Article by Christina Medom - https://www.facebook.com/hestenoerd
The rider's ability to prevent, recognize, and reduce stress and nervousness makes a huge difference!
Is that so surprising? Maybe not, but keep reading anyway.
At the moment, I often use a heart rate monitor on horses in connection with lessons, training, and physical therapy. In doing so, I notice some clear patterns, and today the focus is on riding. The following is based on about 50 horses.
When does the horse especially become stressed or nervous?
- When the rider is unfocused and restless while grooming
- When the horse is being equipped with gear
- Upon arrival at the riding arena or hall
- During mounting
- When the gear is tightened afterward
- When the rider has restless hands (whether intentional or not)
- When the reins are tightened, creating constant pressure
- When the rider's balance affects the horse
- When the horse has difficulty balancing itself
- When the rider overcommunicates (constant driving, frequent noises, mixed signals, strategy changes)
The entire difference afterward lies in whether the rider is able to recognize the horse's signals of stress or nervousness, is aware of their own role in it, and whether the rider's response is relaxation and empathy or further control.
When the rider is present, gives the horse time, and responds with relaxation instead of increased tension, the horse's pulse quickly returns to a reasonable level (within a few seconds), and the work can continue in good balance. The pulse may be quite high momentarily, but it drops quickly again.
However, when the rider overlooks the horse's stress, contributes to increasing it, and responds with more tension and control, the pulse remains very high, even when the horse is just walking, and it takes a relatively long time to drop again.
Based on this group of horses, some good advice would be:
- Be present with your horse.
- At each transition, check that the horse is "with" you.
- The reins should be steady and are for communication, not control.
- If the horse becomes tense or nervous, give it a chance to relax before asking for more.
- Practice recognizing signs that the horse needs help (restlessness in the mouth, tail, raised head, increased speed, difficulty communicating, unwillingness to stand still, increased spookiness, biting, avoiding contact, etc.).
Use the horse's behavior as feedback.
