Thoughts from Donna-Michele Hammersley, NHTEC Member 

“Guidelines for effective error-free training. . .”

~ Patient persistence pays off!!

~ Effective schooling/training begins on the ground!

~ Never make assumptions!

~Be prepared to take all day if necessary

~If something isn’t working, go back a step / analyse the situation / analyse each step

~ Be clear with your cues

~ Check in with your/your horses body language. Listen to what he’s trying to tell you

~ Accept that your horses mistakes / bad behaviour is probably down to you

~ Make it easy for him to do the right thing

~ Don’t forget to PRAISE!

~ Keep goals simple & don’t get stressed if you don’t quite reach that goal. Tomorrow’s another day!

~ Don’t set yourself up for failure/dissapointment. It’s good to have a plan, but be willing to change/adapt it.

~ Work from where you are. (Remember horses have off days too!)

~ Learn from your mistakes, then move on. Mistakes are an essential part of the learning process.

~ Accept that the horse has as much to teach you as you have to teach them.

~ Communication is a two way conversation!

~ Focus on how far you’ve come, not how far you have to go!

~ Become an assertive empathetic leader, not an aggressive master. Work towards partnership.

~ Be consistent in everything you do. Inconsistency = confusion.

~ Don’t bring your Ego into the saddle / arena / stable.

~ Positive thoughts are a powerful tool – visualize what you want to happen, see everything going well in your mind first. Negative thoughts = negative action.