Teaching a horse how to learn

[Gestalt]

I like watching Warwick Schillers videos. He doesn't have gimmicky tricks or games, he doesn't have special halters or whips, he simply lays out the steps to help the rider and horse. (jmho)

This video is a good example of how he makes the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard as he teaches a young horse not only how to respond under saddle, but how to learn. I sure wish my horse had been taught this way instead of "whip trained".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0chchVcBhc

[Gestalt]

One more video and then I'll stop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5vhkHKz274

[Flight]

I like his stuff too. I did quite a bit of it with my younger horse, and went to a clinic. I really like his recent 'focus' stuff.

[Chisamba]

I haven't seen the vids, but will watch them, but if I may agree with the title of the thread.

I feel a lot of training is about inspiring the horse to believe they can do it and showing them how. First you teach the language (aids) but then you also have to inspire the mind

[Chisamba]

Okay I watched the whole video. I dont think he has the same definition of forward and straight as I do but it was interesting

Also how hard do they have to work for the motive to stop to be more than the motive to be safe with friends?
The comparison is to a rat who will die if he doesnt swim so I do question that.

They train rats to hunt landmines with reward, not threat of death. Just saying. Not sure I like the way his friend trained the rat.

[Flight]

Yes the rat story seems a bit mean, and no they don't work too hard, especially with his newer way of training. He does teach you to look for the little tries, the small efforts that add up to the big response you want. (i'm not very good at explaining it, sorry!).

[Chisamba]

Ok the way I understand his video you keep kicking the horse into a trot to move it away from it's safe place without steering til it accidentally finds a spot away from its friends to stop.

Since A, I want my horse to know how to steer, and B I have a horse that would go over fences into walls and through mirrors to get to her safe place, I am not convinced . Especially since they conveniently did not show the first time or was done.

[kande50]

Horses already know how to learn, as does every organism.

Didn't watch the vids, but just guessing from the title, what he may be demonstrating is how to teach patterns (behavior chains) that the horse can learn to recognize?

[Flight]

Yes, that's pretty much it Chisamba. You don't have to trot, but it's a bit of pressure on the horse when they go to the spot they want, and relax that pressure as soon as they move away. You can steer in a circle (circle even at walk is harder work than stopped) at that spot and pretty quickly that circle starts to bulge away at a point and you release the pressure (eg slight leg pressure) at that bulge. I found it quite interesting.
I don't think he would start straight up with this with Deneb!! I wouldn't be convinced with her either, and he will admit there has been horses that he hasn't been able to solve.

The biggest thing with his training for me, was being able to get my big horse to relax.
I found that his detailed vids and explanations gave me an insight into horse behaviour that I was previously oblivious to. You might already see and know all the things he points out, but for myself and many others hadn't.

This one is a good example of the gate/barn addiction (and is a dressage horse)

https://youtu.be/0CCBYissnY0

[demi]

I really really liked the second video. I have watched his vids and generally like his work, but the second video gives some insight not only on training in general, but on him as a trainer. I like him. If one is looking just for dressage training, his stuff may not work, but for me, a good trainer is a good trainer, and can give valuable insight no matter what the discipline.

[Gestalt]

Flight, that is a very good video. To me it shows how his lessons on leaving the gate will help with pretty much everything. Straightness, bending, flexing, forward, etc.

demi, there is a really good video of him with a dressage horse that is wiggly and behind the leg. If I can find it I'll attach it here. I think he makes horses and riders 'better'.