Is there a difference between escalating pressure and adding a different aid for clarity?
In my mind, the stereotypical example of the category of escalating pressure is when you do the same thing or something else HARDER HARDER until the horse does the thing you were intending. Escalatjng pressure has a particular feeling to it, and the horse is often frightened or irritated into action by the higher tiers of aids. The horse might be relieved when the aids are released.
It seems to me like there might be another category, where you start with an aid the horse doesn't know, then add an aid the horse does know. The pressure doesn't escalate in the sense that the feeling tone of the situation doesn't escalate. Nothing gets harder or scarier. The horse finds the second aid clarifying rather than scary - because the second aid is reducing the confusion by explaining the first aid. The horse may still be pleased when both aids are released.
I'll give you an example of what I'm thinking about. When I've been working with Una, I've been trying to explain the connection between things she already knows from the ground and halter training, and things she will need to know for riding.
For example, I wanted to teach Una about pressure on her nose from the reins to the bridle asking her to take a step backward. Una already knows a hand on her chest to go backward, and she is very good at that cue. So I primed her with a couple iterations where I said "Back" then asked for backward steps with my hand on her chest. After each iteration I released the pressure and praised her.
Next I positioned myself by her shoulder, said "Back." Closed one hand gently on the reins, waited a couple heartbeats while she thought about it (and you could see her really thinking about it. I had done a little resensitization on the reins first so she knew there was something going on with the reins) then with my other hand asked her to back with a hand on her chest. Once I put my hand on her chest she stepped back. Release pressure, praise pony.
Within 1 or 2 repetitions Una generalized from the hand on her chest to the reins and was consistently taking a step back from the reins before I touched her chest. I gave her a break, did something else.
A few days later I come back and Una knows from the beginning of the session about taking a step back from rein pressure. Easy easy horse training. After that it was super simple to climb on and check Una understood the same cue from onboard, and she did. Probably less than 10 repetitions of 'back' over 2 days from start to finish. Hakuna Matata.
Another example. Una is very good at stepping forward off a leadrope cue. Una has no idea what leg pressure means under saddle. I had a mate lead Una around with me onboard halt/walk/halt for a few reps under my mates guideance to get Una in the walk/halt mindset.
Next, I started in halt then clicked, softly closed my legs... waited a few heartbeats. I could feel Una thinking about what this might be. Then I would nod at my friend, and she would quietly lead Una forward. Once Una stepped forward, I took my leg off and praised her. After only a small handful of these Una figured out that leg = go and she was walking on off a light leg aid without my mate. Again, very low drama.
This felt like very good horse training in the moment. Una seemed comfortable with these new things, and she picked it up easily. Una seemed interested in the process. After I turned her out, she hung around at the gate for scratches and then watched me bright eyed and ears pricked as I left.
But in the car as I drove home I wondered if this was technically escalating pressure because I did consistently start with one aid, and move to another. But then I wondered if it wasn't escalating pressure because the aids were not harder or scarier or stronger - I was just moving between an aid she didn't understand, and then clarifying with an aid she did understand.
Also, because if Una hadn't responded to being asked to back from the chest or walk on from the leadrope, I wouldn't have started doing some other thing or doing the same thing harder - I would have reassessed.
This caused me to wonder, is there a difference between escalating pressure and adding a different aid for clarity?
And also, does that change depending on whether you remove or reduce aid A when you start to apply aid B, or whether you maintain aid A and add on aid B?
Thinking about different times I've used approximately this process to generalize to a horse and explain that new aid (aid A) is actually something they already understand (aid B). I've sometimes left aid A on when I begin aid B and used both aids together, sometimes removed aid A totally to begin aid B, and sometimes reduced aid A and continued it as like the ghost of A while beginning aid B. Often I've mixed all those variations in a session. Just doing what feels right in the moment.
PS: Backing a 6yr old horse who is sound, well put together and grew up living the good life is apparently remarkablely easy. Who knew?