7 Games Goals

Question 1

Friendly Goal

Answer 1

Relax!

Confidence in all aspects of the human environment

Question 2

Friendly Keys

Answer 2

KEYS: Rhythm, Relaxation, Retreat. Stop when horse gets calmer.

Question 3

Friendly Purpose

Answer 3

Builds confidence, relaxation and trust. Look for lowered neck, blinking eyes, cocked leg, soft mouth and ears. Absence of fear or tension.
The more pressure you need a horse to be able to handle, the stronger your Friendly Game needs to be.

Question 4

Friendly Game Teaches

Answer 4

Increasing bravery, overcoming fear of people, places and things, relaxation, suppleness. Stand still, relax. Move with relaxation.
Friendly Game is also the release of pressure to reward the horse for a try or the desired response.

Question 5

Friendly Game Fixes

Answer 5

Spooking, anxiety, stress, fear of rider or handler, sudden noises or movements, catching, saddling, bridling, shoeing, vet, dental, bit contact, leg aids, tension, brace, etc.

Question 6

Porcupine Game Goal

Answer 6

Make sense of steady pressure, don’t lean

Question 7

Porcupine Game Keys

Answer 7

KEYS: Apply pressure softly and steadily but slowly increase it until horse seeks comfort and moves away.

Question 8

Porcupine Game Purpose

Answer 8

Yield from steady pressure in all parts of the body, seek release:
Forwards, backwards, front end, hind end, head down, neck, legs, tail, sideways.
Soft and easy response vs brace, escape or no response.
Pressure motivates, but release teaches

Question 9

Porcupine Game Teaches

Answer 9

Sensitizing horse to the aids: halter, leg, rein, hand, bit, ropes, etc,
Increases responsiveness, flexibility, softness and lightness of response. Teaches horses not to lean on pressure, to find / seek relief. Teaches human to use more feel, and to release.

Question 10

Porcupine Game Fixes

Answer 10

Dull to aids – rein or leg, heavy, lazy, bracy, stiff, unresponsive or slow response to seat or leg. Hard to lead, pulls back, difficult to maneuver; pushy. Also helps horses that are afraid of pressure and tend to escape it.

Question 11

Driving Game Goal

Answer 11

Respond to energy and rhythmic pressure

Question 12

Driving Game Keys

Answer 12

KEYS: Rhythm, phases: Begin softly, increase intensity and proximity but don’t get faster or slower. Tap the air, then the hair, then the body. Stop or soften when the horse responds depending if you want the horse to stop or keep moving.

Question 13

Driving Game Purpose

Answer 13

Move the horse without touching, or by using rhythmic tapping. May also be used to support Porcupine Game.
Forwards, backwards, front end, hind end, sideways
Pressure motivates, but release teaches

Question 14

Driving Game Teaches

Answer 14

Moves horse with energy, rhythmic pressure in all zones – with or without touching. Teaches horse to move away from a suggestion / body language, motion or noise. For example a waving a stick, hands, jumping jacks, etc.
Holds a boundary, stops horse pushing through pressure, increases energy.

Question 15

Driving Game Fixes

Answer 15

Fear or misunderstanding of whip/stick; inactive hind leg - activate by tapping the shoulder; unresponsive to inside leg - tap next to leg

Question 16

Primary Games

Answer 16

1 Friendly
2 Porcupine
3 Driving

Question 17

Purpose Games

Answer 17

YoYo
Circling
Sideways
Squeeze

Question 18

YoYo Game Goal

Answer 18

Equalize backwards and forwards

Question 19

YoYo Game Keys

Answer 19

KEYS: Wiggle the rope increase pressure in ‘phases’ starting very softly with the rope: Wiggle the first part, middle part, the snap, the whole halter… as needed. Ride forwards & backwards to varying degrees.

Question 20

YoYo Game Purpose

Answer 20

Equalize backwards and forwards, create impulsion, keep horses out of your space and have medium to long range influence. Horses are naturally programmed to go forwards and rarely go backwards.

Question 21

YoYo Game Teaches

Answer 21

Equalize go and whoa for true impulsion – controlled forward energy’;
Back up/rein back, transitions, shortening- lengthening, half halt, collection, engagement, piaffe, slide stop, jog.
It engages the hind leg and promotes longitudinal flexion

Question 22

YoYo Game Fixes

Answer 22

Hard to stop, rushing, pulling, on the forehand, half halts don’t work, won’t back up, poor upward or downward transitions, inactive hind leg. Piaffe problems, slide stop problems, engagement issues, lack of suspension.

Question 23

Circling Game Goal

Answer 23

Mutual responsibilities of a partnership

Question 24

Circling Game Keys

Answer 24

KEY: There are three elements: Send, Allow, Bring Back. Understand the importance of “NEUTRAL” from the horse’s point of view.

Question 25

Circling Game Purpose

Answer 25

Improve the quality of the partnership and the connection between horse and human. Horse: Act like a Partner, Maintain Gait, Maintain Direction, Look where you are going. Human: Act like a Leader & Partner, Have an Independent Seat / Feet, Think Like A Horse, Use the Natural Power of Focus.

Question 26

Circling Game Teaches

Answer 26

Teaches the HUMAN to leave the horse
alone when it’s doing what you want!
Connects the horse to the concept of circles
- bending, pirouettes, spins.
Unlike longeing, the Circling Game exercises
the horse mentally, emotionally and
physically

Question 27

Circling Game Fixes

Answer 27

Partnership issues, distraction, lack of
motivation, increases the horse’s effort
and stops the human from
micromanaging with constant steering,
pushing or holding back.
Keeps the horse connected to you,
looking in vs out or pulling away.

Question 28

Sideways Game Goal

Answer 28

Straightness, equalize right and left

Question 29

Sideways Game Keys

Answer 29

KEYS: Move the front then the back…
repeat until horse flows sideways –
on the ground your arms form an Lshape; When riding, your body is
straight and balanced.

Question 30

Sideways Game Purpose

Answer 30

Equalize sideways right & left, and develop
straightness - without dragging HQ or
counter-bending neck.
When you know how to be straight, you can
be crooked on purpose ;)

Question 31

Sideways Game Teaches

Answer 31

Lateral maneuverability, suspension, collection, leg yield, shoulder-in, haunches in, half-pass, canter leads, flying changes. Teaches rider to be straight and balanced in their body – head, shoulders, elbows, hands,
hips, knees, stirrups.

Question 32

Sideways Game Fixes

Answer 32

Canter issues. Difficulties with flying
changes, leg yielding and lateral
movements or canter lead in one
direction vs the other (or both!).
Bending through the body, yielding to
the inside leg.

Question 33

Squeeze Game Goal

Answer 33

Seek the space, enjoy compression

Question 34

Squeeze Game Keys

Answer 34

KEY: Horse can pass through narrow
spaces calmly, then stop, turn, face
and wait before repeating. Bow-tie
pattern.

Question 35

Squeeze Game Purpose

Answer 35

Overcome claustrophobia, feel empowered in
the squeeze rather than threatened.
The bow-tie pattern is soothing due to its
repetition of ‘squeeze’, disengagement and
release. It helps the horse to think its way
through the issue.

Question 36

Squeeze Game Teaches

Answer 36

Tight situations – trailer, jumps, ditches,
water-crossing, bridges, veterinary stocks,
girthy/cinchy.
Enjoy rather than fear the compressing
effect of collection – bit, reins, rider’s seat
and legs. Confidence & positive power.

Question 37

Squeeze Game Fixes

Answer 37

Doesn’t load or travel well, refuses or
rushes jumps, afraid of narrow places or
scary spots, cinchy (girthy), fears the
rider’s legs, tension in collection.

Question 38

Goal of the 7 Games Goals

Answer 38

To Teach the Horse the Goal

Question 39

What are the three “R’s” of the Friendly Game?

Answer 39

Rhythm
Relaxation
Retreat

Question 40

What is the purpose of giving the horse a purpose?

Answer 40

Testing the Principles
ex
Purpose Game #4 YoYo is testing Principle Game Driving
Purpose Game #5 Circling is testing the Porcupine Primary Game
Purpose Game #6 Sideways is testing Principle Game Driving
Purpose Game #7 Squeeze is testing Principle Game Friendly