Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

James Clear

As equestrians, we live in a world where structure & flexibility must go hand in hand. Training a horse isn’t a linear process; progress rarely moves in a straight line. Having a plan matters, but so does being ready to adapt when your horse shows you they need something different. The art of training is learning how both can coexist.

The Variables We Ride With

A training session is never happening in a vacuum. Many things can influence how your time with your horse unfolds, including:

• Weather – Wind, Heat, or Sudden Changes Can Create Tension or Fatigue.

  
  

• Hormonal Cycles – In Both Horses & Humans.

  
  

• Environmental factors – Noise, Movement, Unfamiliar Horses, Changes Around the Yard or Arena.

  
  

• Lack of Sleep – Interestingly This Really Impacts a Horse’s Capacity to Learn. Horses Need to Be Able to Lie Down Comfortably to Access Restorative REM Sleep.

  
  

Simply acknowledging these influences can make us more compassionate toward ourselves & our horses.

We often hear sayings like “The horse is our mirror.” While there's truth in it, horses can reflect our energy, they are also sentient beings with their own emotions, experiences & internal states. When a session doesn’t go as planned, it’s not automatically a reflection of something you did wrong. Horses and humans both fluctuate in mood & mental capacity. That variability isn’t a flaw, it’s normal and even a sign of mental health.

 How to Plan a Session

A session plan doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need some consideration. Think of it as a roadmap rather than a rigid script.

Also avoid making rules for yourself such as I need at least an hour to do a session, 10-20 minutes can be an excellent time frame to work on a handful of tasks.

Short, sweet & successful sessions trump long chaotic sessions every time, the up to date research on equine learning also supports this. Young or inexperienced horses also do not have enough myelination in their brains to enable them to tolerate really long sessions. Myelin is a fatty substance that insulates nerve fibres which speed up neural communication. Young or inexperienced horses may look like strapping athletes on the outside, but on the inside their brain is still developing.

Some Rules of Thumb

There are a slew of online videos & exercises, which are a fantastic resource, but just ensure that that they are appropriate for where you & your horse are at. These are just some example filters to use when considering an exercise for your horse.

• If your horse is pushing into your personal space, avoid exercises that encourage them to come closer.

  
  

• If your horse is struggling with an exercise in canter, scale it back. There is no shame or setback in returning to walk or trot to rebuild confidence & understanding.

  
  

• If your horse is biting – don’t work on close range exercises for that session.

  
  

• If your horse struggles with having you in a particular area of its body – see can you do the same exercise in an area that they are comfortable with first.

Example: You go into the arena, but your horse is concerned about the ‘scary corner’, you had planned to do raised trot poles, but you’re now seemingly confined to the top half of the arena.

You are torn between the session you planned & your horse who is now really uncomfortable. If you push ahead with your plan your horse will become even more stressed & ‘uncooperative’, as well as eroding your relationship. What to do?

Stay where your horse is comfortable & see what you ‘Can’ do as opposed to focusing on what you ‘Cannot’ do.

·        Small Circles

·        Figure of 8

·        Walking from Point to Point

When your horse settles see can you offer them a break standing still, then suggest looking in the direction of the scary corner.

If this goes well you may be able to move deeper into the arena. Retreat away as necessary, you may or may not get to your raised poles that day, but you have worked on what was necessary & needed in that session.

People often get concerned that if your horse doesn’t do the ‘Thing’ that day that you have lost control or that the ‘Horse has Won’ & the fear rises that you have inadvertently taught your horse an unwanted behaviour. When in reality the reverse is true, you have actually allowed both of you to win & preserved the relationship.

I have trained countless horses with behavioural issues & the focus is always on getting 1% improvement.

You cannot force a 500kg + animal to do something against their will & when they really say no you may get seriously hu, as well as actually teaching them an unwanted behaviour. Our aim is always to ask questions that we are fairly sure our horse can say yes to. This builds a positive relationship with our horses in that they know that we typically ask them things that they are capable of, this cultivates safety & curiosity in the relationship & our horses often stretch for us in this safe place.

Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

A Good Training Plan Has:

✔ A Clear Intention – An area, exercise or theme to focus on.

✔ A Flexible Approach – The ability to shift if your horse needs something different.

✔ A Backup Up Plan – An awareness of exercises that your horse understands & knows well, this helps with getting some ‘yes’ answers to help a session along.

✔Reward Often - This sets a positive tone and reduces frustration for both of you. Remember rewards are not always treats, a reward can be a break, dropping down a gait, moving to a new exercise, verbal encouragement, feeling relaxed & pleased in yourself.

✔Let the Horse’s Feedback Guide Your Plan. Adaptability is a skill, not a weakness. I also really advise having a log of your sessions where you jot down a few notes as to what you worked on & how the session went, this helps you to spot patterns as well as logging progress.

Conclusion

Horses thrive when we show consistency, yet they trust us when we show adaptability. The goal isn’t to force the plan, it’s to support your horse in the way they need in that moment.

If this blog resonated with you, I would love to hear from you. Should you find yourself needing additional guidance, please get in touch so we can develop a personalized plan together. My mission is to support both horses & humans in building successful, harmonious partnerships.