Energy Response Exercise, To Build More Understanding Of Your Horse!

Energy response is a fun exercise allowing you to begin to understand and see the energetic response with horses.

I do not recommend going in with the horses for this exercise. For both human and horse safety, this exercise is meant to be done outside of the fence. Follow and enjoy this amazing process with the exercises that follow.

For this exercise, I recommend a round pen or small paddock. A large arena works, but you may need to be more mobile and creative to engage your horse from a larger space.

The energy response exercise is acknowledging and being aware that horses react differently to different energies.

Remember that the closer you are with a horse, the more strongly they feel your energy. If you are with a horse in a stall vs. across a pasture, that shifts the energy the horse feels. This is why the exercises and playing from outside the fence is important.

A horse met with too much overwhelming energy can act out. It can be dangerous if you put too much pressure onto a horse.

Let’s have some fun beginning to play with energy responses with your horse.

The fun part about this exercise is that you do not need your own horse. You can do this exercise with someone else’s horse.

The more horses you can experience the exercise with, the greater variety in responses you get to feel.

Each horse will respond and engage differently, as there are different personality types of horses.

Due to their personality types, they will have different sensitivity and awareness, creating a unique interaction.

Let’s Begin

To begin this exercise, you need some privacy. It is especially important that you will not be interrupted as you do this exercise. Feeling comfortable to own your emotions, thoughts and actions without losing focus on outside distractions, will allow for a stronger experience.

You will begin with your back to your horse. Once you face your horse, notice any reaction or actions your horse does and what they are doing.

Do not focus on your horse. If you notice something stands out to you that they do, (i.e. grazing quietly, sleeping in the sun, those are just basic examples) and you experience any feelings that are important to you, write them down below.

This is anything you notice as you focus on holding specific feelings in your body.

First Step: Passive You

The first exercise is passive you. Make sure and turn so your back is facing your horse. Think of a moment or situation where you were feeling submissive. Perhaps you could not stand up to your boss, teacher, parent, spouse, etc. to say how you really felt inside. You could have retreated back into your body and held it in.

Perhaps someone was angry and yelling at you for something that was unjust and not deserved. Perhaps you withdrew instead of standing up for yourself.

Now you have found that memory and are in that space again, feeling it in your body, turn and face your horse. Stay in that space and moment.

Feel through each of the comments below, visualize and feel yourself in that space strongly. Take a moment for each one to get clear, staying focused on feeling those feelings in your body while you live in this space.

Where are you, what are you doing, is it sunny or overcast, hot or cold land or water grass and trees or roads are you sitting or standing talking or silent alone or with others

What is your horse doing, acting, responses to anything going on, where they are in relation to you: _____________
Hold the feeling in your body of submissiveness, as you approach the round pen or paddock. Walk a straight line directly to your horse. Hold that thought and stay in that feeling as you approach, noticing any action or how your horse responds.

How do you approach: _____________
Your horse’s response or actions: _____________
How does this feel for you: _____________
Any notes you want to make about this experience so you don’t forget: _____________

Next Step: Frustrated You

Come back to the spot you were standing in to start this section we call frustrated you. Start with your back facing your horse. Think of a moment or situation you were frustrated or perhaps irritated.

Where were you, and what were you doing? Now that you found that memory, are in that space, feeling it in your body, turn and face your horse.

Stay in that space and moment. Feel through each of the comments below, visualize and feel yourself in that space strongly. Take a moment for each one to get clear, staying focused on feeling those feelings in your body while you live in this space.

Where are you, what are you doing, is it sunny or overcast, hot or cold land or water grass and trees or roads are you sitting or standing talking or silent alone or with others.

What is your horse doing, acting, responses to anything going on, where they are in relation to you: _____________
Hold the feeling in your body of frustration, as you approach the round pen or paddock. Walk a straight line directly to your horse. Hold that thought and stay in that feeling as you approach, noticing any action or how your horse responds.

How do you approach: _____________
Your horse’s response or actions: _____________
How does this feel for you: _____________
Any notes you want to make about this experience so you don’t forget: _____________

Step 3: Neutral You

Come back to the spot you were standing in to begin with and have your back to your horse. We will call this section our neutral you. Think of a moment you were content and at ease.

Your mind is at rest, no thoughts popping in, just silent, and quiet. You found the memory and are in that space again. Feel it in your body, and turn to face your horse.

Stay in that space. Feel through each of the comments below, visualize and feel yourself in that space strongly. Take a moment for each one to get clear, staying focused on feeling those feelings in your body while you live in this space.

Where are you, What are you doing, is it sunny or overcast, hot or cold land or water grass and trees or roads are you sitting or standing talking or silent alone or with others.

Any notes on what your horse is doing, acting, responses to anything going on, where they are in relation to you: _____________
Hold the feeling in your body of centered, balanced and neutral as you approach the round pen or paddock. Walk a straight line directly to your horse. Hold that thought and stay in that feeling as you approach, noticing any action or how your horse responds.

How do you approach: _____________
Your horse’s response or actions: _____________
How does this feel for you: _____________
Any notes you want to make about this experience so you don’t forget: _____________

The Energy Response Exercise is great fun to play with.

Different horses, respond in new ways with energy awareness. Don’t get discouraged if at first you feel like not much is happening for you.

You can always re-read the answers to your questions for each exercise and see if you notice any differences based on the energy you held as you approached your horse.

Sometimes it may appear as if nothing is happening or going on while you do the exercise but do not get down. Something is always going on with you or your horse so continue to do these exercises.

The more you do the exercises the more sensitized you get in connection with your horse and the more that may continue to develop as you go.

The more times you do this exercise the more you will notice the slightest shifts in your energy and your horse’s energy. This is just the start and the first of many amazing exercises that are based on your own awareness as well as the awareness of how your horse react.