When to Seek Professional Help: A Guide for R+ Horse Enthusiasts 🐴

When to Seek Professional Help 

• Persistent Behavioral Issues: If you're consistently struggling to shape a specific response or behavior, especially if over arousal (excitement related to food rewards) or under motivation is involved, consulting an experienced R+ professional with a proven track record can provide valuable insights and strategies.

• Physical Limitations or Injuries: If you or your horse has physical limitations or injuries that hinder the training process, a professional can help you create a plan that is not taxing but still allows you to have regular and enjoyable interaction with your equine friends and guide you along the way.

• Mental Health Challenges: If you're experiencing significant stress, anxiety, or other issues that are impacting your ability to interact with and train your horse effectively, seeking guidance can provide calming techniques and help reset expectations for this delicate situation.

When to Take Lessons 

• Skill Development: If you want to improve or enhance your relationship, skills or learn new techniques, taking lessons from a qualified R+ instructor can provide structured guidance and feedback.

• Habit Correction: If you've developed patterns or habits in your riding or training that aren’t serving you or may confound the communication between you and your horse, a skilled instructor can help you identify and reshape them.

• Goal Setting: If you have specific intentions or needs for your horse to be able to accomplish particular things from healthcare and husbandry behaviors to leading and loading, polishing performance and more, a knowledgeable instructor can create a personalized training plan to help you achieve them and provide the encouragement and guidance you need to make it fun and easy for you and your horse.

When to Send Your Horse to Training

• Behavioral Issues: If your horse is exhibiting unresolved dangerous or destructive behavior, despite your best efforts. Remember they learn what they practice and it’s best not to wait until the behavior poses a risk to you or others, to send them to a professional trainer who can provide a horse friendly controlled environment where they can be safely managed and re-trained before horse and humans get hurt or unwanted patterns become deeply ingrained.

• Specific Skill Development: If you want your horse to develop specific skills, such as dressage movements or jumping techniques, sending them to a specialized training facility can accelerate their progress.

• Time and Energy Constraints: If you have limited time and energy constraints, no need to feel guilty. Life happens and we all experience times that we can’t be as devoted to hanging out or training our horses as we’d like. Sending them to a professional trainer is one way to ensure they receive consistent training and exercise.