The Energy Constant

Those of us who have ever taken any kind of science class have had to learn some sort of constant.  There is always some non-changing value named after an old scientist that we have to memorize and use to solve equations that we’ll never actually have to solve in real life.  Well I have discovered my own constant.  It’s an energy level constant that we need to keep in mind when working with horses.  Unfortunately, this constant is more qualitative than quantitative so I can’t assign a numerical value to it, or put my name on it to make myself famous and make students memorize it for generations to come. 

So what is this energy constant I refer to?  As we all know, every horse is an individual and has its own individual characteristics.  Some horses are big bundles of energy and some are more reminiscent of a Basset Hound, but no matter which kind of horse I work with, there is a certain energy level we will need to operate on to have any kind of success.  This energy level is more or less constant for all horses.  They all need to be operating around the same energy level to have a productive learning and working experience.  Our own energy level combined with that of our horse should add up to equal this energy level on which we and our horses should operate.

We can help our horses to operate at this level if we adjust our own energy levels to balance those of our horses.  For example, if I’m riding a horse that barely has enough energy to walk to its own feeder, I need to contribute lots of energy to help bring the overall level up to where it needs to be.  Similarly, if I’m riding a horse that feels more like a jumpy little meerkat, I need to introduce very little of my own energy to the equation to get us to the proper level.  It’s a really simple concept.  If my horse only contributes 20% of the energy we need to operate at the desired energy level, I need to add the remaining 80%.  If my horse contributes 90%, I have to make sure to only add 10%.  There is also the occasional horse that operates around 120% of what is needed and I therefore have to find a way to bring that energy level down to where it belongs.

Now let me clarify what kind of energy I want to display to my horse.  Any energy I give must be calm energy.  I never under any circumstances want to display nervous or anxious energy.  Even when I’m trying to get my horse to show a little more life, I want to always remain calm and help my horse to remain calm.  If I ever get excited and convey to my horse that I’m nervous, my horse will instantly get scared and switch from learning mode to survival mode.  I sometimes have to be able to overcome my own instincts and feelings to make sure that I present to my horse a picture of calm confidence.  Even when encouraging a lazy horse to have more energy I try to remain calm.  I might exaggerate some of my movements and be more demonstrative in asking them to move, but I never act excited or anxious. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is that our horses don’t remain at the same energy level throughout our ride.   The situation is liquid and a horse can one moment act as though it is half asleep and the next moment act as though it is going to jump out of its skin.  Because of this, we obviously must frequently adjust our own energy levels to match those of our horses throughout the ride.  Always try to keep in mind what your horse’s needs are regarding the energy you bring to the overall equation.