6 Reasons Why Your Horse Doesn’t Trust You
Horses that spook, refuse, or don’t progress in training often have trust issues. The number one reason your horse doesn’t trust you is because you aren’t believable. He either learned not to trust all people or you in particular. Frustration is a common result when your horse has little or no trust in you. Prey animals are […]
Positive Responses to Frustrated or Emotional Horses
You cannot believe that your horse just WENT THERE; refusing, rejecting, back-talking or worse – releasing a boatload of adrenalin into your bloodstream and a bushel of irritation in your heart. What are you going to do about it?!? Regroup and settle down. There are times in any relationship when the right response is retreat, […]
Horses- Simple Trailer Loading
Annie asked if she could bring her mare over for a trailer-loading session. Getting Cassidy, her three-year-old mare, into a trailer was an irritating exercise in frustration. The only way to get her in reliably was to create a chute at the back of an open stock trailer and then push her stubborn ample butt […]
The Right Question to Ask Your Horse
Too many horse owners issue ultimatums to their horses without knowing it. They demand, insist, and retaliate when their horse doesn’t do what they want. The price is usually paid by horses with no voice in the negotiation. There isn’t always a right answer Jumping courses are often referred to as a series of questions. […]
How Horses Define Commitment
When people ask me what I do to transform a horse I answer, “Whatever it takes.” “How long does it take?” “As long as it takes.” I withhold nothing. My definition of commitment is “no matter what.” There are no deal breakers or excuses. Anything you promise must be delivered. One of the greatest skills […]
Why Horses Bite and How to Respond
Horse have powerful jaws designed to rip and tear. Horses that bite are dangerous. Owners know that, but don’t know what to do about it. Biting is a symptom of a different problem. Respect plays a part, but so is helping your horse build confidence and security. In answer to a reader’s inquiry about […]
Freedom – Round Pen and Liberty Work with Horses
Relationships always have a beginning and progress much like a dance, the continuing process of action and reaction. A round pen is like a chance meeting – once eyes meet something significant happens or an opportunity is lost. How eyes meet sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. If someone held your head […]
Encourage Your Horse to Disconnect – (You Read that Right)
The first thing I teach a horse is that he isn’t the center of my world and that it’s perfectly fine to ignore me. I see hands going up all over the place, “You WANT your horse to ignore you? That doesn’t make sense.” Some folks believe horses touch them to connect, perhaps an […]