The Horse's Motivation
Watching animal training over the years has opened my eyes to motivation. Whales and wild cats will not be trained through force. Introduced to dog training, I learned a lot about different drives in the animal that can be used for motivation, such as food, prey, play and sometimes just the desire to please the handler. Motivation creates a great amount of focus and intensity in the animal without negative tension and the ability to take a correction that will perfect the performance.
But, what could motivate the horse and is accessible for us while we are riding? As you watch the horse playing in a field on a crisp morning and you see his joy in moving, prancing with an arched neck and suspended movement (maybe without a relaxed back) you can observe the spirit and possibility of movement. So, in general, the horse, as a flight animal, enjoys the outlet of his energy through movement. Particularly with a horse of high rideability, you can find the willingness to please the rider and the responsiveness to praise through voice, a pat or a quick walk break.
Chewing and relaxing of his neck are big training indicators that a horse is mentally ready to communicate. As we can observe in the horse's nature, chewing is a sign of relaxing and a positive response. For example, when the horse reacts to body work, he will relax and chew. Another good time to watch for the chewing is when a horse is worked loose in a round pen.
How to Use the Whip
Most of the time our problem is to create the impulsion we need for positive tension. The leg aid seems sometimes not enough, and clever use of the whip can be helpful. The whip should be introduced as a support for engagement not just as a forward-driving aid, which will teach the horse to close his frame from back to front.
Every horse has a different sensitivity level to the whip. It should be applied as light as possible but not without an effect. Most horses just need a touch or a gentle tap to the skin. It can be helpful to start in a halt, laying the whip on the horse and supporting it with the rider's subtle attitude to want to walk off, while the hand gently keeps the horse from moving forward. So, the goal is not forward motion but the horse's chewing on the bit. It helps him understand that a forward impulse gives results in a chewing comfortable feeling in the mouth, and so the bit becomes positive. The horse should learn that the forward-driving aids go through a soft poll and jaw, whether we are collecting or extending.
The next step could be to lay the whip on the horse in a transition from walk to halt, keeping the forward impulsion until the horse chews, softens and therefore is able to step from back to front into the halt. That principle should stay alive through all downward transitions. The whip becomes a motivator to engage the hind leg and soften in the jaw regardless of forward impulsion or collecting. If that is achieved, the whip can motivate the horse to dance without negative tension.
Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel is head trainer at Gene Freeze's First Choice Farm in Woodbine, Md. A former examiner for the U.S. Dressage Federation Instructor Certification Program, she is a German native who earned her Reitlehrer (federally certified instructor) certification with the highest score attained by anyone at that time.
