'Feel' Your Horse's Thoughts to Non-Opposition
Opposition:
Placement opposite to, or in contrast with, another.
'Something that serves as an obstacle.'
Non-Opposition:
One usual way of responding to a motion.
'It simply means that the non-moving party does not oppose the motion.'
"Feel Of" and "Feel For" is the art of non-opposition.
Following and influencing horse's thoughts through feel.
The horse always has a thought to do something before they do it.
When a horse thinks to do something, they do it willingly.
This is how we both learn to 'follow a feel."
Rhett has shown me the real art of 'feel' to influence,
guide and support his thoughts and body.
We call it 'GuiDance Feel' and note that:
- Feel is firmly built on the foundation of trust.
- Feel improves with increased confidence of horse and human.
- Feel is meant to help a horse feel better emotionally, mentally and physically, not worse.
'GuiDance Feel' = Follow - Influence - Support
- Follow a horses thoughts with feel.
- Influence a horse's thoughts and body through feel.
- Support a horse's thoughts and body through feel.
Do your best to ask 'feel' questions your horse can answer with a yes.
The connection with your horse through the lead rope or rein is the opportunity to connect with their mind.
You can't influence their thoughts if you are opposed with those thoughts.
Where a horse's ears are pointed is where their thoughts already are or are headed. The ears and their actions are one of the keys to the horse's emotions. The ears tell you what the horse is paying attention to by how he uses them.
Some of the ear positions we might see when with our horses:
- Ears forward and relaxed, is a horse curiously paying attention to what is happening in front of him.
- Ears turned back but relaxed, is a horse paying attention to their rider and what is behind them.
- Ears pointed left and right relaxed, is a horse taking in the environment on both sides and listening to the handler.
This last ear position, ears pointed right and left, is our best opportunity to follow our horse's thoughts.
- 'Following' means how artfully we pick up the rope or rein and follow the horse's thoughts and direction to the direction he is seeking.
- 'Following' is a good path to significant changes rooted in those fleeting moments of connection through feel.
Influencing any sort of direction change, no matter how subtle, is asking them to change their thoughts, and then their body.
When your horse's left ear is tipped left, he may start turning left since that's where his thoughts are leading him. Pick up your leadrope or rein and beautifully follow his direction, therefore his thoughts.
Only when you are able to consistently follow your horse's thoughts with the rope or rein, are you given the opportunity to begin to influence your horse's thoughts and body.
Only then can we direct and influence our horse's thoughts and be with our horses in non-opposition.
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