The ARC System
The underlying theory or system we use in all our training is what we call the ARC SYSTEM. ARC is an acronym for Acknowledge, Response, and Control. This system is based on a fact that the horse must first Acknowledge that you have spoken to him or in other words; you have asked for something through your use of the four aids of riding in balance... the eyes, hands, seat, and legs. Your horse is expected to Acknowledge that he is listening by Responding in some way. An example of this would be... you hear (Acknowledge) a phone is ringing, and because you hear it you Respond by answering it!
Once the horse Acknowledges you; in other words "hears the phone ringing", we can develope a conditioned Response in him; namely, "make him answer the phone". When that happens we can speak to or Control the parts of his body that are important to us at that time.
Without Acknowledgment and Response, you can have No Control and you become just a passenger. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SET THE STAGE FOR OUR OWN SUCCESS; not, "hope he has a good day", or "if he'll be good we'll get through this", or "he was going fine out back but when I got into the ring he just fell apart". These things happen because we have not TRAINED our partners to "hear and answer the phone". If we can do that, then when things start to go wrong we can simply "CALL THEM UP".
...If we get an ARC SYSTEM in place, if Acknowledge and Response are burned in, can Control be far behind?
