Is it easier to teach an extrovert or an introvert?

[newforest]

I was thinking yesterday when i was playing with foal and observing my instructor's lesson etc. My instructor is extrovert.
So would she find it easier to teach another extrovert human with same energy or introvert?
Then what about the horse. I got more out of foal than she did as foal was introvert and in some cases so am i.
Discuss open to floor take it wherever.

 

[wundahoss]

That's a good question. I don't think an extroverted trainer would necessarily be any better or worse for an introverted horse, or vice versa. Perhaps more suited & suitable for that horse's personality, but if she's a good trainer, she should be working with the horse where they're at, in a method most comfortable & motivating for them, regardless of her personal feelings. Eg. she should be able to 'turn off' her extroversion.

I think it's a case of horses requiring different techniques, rather than harder or easier. So saying, it also comes down to whether they're 'right brained'(fearfully explosive or inclined to 'shut down'), or 'left brained'(cool, calm and possibly dominant, playful types). They are rarely just one 'personality type' either, and can be right, left, introvert or extrovert in different situations.

I have dealt with a large number of horses & found it just as easy to deal with fearful as with calm and assertive types. Until my current horse tho, I'm not sure that I ever had to deal with a right brained introvert that became nearly catatonic(only in some situations). Long story how he got there, but it was not helped by me choosing the wrong people to work with him. I think in retrospect I had had mainly experience with extroverts, who 'told it like they saw it' with clear bodylanguage. His reaction to too much stress was to go very quiet and just put up with anything, apparently very 'obediently'.... until suddenly, out of the blue, for no apparent reason(whatever the final, often tiny straw was), it got too much for him & he would blow up. I had misread this quietness as true calmness, so didn't appreciate just how far I was pushing things until I went too far. Once I learned to recognise his early signs(holding his breath, sucking his tongue, etc!) & mental shut down for what it was, I was able to go back to where he was confident & work more carefully from there. Now that he's again confident and trusting of me, he is actually quite extroverted & not afraid to 'say what he thinks'.... most of the time. I still have to be careful & attentive so as not to inadvertently push or allow him to get too stressed.

 

[newforest]

Yes i agree to a point that the extrovert person should be able to "turn it off" and read horse lower energy. But how does the introvert person turn on the energy if dealing with extrovert horse that needs them to be confident and assertive?

 

[Joyscarer]

I think you need to think about whay a person is extrovert.

I am in company but as a sort of defence mechanism to hide how nervous I am. Being extrovert can come in different forms. Yes its increased energy but how that energy is expressed varies.

 

[laceyfreckle]

I think you need to think about whay a person is extrovert.

I am in company but as a sort of defence mechanism to hide how nervous I am. Being extrovert can come in different forms. Yes its increased energy but how that energy is expressed varies.

lol..you just described me Joyscarer When I become 'extrovert' I also become 'scatty' and that scares the beejee's out of Pic who is in fact a 'proper' extrovert herself.

Some of it comes down to personality too....I'm met several horses I like and get on with and several I don't and whether they were extroverted/introverted didn't make much difference as to which one's I got on with.

 

[winterwood]

Yes i agree to a point that the extrovert person should be able to "turn it off" and read horse lower energy. But how does the introvert person turn on the energy if dealing with extrovert horse that needs them to be confident and assertive?

Good point. And, I believe, the reason why some people just can't seem to manage to get much progress with their horses. A good trainer can 'up' their energy when needed and also 'reduce' it just as effectively. The difficult bit is finding the best way to teach an owner to do the same!!

 

[newforest]

People are different in different situations the same as the horse. Just wondered how a nervous quiet person can up their energy.

 

[jinglejoys]

I have to work hard at it! Malaga looks at me with those big brown eyes and says "You don't really mean that do you?" and I melt,then he "licks his fingers,stroke down" and ignores me

 

[wundahoss]

People are different in different situations the same as the horse. Just wondered how a nervous quiet person can up their energy.

Bummer, just wrote a response & my computer had a stroke! Anyway, the jist was, being conscious & consistent of your bodylanguage - which most humans don't seem to be good at. Relaxing your bodylanguage & focus, smiling when you don't want anything of the horse or when he's doing the 'right' thing, and 'bringing your energy up', standing tall, focussing strongly, being assertive & energetic when you want something. Always starting with the 'softest' cues - ie just bodylanguage - but being prepared to gradually get as 'big'(in bodylanguage, pressure, rope swinging, whip tapping, whatever) as necessary until you get the response.

The tricky bit is is working out how much is necessary & how far might be too far in any given situation. I don't believe it's generally(I'm sure there are exceptions) necessary(or fair or respectful) to take it to a level of pain, only to mild discomfort, then just persist for as long as it takes to get a response. But for many horses, eg introvert, fearful ones, 'as firm as necessary' may be so much less & that may by enough to zone them out or send them over the proverbial cliff. Also I think the pace that you proceed with teaching new stuff needs to be governed by the confidence & personality of your horse. A more introverted or fearful one may need to progress slowly with a lot more 'approach & retreat' whereas an extroverted left brainer may get bored by slow & steady & benefit from more challenges or mixing things up a bit.

 

[newforest]

Yes I've got a left brain extrovert and it's case of yes we've done this 3 times I've got it i'm not thick, now i'm bored! Very high play drive in field, but out hacking he's more introvert and worried about his own shadow, unless being led. Any threshold requires me to die first and go in front, herd leader.

 

[HashRouge]

I'm guessing Lou is an introvert, and she's very quick to learn certain things (backing up, for instance, or leg yield) but has a sort of block on certain things. I can work all I want on her going-through-water skills, but she still finds it scary.