Are You a 3-D Rider™?

At MM Training and Consulting, we strive to teach on three different levels (horse sense, equitation, and training). This teaching style is by no accident. Through my experience and observations, many riders are not well rounded in their horsemanship skills. For example some are very pretty riders but lack training skills and horse sense. Others are great trainers but lack proper equitation abilities. These observations are not meant to be condescending or come from the intent to hurt but are made with the intent to learn. And what I have learned is that it takes all three dimensions to be the best horseman we can be.

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Patterns: A Great Training Tool

Pattern work is an integral part of horsemanship. Patterns teach both horse and rider a myriad of skills and can easily be modified according to ability. I like to incorporate pattern practice with all my clients; not only for those who show and will be inevitably asked to perform pattern work, but also for those who are working toward establishing a deeper level of connection and control with their horses. Below are three skill levels and a rationale for using pattern work at each level.

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Finding Success Through Frustration

Our clinics may be different from other clinics that you have experienced. Because our focus is on developing your horsemanship on three different levels (3-D Rider™) – ground training, equitation, and training under saddle – you probably experience more stress at our clinics than you do at others. We believe that you need to stress yourself on all levels – physical, mental and emotional – in order to experience the deepest growth as a person or as a horseman. We hope the stress you experience at a clinic transfers to your growth in all realms.All horse trainers feel frustration at one time or another. When you are working with another mind, as we are when we’re working with a horse, we have to be aware that frustration will happen. The horse has its own agenda and also feels its own sense of frustration when it can’t understand us. We don’t want to prevent frustration because frustration handled properly promotes growth. So how do we positively handle our frustration and our horse’s frustration?

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3-D Clinic 3 Recap: Training Under Saddle

Our team would like to congratulate the participants on their outstanding and engaged participation in the third of our 3-D mini series, Training Under Saddle. Following is a recap of the content of the Training Under Saddle clinic.

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The Foundational Key To Training Success For Any Discipline

Some of you may remember the discussion we had during the Fall Series when I brought up the above topic. I believe this is a powerful statement that renders very powerful results. It is the foundation in everything I do with the horse (the pressure is on when they are wrong and off when they are right). I would love for all of you to understand this concept on a deeper level and to consciously implement it into your own training program. So in this article, I am going to break these concepts down to try and explain them a little further. I’m going to start with the goal of “trust and respect” and work my way backward to how we can reach that goal by “teaching where we release” through “stress and recovery.”

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