That's Incentive

There is a great song by Death Cab for Cutie titled "That's Incentive"  that always comes to mind when I'm training.  While the song does have a fantastic line that will be used in next weeks posting the title itself is a basic training principle.


Horses need incentive.


What is incentive?


Simply put it is anything you do to get a desired response from your horse.


Or if you want a proper definition incentive is something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.

That being said our horses must have a reason to do what we ask.  Whether it be trotting to make you stop bumping your legs on their side, or standing still when you want to catch them because they know you will make them work if they don't.   

Horses need consequences.  

Because you might get a ticket you do not speed.  Because your horse knows there are consequences when he bucks he chooses to keep his feet on the ground.

If you do not have consequences you lose incentive, without incentive you lose control, and without control you have nothing.

That's Incentive.

Stay tuned for next week's topic-

"Is it you that always, is it you that decides?"