Training Basics

Our Training Basics guide covers various topics about training and handling ponies and mares that are not specific to a discipline or skill.

Mare Handling

The sNr Ethos section gives a succint description of what we do and what we want to achieve.

However training is not enough. Livestock must be fully immersed in their mare life. Otherwise training alone will never achieve the desired traits. While it is not possible to write a detailed, thorough list of recommendations on how to act with a mare, this section will give a general idea and some principles that surely will help to act properly.

The first aspect to take care of is communication and access to information. Casual chat on IM must be avoided, using IMs only to find out how the mare is doing or when needed for training. A fully restricted mare will be frustrated and curious about the environment. With IMs open it is common to be asked questions like "who is that?". Handlers must never give a mare any information they can't gather by themselves. RLV blocks are used for a good reason and any additional information they get makes the restrictions useless.

The second key aspect for their immersion is the restriction on activities. Livestock must never take part on non pony activities at all. That includes shopping (except when necessary), dancing, parties, going to beaches, etc. Keeping livestock limited to their activities without exception will greatly improve their immersion.

Like activities, places the mare can visit will strongly reinforce the immersion feeling. Livestock should never be brought into buildings except of course barns and stables. If visiting such a place with a mare it is better to leave it hitched outside. When parking the mares at unfamiliar locations it can be a good idea to use a blindfold. Of course, as with people around, it is better to avoid explaining them anything about the places where they are brought.

Consistent handling gives excellent results in the long term and it greatly improves the effect of the training. Consider it even more critical than training itself.

Avi Steering

Some ponies try and do ponyplay without a mouse, which is really not recommended. For effective training, the pony needs to conduct all training using a mouse, in mouselook. As a special case, ponies taking part in polo competitions can be allowed to use avi steering.

To use avi-steering, grab the back of your avatar with the mouse and drag. If it doesn’t work then go to Preferences | Move & View tab | Movement Single click on land, set it to: "No action".