(“. . . but nothing happened.”)  

Given the frivolous nature of the whole endeavor, it would be hard to claim legitimate, meaningful frustrations in my line of work. Nonetheless, all instructors are bedeviled with knowing what they want from their riders and having difficulties extracting it from them.

Among less advanced students (who often fear making a mistake), a common issue is getting them to do enough. “I DID make a half halt but nothing happened!”  Which, as I have pointed out to them, means you really haven’t made one!

If your horse doesn’t react, it doesn’t count. You have to try again. You have to amplify. Sometimes you have to try a different approach. “I’m squeezing him as hard as I can,” or “I’m asking so strongly that my shoulders are burning,” should be a clue that you’re asking the wrong way.

Making their horse be attentive enough or active enough is a big issue for some riders. In a less humane time I recall several trainers who were rumored to keep a BB gun leaning in the corner of their

indoor arena. That could buy them a ticket to the hoosegow nowadays. My solution is this: a trip to the “Previously Owned” department of Ferrets R Us where I acquired Nils.

You can see that at first he wasn’t very friendly, but clicker training works wonders, and now he rides on my hip during lessons in his custom made leather holster. He never touches the horses, but if I’m working with a particularly unmotivated one whose rider can’t find the GO button, I place him on the ground with his tiny red nylon lunge whip. He knows to follow at their heels to instill energy and enthusiasm to the ride.

If you’re having similar problems, Nils is available for short term rental. His water bowl and a small bag of ferret chow are included.