Invest one weekend to get the horse you've always wanted! Learn the simple, objective Lyons methods. Click here to read about our clinics. John Lyons Training Issue One: Get Control of Your Horse featured exercise: "Steer the Tail" written by Josh Lyons and Keith Hosman

Issue Number One (cont'd):

• Part 1: Four Things You Need To Train Your Horse: Motivation, Spot, Direction, Reward

• Part 2: How To Get Your Horse's Attention: Recognition, Response, Control

• Part 3: An Exercise For When You Can't Ride: Teach Yourself What A Give Really Feels Like

• Part 4: Featured Riding Exercise: Steer The Tail

- part 2 -

How To Get Your Horse's Attention:
Recognition, Response, Control

A "give" is three things: recognition, response and control. First, a horse has to recognize the signal, which is pretty simple. It could be anything: it could be picking up the rein, it could be putting your leg on the horse. That's your signal, your "cue." He first has to recognize that. Second he has to respond to it – and third, he has to give control of that part of his body over to you. Remember: Recognition, response, control.

I could walk by my horse all day and he doesn't have to even recognize that I'm here – and it would be a waste of my time to ask him to do anything. But if I took a stick and started poking him, then all of a sudden it becomes a whole lot more important to the horse that "I'm here." When you ask a horse to do something, a lot of other things are going to draw his attention and it's important that you become more important, no matter what it takes. The horse has to fully recognize that you're there. That's important, otherwise, you can't get to the next step: You can't get him to respond in a certain way.

You've all heard that you want to get your horse's attention first. That's nonsense. We don't care about the horse's attention; we really don't. I don't expect the horse to think about me before he does something. Have you ever been on a trail ride with your horse when the horse did everything you wanted him to do? What were you doing? You were looking around, talking to people, enjoying the ride. Did you care for even one moment what your horse was thinking? No, you didn't, because he was doing exactly what you were asking him to do. You didn't care what he was thinking because there he was, walking down the trail, turning right when you asked him to turn right, stopping when you asked him to stop. You didn't care at all what he was thinking. You care when the horse either does – or does not – stop when you ask him to stop or turn when you ask him to turn. Getting his attention is a bi-product of training, of improving his performance. The better your horse stops or turns when you ask him to, the more of his attention you get and the more control you have.

When you first go out to ride, you're not going to have your horse's attention. Your horse is going to be looking at all the other horses and looking around the arena. You're not going to have any "attention" whatsoever. We don't need his attention; we need his performance. We need him to turn right when we ask him to turn right and to turn left when we ask him to turn left. Concentrate on making those turns better because, again, as the turns get better you'll get more "attention."

- end of part 2 -

Issue Number One (cont'd):

• Part 1: Four Things You Need To Train Your Horse: Motivation, Spot, Direction, Reward

• Part 2: How To Get Your Horse's Attention: Recognition, Response, Control

• Part 3: An Exercise For When You Can't Ride: Teach Yourself What A Give Really Feels Like

• Part 4: Featured Riding Exercise: Steer The Tail

See more articles in our archive of past issues

back to top

***

Disclaimer: Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury. Keith Hosman, Josh Lyons, Patrick Benson and their associates will not assume any liability for your activities. Our newsletter, books and videos provide general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. No warranty is given regarding the suitability of this information, the instructions, and techniques to you or other individuals acting under your instructions.

This newsletter was written by Josh Lyons and Keith Hosman.
All Rights Reserved (TM) 2006, Keith Hosman and Josh Lyons
No part of this website or our newsletter(s) may be reproduced without our express written permission.

Attend a clinic with Certified John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman and make big changes in your horse. Click here for one near you.

Lyons Fact #93: Get it, get it consistently, improve on it, go to the next step. Lyons Fact #112: Repetition without change causes irritation.

Lyons Fact #79:
You don't build a house in a day. You build it brick by brick.

Lyons Fact #396:
A little progress every day will get you to your goal.

Get the performance and relationship with your horse you desire. We'll automatically let you know when a clinic's coming to your area when you sign up for our free training newsletter, (upper-left sidebar, this page).