Posts Tagged ‘herd’

If there is one thing that horse owners fear on the ground-it’s getting kicked. And with good reason. If you get kicked by a horse you risk getting seriously injured and even killed.

So why do horses kick? Like a lot of issues involving bad horse behavior, the answer comes down to one of two things. Either the horse kicks out of fear-or he kicks out of dominance.

The good news is that horse kicking can be controlled or even eliminated without smacking the horse or even focusing on kicking at all. Instead, you can deal with the problem by building leadership, trust, and respect. How do you do this? Simple-with proper ground training.

Good ground training will eliminate horse kicking because a horse that knows he can trust you is a horse that won’t fear you. When the horse isn’t afraid generally, he isn’t going to fear having his feet handled or fear having you behind him. Conversely, a horse that sees you as his respected leader is not going to try and dominate you. So let’s explore a few ways that we can build leadership, trust and respect with ground horse training, with the goal of eliminating horse kicking in the back of our minds.

Often, eliminating fear and dominance go hand in hand. So you don’t have to focus on what “type” of horse you have too much when applying general principles of horsemanship. First off, what do dominant horses do with the other members of the herd? Well, they herd them around! This simple fact-and keep in mind this is something a horse intuitively understands-is something we can use to our advantage to train our horses gently without using any kind of force. All we have to do is move our horses around. When you do that, your horse will instinctively see you as a leader. Horse kicking will be unlikely in that case because a horse doesn’t kick his leader.

We can make a horse move forward, backward, to the side, or in a circle. OK here are a few basic things we can do:

• Ask your horse to go backwards.
• As your horse to move his forehand.
• Ask your horse to move his hindquarters.
• Circle or lunge your horse.
• Circle or lunge at liberty in the round pen.

By doing these groundwork exercises we teach the horse to view us as a respected leader. This is because we are tapping into his built-in instinct to see those who make him move as his leader. In fact, working your horse at liberty at the round pen may be one of the most important exercises you can use to do this. That’s because you control three things:

• When the horse moves and when he can come to rest.
• How fast he goes.
• What direction he goes.

Round pen work is also safe. By doing these three things, you establish yourself as a leader because your horse will know automatically you’re his leader because you’re controlling his movement. That’s what the trick really is-control the movement of the horse at all times. Then he will see you as his respected leader.

Next time your horse kicks-instead of giving into your impulse to smack him-try asking him (firmly) for a backup instead. By asking him to move off, you build leadership and respect-so reduce the chance of a horse kicking in the future.

David McMahon is a free lance author who owns 3 horses and writes about horse training issues. For more information please visit Mastering Basic Groundwork (Horse Training) [http://nmhorse.com/Basic_Groundwork.html].

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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What causes horses rearing? Like everything else involving horses and their interactions with people, the answer usually boils down to one of two causes. Horses of course will engage in a threatening display like rearing if they are feeling well, threatened. So the first cause to look for is fear. A second cause of horses rearing is defiance. A horse may rear to intimidate you, or while balking about accomplishing some task you want him to do. In this case, the root cause of horses rearing is disrespect.

It turns out that fear and disrespect are two sides of the same coin when it comes to the horse-human relationship. The reason is simple. A horse isn’t going to have fear about a situation or task provided that he’s got a strong leader he can look to. Are you that strong leader, inspiring unwavering confidence in your horse? Or do you lack confidence, as exhibited in your actions or body language?

At the same time, a horse isn’t going to respect a handler that hasn’t shown leadership. Once again it boils down to confidence. Are you confident handling horses? Can the defiant horse sense weakness or wavering in your body language?

So we see that when it comes right down to it, the fearful horse or the disrespectful horse that rears is really doing so for the same fundamental reason: they don’t really have an alpha member of the herd. As the handler of the horse, it’s up to you to become the alpha and demonstrate calm and confident leadership at all times. Once it’s established, leadership will cause a horse to respect and trust you. So all at the same time, by being a leader for your horse, you can win over horses with all kinds of different dispositions. There is no need to study whether a horse is “left brained” or “right brained”, “introverted” or “extroverted”, “fearful” or “dominant”. Horses are naturally wired to follow a leader plain and simple, and by giving the right cues you can easily establish leadership and inspire confidence and get any horse to follow you. Horses that see you as their leader are going to be less fearful, so less likely to turn to rearing when something startling happens. A horse that respects you isn’t going to use rearing, or anything else, in an effort to intimidate you.

That sounds simple enough, but how do you establish leadership?

The first step in a leadership program is a good round pen training program. This means taking your horse in the round pen at liberty (no lead rope) and going through the exercise to have him hook on to you. This exercise really taps into the mind and emotions of the horse and like nothing else, helps a horse see you as the herd leader. You should always go back to round pen training first when encountering some major behavior problem.

The second task at hand is to simply get your horse listening and paying attention to you. This can be done on several levels-basic groundwork for example. Spend more time simply moving your horse around-moving the hindquarter, the forehand, backing up. Do some leading exercises.

One of the most important exercises for a horse with behavior problems in my view is lunging. Done correctly, which means continually asking the horse to pay attention by randomly asking for walk, trot, canter, slow down, speed up, stop, turn-is a great exercise for getting your horse listening for your commands. That helps cement the position of leadership you lay down as a foundation with round pen training.

When faced with horses rearing, like anything else, all it takes to solve the problem is getting back to basics. Punishment in the moment might give a short term fix, but it’s not a long term solution. Go back to a solid training program of round pen training, leading, groundwork yields, and lunging to fix that attitude.

David McMahon is a freelance author and horse owner. He invites you to visit http://horse-training-tips.com where you can learn more about horses rearing.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Training horses is one exciting and enjoyable way to teach your ponies and make them good buddies in your horse riding spree. Of course, you would not want an untamed horse jumping on you during one of your rides.

If you are a horse lover or a horse riding enthusiast and you want to do the horse training yourself, here is a simple guide to training horses and ponies. Of course, a well-trained horse is a great companion and they can become your best buddies at play or at work.

In training your horse, it helps a lot to understand their body language or the sounds they make. Of course, they can only produce these sounds whenever they are happy or in pain or they feel uncomfortable, so you have to familiarize yourself and listen to them. Horses neigh if they feel confident but it can also mean anxiety. By reading his body language, you can however distinguish what your horse is feeling. Horses may sigh as a sign of being deeply relaxed and they may usually begin to snort if he is afraid of something. Indeed, learning their language can facilitate your horse training and will help you understand your horse’s feeling as well.

In any guide to training horses, it is important to gain the trust and respect of your horse. If you remain a stranger to him, he will never be confident around you. Do not create an atmosphere that will make your horse fear you, instead make him feel happy when he sees you.

In training your horse, it is wise to start with light touching of the horse to make him comfortable and at ease with you. You can then start training him by leading him to walk when you try to hold the rope and adding some commands that you will use to talk to him and convey what you want him to do. Horses can easily follow when they have a leader that can show them what to do as they usually follow a leader in a herd, and in horse training, you will act as your horse’s leader to make him do things. If he does it right, then you have to remember to reward him.

One basic thing that your horse should learn is how to walk beside you. This is usually attained by means of lead training, where you can also teach your horse to stop or turn at your command. As he will eventually learn these simple commands, you can then move on to training him so that he can accept being ridden and that he can follow the commands of the rider. Training him to listen to your signals and commands is a favorable means to train your horse but avoid whipping him just to make him follow you.

It is important too that when your horse has learned one skill, repeat it to him and make sure he gets it before moving to another command or skill. It is also important to let your horse be accustomed to the bit, the saddle and other accessories, as he would be wearing them when someone eventually rides him.

These are just a few of the tips and things that you have to keep in mind in training horses. To be able to get full details of horse training, find a good guide to training horses and make sure also that you have a professional trainer with you if it is your first time doing it.

Carolyn Anderson loves outdoor adventures. If you want to learn how to train horses, check out Natural Horsemanship Software Pack. Also check out Horse Training Secrets, to find out the secrets and techniques in horse training.

Author: Carolyn Anderson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Keeping your horse warm, healthy, and happy during the winter can be challenging, especially if you live in a climate with extreme cold weather. While temperatures don’t drop too far here in Texas, I have many clients in northern states who struggle to keep their horses fat and sassy during this winter. So this issue is dedicated to horse health care during the winter, including ways to minimize your feed bill and ways to prevent chiropractic issues.

Horse Health Care Basics for Winter
Before diving into the different kinds of horse feed and other tips, I’m going to first cover the basics. These apply year-round, but are especially important before winter sets in. You probably already know about these, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them so I’ll cover them quickly here.

Teeth: If you horse has not had a float within the last year, it may be time to take him in for a checkup and possibly a float. A horse with sharp points, hooks, or ramps in his mouth tends to drop feed or chew improperly, which can lead to indigestion or colic. More importantly, your horse doesn’t get the most out of his feed and you could end up with unwanted vet bills to treat colic.

Parasites: Going into winter, it’s always a good idea to check your horse for parasites with a fecal test. Even if the fecal test comes back negative, you may want to give your horse a double dose of Strongid-type wormer to take care of tapeworms, which do not show up in a fecal analysis. You can do this up to once a year.

Stress: Horses can quickly lose weight when stressed. Causes of stress are numerous, including extreme physical cold, injuries, hard training, or even changes in living environment. Horses can also be
emotionally stressed by doing a job for which they are not suited or if their living conditions are unsuitable. For instance, a horse that is constantly being picked on by his herd mates won’t have access to
feed, and may not feel like eating.

The Best Horse Feed for Winter
To keep your horse healthy this winter, you need to make sure he is getting enough of the right kind of calories to stay warm, and drinking enough water to keep his digestion functioning properly.

Let’s talk about calories first. If the temperature drops dramatically during the winter in your part of the country, your goal will be to keep your horse warm. The best way to feed your horse to keep him warm
is to increase the fiber in his diet, which includes hay, alfalfa, and beet pulp. Increased fiber keeps a horse warmer than increased grain because the digestion of fiber generates heat. Hay and other kinds of fiber are digested in the horse’s hindgut, or large intestine, which generates much more heat than digestion in the small intestine (where grain is mostly digested).

So increase your horse’s fiber content first to keep him warm. If he loses weight and still needs more calories, consider adding a bit of alfalfa or grain. Up to a cup of corn oil per day will also help keep weight on your horse.

Then there is your horse’s water intake, which is especially important during the winter. Horses tend to drink less in cold weather, since cold water makes them feel colder. If your horse doesn’t drink enough
water to keep his digestion functioning, especially during cold dry weather, he could end up with impaction colic.

There are several ways to increase your horse’s fluid intake during the winter. I like feeding bran mashes made with warm water. Horses love bran mashes and the high water content is great for their digestion. The warm water in the mash also helps your horse feel warmer. You can also offer beet pulp shreds soaked with hot water. Since it can take 30 minutes or more to soak beet pulp, you may need to top up the bucket with hot water before serving it, otherwise it will be cold.

Horse Health Care in Winter: Blankets and Clipping
If you blanket your horse during the winter, choose a blanket that both fits and is made of a lightweight material. A well-fitting blanket does not “pull” across the shoulders, chest, or withers. Most newer blankets are pleated at the shoulder and designed to avoid this tightness over the withers and chest. It’s important to choose a blanket that fits because an ill-fitting blanket, worn all winter, can create chiropractic issues that you will have to solve in the spring.

I also suggest you invest in one of the new blankets made of lightweight materials, as opposed to using older-style canvas blankets. The lightweight material in new blankets allows your horse’s hair to stay fluffy, which keeps him warmer. Older-style blankets tend to flatten your horse’s coat, which will make him feel chilly.

Finally, if at all possible, avoid body clipping your horse. If you must clip your horse’s coat, stick with a hunter clip, which at least leaves your horse with some of his winter coat while still allowing him to work hard without sweating too much.

Madalyn Ward, DVM, is a recognized author and veterinarian in the field of holistic horsekeeping. For free tips on horse health, horse personality types, laminitis, and horse nutrition, plus one-stop shopping on holistic horse products, visit http://www.BuyHolisticHorse.com and her blog at http://blog.horseharmony.com.

Author: Dr. Madalyn Ward, DVM
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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They say eating chocolate is like a time warp. It lasts only a second on the lips but an ETERNITY on the hips! That’s why some of us stay away from chocolate.

Yet nutritionists now tell us that chocolate is good for us. When we eat good quality dark chocolate we get the benefits of a happy mood, reduced blood pressure, a rich source of minerals, and a boost in the “good” HDL cholesterol. So chocolate, though it can be costly in terms of fat, is also good for us in many ways.

I say the same goes for horses, at least for us horse addicts. Without a doubt, horses can be expensive hay burners who are expensive to feed. And yet, the benefits of being around horses are undeniable. I just came in from feeding my herd of five horses. The temperature was a chilly three below zero, and the wind was howling. I hauled and tossed hay, fixed a little fence, and de-iced the water tank. I FEEL GREAT!

My conclusion? Horses, like chocolate, can be costly but are sooooo are good for you! But don’t take my word for it, take the word of scientists and researchers who have studied exactly how and why horses are good for us.

3 Ways Horses Benefit Humans

You have probably read about the use of horses as therapy for the handicapped. The benefits for people are easy to see in that situation. But horses are great for everyday horse addicts, too. Here are three ways horses benefit us humans.

#1: Horses Assist Physically Disabled Humans

You have probably heard about “hippotherapy,” which is the use of the horse’s natural movement to help physically-disabled people. Researchers at the Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy studied the effects of this kind of therapy on children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, and concluded that it works. Specifically, they proved that the rhythm of the horse’s gait “improves both head and trunk stability and upper extremity function” in these children. See? Horses are good for humans.

OK, but what about if you don’t have a physical challenge. Can you still say that horses, like chocolate, are good for you? Yup. Keep reading.

#2: Horses as Mirrors for Humans

Have you ever gone out to catch your horse in pasture only to have her run from you? After 45 minutes of chasing your horse while soothingly murmuring, “Come here, you little #$**&@!,” did you suddenly realize that you started out in a bad mood? Have you ever busted out laughing after realizing this? Your horse, who sensed your mood immediately (probably before you ever opened the pasture gate), wanted nothing to do with your “bad vibe,” and ran.

If you are a student of the Law of Attraction, then you know that the happier you feel, the better your life works. By showing you that you’ve got a bad vibe going, your horse is doing you a favor. And by persisting in not being caught, even though you are cussing her out (in a soothing tone of voice, of course), your horse really tries to reflect your state of being back to you. That’s a big favor… how many humans do you know would do you this kind of favor while you’re cussing them out?

Many addiction rehab places are now using horses as therapy for this very reason. Members of the program are asked to enter an arena with a halter and catch a loose horse. The horse mirrors the person’s attitude and vibration by walking away, turning his back, or allowing himself to be caught. Many times the person can’t catch the horse at all, and the event becomes a starting point for discussing the person’s way of approaching another being, and so forth.

So horses tell us when we have a lousy vibe in no uncertain terms. I ask you: would you rather have your horse tell you this or pay a shrink to tell you this? I’ll take a view of my horse’s butt speeding off into the sunset any day!

#3: Horse Care and the Cortisol Connection

You have probably heard about the negative effects of cortisol on our physical health. Cortisol is a hormone released in our bodies when we are stressed, and it increases blood sugar and blood pressure. Back in the cave man days, cortisol was what allowed the “fight or flight” reflex to occur, so that we could escape from predators.

These days, we get flooded with cortisol just by living life. Studies have shown that our everyday lives are truly that stressful. That’s a bummer because studies show that this hormone breaks down muscle tissue, compromises immunity, and plays a role in many chronic health conditions. Oh yes, it can also make you fat!

The good news? If you personally take care of your horse everyday, meaning you lug bales of hay around or muck out your horse’s pen, you are reducing the levels of cortisol in your body. Scientific studies demonstrate that exercise decreases cortisol in the body produced by stress.

So see? Your horse is truly physically beneficial to your health. It’s a scientific fact!

Horses Just Make Us Happy

At the end of the day, horses just make us happy. There’s really no need to explain it… and in fact explaining it takes away from the joy of it, in some ways. One of the better known aphorisms of the esoteric philosopher Gurdjieff may explain it best:

“Practice love on animals first; they react better and more sensitively.”

The human world is often complicated and fraught with multiple conflicting motivations. Horses are deeply sensitive and yet very direct. When I practice love on horses (or dogs or cats) I am immediately rewarded. I am made happy. I am blessed with inner peace.

So whether there is wind or ice or snow or sleet, I’ll be out there with my horses, throwing hay over the fence (and having it blown right back at me), de-icing water tanks, and generally having a great time. It costs a bundle to care for my horses, but they ARE truly good and good for me. You agree?

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Stephanie Yeh is a zen cowgirl obsessed about horses, healing, natural remedies, herbs, magic, MLM, and more. Check out natural horse care tips, ways to fund your horse obsession, natural health products, and more on her blog ( http://zencowgirl.blogspot.com ). Get her free ebook for wacky humans and horses, and order XanGo mangosteen products on her website ( http://www.mangosteengood.com ).

Author: Stephanie H. Yeh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When you get to own your very own horse and irrespective of his age, one of the first things you must do is to really get to know him. And to learn how to teach him to get to know you.

You must be aware of the fact that although horses are beautiful and sensitive creatures, they observe the herd system. Their instinct in their natural environment in the wild is for immediate action. They take this action as, for them, it can mean their actual survival. Given any sign of danger, they immediately take flight.

With this in mind it is important for you to learn how to effectively communicate with your horse. Know that horses actually have a language of their own and that, unfortunately, many owners are not as aware of this fact as they should be.

Your horse’s BODY LANGUAGE means something.

Be aware that every swivel of an ear, each hip movement, tail flick and facial expression means something. This is the language horses use to speak to other horses – and to us – so if we are to get to know our horse, we must listen.

Your horse will come to love you if, first and foremost, you treat him fairly, and secondly, if you teach yourself to develop a relationship with him in the same way you would a human partner. It’s unfortunate that there are too many owners who will look after their horse’s material needs but put nothing back into developing the partnership itself. Given the right treatment a horse born in captivity will identify with an alternative provider and companion, resulting in a healthy relationship from the beginning. Such a relationship with your horse requires, amongst other things, trust coupled with respect, fondness with compliance, and a desire to please.

YOUR body language is equally as important as your horse’s.

Before you can really understand your horse you need to know what your body language say to him. For example, flapping your arms while trying to fit his halter will cause concern. Running up to him in a paddock rather than walking up to him calmly can make him think – is this a predator chasing me?

We’ve all heard about ‘bombproof horses’. Sorry to say, this is just fiction! Something, some time, WILL spook your horse… any horse. So keep your body language quiet, slow, easy and calm. If you are calm, this will also help to keep your horse calm.

Horses speak to us with all body parts and that includes both their front and back ends. So beware, both ends can cause us untold bodily harm if we don’t pay attention to what our horse is saying to us. For instance, most of us know that when a horse has both ears pinned back flat something is really wrong. Chances are that your horse is either frightened or angry. You’ll find that in most cases it is anger. So watch your horse’s front and rear very carefully. Caution is best even if you think your horse may be listening to something behind him or that he’s just bored. Once you really get to know your horse well, you will know what his ears are saying.

If your horse has his ears perked up and forward this means that he’s focusing his attention on something and is either up to some mischief or he’s on high alert about something he is seeing, hearing or smelling. So remind your horse that you need his attention, especially if you are out riding and his ears suddenly whip forward.

You communicate with your horse when you brush and groom him.

Brushing and caring for your horse is a major bonding experience between humans and horses. Don’t ever under-estimate how powerfully you’re communicating with your horse when you brush and groom him.

It’s vitally important that you keep your horse clean at all times. Be sure his entire coat is free from dirt, mud, sand and sweat. If you have the time, brush your horse every day. Pick out his feet before and after every outing. Wash out any sweat residue from the saddle pad and girth after each work-out or ride. Apart from communication, a clean horse and tack is a major step towards keeping a healthy horse. And it won’t do your pride in your horse any harm, either!

Finally, don’t overlook the value of verbal communication. Talking to your horse in a quiet, calm fashion is a major step in having him get to know you and to respect and respond to your instructions.

I hope that these suggestions will assist you in communicating with the horse that you’ve truly come to love. If you want to learn more about horse language and how to communicate with your horse you are invited to go to http://www.easyhorsecare.com

Author: J Russell Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Horse biting is a serious problem for the horse owner. It can cause a major bruise or even broken bones. Dealing with the problem in the heat of the moment often results in a smack to the horse, but surprisingly that’s unlikely to solve it. So, why do horses bite and what can we do about it? What we’ll find out is that the reason the horse bites really doesn’t matter.

1. Understand why horses bite

The fact is biting is completely natural for horses, for a lot of reasons. Horses use biting for play, as a defense mechanism, or for dominance. They bite amongst each other and if you’re not the “alpha” of your herd they may be prone to bite you too.

The bottom line is a horse may bite out of fear or lack of trust, because of past abuse by humans (making him feel threatened in certain circumstances) or out of simple disrespect. A lack of confidence by the handler that horses pick up in body language can also make biting more likely.

2. Maintain personal space

One of the most fundamental things you can teach your horse on the ground is maintaining personal space. Imagine a bubble around your body that the horse is not allowed to enter. Then follow a simple rule- you can enter the personal space of the horse, but he can never enter yours. This simple rule is part of establishing leadership with your horse, as the alpha you’re entitled to it. But it’s more than just a part of horse training for leadership, maintaining some personal space is necessary for basic safety. If a horse is too close he can knock you down on the ground, trample you, or of course he can bite you. All of these things are less likely if the horse always maintains a few feet of distance.

Teach the horse to stay out your personal space by backing him up and using proper leading techniques. Don’t hold the lead rope right up next to the halter, hold it a couple of feet down. Make sure your horse doesn’t walk out in front of you or go past you when you stop. Back him up every time he gets within your personal bubble. By maintaining a bit of personal space, we make it less likely the horse can strike out and bite.

3. Punishment only works over the short term

If you get bit by a horse you might have an impulse to smack him. And the truth is, there might be certain emergency situations where you’ll have to, like if he’s biting down hard on a finger. But punishment should be avoided if possible. Smacking a horse isn’t going to teach him to stop biting for a few reasons. First of all, many horses, especially young horses, bite as part of the games they play among each other. Smacking a horse biting in this context can backfire. The horse will play harder and may engage in a game of trying to dodge your smacks and sneak in a bite. Smacking a defiant horse is likely to make him more aggressive.

4. Don’t over-feed treats

Believe it or not over-feeding treats can create biting horses. Prey animals aren’t motivated by food the same way dogs are, and continuously feeding a horse treats will make him pushy and demanding. There is a time for treats, but use them sparingly and don’t try to use treats to shape behavior.

5. Establish leadership

Dealing with the biting horse comes down to establishing leadership and earning respect. Alpha horses don’t get bit by the other horses. Your role as a horse owner is to establish yourself as the alpha in your herd. This is a permanent way to fix the biting horse. If he truly sees you as the confident alpha, he won’t bite you, regardless of the reason he would try to otherwise.

If you have a biting horse then its time to get back to basics with your training. The first step is to include a few sessions in the round pen. At liberty round pen training is one of the best ways to establish leadership, earn respect, and build trust with a horse. Often this may be all that’s needed to start eliminating biting problems.

Leading a horse-done properly-is also another important exercise to earn respect. Work in a few training sessions where you actually walk backwards away from your horse. This has a powerful effect on the mind and emotions of the horse, because she’ll see that you’re always out in front of her. Walk backwards and occasionally ask for stops by raising both hands and exhaling. Look to see how she is paying attention. If both eyes aren’t focused on you, then she isn’t being attentive. Bump the rope to bring both eyes on you. Also work on leading from the mid-section or hip, which is more properly called “driving”. Driving a horse is a more dominant activity and will help you get in a position where the horse respects you-so is less likely to bite.

Finally, it’s a good idea to spend more time lunging, working on having the horse change speed and direction on command. The idea is to get the horse listening to your commands. This helps establish your “authority” as the alpha of the herd.

David McMahon is a freelance author and horse owner. He invites you to visit http://horse-training-tips.com where you can learn more about the biting horse.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Catching a horse can be trouble. If a horse doesn’t want to be caught, his ability to escape and evade that’s a built-in part of being a prey animal can make things really hard on us. All too often, people try to deal with this problem by doing everything wrong. What people don’t realize is that the interaction you have with your horse when catching builds a foundation upon which everything else in your relationship with the horse is built. Get it wrong and you’re going to have trouble in everything else you do.

Here are some mistakes people make when catching a horse, and how to avoid them.

1. Trying to bribe the horse

You’ve probably found that cutting corners isn’t the best way to get ahead in life and with horses that principle holds true as ever. The way to cut corners when trying to catch a horse is by offering him a carrot to convince him to let you put the halter on. How many times have you seen someone out in the pasture trying to bribe the horse with a bucket of grain?

Yeah it’ll work but with a price. The cost for bribing your horse to do things is lost respect. If you give your horse a treat in an effort to get him to do something, he will not respect you as much as he would otherwise. Food does not motivate horses the way that it would a predator animal like a dog.

To avoid this mistake, you need to approach the situation the way the dominant horse in the herd would. Alpha horses make the other horses move around! Control the feet, control the horse. We apply this when catching a horse by pushing a horse that doesn’t want to be caught. That seems counter-productive-you’re sending a horse away that you want to come to you! But this produces solid, long-lasting results-when you push the horse he gains respect for you-the first step necessary to have a true partnership with him.

2. Failing to read horse body language

The second mistake people make is failing to recognize signs the horse is giving you that she wants to have a conversation. Horses give subtle body language cues that we sometimes miss, and these cues can indicate respect, trust, and acceptance. Some signs to look for are ear on you, licking of the lips, and dropping the head. When you see these signs, take the pressure off. Stop pushing the horse, don’t walk up to the horse, and avoid eye contact with the horse at that point.

3. Walking right up to the horse

OK what are you gonna do if you want to put the halter on your horse? Many folks do what comes naturally to humans, they walk straight toward the horse to put the halter on. What else would you do?

Problem is, that’s how a predator would approach a horse. This is recognized on an instinctive level- and if a horse is not comfortable being caught, what’s going to happen if you approach like a predator? You’re going to trigger his instinct to flee.

Avoid this mistake when catching a horse by approaching lateraly, without making eye contact with the horse. If she shows signs of acceptance like looking directly at you, you can stop (don’t approach closer just yet), smile, and praise the horse verbally.

4. Failing to push again

OK so lets suppose you’ve been catching a horse and she’s given you the signs of acceptance, and she’s just standing there watching you. You approach to within 10 feet, and then suddenly she takes off again. Don’t make the mistake of failing to push again. At this point you need to push the horse around to get more respect. We’re giving her the chance to flee if she chooses to do so, but make her work if she makes that choice.

5. Getting too greedy

People get anxious with horses all the time. The first time you’re next to the horse, you might want to hurry up, put the halter on and be done with it so the real work can start. What you’re missing, however, is that when catching a horse the real work began the second you entered the pasture. Failing to continue building a solid foundation from the start will lead to problems down the road. It might require a little more effort up front, but if you’re not anxious and instead use a patient approach, you’ll do better with your horse long term.

David McMahon is a freelance author who owns three horses. He invites you to visit http://www.horse-training-tips.com where you can learn more about catching a horse.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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