Round Pen Exercise (Continued)

If a horse ever threatens to run you over, refusing when you are instituting the turn, just slap the ground hard (and loud!) and fast, repeatedly with the rope as it twirls (tip: the shorter the end of the rope you use for that spinning, the easier it is to manage), making it far noisier and uncomfortable for the horse, and speak a loud "SHHHHHHHHH!" sound simultaneously. That usually discourages those running-through-you thoughts. Use common sense here, of course, and never put yourself in real danger. Just direct assertively to get what you want there: the turn, even if you have to keep upping the pressure to get it. Then... turn the horse fairly often to keep the horse on its toes, having to think, having to follow your directives, but do not allow the horse to make any turn decisions on its own.

Turn the horse fairly often both directions to

keep the horse thinking, paying attention

After the horse turns, the pressure is removed with

softer body language showing the "yes" answer.

Make those turning points at varying spots all around the round pen, not the repeated same place for the turn, or the horse will begin to rationalize that, "we turn right here always, correct?" and then potentially be thinking too much on their own, not listening to directions instead. Break it up. Keep the turns unpredictable. This keeps the horse thinking, listening, following your leadership directions.

If the horse does suddenly make an unasked-for turn on its own, immediately redirect the horse right back in the direction you had previously instructed! Quickly short-cut to the other side of the round pen, cutting the horse off again, and keep insisting that the horse make that turn back into the direction you instructed. Keep the pressure higher in such cases. Smack the ground loudly with the twirling rope, speak a loud "SHHHHHHHH" to indicate: "wrong answer there!" Very important to make that instant directional correction if a horse tries to take over turns there, in order to shut off inside the horse any thoughts that the horse is leading this herd movement dance, not you, the lead mare. You are the director there, not the horse, and in this way, the horse will quickly perceive you as the lead mare "driving my herd." And the horse will begin to think/switch over to complete follower thoughts only.

It is not unusual in the beginning of this exercise for the horse to try to find other outlets to escape the pressure – like turning and facing the outside of the round pen frantically suddenly, even pushing into the sides, so make sure the sides are safe enough, strong enough to withstand that in your round pen, and high enough (at least five+ feet, or even more with jumper-types) that the horse cannot jump over when under pressure. Be calm, patient, and consistent in your directives and the horse will rule out the outside of the round pen quickly as any option out of pressure that works for them. That's part of the mental process sometimes as they discover that the route out of pressure is actually going to be: joining calmly, rationally with you.

The horse early on looks outside of the round pen to find a way out of

pressure other than considering you as the way out of the pressure.

 

 

For Signs the Horse Gives of Wanting to Join with You

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