| Horse training is one of the oldest training disciplines | | | | it will have to learn to carry a bridle and a saddle or a |
| around. We have used horses for work, war and | | | | harness. |
| pleasure for centuries. And horse training has seen | | | | So, what are we really teaching the horse? |
| astonishing highs - and also some lows. Probably one | | | | We teach the horse to do things when we give a |
| of the highest points was reached during the period of | | | | certain command or cue. The horse learns to walk |
| "Baroque" during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was | | | | when we say so - and to stop when we say so. |
| considered an art. | | | | What the horse really learns is to respond to verbal |
| I am afraid currently horse training goes through one of | | | | commands or hand. leg or seat cues with the proper |
| it's lows being commercialized in pretty extreme ways. | | | | action. |
| But that does not mean that you cannot accomplish | | | | This is a very important distinction. Training can only be |
| good training results working with your horse. | | | | successful when we have a clear picture of what we |
| One of the biggest obstacles for successful training is | | | | want to accomplish. And if we train a young horse to |
| a simple misunderstanding. I have heard many times, "I | | | | walk on command the important part is not that the |
| trained my horse to lead". By definition training or | | | | horse walks - the important part is the response to the |
| teaching has the purpose that the horse can do | | | | command. Is the response immediate and without |
| something it could not do before. | | | | resistance? Or does the response come with a delay |
| Every foal naturally knows to follow the mare - or it | | | | and is hesitant or even resistant? |
| would die pretty soon. The mare leads the foal. And | | | | Only if the response is immediate and willing have we |
| this is true for most things a horse does. Every foal on | | | | mastered the task of teaching a horse to walk on |
| it's first day knows how to walk, trot and canter. And | | | | command. |
| every foal also knows how to stop and back up. | | | | At the highest level of horsemanship you as the |
| For the normal use of a horse there are only three | | | | observer will only see the result - not the cues given to |
| things a foal does not know - and will have to learn. | | | | the horse. To get there one must be aware of what |
| The first one is to tolerate and carry a halter. And later | | | | we really teach the horse - and it is not to walk. |