Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded Effective Communication with The Driving Horse presented by Jeff Morse at 2005 The Driving Forum in Sturbridge, MA. March 7, 2005 DIRECTIONS You should see controls for proceeding thru the presentation at the bottom left of each slide when you move your mouse. This download includes both the slides and the complete audio soundtrack of the presentation. The audio from each slide will begin automatically as you navigate from slide to slide. When the audio ends, proceed by clicking anywhere on the slide. You can stop and re-start the audio by clicking on the audio icon at the top right hand corner. Click anywhere else on the slide and the audio for that slide will stop. Click on the Icon and it will start again. Double click and you will go to the next slide. PRINTING THE BOOKLET If you have not already done so, you can now print the booklet that accompanies this presentation called: 7 Essential Exercises for Communicating with the Driving Horse You have 2 choices: Click here to open the PDF version. You will need Acrobat Reader.here to open the PDF version Click here to open the MS-Word version.here to open the MS-Word version

The Driving Forum 2005 Effective Communication with the Driving Horse Jeff, whip ~ Age 1 Jeff Morse Green Meads Farm Richmond, MA

Ineffective Communication?

What is The Subject of the Communication from the Driver to the Horse?  Balance = 90%  Direction/Speed = 10%  Blanket of Comfort  All Athletic Performance is enhanced by improvements in Balance control.

What is The Subject of the Communication from the Horse to the Driver?  COMFORT  Physical Pain Obvious ~ Subtle ~ Hidden  Mental Pain Poor Management Poor Nutrition, Disease Genetic Deficiencies  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  ‘The Emotional Brain’ by Joseph LeDoux

The Horse is Constantly Communicating his Level of Comfort Thru Body Language Thru Body Language Thru Behavior Thru Behavior Management Team Management Team Owner Trainer Grooms Vet Chiropractor Dentist Farrier

Improving Communication For The Driver Driver Temperament Driver Temperament Driver mental state directly related to horse performance Driver mental state directly related to horse performance Eat well Eat well May mean the difference between a 4 and a 7 or missing a Gate or unnecessarily confusing your horse May mean the difference between a 4 and a 7 or missing a Gate or unnecessarily confusing your horse Time Management Time Management The most unfair thing you can do to your horse is to not have enough time for him. The most unfair thing you can do to your horse is to not have enough time for him. The 1 st Two Minutes The 1 st Two Minutes Driver gets to assess the horse Driver gets to assess the horse Horse gets to assess the Driver Horse gets to assess the Driver Alois Podhajsky, Director of the Spanish Riding School: “I have the Time.”

Division of Labor & Management Whenever these two principals get crossed, problems begin. Slow Down Don’t bring the frenetic pace of Modern Life to the World of the Horse

Use of the Aids Reins Reins Primary Primary Synthetic vs Leather Synthetic vs Leather Errors along the Path of Communication Errors along the Path of Communication Voice Voice Primary & Supporting Primary & Supporting Verbal *Instruction* Structure Verbal *Instruction* Structure Instruction = Direct, Guide, Request, Ask Instruction = Direct, Guide, Request, Ask Command = Dictate, Demand, Order Command = Dictate, Demand, Order Whip Whip Supporting Supporting What is The 4 th Aid? What is The 4 th Aid?

The Path of the Reins The path the reins take will influence the quality of the instruction to the horse. Kathleen Conklin & John Walnut Hill 2004

Errors on the Communication Path Kathleen Conklin & John Walnut Hill 2004

Use of the Aids Reins Reins Primary Primary Synthetic vs Leather Synthetic vs Leather Errors along the Path of Communication Errors along the Path of Communication Voice Voice Primary & Supporting Primary & Supporting Verbal *Instruction* Structure Verbal *Instruction* Structure Instruction = Direct, Guide, Request, Ask Instruction = Direct, Guide, Request, Ask Command = Dictate, Demand, Order Command = Dictate, Demand, Order Whip Whip Supporting Supporting What is The 4 th Aid? What is The 4 th Aid?

Body Position is The 4 th Aid

Seat Position Jeff Morse & Telishan Santiam, owned by Gail & Laurence Williamson

How it Should Look Jeff Morse & SBS Risky Business

The Check Yourself Routine To be repeated every 5 minutes To be repeated every 5 minutes Lift you feet and rest them on the floor Lift you feet and rest them on the floor Work your way up your legs, knees, thighs, pelvis Work your way up your legs, knees, thighs, pelvis Let the motion of the vehicle move you. Let the motion of the vehicle move you. Become Elvis = Loose! Become Elvis = Loose! Elbows even with the front of your rib cage Elbows even with the front of your rib cage Hands held the width of your shoulders Hands held the width of your shoulders Hands higher than your elbows Hands higher than your elbows Ride the vehicle like you are riding on a saddle Ride the vehicle like you are riding on a saddle LOOK where you are going! LOOK where you are going!

Where to Look, How to See, What to Feel  Train your brain to use the area outside the center of your visual field.  Learn to drive by FEEL.  Do not look at your horse.  Play Eye Spy. Drive a 40 meter circle Drive a 40 meter circle Look up and around Look up and around Do not look at your horse Do not look at your horse Look ½ way around, ¼ way, ¾ way Look ½ way around, ¼ way, ¾ way

Driving Blind Learn to drive by Feel by driving with your eyes closed.

Squint and Blur Exercise This squinting/blurring exercise is especially good when there are obstacles around This squinting/blurring exercise is especially good when there are obstacles around Before your Dressage Tests Before your Dressage Tests Drive problem movements Drive problem movements What can you FEEL? What can you FEEL?

Improving Communication For The Horse Time Management Time Management Standing - Patience Standing - Patience Time Off - Processing Time Off - Processing Competition - Stress Competition - Stress Equipment Fit & Adjustment Equipment Fit & Adjustment Bits – Busy/Quiet Mouth Bits – Busy/Quiet Mouth Reins – Synthetic, Position Reins – Synthetic, Position Seat position Seat position

Sometimes the equipment really does get in the way of the best performance

Size Matters!

Improving Communication for The Horse The Essential Exercise Let’s Make a Deal The Horse gets to move your hand with his mouth in exchange for you getting to move and control the horse’s head and neck.

The Horse Gets to Move Your Hand? Jeff Morse & Gaitwood Garmisch Fayth Preis & Harwinton Daisy Davis Fred Herrick & Saddleback Supreme

A Poor Deal

The Figure 8 Map

Figure 8 Rules The Horse must look inside the circle. The Horse must look inside the circle. The Horse can not change the speed at which you ask him to travel. The Horse can not change the speed at which you ask him to travel. Can’t speed up or slow down. Can’t speed up or slow down. The Horse can reach down and forward all he wants. The Horse can reach down and forward all he wants. He is free to explore. He is free to explore. You can not hold or support him with your hand. You can not hold or support him with your hand. He can plow a trench in the ground with his nose! He can plow a trench in the ground with his nose!  Note: no rule about size of the circle

Loop and Wave Your goal is to manage every stride Your goal is to manage every stride With limited strides available to get him where he needs to go, the horse will find he has to get every stride as right as he can. With limited strides available to get him where he needs to go, the horse will find he has to get every stride as right as he can. Horses learn to WAIT to be driven. Horses learn to WAIT to be driven.

The 7 Essential Exercises Check Yourself –> Check Yourself –> Find Your Posture Eye Spy –> Eye Spy –> Where You Look Driving Blind –> Driving Blind –> What You Feel Squinting and Blurring –> Squinting and Blurring –> What You Feel II Lets Make a Deal –> Lets Make a Deal –> How to Feel the Horse Figure 8 –> Figure 8 –> How to Find Balance Loop and Wave –> Loop and Wave –> How to Find Dexterity When the audio for this slide has ended, click here.here.

Jeff, whip ~ Age 2 with his Advanced Rooster Jeff Morse trains horses and drivers for carriage driving in the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts, 7 mile from Exit1 on the Mass. Pike. He is available for clinics year round. His competition and clinic schedule is viewable here.here Jeff Morse Green Meads farm PO Box 158 Richmond, MA Click here.here If you enjoyed the presentation: To Buy the CD version or To Make a Donation toward the production costs