What is it about the idea of a fresh start that is so appealing? You know, a clean slate, a blank canvas. A ‘do-over’! As riders, we often make the crucial mistake of approaching all of our work with our horse, or improving our riding this way. And this can be a mistake because we are not asking one important question: ‘Does this require training or retraining?’
So often, you’re not starting from scratch. What if the very thing you’re working on, either for you or your horse, already has a story written about and associated with it?
This is the difference between training and retraining. And understanding which one you’re dealing with can shift everything. This is especially true if you’ve been hitting roadblocks with your progress.
The Difference Between Training & Retraining
When you have that blank canvas where you’re either learning or teaching something new, you’re training. It’s something that hasn’t really been done or learned before and because of that, it’s neutral. And this is important due to how you both will think and feel about it.
When you or your horse are learning something for the first time, there are no expectations. No emotional layers created by what you learned before. There’s simply curiosity and discovery.
Retraining, on the other hand, is often a completely different experience. You’re not starting from zero. Things have been ‘learned’ before. And usually things that no longer serve the purpose or situation you’re in right now. This goes for you and your horse.
So often, when retraining, you’re working with existing patterns, past experiences (good, bad, or confusing), habits (both mental and physical), and emotional responses (which often get missed).
Retraining isn’t just about doing it again. It’s about learning to do it differently because things have changed. The expectations for the outcome are now different. And that requires more time, more compassion, and a very different mindset.
How This Shows Up for Riders & Horses
So, let’s be honest here. The potential for riders to become confused about whether they have a training or retraining moment on their hands are endless! However, there are a few patterns where I feel there’s a good chance riders might be approaching things from the wrong perspective.
For riders, it’s often when they are coming back to riding after a break. You ‘know’ how to ride. But suddenly, things don’t feel the same. Movements that were second nature now make you freeze or doubt yourself. That’s not a lack of knowledge. That’s a moment where some retraining is needed.
Or maybe you or your horse had a different job (or discipline) before. For horses, this is very common when they make the switch from being a racing or working horse to being a pleasure or ‘riding’ horse. Yes, there are definitely ‘new’ things to learn; training.
But the problem is that so many of their default responses still come from their past life or career! They’re not being ‘naughty’ or ‘otherwise’. They’re just operating based on old patterns and expectations!
5 Ways to Know ‘Training or Retraining’?
Here are a few ways you can determine if you have a training or retraining issue on your hands. Knowing which one you’re dealing with will change how you move forward. So, to identify the difference:
1. The Repeating Struggle Test
Ask Yourself: “Have I worked on this before and yet it keeps coming back or showing up again and again?!”
If your answer is yes, it’s likely a retraining issue that you’re dealing with. You see, you’ve probably “fixed” the thing before. Maybe numerous times! But the pattern or habit wasn’t fully changed or rewritten. Which means that every time there’s pressure applied, such as when things don’t go to plan, the old response resurfaces! This happens for both horse and rider in lot’s of different ways. Here’s an example of each:-
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- For riders: Leaning forward through transitions, despite being aware of it!
- For horses: Rushing into canter, even after months of “working on it”.
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2. The “I Should Know This!” Feeling
Ask Yourself: “Do I feel frustrated because I think I should be further along?”
This is a mindset retraining ‘red flag’, especially for riders who are coming back after a break. Returning riders. Remember, there’s so much that you already know, but some of those things are no longer relevant or apply. This is where outdated beliefs or habits can really put a spanner in your riding! This is the emotional retraining that is essential to go hand in hand with the physical training.
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- Example: You used to ride confidently… But now even mounting makes your chest tighten!
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3. The Emotional Response Test
Ask Yourself: “Is there tension, resistance, or anxiety around this for either me or my horse?”
If yes, again, that’s usually retraining. And this is a bit like number 2 in that very often it’s due to an emotional habit or pattern that needs to be changed. Remember, true training will usually feel neutral. This is in contrast to retraining, which can often feel emotionally charged. These usually aren’t “just nerves.” They’re signals of a story that needs rewriting. Here’s an example of each:-
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- For horses: Tail swishing, head tossing, hollowness, or tightening through the body
- For riders: Tension in your chest before jumping, or shutting down after a mistake
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4. Cue Confusion Test ( for your horse)
Ask Yourself: “When I ask a question, does my horse feel unsure or hesitant before answering? Or does he offer the wrong answer, but with full confidence?!”
Just like us, when are horses are learning something ‘new’, they can often feel unsure or uncertain. There is a little hesitation there before they commit to a ‘final answer’! This is usually training-related. It’s new, and they just need to do it more. However, if your horse gives you a different response or answer to the one you were expecting, but does so with confidence, your job is probably going to be retraining-related!
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- Example: You ask for shoulder-in, and your horse immediately offers leg-yield, proudly! That’s not confusion. That’s patterning, and he’s simply doing what was expected of him before.
- On the flip side, if your horse looks wobbly or hesitant, that’s training. He’s unsure and learning.
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5. The Plateau Effect
If you feel stuck, even though you’re doing “everything right,” there’s likely a retraining issue hiding underneath. This often means there are gaps in the foundation. Often, these can be gaps that you’re not responsible for missing or failing to fill. But now, you will need to go back and patch up!
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- For horses: Able to ‘do’ all of the things, but unable to maintain rhythm or relaxation
- For riders: Jumping 90cm/3′ tracks but not understanding flexion and straightness
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Why Retraining Feels Harder
Now, the elephant in the room (or in the post!). Retraining is often more challenging for riders. Which is why so many pay other people to do it for them! This is usually because retraining requires more time, consistency, and attention to detail and patterns.
But I believe that retraining the horse without retraining the rider is doing a disservice to both!
Retraining requires you to have patience when old patterns, behaviors, or habits pop back up again. Because they will! It often requires you to have a strategy to unlearn before you can relearn. Or to help your horse do this. And it absolutely requires emotional awareness, for both you and your horse.
Too many riders are trying to train their way through a retraining situation and end up stuck in the same cycle, over and over again.
It’s like trying to follow a trail that you realise is going the wrong way. You’ve two choices: veer off into the dense bush in the hope that you eventually find the ‘right’ trail. Or backtrack a little until you find the real fork in the road, and then course correct from there. And look, I’m all for “bundu-bashing”! But when working with horses, this is just making things so much more difficult for both of you!
So, What Should You Do Next?
I can bet that by now, you’ve likely got a gut feeling about whether your situation is training or retraining-related. So, now what?! Here are 3 ways you can begin taking steps to get on the right path, so to speak:-
1. Start Filming Your Rides
Now, this is where I am going to 100% encourage you to invest in a Pivo! It is SUCH a fantastic tool you can use to make more out of each session with your horse. However, you can also simply use your phone on a fence post. But remember, just videoing yourself isn’t enough. I want you to watch back over your rides as an observer, not a critic!
Notice what comes up again and again. Are you seeing frustration? Crookedness? Hesitation? Confusion? These are all clues as to the best way to begin approaching your unique situation.
You can get a 10% discount off your Pivo HERE (use coupon DailyStrides), and you can get my free resource to help you take videos that will actually be helpfulHERE
2. Get Outside Feedback
So often, riders get stuck because they are using their own mind (that is filled with limiting and downright ‘wrong’ thoughts and beliefs) to train them! If you’re stuck in your own head, nothing beats coaching. Whether you have in-person lessons with a local instructor or trainer, or you go for virtual coaching…
Working with a ‘professional’ is the quickest way to get back on the right path. Every quarter, I open limited spaces inside of Restart & Reschool, a 13-week private coaching program where you’ll get:
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- Private virtual lessons (using your Pivo or just your phone)
- Weekly feedback on your riding and training
- Video reviews between lessons so you can begin working more confidently alone
- Personal support from me, Lorna, using a private chat that comes straight to my phone
- A schedule and strategy that’s unique to you and fits your real life
- Learn more at https://stridesforsuccess.com/rr
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3. Adjust Your Expectations
Let’s be honest. Very often, this is the piece that’s missing when it comes to retraining. And this is true for both riders and horses. And it is often the reason things get stuck. Figure out if you have a training or retraining issue. If it’s retraining, identify what the past expectation might have been, and then compare that with the current expectations. Then work towards making that happen.
Happy Riding
Lorna
Other Resources on This Topic:-
Online Training to Help Your Riding
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- Information on Virtual Horse Riding Lessons
- Pivo Motion Tracking Software (*affiliate link) use coupon DailyStrides for 10% off
- Connection (formerly Daily Strides Premium)
- Connection VIP – Private Virtual Lessons for Equestrians
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Connect with Lorna online:-
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- Connect in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailystridespodcast
- Instagram @LornaLeeson
- Instagram @StridesforSuccess
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