| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | across as it is the cornerstone of and good rider/horse |
| When you hear someone say they are breaking-in a | | | | relationship. Getting back to the breaking in versus |
| horse what comes to mind? Do you think of cowboys | | | | educating if you work with the horses natural instincts |
| bucking a horse around a yard until it stops? If you | | | | you will achieve great things in little time. Do not start a |
| hear someone say they are educating their horse | | | | fight with the horse as it is much bigger and much, |
| what comes to mind? Do you think of someone | | | | much stronger than you. Use the horse’s natural |
| working quietly with a horse? | | | | instincts to your advantage when educating it. |
| It is perhaps unfortunate that breaking-in contains the | | | | I have worked with all types of horses and ponies |
| word break, when we hear that we think of breaking | | | | over the years and following the simple rule of working |
| the horses spirit, making the horse yield to us. This is | | | | with the horse have never had one buck during |
| not what it should be about. Go back not so many | | | | educating a green horse. By paying attention to when |
| years and that is what it was about but this is 2006 | | | | the horse is ready for the next step in training and not |
| not 1896. I like to think we understand our relationship, | | | | rushing them things will progress faster in the long run |
| and appreciate it more than they did then. | | | | than if you go too fast and have to go back over |
| Unfortunately there are still people out there that think | | | | things. |
| you need to break a horse’s spirit but this is not | | | | Break your training into sections such as basic ground |
| the case. What these people need to understand is | | | | work, intermediate ground work, advanced ground |
| you get a much better horse when you educate and | | | | work, basic mounted work, intermediate mounted |
| work with your horse. Hollywood (and some people | | | | work, advanced mounted work, etc. Do not move to |
| who run workshops) would like you to believe that | | | | the next stage of training until your horse is ready, it will |
| horse whispering is some mysterious art that is | | | | be one step forward two steps back if you do. Take |
| unachievable by the common person. | | | | the time to watch your horse and learn to notice little |
| There is no mystery to horse whispering it is simple a | | | | things like the position of the horses ears, the |
| matter of understanding the behaviors of a horse and | | | | movement of the horses tail, the horses eyes, they all |
| being able to read the horse you are working with. A | | | | tell you how the horse is feeling. That is reading the |
| horse is a herd animal, it has a basic fight or flight | | | | horse, noticing the horse’s body language. |
| instinct. Although a horse is a beautiful animal it has no | | | | By following these simple steps you may not have the |
| magical powers. Understand these basic things and | | | | fastest, best jumper, best dressage horse in the world |
| you are well on your way to being able to work with | | | | but you will have a friend who will do their best for you |
| your horse. | | | | when you ask, be willing to try anything for you and be |
| Working with your horse is the main point I want to get | | | | reliable. I think that is more important. |