TRAINER’S CORNER
A TOP-DOWN APPROACH TO HORSE TRAINING
Scott Phillips and his mare Belle demonstrate how a horse can mirror focus with precision. Her direction and gait are a product of Phillips’ focus and energy.
The onus is on us to provide leadership for our horses. As such, a horse requires confidence, a singular clear focus and energy behind that focus. Plus, the ability of the rider to communicate in a way the horse natively understands. B Y S C OT T PH I L L I P S
One of the things that attracts me so much to horses is that there is no upper boundary to what we can achieve. Unless of course, we believe there is. But in that case we’ve set that boundary ourselves – and in that case, are we disregarding potential and possibility? I’d like to explore that thought from the perspective of a top-down approach. 26
ALBERTA BITS I FALL/WINTER 2021
We’ll start with this question: What is the most ideal way you can imagine riding your horse? How about this for an answer? Your horse intimately follows the nuances of your focus, energy and balance in every situation to the point you find yourself wondering why you have reins and what the aids are for.
This is what I would call an ultimate aspiration. The pinnacle of synchronicity between horse and rider. A state where your thought and focus are one. Where each miniscule shift of your body and thought in your mind is mirrored by your horse. Guess what? I believe it’s achievable. In fact, I think we need to believe it’s achievable. If it isn’t, what exactly are we striving for? Do we hit a limit and then quit? Been there, done that? Or do we keep finding things to improve, things to challenge us? I recall in my piloting days when I was stationed at our base in Rankin Inlet, a few adventurous souls were taking their snowmobiles out in the summer and riding them across open
