Using the 7 Games Diagnostically Flashcards
Friendly Game Diagnoses?
Types of stimulus your horse is most sensitive
to: Sight, Sound, Feel…
Particular Zones in which your horse is more
sensitive, unconfident, apt to move, tense or
brace.
Is your horse confident and curious OR
skeptical and tense?
How quickly does your horse recover when
he/she gets on adrenaline/cortisol? This let’s
you know how “right brained” they’ve become
How does your horse respond to the horse
trader’s test (from the lesson video with Pat)
Are they more sensitive out of one eye versus
the other?
How do they do once their feet are moving?
Does speed cause them to get emotional
Friendly Game Prescription?
Expose and expand- we tend to want to avoid
the things that cause our horse worry- instead it’s
an opportunity to help them get more emotionally
fit and safer in the human world
Retreat and Reapproach will be key- study
retreat in all its forms and use it. As humans the
approach part of Retreat and Reapproach comes
more naturally for us- become a retreat expert
Rhythm is the pathway to relaxation and then
understanding- look for rhythm in your horse as
proof of relaxation and rhythm in yourself to help
the horse build relaxation. Rhythm in how you
use your tools and your body language
Pay attention to their recovery time- how long
does it take them to relax. As this span of time
gets shorter, you can expose and expand even
more, but remember that confidence and
connection are still key
Porcupine Game Diagnoses?
Is your horse respectful and does he
understand steady pressure?
Does your horse follow a feel?
Horses tend to not do what we want for 4
different reasons: Confusion, Fear, Dominance
or Pain.
You can use the porcupine game to weed out
the root cause.
Most of the time horses are either fearful or
confused- so start there
Porcupine Game Prescription?
If it’s fear- go back to the Friendly Game and
make sure your horse is confident with you
touching them in the area you’re asking to yield.
Then when you do ask for the yield- return to the
friendly game after they yield until they are
relaxed again. Remember it’s “rub, press, rub”.
A yield is both mental and physical. Pat talks
about 3 types of response to pressure are: a
Give, a Yield or a Turning Loose. The Give is
when the horse physically does what you want
but you have to up your phases to get it. A Yield
is when your horse responds off of ounces (you
are getting the mind and the body). A Turning
Loose is when you put in 1 and the horse puts in
9. Can your horse feel your thoughts?
If it’s confusion- make sure you’re being
consistent and clear with your phases.
If it’s dominance- use your driving game to
support a long phase 1
Driving Game Diagnoses?
Does your horse understand and yield to
rhythmic pressure?
Horses tend to not do what we want for 4
different reasons: Confusion, Fear, Dominance
or Pain.
Most of the time horses are either fearful or
confused- so start there
Driving Game Prescription?
For dominance- you can use a long phase 1 with
your driving game and then find an effective
phase 4
YoYo Game Diagnoses?
Does your horse go “north or south” equally?
North meaning to speed up and south
meaning to slow down
Can he do the above on a straight line?
Can he do either or both of the above with the
belly of the rope on the ground?
Is it easier for them to back away from you or
come to you?
The key to the Yo-Yo game is to find balance
with the above
Again be looking for the root- is it fear,
confusion, or dominance?
The difference between Level 1 and Level 4
can be found in the distance, speed and the
phases you use to accomplish the task
YoYo Game Prescription?
Observe your Yo-Yo game every time you do it
and rate the response. Do a little every time to
get it more balanced
Transitions are a Yo-Yo game- is your horse
equally wiling to go as to whoa?
Circling Game Diagnoses?
Is your horse emotionally fit when you ask for
speed?
Have they found comfort being out on the
circle? Is your horse moving with Rhythm,
Relaxation, and Understanding? The Friendly
Game
Do they understand their responsibility in the
game (Act like a partner not a prey animal,
maintain gait, maintain direction and look
where you’re going)
Do you understand yours? (Act like a partner
not a predator, think like a horse before you
think like a human, independent feet (neutral)
and use the natural power of focus)
Do you know how to use the lead and support
(the pull* and push) concept of the Circling
Game? And does your horse understand and
follow the direction? *Remember pull in this
case means follow a feel- it’s using a
porcupine steady pressure on the rope and
then supporting or pushing with the Carrot
Stick (Driving Game)
When you add in a slowing down energy on
the circle, can your horse make a downward
transition and stay out on the circle- this is a
Yo Yo Game
Circling Game Prescription?
Often the answer lies in improving your send so
you can have a solid allow.
Make sure you’re being consistent with your
phases
Check your responsibilities- neutral is key
Sideways Game Diagnoses?
Can they think down to their feet laterally?
Does this bring up emotion?
Is one side easier than another?
Do you understand that Game #6 comes after
Game #5 so a circle can turn into a half circle
and then a half circle can just continue right
on down the fence as sideways
Sideways Game Prescription?
Look for rhythm, relaxation and understanding in
your sideways in both directions
Squeeze Game Diagnoses?
Does your horse understand and yield, even
through the claustrophobic feeling of a Squeeze
Game?
Many of the things you’ve observed/diagnosed
with the Friendly Game might come into play
here- zones, speed, senses (sight, sound, feel)
and right side versus left side
Squeeze Game Prescription?
Rhythm, Relaxation and Understanding will be key.
Retreat (revisit Friendly Game)
