Celeste Lazaris Balance Through Movement Method and a huge part of that is getting the horse to be in a recieving energy which reminds me of this connection piece and then invite them into a posture that deactivates certain muscles and many people have seen major improvements to their horses. I apologize I’m probably butchering her work and yours, I’m just trying to grasp this stuff, but I can’t shake this thought.
I also want to say that I’m really loving Robyns work, I took her six week nervous system course and loved it. In yesterdays lesson you mentioned that hearing can improve with the social engagement system activated, I bet our vision can improve too. I’ve been working on natural vision improvement for a few years and the main key is relaxation. I did the half salamander exercise tonight when I was out feeding horses in the dark and my eyes started watering which usually means I will get some clear flashes in my vision which I did. The really cool thing was that this was the first time I’ve ever had a clear flash when it was partially dark outside. I’m excited to keep playing with this.
Yes, I feel they carry so much lkess tension in their body when in the top part of the traingle
I have been working on connection for about 6 mos. – hanging out in pasture, matching steps, scratching, etc. I have noticed my horse has developed more interest in engaging with me. However, he has a history of abuse and a lot of anxiety about new things and changes. I’m getting ready to introduce him to a new area in my barn. He’s been in a pasture with a run in shed. Due to his anxiety, I want to introduce this area slowly and show him that I notice his changes. I plan to walk with him on a lead and stop when he stops and then give him time to compose himself. After about a minute, he will usually walk ahead on his own toward the scary thing before stopping again. I learned this from trailer loading practice. What I need to know is once he stops and then relaxes, (at the point he would normally proceed ahead), do I retreat from the scary thing to reinforce his calm? I don’t fully understand the reasoning behind the need to retreat once the horse becomes calm before returning to the scary thing and repeating.
“I learned this from trailer loading practice. ”
I wouldnt predict too much into the future, loading into a trailer and moving to a different area are two completely different things. If you are thinking its going to be scry for him, that energy can transfer to him. I want you to picture it not being an issue, however respond to how your horse is feeling in the moment.
OK, thanks so much! Could you please explain the reasoning behind the idea of retreating once the horse becomes calm, as opposed to proceeding ahead?
Because thats the protocol, step 1 is retreat at the first sign of recognition (or concern or both). Step 2 is retreat on the first sign of them relaxing (this is where you are trading, you are giving them space , but only if they feel better about it).
I am confused about the need to retreat after the relaxation. When you described the horse with the pinned ears at the clinic, did you retreat after the relaxation? I’m trying to understand the horse psychology behind this issue, so that I can apply it to other issues.
The mare at the clinic, first I retreated at the ear pinning, then the next step I would pause when she pinned her ears, then retreat when her expression changed, then step 3 is approach her
Thank you for explaining this. I’m wondering what to do with taking the pressure away when a horse goes in freeze mode?
My trainer explained to me that when the horse i’m learning from is going in freeze mode i tend to take the pressure away and then learning them the wrong thing.
Now I’m wondering how they could come out freeze mode when I have to put more pressure on something they don’t now (they can’t search for the answer in freeze mode i guess).
I’m puzzling with ‘they have to now the answer before you ask the question’ in those situations, how do you do that in new situations (in this case i first had to practice with a circle between me and the fence, and the next step was that she had to ‘park’ when I’m on the fence).
What is the situation it occurs in?
In this situation it was when she was asked to move forward, near the fence when the human was beside the fence and the pressure was with the flag waving towards her hind. She freezed and then i should wave the flag against her belly. When she comes out of freeze i should take the flag away.
I would follow the 3 step protocol in this place.
Dear Warwick, according to your experience, would it be wise to adjust our expectations about how this scheme applies to any given horse, according to their breed? Do certain breeds — say Spanish horses, or warmbloods in general — tend to be in one corner or region of the state diagram more than others? Do some breeds switch more rapidly between states than others? Would that be something that you would advice to take into account, or would you prefer to assume that, in terms of this scheme, no a priori biases and restrictions come with a breed? Best regards, Ramses
Ive not found this to vary breed to breed.