consistency with handlers and horses

Challenges in managing horse behavior in equine assisted psychotherapy, hippotherapy, and therapeutic riding are discussed in this video. The specific challenge of building trust with a blind horse named Chip is highlighted, along with concerns about the impact of harsh corrections on clients and the lack of grace for the horse's trust issues. The philosophy of starting with as little pressure or stimulus as possible, but as much as necessary, is emphasized, along with the importance of consistency and modeling the desired approach for new equine specialists. Handler supervision and experiential learning exercises are used to understand the horse's perspective. The video also explores the balance between allowing instructors to have their own style while maintaining consistency for the horses. The philosophy of correcting horses with as little as possible, but as much as necessary, is discussed, as well as the importance of creating a safe environment for horses to fail without fear of negative consequences. The video concludes by mentioning other horses, like Cactus, who have responded well to the philosophy and are still working with clients, and the expectation for equine specialists to gradually adopt the philosophy, with those unwilling to change not fitting in the program.