The Power of a First Impression

When I meet someone who has a big smile, I never forget that person’s name. Why? Because, that person made a good first impression. The reason we tend to remember our first impressions of people so well is because the things we remember are attached to emotions. The same is true for our horses. Our horses learn through emotion, and those emotions can be positive or negative. Every time we interact with our horses, we are creating positive or negative experiences that shape our horses’ impressions of us and the responses we are asking for. A common mistake I see many trainers make is pushing their horses too far. When things are going well, it is tempting to ask for a little more from your horse. But, often times, that extra push leads to more problems. When you are tempted to ask for more, you have to remind yourself to let your horse win. You have to create opportunities for that horse to find small victories during a training session. You have to help your horse find the release point. For example, let’s take a look at a horse that is anxious when it is tied up. Most generally, our horses are tied up before we work them (i.e. while we saddle). Over time, our horses will learn to anticipate the work that follows getting saddled, and they will become anxious and jittery when tied up. To change the horse’s impression of being tied up, we must change our point of release. Next time, try working the horse first—on the ground or in the round pen—then, tie it up at the trailer. When you perform the steps in this order repeatedly, standing tied at the trailer becomes their new release. The same is true for a horse that doesn’t load well. If you have a horse that won’t load or backs out of the trailer quickly when loading, do some ground work away from the trailer. Then, try loading again. Eventually, the horse will learn that the trailer is its’ safe space. Repetition is key to changing your horse’s impression of certain situations. When you are working through challenges with your horse, remember to be patient and ask for improvement in small increments. 1% better every day.