ILLIAN CLISSOLD

QUARTERNOTE  FARM

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Dog Attack at Fair Hill CCI*** 2003      photo  A. Schull

How to train your horse to be sensitive to your instructions even under the most adverse conditions.....

What is "Sensitivity Training"?

This training technique is designed to develop your ability to get the most out of your horse’s natural sensitivity. Learn how to help the hot horse focus calmly, enhance the sensitivity of the cool horse and tune the response of the medium temperament horse.

Once this technique is fully absorbed by both horse and rider, one feels that the horse can not only read your mind, but does so with a willing, anxious to please attitude.

Premise of Sensitivity Training

Sensitivity training starts from the premise that horses are much more aware of their surroundings than are people. In the wild, equine survival required awareness of the internal biological state of herd-mates that signaled calm, panic, readiness to flee, etc.

In a manner of speaking, horses possess a biological version of that law enforcement tool, the lie detector test. That test detects changes in heart rate, breathing, and skin conductivity to discover moments when internal anxiety invisible to the normal human observer betrays dishonesty.

The horse is not interested in discovering lies, but he is VERY interested to know whether his human herd-mate is calm, anxious, contemplative, in a "gung ho" enthusiastic mood, frightened, etc.

Without sensitivity training, humans can accidentally be sending out confusing signals. The legs might be saying "go" but the raised heart rate and rapid breathing signal "danger ahead". With sensitivity training, we can harmonize our conventional aids with our biomechanical signal, detectable by the horse but not by other humans.

In many cases, biomechanical signals can replace a large variety of conventional aids. This is useful in training horses that have developed phobias concerning certain conventional aids. One can slow the hard-mouthed horse without touching the bit, make the sensitive but cautious horse bold without using the whip.

In What Circumstance Is Sensitivity Training Useful ?

These techniques are useful to a wide variety of disciplines. They help control spooking in trail riding and enhance the smoothness of show hunter rounds and dressage tests. Perhaps most importantly, they serve as an emergency communication mechanism in jumping when circumstances do not permit use of conventional aids.

In the photo above, "Sportscar" was willing to jump at Fair Hill in 2003 even when she saw she was going to land on a dog, because sensitivity training made her hyper-aware of Gillian's thought process. Just as they were leaving the ground, Sport signaled "Oh dear!! Dog in landing area!" Gillian signaled "Jump anyway". There was no time to use leg or whip, only brain. The emergency and resolution of the situation occurred in a nanosecond.

How was this technique developed?

Gillian's specialty for many years was rehabilitating hot horses which had become too difficult for their riders to handle. She eventually codified the training methods that work with this type of horse, and she began to teach those methods to her students.

As her horse business expanded, she encountered a number of horses with the opposite problem. Rather than being overly reactive, they were under reactive. With the help of her students, she modified her hot horse methods to heighten the responsiveness of both the lazy and the medium temperament horse.

Among the techniques employed are:

4 Using rider breathing as a clear aid;
4 Developing rider heart rate adjustment as an equine sedative;
4 Enhancing the cool horse’s awareness of rider biometrics;
4 Combining mental visualizations with seat aids.

Sensitivity training is integrated into all aspects of Gillian's teaching, and is also taught intensively in her clinics.