05/19/2026
Training Tip: Consistency šŖ
When conditioning, maintaining, or teaching a horse somethingā CONSISTENCY MATTERS šš»šš¼
Horses thrive when they know whatās expected of them and how youāre going to treat them. Thatās how they learn and build upon things they already know.
Have a horse with inconsistent quality rides? Check yourself for consistency before putting it on them.
Be consistent in workā donāt show up one day out of 14 and expect your horse to remember and build upon what you worked on last time. Keeping things fresh in their brain and their bodies in shape is how you create a solid foundation.
Be consistent in your body languageā donāt expect your horse to react the same way if youāve got your body doing different things in the saddle every time you ask them for something. They feel everything and are listening to your body.
Be consistent in your cuesā donāt expect a horse to pick up a canter right away from a kiss and a kick one day and a cluck the nextā when yesterday a cluck meant trot. Inconsistent cues create muddled transitions and confusion.
Be consistent in your toolsā donāt expect a horse to react the same way when you use a different bit every week. It takes time for them to learn a new tool, and switching things up constantly may cause a delayed learning process.
Be consistent in accountabilityā donāt let them nibble on you without repercussions one day, then get angry and reprimand them when they take a chunk out of your skin the next. Inconsistent accountability leads them to think they can get away with certain behaviorsā and an unaccountable horse can be dangerous.
Be consistent in expectationsā donāt let them eat grass during a ride one day, then get angry at them when they try it again and donāt listen to you asking them to stop the next. Clear expectations mean you set the standards for the behaviors you want. A horse who understands your expectations is a confident horse.
Be consistent in your mindsetā we all have bad days. But they canāt have a place the training pen. If you ride every day with a level head and patience, and then let emotions take over one dayā your emotions leak into your body language. Going from soft hands to heavy emotional hands will create an emotional horse.
Be consistent in your goalsā having consistent goals in mind keep you showing up every day and doing the work šŖ
Inconsistency creates poor communication, poor communication creates confusion. Confusion creates behavioral issues and inconsistent rides.
Fix inconsistency with consistency.
