Free conversation

When working in, what we call our free conversation within the TRT Method, keep in mind to let them join the conversation, too.

It’s not about you doing all the talking and leaving no room for your horse’s voice.

At the same time, don’t let the horse take the reins in the conversation, deciding when you can or can’t speak.

It’s about finding a balance.

I’ve had a free conversation with Ocamilla the other day.

She’s had some trauma from the being started under saddle process, so it’s an important exercise to gain value and a positive connection.

Watch our conversation here. 👇

How to start?

Depending on the type of horse, I generally start by drawing the horses attention or redirecting the horses energy if they are unaware of the space between us.

I maintain an atmosphere of open communication where everything flows freely, without being dictated by my desires for the horse to perform specific commands.

With Ocamilla I started with a basic feel of the patterns first.

By doing things like making eye contact, turning, and pausing for a good scratch, you’re building up that connection between you and your horse.

Interact and have fun

Through joining in with you, your horse will find that interaction with you is fun, enjoyable, and rewarding.

I also added some other things to this free conversation, like the stretching wall.

You could build some different obstacles in the arena, something to go around between, over or under. Be free in it.

I find the stretching wall a very nice way to encourage the horse to participate in something that requires effort but also gives a physical reward.

The sense of being together and working together

A free conversation with your horse will give you a lot of information.

It will help you understand the dialog and it will also give you both a better connection with each other.

This is particularly crucial for a horse like Ocamilla, who has experienced trauma and is feeling quite uncertain.

Through a free conversation, your horse gets to engage with something enjoyable and genuine, allowing them to be completely honest.

This approach can break some of those patterns that were introduced in the beginning that create uncertainty and defense.