Thanks for joining me! I’m Mark Langley – I teach people how to help understand their horses better and help horses to understand people better.

Your horse’s mindset is key to both solving problems and advancement.

The 4 topics of this course are:

• What a healthy and unhealthy mindsets looks like
• How you can change that mindset
• Practical Exercise

The practical exercise at the end will give you something to try and continue to work on, with any horse.

Every horse can make good decisions.

What’s necessary to do this is the right mindset.

This mini course will now give you some insights into how we create the right learning mindset in our horses!

It will increase your understanding + knowledge of why and how my training helps horses’ emotional capacity to learn.

>> This is all about a horses mindset.

Each lesson takes about 10 mins

It will set you aside!

Let’s start!

1. Learn about a Healthy Mindset

About 20 years ago, I started to look into the most efficient way I could train.

I was training horses full time, and every lesson counted.
I was using common horse training techniques, but I found that I was often having to retrain areas.

What I found was that I could get more progress, and a softer horse, if I started to pay attention to their emotions. Where were they thinking? Were they comfortable with what I was doing?

What I figured out helped horses to not only progress quicker, but they turned out to be whole lot safer.

Ensuring horse’s were in the right mindset to learn was key. That’s what I would like to teach you today.

>> Watch the video below to see what a healthy mindset is:

Horses are masters at going to a safe place. Built for flight – they avoid danger and go to a new place if they sense danger in the wild.
When we train, we also teach them not to have this flight.
That’s okay, if the lack of flight is because of trust in us – and the absence of anxiety.

But what if the anxiety, the desire to have flight, is actually hidden in your horse? They just don’t want to do it because we have them tied up or have them in a round yard? They feel they can’t? But they still want to.

If a horse is wanting to be elsewhere, it is not 100% present for learning.

Have you ever spotted any of these signs in your horse?

• Standing very still, but tight
• Shallow breathing
• Not turning to look at you
• Not sniffing you
• Ears still
• Staring ahead or into the distance
• Hard to catch
• Rushes or uncomfortable with something
• Too forward
• Too slow
• Dull
• Not listening
• Can explode and then you can’t get them back
• Easy to load but travels badly/ rushes out
• They were okay but now they are more rushy or nervous
• You seem to reteach the same things

If you answered yes, even to just one, then this is something worth looking into. These are traits that I see every day; and they are all tell-tale signs of a horse that isn’t 100% available for learning.

Not being 100% present for learning has a big impact. For most of you, the biggest impact will be that it won’t retain what you are teaching it because it isn’t ready to learn. There are many more impacts, leading to many other problems (separation anxiety; anxiety; stress; brace…)

A horse that isn’t 100% available, will start to build walls around it, around what is happening, and its emotions.

What can YOU do?

1. Spot their mindset >> horses are so good at telling us things
2. Start working on changing their mindset >> your horse will cope so much better about what is happening around it

The benefits of a healthy mindset

• More aware – it starts looking around, sniffing, breathing deeper
• It might show you a softer eye; a softer movement; a lighter forward, more responsive gait
• It might spook less
• It might not have so much separation anxiety
• It might go on the trailer better

These are all practical benefits for you – but they only happen because you have helped your horse to be more capable.

It’s a win-win.

A dressage coach was on one of my clinics recently.

Before she left, she said to me:

“This is so good. I can feel all the muscles and his feet soft underneath me now. He is so aware.”

This is what changing a mindset can do. I see it happen every day I train.

Summary:

• A healthy mindset allows a horse to process its environment
• Two elements of a healthy mindset are curiosity and caution – these need to be in the right balance
  – Curiosity leads to perpetual motion; interest + going towards their thoughts
  – Caution enables horses to make good decisions and have better memory retention
• Physical signs of a healthy mindset are very different from an unhealthy mindset- A horse with a healthy, open, thinking mindset is responsive to requests; thoughtful rather than reactive; calmer; emotionally more stable; they use their ears, eyes and nostrils all the time; they are loose in their muscles and lighter with their feet placement.
  – A horse carrying a negative mindset will often be heavy on the forehand; harder or resistant to moving; have a hard expression; still eyes, ears and nostrils; their movements will be choppy; braced and heavy
• Training can get them out of a bad mindset and also keep them in that healthy mindset

Short on Time right now?

That’s okay! An email is on the way to you so you can come back here anytime.
(Get in touch if you don’t get it)

Now let’s move on to Lesson 2 where I show you how to look into one area can help
determine what training a horse needs.

Lesson 2

2. Understanding Tension

I mentioned tension in Lesson 1. A lot of what happens around horses causes tension – this is unavoidable.

If a horse can release that tension though – and release it itself – it won’t retain the tension.

Trapped tension (or trapped anxiety) is the cause of many problems that people have with horses.

> Watch the video to see a typical tense horse – perfectly safe to ride – but carrying a lot of worry

Henry has had a lot of education under him – but it was education that didn’t allow him to release tension.

Out of our entire educated herd, he’s the one that clearly is not comfortable around people.

The other horses in that herd have had a very different education from me – and you can see how much more comfortable they are hanging around me.

Henry is likely to shut down under work.

These are the sorts of horses that I help all the time.

70% of horses at my clinics are shutting out or are shut down.

Helping these horses opens them up to feel much happier – both in their paddock and when they are around you, whether that’s on the ground or under saddle.

Definition of Shut Down horse

Typically appear dull and unresponsive. A horse that goes inside it’s self, retreating from making decisions or having curiosity. They mentally withdraw and also physically become less sensitive – they are stiff, rigid, may have a lot of freeze, and lack perpetual motion. They may just stand there. Senses are withdrawn, typified by shallow breathing, hard eyes, lack of sniffing, tight face, braced muscles, and a tight rib cage.

Definition of a Shutting-Out horse

These horses are often more active than a shut-down horse. However they may not be aware of their immediate environment, appearing to ignore what is happening close by in preference for focusing on what happening further away (long, gazy thoughts) or the last place of safety. They can be quite unaware of what is happening to them. They hold tension in their muscles and aren’t soft.

Both types are prone to exploding.

Negative mindsets in horses really and truly are out there everywhere. Most horses are ridden and trained whilst carrying tension.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

What can YOU do?

1. Spot signs of tension >> horses are so good at telling us things
2. Start to notice how much your horse breathes or sniffs the air around you
3. Train in a way that changes this negative mindset >> you can open them up and help them to do things like
   – let go of their anxiety; have more confidence; feel much more confident in what we ask of them

My training is not about mechanical obedience. It’s about training their mind.

By changing the way we perceive horses, we can also help them into a better place.

“Flossy has come so far in the last 2 years and it’s all thanks to the Mark Langley Horsemanship training.

From a highly anxious, rearing, OTTB that was explosive and unpredictable to a responsive, confident, calm and sweet horse.

Thank you for identifying what her brace / issues were and for giving me the tools to educate and empower my horse. The leading work and reinsmanship you showed us has changed her mindset completely: one from fear, uncertainty and reactivity to willingness, try and confidence. Please keep doing the work you’re doing. It’s going to change the face of horsemanship as we know it today.” 

Bianka

Summary:

• Horses can carry tension or anxiety
• Learn to know what anxiety and search looks like (I cover this in great detail in my online training videos)
• Henry has had a lot of education under him – but it was education that didn’t allow him to release tension. Carrying this anxiety, or tension is likely make him shut down under work and prone to “zoning out” which can lead to common problems like spookiness, stiffness, rushy gaits, separation anxiety, and destinating
• Horses can be worried about human energy
• Different education leads to different traits in horses
• Tension can lead to an unhealthy mindset
• It is important that our horses can connect with us and also that we can educate them in a way that helps them to stay in a healthy state of awareness

Next I want to show how you can start to change any horses mindset from a negative one to a positive one.
For young horses, these techniques help to keep their minds open from the beginning.

Let’s do Lesson 3!

Lesson 3

3. Guiding our Horse’s Thoughts + Mindset

The next sections are about what we can do to affect our horse’s mindset.

Horses need to be allowed to:

1. Search
2. Have a healthy mindset
3. Think
4. Make decisions

The benefits for you are huge – your horse will learn better and be less reactive – making them safer and more enjoyable to be around.
They will be more comfortable with you in the paddock and in work.
They will be more friendly.
And they are likely to be much more healthy (less ulcers) because they are happier.

What do you think about these common methods – good / bad/ neutral?

• To incrementally introduce a scary object until their horse stands still
• To loosen a horse up or take the energy out of a horse before a lesson by lunging it
• By riding with increasing pressure if the first ask wasn’t responded to
• To move a horse’s body around regardless of where their thoughts are

These are so common that everyone thinks they are okay.
But they all cause negative mindsets.

The horses that have had the most troubles have all had these sorts of training.
No matter where I have taught them in the world.
No matter what discipline they are doing.

If you are uncomfortable with some of the training methods that you have been doing, you are not alone.
I speak to many people, who, like myself, had a nagging feeling that something wasn’t right.

Once I worked out a better way, I noticed my horses progressed quicker. They were softer.

If your training isn’t working or has to be repeated it’s worth asking why. Perhaps they weren’t taking information in because of their mindset. Perhaps they didn’t understand. Perhaps both.

What YOU can do

• Apply pressure to create a new idea rather than move a horse off it
• Allowing your horse to think, to search, to make decisions, to process
• Directing your horse’s thoughts into the direction of the rein or rope

Summary:

>> Good training helps horses to learn. 

The benefits to you are:

• horses are safer – they trip less, they are less reactive, less spooky, less rushy, less difficult, less pushy
• horses move better, naturally – they have a natural flow, a softer gait, a lighter movement, turns are more balanced
• horses are more responsive
• horses are able to problem solve – rather than react
• horses are happier, and less prone to things like stomach ulcers
• their memory retention is significantly higher
• they have an adjustable, interruptible mind
• your horse will learn better
• they will be more comfortable with you in the paddock and in work
• they will be more friendly and connected

To find out how to direct your horse’s thoughts – in many different scenarios, from ground work to loading to under saddle – take a look at my Online Training Videos: here! There’s a 7 day free trial!

Let’s try this with your horse!

The next lesson is an exercise that show you one way that you can ask your horse to move off pressure, going towards it’s thoughts.

Exercise 1

Exercise 1

Can you get your horse to connect to feel alone?

>> Watch this video to see how

Remember:

• Your body language needs to be minimal
• Don’t move your feet!

• This helps set up all horses to understand the rope, regardless of who handles your horse – it could be a vet, a farrier, someone in a hurry; a new owner. You won’t always be there for your horse.
• It helps with tying up and understanding feel.
• It gives horses responsibility to listen to the rope.

What YOU can do

Whilst you do this, watch your horse.

Are they with you, present? Or are they off elsewhere – perhaps with their mates, perhaps zoned out and looking half asleep? How active are their ears? Another indication of what or where they are thinking of.

Let’s sum up what this course has covered:

1. Horses learn best when they are in a Positive Mindset.
2. Every horse can have a Positive Mindset.
3. Training Can affect a Mindset.
4. There are plenty of physical signs of an unhealthy mindset – look out for them so you can adjust your training
5. The positive benefits of a healthy mindset – effecting what your horse does, how it is around you, and how it moves and learns
6. Training with Pressure in the wrong way is a common way that can create a negative mindset
7. Getting horses to Think Towards Pressure is one way that we can help them feel better about it
8. I showed you how to do this with a simple leading exercise

This is all just a quick overview of my training perspective.
I don’t move a horse’s body around.
I train their body to move to their thoughts – by focus and feel.
I address anxiety, and help reduce it.

The results I get are huge.

And everyone can get great results.
If you are prepared to just do a couple of things differently – it can make all the difference.

More Benefits:

Mark Langley Horsemanship Membership Includes

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Training Videos & Series

FULL Course Training Your Horses Mindset
Step by step Guide: Effective Training Part 2: Training Your Mindset (tips for confidence & calmness)
Starting horses + Foal handling Series
Releasing & Understanding Brace Series
Psychology & Philosophy for a happier horse Explanation Videos
Learn to How to Create Personal Space Effectively
Train by Getting Horses to Go towards their thoughts
Helping Shut Down Horses
Liberty Series
Long Reining Series
Insights to Check your horse’s Foundation Understanding
Building Trust Series
Helping emotionally damaged horses
How to Load + Travel Safely Series
Improve Balance and Body Control
Improve Transitions Series
Reduce Magnetism Series
Watch the Progression

AND MORE !

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