Opening the Lines of Communication

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Driving Horse presented by Jeff Morse at 2005
The Driving Forum in Sturbridge, MA. March 7,
2005
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Essential Exercises for Communicating with the
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The Driving Forum 2005

• Effective Communication
• with the Driving Horse

Jeff Morse Green Meads Farm Richmond,
MA www.green.meads.com

Jeff, whip Age 1
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Ineffective Communication?
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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.

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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

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The Horse is Constantly Communicating his Level
of Comfort

• Thru Body Language
• Thru Behavior
• Management Team
• Owner
• Trainer
• Grooms
• Vet
• Chiropractor
• Dentist
• Farrier

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Improving Communication For The Driver

• Driver Temperament
• Driver mental state directly related to horse
  performance
• Eat well
• May mean the difference between a 4 and a 7 or
  missing a Gate or unnecessarily confusing your
  horse
• Time Management
• The most unfair thing you can do to your horse is
  to not have enough time for him.
• The 1st Two Minutes
• Driver gets to assess the horse
• Horse gets to assess the Driver

Alois Podhajsky, Director of the Spanish Riding
School I have the Time.
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Division of Labor ManagementWhenever these two
principals get crossed, problems begin.Slow
DownDont bring the frenetic pace of Modern Life
to the World of the Horse
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Use of the Aids

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

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The Path of the Reins
The path the reins take will influence the
quality of the instruction to the horse.
Kathleen Conklin John Henry _at_ Walnut Hill 2004
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Errors on the Communication Path
Kathleen Conklin John Henry _at_ Walnut Hill 2004
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Use of the Aids

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

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Body Position is The 4th Aid
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Seat Position
Jeff Morse Telishan Santiam, owned by Gail
Laurence Williamson
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How it Should Look
Jeff Morse SBS Risky Business
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The Check Yourself Routine

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

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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
• Look up and around
• Do not look at your horse
• Look ½ way around, ¼ way, ¾ way

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Driving Blind

• Learn to drive by Feel
• by driving with your eyes closed.

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Squint and Blur Exercise

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

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Improving Communication For The Horse

• Time Management
• Standing - Patience
• Time Off - Processing
• Competition - Stress
• Equipment Fit Adjustment
• Bits Busy/Quiet Mouth
• Reins Synthetic, Position
• Seat position

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Sometimes the equipment really does get in the
way of the best performance
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Size Matters!
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Improving Communication for The Horse

• The Essential Exercise
• Lets Make a Deal
• The Horse gets to move your hand with his mouth
  in exchange for you getting to move and control
  the horses head and neck.

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The Horse Gets to Move Your Hand?
Fayth Preis Harwinton Daisy Davis
Jeff Morse Gaitwood Garmisch
Fred Herrick Saddleback Supreme
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A Poor Deal
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The Figure 8 Map
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Figure 8 Rules

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

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Loop and Wave

• 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.
• Horses learn to WAIT to be driven.

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The 7 Essential Exercises
When the audio for this slide has ended, click
here.

• Check Yourself gt Find Your Posture
• Eye Spy gt Where You Look
• Driving Blind gt What You Feel
• Squinting and Blurring gt What You Feel II
• Lets Make a Deal gt How to Feel the Horse
• Figure 8 gt How to Find Balance
• Loop and Wave gt How to Find Dexterity

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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.
Jeff, whip Age 2 with his Advanced Rooster
Jeff Morse www.green.meads.com
green_at_meads.com Green Meads farm PO Box
158 Richmond, MA 01254 413.698.3804
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