The Art of Natural Dressage

How do you teach the 'head down' cue that I've read about? Are you able to do it from the horse's back? Thanks!

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Caro

Hi Caro,

I initially taught it with a frisbee target on the ground and added the vrebal 'down', and later decided to add a hand cue on the poll.

So I use a verbal if I am standing in front, or a verbal and a hand cue to the poll if I am standing alongside, or on her back. I found that the hand cue on her poll made it clearer than just the verbal 'down', which she often confused with backing up <G>!!! They were taught at about the same time!

Not sure if you have seem this clip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKkU8Kdp ... annel_page

In this clip I am teaching many things, but one is too teach a discrimination of a wither scratch cue for ramener and a poll touch cue for head down.

Hope this helps!

Brenda

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Lucy04574
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jack04574

Tam chose his cues. One is simply for me to bend down and suggest it. Another is to stroke the side of his neck (which sometimes works when I'm mounted). He chose the response to that one so I just rewarded it. I added a verbal cue to later, but he relies mostly on visual or physical cues.

It can really be anything your horse wants it to be, and once he/she has chosen one, you can always transfer it to a verbal cue.

Targeting is a great way, as Brenda suggests! Our of the target!

Experiment! Play!

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"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"