I was just discussing flexions with one of my students today and I recalled that Jean Froissard says that in order to perform flexions well, we must have both innate and learned equestrian tact. Who am I to disagree? But I do. And I can get away with it, because everyone knows that for every two horsemen, there are three opinions.
I do love flexions and I love Froissard (I received his book Equitation on my 13th Christmas). But while I think that success with horses is largely dependent on tact and timing, I’ve come to believe that nearly everyone can develop timing….and have a good shot at developing tact.
I’ve always liked this definition of equestrian tact from one of my instructors, Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu. He says that “tact is the ability to use the right aid at the right time with the right strength and the right duration.”
Unfortunately, before we can achieve tact, we have to get our egos out of the way. In order to learn, we must acknowledge when we have failed. In order to get sharper with our timing, we must accept that we have been too slow or too strong or too quick or too slow to aid or release.
If we’re dedicated, our successes will eventually outstrip our failures, and that’s when training horses gets a whole lot easier. Tact enables horses to understand us better and respond to us more positively. When they do, we get to refine our tact. Our horses are our best teachers.
Underlying equestrian tact are the intangibles which go by a variety of names — “sixth sense,” instinct, feel. Maybe it’s just the ability to notice things that might otherwise be overlooked. Or sensitivity. Whatever we choose to call it, this ability is within us and within our reach. If we tap it and target it, it will help us.
With enough tact and talent, doors can open to help troubled horses. Here is Klaus Hempfling, showing us how:
With tact and experience comes confidence. One knows where the boundaries are, where they must be and where they can be eliminated. Fear is dispelled through knowledge and trust.
I had a horse who enjoyed rearing at me while free lunging. For him, standing on his hind legs and showing me his belly was an expression of joy and playfulness. He respected my space and my safety. He could also be counted on to make at least two dressage queens at a time scream in terror, especially if they saw him coming straight at to me in a medium trot, and without a single walk step, halting square in front of me with his head towering above mine.
But we understood each other. And he understood what it meant that I didn’t move out of his way, that I wasn’t afraid of him, that I was ready to respect him but that I also respected myself and expected him to do the same. How unhappy he had been when he was pushed away every time he wanted to play and what disdain he had for those who were nervous around him. Once I accepted him for who he was, our relationship improved. He taught me more about tact and timing than all the other horses I’ve ever met put together, because he broke all the rules but no one could break, or even reform, a bit of him.
I don’t recommend that you do what I did with my horse, and I certainly don’t do this with every horse. In fact, I actively discourage it. But there are horses out there who are different or difficult, highly sensitive or deeply troubled, and different rules apply to them. Rough handling often backfires, but tact always helps. It can be very difficult for horses like these to find the right home, and when they end up in the wrong home, the results can be tragic.
Luckily, most people never encounter horses like that, and there aren’t many of them. But everyone encounters situations that are challenging with their horses. Making it even more difficult is the fact that, in the midst of it, there’s usually someone around to tell you how dangerous everything is.
Yes, horses can be dangerous. Especially horses who have no education and are confused. The more tact we have, the more easily we can educate our horses and do so with clarity. We become more confident and our horses become safer. Here’s my equation: Tact equals safer horses and more confident handlers which equals less danger.
That’s why I don’t think it’s the end of the world if your horse trots up to you in a field. As long as your horse is polite, there’s no need to be afraid. But be aware and be ready to move your feet if you have to. Trust in Allah, but tie your camel.
When your trust and your tying ability are perfected, you may be able to do some of what Klaus Hempfling does here:
That was fabulous! Thanks so much for posting the videos. I feel a lot of the dangerous (for us) stallion habits are just normal stallion behavior. A healthy horse has a lot of natural energy to burn off and too many people confine their animals in a stall for most of the day; It’s horse jail, and it’s an abomination. Horses should be out running, playing, and watching others do the same….especially stallions.
I play a lot with Dini at liberty; I have since he was 2. He will jump cross rails for me at liberty and then come charging up to me for his reward. He stands there by me and he will shake his head, snort and puff out his chest. He is just showing me he is very proud of his success. Yes, I have to be extra careful when he is running around loose. He likes to buck and kick out in his joy of running free, and I have to be very observant. But he means none of it in anger. He will rear in excitement or frustration, but never has he struck out with his front feet. Of course, I don’t have to tell YOU, he will do the same moves when he is angry and being disrespectfull. But you know the difference in him when he is having fun and just playing. I love to play with him at liberty, and watch the Friesian side of him come out. If he could laugh he would.
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It’s typical for my horses to gallop to me in the pasture. I’m sure this has much more to do with my magnetic personality than their knowledge that my arrival means their food is ready 😉
My arabian began my lessons in tact, if he felt I’d wronged him he’d get back at me. That horse was a master at using trees to make a point. Gwen picked up where he left off- refining me even more. Just a hint of aggressive, holding pressure freaks her out. Very little goes a long way with her, her brother appreciates it too 🙂
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Great comments, my friends, thank you for sharing your experiences!
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