There are a lot of different definitions in the horse world for impulsion. The best way I can explain it is the
way Ray Hunt explains it, in his book, Think Harmony With Horses.
If you were in a race car and you stepped on the gas you want your car to accelerate at what ever rate you
push on the gas pedal. If you step on the gas pedal fast and hard you want your car to take off. When you
step on the brake you want it to slow down at whatever rate you are stepping on the brake pedal. If you step
on the brake pedal hard you want the car to stop immediately.
It is when your horse can stop as good as he can go, and go as good as he can stop. And can go at what
ever speed you want. But, I also think it is when he is always paying attention to you to find out when you
want it. If you have to kick a horse at all to get it, you don't have it. If you have to pull back on both reins to
get it, you don't have it.
After being backed this is one of the first things a horse should learn. It is taught in a controlled environment,
like an arena, using strategy. If done this way, there is no such thing as a green horse. Because that's all a
green horse is, is one that doesn't have any impulsion. If done right it should only take about 3 months
instead of the so called 300 - 500 hours of riding it takes to get the greenness out of a horse.
There are different strategies for the long horse and the short horse. I am not going to type them out on
here. The long horse is the horse that you are always holding back, just wants to go, go go. Sometimes has
a hard time keeping his emotions under control. The short one is the one you are alway having to urge on.
The thing is you have to contain yourself. Keep the horse in a confined area until he is through the program
and has impulsion. No trail riding, no competitions, nothing. It is one of the main elements of a safe horse.
They don't just need riding, strategy, strategy, strategy.
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