KBR Horse Training Information Exercising Body AND Mind Why Horses Blow Up Part 2

Emotions under control

THE "STRESS TANK" A prey animal has to flee from danger. Therefore when he sees, hears or smells something disconcerting it generates stress. If the stressful stimulation continues or intensifies, this stress builds up until it reaches a point where he either takes flight or fights. This flight or fight response will continue until the stress is relieved and the horse returns to a tranquil state. This is critical behavior in order for the horse to survive among predators. One can think of the horse as having a "stress tank" inside his right brain. Each horse has an individual rate in which he fills his tank. Each horse also has a means to naturally drain the tank. A horse that fills quickly and drains slowly might be described as hot or volatile while a horse that fills slowly and empties readily may be considered cold or laid back. How a horse handles his stress tank is a product of his genetics as well as his life's experiences. While we can't change a horse's genetic predisposition, we can affect his life's experiences so that he is less prone to fill his stress tank and more efficient keeping it drained. When stress management is included in the training process (in the context of teaching the horse how to manage his stress) then the handler will usually see significant improvements in the horse's behavior.   SOME BASIC STRESS MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS The handler must establish him/herself as a leader in the mind of the horse in order to develop and reinforce the horse's confidence. A high level of stress can reduce a horse's learning efficiency. A horse can be taught to reason through situations as well as to confidently follow the cues and aids of his handler in unfamiliar and/or threatening situations. As a horse is more successful with his left brain activity, he typically gains confidence and is less dependent upon his stress mechanisms. During the (left brain) learning process, a horse may experience stimulation of his stress tank (in the right brain) and reach a point that he has to release that stress. Continue to Part 3 Return to Part 1

This horse has reached her stress limit Click image to view video (500kb) Teaching the horse to focus and process new things The wild horse can leave but is processing the stress of being touched "Thinking through" problems on the first try

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