Monday, July 7, 2008

Horse Training

The goal with any horse is to get to the fun part where you can take him on trail rides or let your friends ride him with no worries that he will start bucking or take off running with the rider. You must first put in the training necessary so that your horse becomes agreeable in any situation. If you can't afford a "kid safe" horse and have to work with what you have, then there are things you can do to make this happen.

A "spooky" horse can be a dangerous thing for riders. Serious injuries can be caused by a horse that is "green" and unused to being around certain objects or places. Spend as much time with your horse as you can so as to build a trust with your horse, starting with the groundwork.

Trust is invaluable as a tool to help your horse overcome his natural instincts to flee when danger is near. If your horse trusts you to keep him safe, he will ignore his instincts and remain calm. You must establish yourself as your horse's "leader" and work with him as much as possible, letting him know who is boss.

Take your animal out with a horse that is what is known as "bombproof". When a horse sees and feels that another horse is remaining calm in all situations then he will realize that things that seem scary to him are not so scary after all. Horses learn a lot from each other and read situations through other horses eyes. Walk him through many obsticals in many different situations with this lead horse for a good example.

If your horse is scared of certain objects, then make sure you expose those objects to him every day until he is completely comfortable around them. For example you can tie plastice bags to the fence and let them flap in the breeze. Then keep taking your horse past the bags every day as part of his training to NOT be afraid of things that are moving around him when under saddle. Walking him through brush that he's never been around every day helps your horse get used to trail riding.

Fear is the main thing that drives a horse to misbehave. The point is to make him comfortable with as many things as possible on an every day basis. Use calm and patience but with a firm hand to continue in your role as "lead" horse.

posted by Posh Pampered Pets @ 2:05 PM