4 Stages of Development Flashcards
Stage 1 of Development
Teach Does Not Yield: FIGHT FLIGHT NO RESPONSE Fight Flight Ignore (-10 to 3)
Fight = Left Brain Flight = Right Brain Unresponsive = shut down or freezes
Control:
- hindquarter disengagement
- Lateral Flexion
Stage 2 of Development
Control
Yield to Suggestion
(4 to 6)
Yields from Pressure
TEACH YOUR HORSE TO BE RESPONSIVE, COMPLIANT
Teach horse the appropriate response to pressure:
Phases of ‘request’, and improvement of response: The horse at first feels heavy, then learns to be lighter and more responsive.
Use Phases of Friendly Firmness: Phase 1: press the hair Phase 2: press the skin Phase 3: press the muscle Phase 4: match the resistance
Stage 3 of Development
Reinforce Seeking Comfort w/in the Yield Seeks Comfort KNOWS THE GOAL WILLING (7 to 8)
Feels for boundaries, seeks relief from pressure, tries to understand the goal to find harmony in motion.
Set it up and Wait:
Hold steady until the softens and/or goes with you.
Stage 4 of Development
Refine
Harmony & Unity
EXUBERANT
(9 to 10)
You almost can’t tell who’s the leader or who’s the follower. The horse is totally engaged - mentally, emotionally and physically, puts in a lot of effort, enjoys it!
What you do in your body the horse does in it’s body. It feels so connected, as you think it the horse does it!
Pat’s definition of respect
The Appropriate Response to Pressure
But the appropriate response to pressure cannot be learned without “release”, or relief from pressure: Pressure motivates, but it’s the release that teaches. It is our responsibility to teach horses how to yield and get in harmony with us.
What are the 4 categories of response?
Category 1 - Does Not Yield - Fight Flight or No Response
Category 2 - Yields from Pressure - Teach your horse to be responsive, compliant
Category 3 - Seeks Comfort - Knows the Goal and is willing
Category 4 - Harmony and Unity - Exuberant
What to work on with a Category 1 Response (Does Not Yield)
Control in the hindquarters and lateral flexion
What to work on with a Category 2 Response (Yields from Pressure)
Use the phases of friendly firmness to teach the horse the appropriate response to pressure.
Phases of request and improvement of response.
What to work on with a Category 3 Response (Seeks Comfort)
Set it up and wait: Hold steady until the horse softens and or goes with you.
Horse feels for boundaries, seeks relief from pressure, tries to understand the goal to find harmony in motion.
What to work on with Category 4 (Harmony and Unity)
What you do in your body the horse does in its body. It feels so connected, as you think it the horse does it!
You almost can’t tell who’s the leader and who’s the follower. The horse is totally engaged - mentally, emotionally and physically, puts in a lot of effort and enjoys it!
