| Horse's sometimes have it tough, unlike people it's | | | | belonged. This took time a this was obviously a |
| difficult to sit down and talk a problem through. When | | | | traumatized horse, and it is common that the amount |
| learning new skills the horse to learn by figuring out | | | | of resistance is generally proportional to the intensity of |
| what you want them to do, it's a kind of trial and error. | | | | the trauma. So it is important to realize in attempting to |
| The greatest problem the horse has in figuring out | | | | address the problem that it can take time and it is |
| what we want is when we don't ask the same way | | | | essential to resolve yourself to the fact that it takes as |
| each time. It fact I liken it to moving the furniture around | | | | long as it takes. |
| in a blind man's house. Once he knowswhere the | | | | That's where the patience of job comes in handy, as |
| furniture is, he can move around because it is | | | | some horses take longer than others, just like humans |
| 'consistent' in its placement. But move the furniture | | | | no two horses are the same. |
| from where it was and the blind man will trip, get hurt, | | | | Remember we are trying to undo a very well |
| get angry, and whatever else. | | | | rehearsed habit in the horse and need to reprogram |
| Consistency is the key to horse training, and in being | | | | his reaction. There is no prize for finishing first, the prize |
| consistent you must also be fair to him by making your | | | | is finishing with a horse that is happy to relate to us |
| instructions very black and white. This consistency and | | | | and work with us. |
| fairness must also extend to everything you do with | | | | When my friend first started working with this horse, |
| your horse even the simple things such as putting on a | | | | the horse was so resistant that it would come and go |
| halter. Does he throw his head up high enough so you | | | | as the work progressed. Interestingly my friend who is |
| can't reach it? | | | | generally a very vocal person did very little talking |
| This problem could have initially been caused by a | | | | whilst working the horse. Most of the instructions given |
| bump or poke he didn't like and now predicts it | | | | to the horse were the result of body language, body |
| happening and so tends to avoid. Most behaviour | | | | movement and gentle ropes. |
| problems in horses is the result of human action. | | | | There are times when the horse starts to come |
| If we have a horse problem the first thing we need to | | | | around and then backs off as if saying 'no' but this is |
| do is admit we or another human was probably initially | | | | where patience and perseverance comes in to go |
| the cause. From this mind set we can then begin to | | | | back and continue to asked in a non treating manner in |
| unpack what the driving causal factor is and begin to | | | | order to teach the horse a better way. It is through |
| remedy the cause. | | | | perseverance and patience that finally at the end, both |
| A friend of mine recently dealt with a family with a | | | | horse and trainer accomplish what most needed to be |
| new horse. I believe this was the family's first actual | | | | done. |
| horse that they owned. When they first got him, they | | | | There's this myth that horse trainers can walk out to a |
| threw the saddle on, put on the bridle, and jumped on | | | | horse, whisper something to them, and suddenly the |
| and started riding. The horse very quickly began to | | | | horse magically responds exactly how the trainer |
| blow up, buck and became difficult to catch and | | | | wants. This is a myth, but there are trainers who get |
| saddle. This continued until they couldn't even get close | | | | exceptional results from patience and perseverance, |
| enough to halter or unhalter the horse. | | | | and a willingness to communicate with the horse in |
| In order to develop a solution my friend had to take | | | | their language, and take the time it takes. |
| apart the puzzle and put the pieces back where they | | | | |