Most horse folks look forward to working with a horse who is just as eager to work with us. This type of relationship with your horse is very possible. We just have to think of how we are presenting the work to our horse. Ask yourself these questions before working with your horse. Pay attention to your answers. Always work toward strengthening the bond with your horse.
Why Does the Horse Do That
What causes the horse to respond?
Some horses will respond for treats and others may respond from fear. Hopefully, your horse responds because he understands your requests. He respects your leadership and has developed trust. Practice and repetition in a quiet, confident setting can help your horse to respond in a positive manner. You pay attention to your body language as well as verbal cues. If you stay focused, calm and confident, your horse will be focused, calm and confident.
Help the Horse to Succeed
Are you setting your horse up to succeed? Are you making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard? An example of this is teaching your horse to stand at a mounting block for mounting. You should give lots of praise and pets when he stands quietly. This is a good thing. If he moves which is the wrong thing, you would make him move more. The right thing, standing still, becomes easier than the wrong thing, moving away from the mounting block.
A Great Working Environment
Are you creating an atmosphere conducive to participation and learning? Working with your horse at feeding time or when his buddies are being turned out to pasture is not an opportune time to work with your horse. Distractions such as loud, unfamiliar noises, physical discomfort such as flies, or extreme heat and fear-inducing distractions like ice sliding off an arena roof do not make the best working environment for horses. It is important that your horse be relatively happy and content in order for his work to be successful.
To Stay or Go
Would the horse stay and participate or would he leave if he had a choice? Would your horse wander away, looking for something better to do? One of our main goals when working with horses is for them to seek comfort in our presence. We should aim for their trust and respect. We assume the role of herd leader and our horse gladly stays in that herd of two. It’s not difficult to become the leader but it can take time. We should actively look for ways to engage the horse and also reassure and encourage him. We must try to make all of our interactions positive. This will help to create a sense of comfort. Our horse stays with us because he feels safe.
Creating a special relationship with a horse is rewarding for both the horse and the human.
