Posts Tagged ‘herd’

Do you think your horse is broke?

Think again.

The majority of people who think their horses are well-trained, or broke, are correct until they take their horse into a new environment. Then all the fun starts: the bucking, rearing, shying, and general mayhem. Then they know that their horses aren’t really broke.

My Horse Ain’t Broke!

I used to think my veteran jumper gelding, Marcus, was broke. After all, I had successfully campaigned him at all kinds of shows, he had won Championships up to the 4’9″ Preliminary Jumper Division, and he was in full training all the time.

Then I moved out the country, met some cowboys, and went riding with them. Ouch! The illusion that my horse was broke fell apart immediately. He couldn’t side pass to open a gate; he was afraid of cows, goats, and llamas; and he couldn’t figure out where to put his feet when climbing a steep hill. He basically freaked out. Nope, Marcus wasn’t broke.

How to Avoid Being Boxed In By Your Routine

Riding with the cowboys, team penners, and ropers, I quickly learned that a well-broke horse is one who pays attention to you, understands your signals, and attempts to do what you ask — all without freaking out. I know (some) team penners who can have their horse cut a cow out of the herd, and then turn around and take that same horse over a jumper course. In between, they can also navigate a trail course at an open show and score pretty well. They have well-broke horses.

Now how do they do that? By watching closely I’ve figured out that they do their horse training mostly in the form of “on the job” training. For instance, try to teach a horse to side pass as an isolated exercise and you might get a lot of objections, but teach a horse to side pass while opening and shutting a gate, and you’ll get a lot more cooperation. The same goes for working the obstacles on a trail course. The reason the cowboy horses have no problem negotiating a trail course is that they are used to navigating around and over fallen logs on a mountain trail, crossing fast-moving streams, and dragging reluctant steers, all while pushing a herd of cows in front of them. When a horse has a job he likes, he’s willing to learn almost anything to do that job well, and that’s why cowboy horses are so well-broke.

Some Horse Training Exercises to Get You Out of the Box

If you don’t have cows at your disposal, don’t fret. You can still do a lot of exercises that will result in a well-broke horse. Here are some simple exercises to help you break up your horse-training routine and to teach your horse some new moves:

1. Working a Gate

Opening, walking through, and shutting a gate teaches your horse to move laterally to snug up next to the gate. It also teaches him not to be afraid of gates touching him, especially on his hindquarters (many horses are spooky about this). He will also learn to take one step at a time, in whichever direction you ask, and to stand still while you unlatch and latch the gate. There’s a world of training in working a gate.

2. Drag a Log

Tie a log to a long rope or lariat, and drag the log behind you. This teaches your horse to not spook at people or objects coming up behind him, and teaches him to pull objects at your command. Many horses find this exercise frightening at first, so you may need to lead your horse from the ground the first few times so you maintain control. Teach your horse to drag the log while walking forward and backward.

3. Maintain the Same Gait on Trail

This exercise has to be done with two riders. Proceed along the trail at a walk. Then, keeping your horse at a walk, have the other person move forward at a trot or lope, leaving you and your horse behind. Your focus is to keep your horse calm and collected at the walk. Many horses will want to catch up to the other horse, or will rear, bolt, spook, or buck if not allowed to run with the other horse. To keep your horse calm and in control, you may need to turn him in small circles (called a curl), which prevents him from doing any of these naughty behaviors. You can also try walking him in the opposite direction until he is calm. This teaches your horse that no amount of naughty activity will get him closer to the other horse, so he will eventually learn to just walk.

There are tons more of these simple exercises to help you break out of your horse training routine, but these should get you started, The beauty of these kinds of exercises is that you don’t need a lot of equipment or special training. You just have to have the willingness to play around with some new exercises, and most of all, enjoy the process. Don’t get mad doing any of these exercises because that won’t help. Stay patient and slow, so your horse can learn without stress. This will be totally new and different for many horses, so remember to take it slow.

What about you? Got any great “out of the box” horse training exercises to share? If so, check out the resource box below and share on my blog.

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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 ) and order XanGo mangosteen products on her website ( http://www.mangosteengood.com ).

Author: Stephanie H. Yeh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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First Steps – Approach Your Horse

Training a horse can only start after you have first caught him. This sounds simple enough, but if this is your first attempt at doing so it can be surprisingly frustrating. This is actually the most important step of all in training. Hereby are laid the foundations of trust. During each stage of horse training remember the importance of using the three P’s – patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. These three elements work together to help you with each step of horse training.

If your enclosure is of an easily manageable size you will find that the approach stage will be much more efficient. Ideally use a round pen, but a paddock or any large fenced enclosure will also work.

A casual demeanor when first approaching the enclosure is necessary. Do your very best to relax and give the impression of calm. All of life’s stresses need to be left outside the pen. Horses are sensitive prey animals that will become intimidated easily if they sense any stress or aggression. This can be interpreted by the horse as a threat, and this is the last thing you want your horse to see you as. Trust needs to be created between you both.

Go in with the horse but not to catch him yet. That bit will come soon enough. For now just concentrate on becoming familiar with your horse, and letting the horse become familiar with you. Just walk in and stand around for a few moments. Do not look directly at the horse. Predators will intimidate their prey by staring into their eyes. It’s imperative that your horse doesn’t see you as a predator. You need to be seen as part of the herd.

Next time, take a rake in and tidy up a bit. Inspect the fence to see if there are places it needs mending. The horse should not be approached yet. The horse will want to investigate and find out what you are doing. They are naturally very curious animals. You’ll be checked out thoroughly and sniffed once you are a regular visitor.

It is important to remember that this could take some time, particularly if the horse isn’t used to humans. There are some horses who will not feel too shy and approach immediately. Either way is acceptable. The horse will begin to trust you only if you let him become accustomed to you slowly and in his own time. Patience!

Don’t reach for the horse as yet, though you may see this as a good opportunity to grab him. Bear in mind that patience here is the key. This takes time and you are building a foundation that will last throughout training and well beyond. It is important not to rush this step.

When the horse does approach, you should turn and walk away. Make sure that you walk away before your horse does. By doing this you will show him that he is not in charge of you.

Begin to approach your horse, sideways on, only when you feel that you are familiar and comfortable in each other’s presence. A loose and relaxed posture is needed as you approach the horse. Step sideways to alleviate the nerves of a skittish equine. Move towards the side and avoid staring. Glance sideways and move toward your new friend. It’s a bad idea to surprise your horse or sneak up on him with the halter. How will you hold onto the horse when “caught” if the horse is frightened? You will only succeed in breaching any trust by doing this and you will have to begin again. You could also be seriously hurt. The emphasis here is on patience and persistence.

When the horse allows you to come close, it’s time for positive reinforcement. You should try to forget about training at this point. You should only be thinking about bonding with your horse. Simple grooming, brushing, scratching behind the ears, conversation, stroking along the neck area are positive reinforcement tools. Your horse should be able to enjoy these first moments as much as you. Now is the time you are both ready for training.

A note on safety around horses:

You must not approach a horse from behind unless he knows you well. Before you can even think about moving a horse could have delivered you a kick. A horse will always be faster than you, and even more so if he feels under threat in any way. Ensure you can be seen when approaching a horse.

Whether it is your own horse, or you are training the horse on somebody else’s behalf, it is always advisable to ensure that there is adequate equine insurance in place to protect you both should an accident occur during training. Horses are beautiful yet powerful animals, and a swift kick from a lively horse can be enough to put you out of action for a considerable amount of time. A good horse insurance policy will include third party liability, and it is definitely worth checking this before you begin with your training.

Animal Friends Pet Insurance is the UK’s only not-for-profit ethical pet insurance company. AFI has been trading since 1999 and since then has helped thousands of needy animals all over the world by donating 100% of their net profits to worthy causes. Buy pet insurance online from Animal Friends or simply call our friendly staff if you prefer on 0844 55 70 300; the policies won’t cost you more and you won’t be disappointed!

Author: Simone Davis
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Gadget reviews

One of the best ways to get started training a young horse or any horse for that matter is at liberty in the round pen. First-what do we mean by “at liberty”? All that means is that we remove all control and training aids from the horse-so that there’s no halter, bridle, or lead/lunge line. Aside from being inside the round pen, the horse is basically free. A bridle or halter, of course, doesn’t really matter, what’s important here is severing direct control between the handler (you) and the horse.

Why is it that round pen training is so effective when training a young horse?

If done correctly, round pen training allows you to build leadership and trust with your horse in a fundamental way that he naturally understands. And this can be done in an essentially safe environment-something that’s really important to keep in mind. Safety should always be your priority with equines. The less training a horse has, the more control we need to maintain safety. And when training a young horse it turns out a round pen is just what the doctor ordered. When done at liberty, the horse is free to move and work through his fears without feeling panicked or confined-even though in reality the horse is confined, by the virtue of being in a round pen he can move off from a scary stimulus if he chooses to do so. Now nothing is perfect-and there will be occasions when a horse feels panicked in a round pen or even escapes-I’ve seen that happen. But in the vast majority of cases, a round pen will safely confine a horse-while giving him the ability to freely move.

Earlier we mentioned that round pen training is really effective when training a young horse. And in fact its a great tool to use when starting any horse. Let’s see why in more detail.

The first reason is that a round pen produces a setting within which it is pretty easy to establish leadership-a vital step in training a young horse. This is due to the way that horses naturally establish their heirarchy in a herd (wild or otherwise). Every group of horses that lives together has a hierarchical structure and every horse knows his rank. One thing you will see dominant horses doing is making the other horses move around. I once herd a phrase that sums this up: control the feet, control the horse. In the round pen, you mimic this behavior by controlling the movement of your equine in four basic ways:

• You tell him when to move
• You tell him what direction to move
• You tell him how fast to move
• You decide when he can come to a stop

Even better-by working at liberty you’re going to be controlling the movement of your horse using energy and body language. So its all going to seem quite natural to the horse-and he will instinctively see you as his trusted leader. Another aspect of working at liberty is that you are also building communications-another vital step in training a young horse successfully. Your communication skills which you start off in the round pen will carry over to riding-by applying pressure to the appropriate spots on the horse. In the round pen, when working at liberty, you learn to apply pressure with energy and body language. This makes the round pen not just valuable to your animal-it makes it a great training school for you too! If you are able to master communication with your horse using only energy and body language-think about how effective you’ll be when riding and using your reins and legs. You will be able to talk to your horse from the saddle light as can be.

As one specific example, if you want your horse to move out while in the round pen focus your energy and body language on his hip area. At first, you will need a tool to help out-but you should have good success without actually touching the horse as time goes on. Suppose you keep a lead rope with you. You can swing the lead rope in the direction of the hip, without actually striking the horse to ask him to move out. But what you should really be thinking about is focusing your gaze on the top of his hip-and directing energy there. Focus your gaze on the spot where you would actually tap the horse with your crop if you were using that method.

If the horse doesn’t respond, and he may not the first few times, then up the volume. Swing the rope more vigorously, and then let it strike the ground. If the horse still doesn’t move, then at this point direct contact may be necessary. But you will find with practice that less direct contact is required.

Don’t be discouraged if you don;t have complete success at first-nobody becomes a horse whisperer in a day. Keep practicing! With time you will find you need less actual contact with your horses to get them to do what you ask. Round pen training is a great place to start training a young horse or a horse you don’t know, to brush up with an old horse or to just work on your own equine communication skills.

David McMahon is a freelance author who is owned by 3 horses. For more information, please visit Gentle natural horsemanship.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Not many people think of working with horses as a way to help yourself; but in fact that is exactly what can happen. When you work to train a horse, you are working with the mind, and once you have the mind, the rest of the body follows. As you teach the horse about Man’s World (as you know it), you use your own natural mental skills. In turn, the horse will in turn put you back in touch with nature, while allowing you to find balance within yourself and be the best that you can be. The better you are, the better the horse will be.

It’s all about changing your mindset. Your job is to help your horse learn about “Man’s World.” In order to do that, you first need to understand how to go into his world. One successful way is to change the attitude of “Do what I tell you to do” into “How can I help you?” When people learn to become the alpha in a herd of two (the herd being made up of the horse and the person) this “How can I help you?” mindset is at work. The lifestyle of a horse is different in his natural setting as opposed to the environment we bring him into. For example, in the herd, there is a certain pecking order where he has a number of teachers. When we bring him into our world, we need to teach him about the world he is coming into, and become “the alpha” of the herd of two.

In the round pen you simulate life. In order to establish yourself as the “alpha”, the initial work is based on four tasks: movement, direction, rhythm and track. In working with a horse, you use your body to apply pressure, the same way that you use your legs and reins when you ride. In the round pen, your body represents your reins and the pressure you put on represents your legs. In other words, pressure means something, but the horse tells you how much pressure to apply. In this situation, you practice giving up control, thereby being in control and setting the example for the horse. This is a way you can practice your riding, as well as your timing, your feel, and many other things, all without actually riding the horse. It can be the beginning of a step by step process of gaining his trust so that you can build a solid foundation. After the initial work, a systematic approach is used to test the body, first along one side, front to back, then moving to the other side, because for every horse, there are two horses, the left and the right. “We do this to test the body in order to find if we get a negative response or one of the three “F’s” (freeze, flee or fight) due to a lack of understanding. Depending on the reaction from the horse, we can tell if there are issues in that part of the body, mentally transforming “mistakes” or negatives into positives because we know which areas need work. Finally, after the ground work, when you add the saddle, bridle and rider, you have a harmonious relationship and a partner who is ready to work with you. If the initial experience is positive, a solid foundation is laid and a remarkable partnership will develop. During this process a two-fold thing is happening. You think you’re there to teach horses, but in the end, they’re teaching you about yourself.

Many times we teach horses to be dependent on us by telling them where to go and what to do; we always have something attached, whether it is a halter and lead line or bridle and reins. We take away these artificial attachments, and by using pressure, one of his natural forms of communication, ask for what you would like, allowing the horse to make choices for himself and learn about consequences if he makes the wrong choices. This allows you the opportunity to simulate life in our world and let him know what can happen to him in when he makes that mental choice. Having no attachments can be an advantage that can help you to strengthen your “mind power.” While you are increasing your mental skills, you are building confidence in your horse and at the same time building your own self-empowerment. This also allows the horse to rely on his natural instincts and gives you the opportunity to practice life skills such as listening, timing, feel, patience, and many more. While in the round pen, one of the tools is a 35′ lariat, which can be used as an extension of your arm. This makes it possible to “reach out and touch the horse” without making it necessary to act as a predator, while also preserving your safety. Using the rope also teaches you to “give up control;” in other words, you must “listen” to the rope in order to roll it up. This parallels listening to the horse; after all, the horse teaches us to teach him. Using the rope allows you to practice this mindset. The first step is to change your way of thinking. If your attitude truly is “How can I help you?” your focus will be on “listening” to what the horse is telling you to do to accomplish your picture. This takes the pressure off of you and allows you to be “in the zone.” You have a picture and the horse tells you what to do to create the picture. The more you improve the horse’s knowledge, the easier your task will be. This type of work can help a trainer who is already working with a rider to improve in a particular discipline. can benefit horses and riders in all disciplines.

While doing this work, there are five rules. Rule #1: There are no rules. Rule #2: Your safety. Rule #3: The safety of the horse. Rule #4: Conservation. Rule #5: See rule #1. While following these rules, participants often see that the situations that occur in the round pen often parallel or “mirror” situations that occur in their lives. In working to help the horse, you can also work on changing negative habits that you have acquired and work toward self-improvement. In fact, although this work is used for horse owners and trainers, it can be used to improve relationship skills for couples or families. For example, in working with the horse, children can learn parenting skills by setting boundaries for their horse. For a career professional, as you learn to be committed to helping the horse stay on track in the round pen, you can envision the parallels to being committed to staying on track in your career. Round pen work can even be used in addition to traditional therapy methods. A local therapist has seen positive results with her clients. “(This work) brought each individual’s patterns and feelings to the surface as they attempted to have the horse complete the task they were given or the task they gave themselves. In each instance, the horse became the mirror for where they were, where they were stuck, or what they were feeling. As a therapist, it is important to me that the client discovers his or her own “monsters.” The issues became glaringly apparent to the client who is working with the horse in the round pen and, in this case, to the family members observing the process.” The work can also benefit business/corporate and school groups with the emphasis on self esteem and teambuilding. Urica Pope, Program Coordinator for the Creative Services Department of South Carolina ETV, worked in 2004 with Anderson and groups of young girls participating in a gender equity program. “There is a valuable lesson to be learned from it,” said Pope. “We chose this program because it deals with leadership. We want the girls to work together and with the horse as a team-building program.” For Bobbi Kennedy, vice president for continuing education at S.C. ETV, the goal is teaching young girls that they can “take on a complex topic and master it.” Kennedy said that the girls don’t just learn for themselves but learn how to work as a team, a concept that is a constant theme in the program. In workshops with Anderson using two horses, the girls also covered topics such as anger management, self confidence and how to say “no.”

The nice thing about this work is that it allows you to be the best that you can be. If you come to the round pen and do something that you are afraid to do, and do it well, you will build your self esteem. With horses as a representative of nature, in working with them, people are getting back in touch with the environment through the horse, thereby finding balance in both worlds, “Man’s World” and “Nature’s World.” Give a man a fish, feed him for the day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime: but you’ve got to let him get to the pond. If we stay on the path that we’re on, there quite possibly may be no fish left in the pond. Horses are helping humans find balance in their lives, thereby showing that once again, as they did in the past, horses can play a vital role in our society.

Copyright (c) Nature’s View, Inc. 2009 All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Julianne Neal is an author and educator. She and Bruce Anderson conduct clinics, workshops and training sessions throughout the US. For more information on Nature’s View, visit their websites at http://equusencounter.com and http://naturesview1.org

Author: Julianne Neal
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The other day, I was invited to see my friend’s new horse. He had her for about a month before I got to see her. When I arrived at his house, he met me outside and said, “C’mon…let’s go see her.” We stood at the fence and marveled at how beautiful she was. Excited, he asked, “You wanna pet her?” “Sure!” I said. So my friend grabbed the halter and went after her.

As I watched him chase her I was reminded of those silent movies where everyone is moving comically fast with the music in the background. As I chuckled to myself I heard him ask aloud, “Why does she keep running from me?”

That was a good question. Lots of people have that trouble. There are lots of reasons horses run from their owners. One reason is fear. Horses are the epitome of fear. If they sense their life is in danger they’ll run.

If a horse is comfortable with their herd, even if its one or two other horses, it can be uncomfortable for him. His entire DNA speaks loud and clear to him that the herd is the safest place to be. Therefore, if he leaves the herd it could mean his life is threatened – at least…that’s his thinking.

One of the biggest mistakes I see are new horse owners that make their horse work almost every time they go to see them. Picture it. You’re a horse standing there with your buddies. It’s ninety-four degrees out side, the flies won’t leave you alone, and you were doing fine just standing there doing nothing – thank you very much. And because you are enormously alert due to your innate fear, you quickly spot your owner coming to you holding that weird looking, not-so-good-fitting rope thing that goes on your head.

The last 400 gazillion times your owner walked toward you with it in his hand, he accidentally jabbed your cheek while clumsily jerking it on your head. Then he made you leave your friends and go run in circles for thirty minutes. Boring!

Rather, the horse owner should alternate working and pleasure for his horse. In other words, one day walk to your horse with the halter in your hand and pet him. Talk to him. Tell him how beautiful he is. Take your halter and rub it on his body as if it were a brush. Get him thinking that the halter will give him pleasure so when he sees it he’ll feel good about it.

The next day, with halter in hand, go see your horse and pet him. Talk nice. Then put his halter on. Pet him again. Keep talking nice. After a few minutes, take the halter off and rub his body with it. Then walk away.

Now your horse is starting to think, “Great! That’s all he wanted.” For a while, alternate when you ask your horse to work versus not work and take your halter with you each time to keep him guessing, “Is he gonna pet me and tell me I’m purty, or are we going to work a little? I’m guessing he’ll pet me so I’ll stay put.”

Other reasons horses run from their owners is they may lack good training. Another reason is maybe the horse is getting positive reinforcement at the wrong time. How can that be? A horse could learn to run from his owner – and if he does he gets a carrot or some kind of temptation AFTER he runs.

So how do you stop the running and catch your horse?

It depends why the horse runs. If your horse is fearful then you need to get his trust back. You do that by doing positive things with your horse. When you catch him, don’t ask him to work. Get out your brush and groom him. He’ll like that. You want him to think of being with you as a pleasant experience – one that he wants when he sees you. This is especially crucial if you’re going to take him away from his buddies in the herd.

Because the horse feels safe being with his buddies in the herd, you must make him feel safe being taken out of the herd. Thus, when you catch him you can groom him and give a good experience to make him feel safe.

A good practice is to put your horse in a small pen and go up to him. Teach him that it’s good to be with you. This will give you a good foundation to catch him later when he’s in an open field.

Another nifty trick you can do is use lunging to teach your horse to come you. Don’t simply run him in boring circles. Have him change directions, go over and through obstacles, etc. Make sure to praise him when he does well and give him rest. Don’t run him into the ground. If you do, he’ll go back to thinking you’re going to make him work real hard.

As you’re lunging him, use commands to get him to do what you want him to do. As you and he get good at this, he’ll respond much better to you in the open field.

A mistake many people make is chasing the horse to try and catch him. You simply can’t do it. They’re too fast and agile. Not only that, it tends to reinforce a horse’s instinct of being preyed upon and they need to get to safety…which means…get away from you.

Sometimes you can use another horse to help you catch a horse by being buddies with the horse you don’t want to catch. If you go to pet a horse it can sometimes draw the horse you want to catch. He may want petted too.

Be sure to never punish a horse once you catch him. First, he won’t know why he got in trouble. And second, it’s a great way to get him to NOT want to be with you. If he doesn’t want to be with you, he will evade you often.

Author: Andy Curry
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

While watching horses play with each other, you’ll notice they do things like push their bodies, rear up, strike and kick, and BITE. Of course it’s all in fun and grabbing a bit of skin in their teeth is no big deal, unless the recipient is a human. It hurts !A horse that wants to bite you is usually expressing his desire to play, but he doesn’t know that human skin is not quite as tough as a horse’s. On one hand it’s a compliment that your horse wants to play with you, on the other hand, it’s a clear sign that he doesn’t see you as the alpha.

Horses Never Bite Their Alpha !

Do you know how to recognise the alpha in a herd?

He or she is the one without the bite marks ! Horse’s don’t bite their alpha. In the game of dominance, those who ‘bite best’ win. When horses play and nip each other they are basically developing their dominance skills and rehearsing takeover strategies.

People Turn Playful Horses Into More Aggressive Biters

Most people smack a horse for biting, which doesn’t work because prey animals don’t understand punishment. They think you are biting back and now the interchange becomes all about who will ‘win’ the dominance game. In horse land the bravest, smartest and quickest horse wins. The alpha horse is calm, self confident and totally unemotional. He’s also ready to do whatever it takes to maintain the alpha position. So when a horse goes to bite and you try to smack him, the horse just gets better at the game, he gets quicker at taking a nip and dodging the slap.

As time goes on the nip turns into bites because the horse gets more serious about dominating you. Also, when a horse can evoke an emotional reaction from you, surprise, anger, fear, he knows you have no chance of being alpha. You obviously aren’t calm, smart or brave enough !

Prevention Is Better Then Cure

What does Pat Parelli do when he gets bitten ?

“I say “ow” and rub it until it stops hurting ! What else are you going to do? Slapping the horse doesn’t work and it definitely doesn’t improve the relationship. If you got bitten it’s your fault for not thinking, being and behaving more like a horse!

Satisfy The Play Game

Many biters live in very restrictive environments, like stables and pens, and are isolated from other horses. Of course they’re going to feel pent up and lonely as their need for social interaction increases. The you may be all they have!

The Parelli Seven Games teach you how to interact with your horse in a constructive and playful way and at the same time allow you to exert your leadership in ways that horses understand. Dominant horses move other horses around and that’s what the Seven Games teach you do to.

The game is “who moves who”. If your horse can make you move your feet, he knows it’s just a matter of time before he can knock you off your perch. Horses are persistent in their quest for dominance and they are not in a hurry!

When playing the Seven Games, use them creatively as opposed to playing the games the same way every time. Always playing them the same way turns the Seven Games into Seven Jobs, and bored horses start to get pretty inventive! Try playing the games with an obstacle where the horse has to do lots of different things, from jumping the obstacle, to stepping on it, to straddling it, going sideways over it, backing up on it etc. The only limit for you and your horse is your imagination!

Indulge The Talent

A horse who is mouthy and nippy is also showing his need for oral interaction. Play with his mouth a lot, and do more then he really wants. Rub vigorously with your hands, pull his lips around (playfully of course !), rub his tongue and even teach him to lead by the tongue (very advanced). Teach him to pick up your cap or a stick or a bucket, put this obvious talent to good use!

Stay Out Of The Nip Zone

Most horse nip because they are to close to you. Learn to move your horse out of your personal space with rhythmic driving actions, use your elbows and even do jumping jacks ! Horses with a tendency to nip also tend to crowd you, they are over friendly, pushy and self confident. Simply asking the horse to stay at a respectful distance can make a big change to his nipping behaviour. Remember, if they can’t reach you, they can’t bite you !

Don’t Smack Em Back !

If you feel a nip coming on, back your horse up quickly and intentionally. This changes their mind because it’s a dominant move on your part. Give up smacking. It doesn’t work, and it can actually turn a nice horse nasty. Put more backing into your daily interaction with the horse and, above all, don’t let him barge into your space.

Horses Only Bite People They Don’t Like, Don’t Respect Or Don’t Trust

Remember, horses are prey animals. They are most concerned about safety. Some horses bite because they are scared or unconfident, others bite because they are trying to dominate. In both cases, improving the relationship works. Just like people, horses need to feel liked and respected. Success with horses relies on knowing how to develop and maintain friendship and respect. It’s a balancing act. You can’t make a horse respect you by punishing him, in fact, it does the opposite. Aggressive people may successfully cause a horse to stop biting but they don’t win the horse’s heart.

Become The Kind Of Person A Horse Likes, Respects And Trusts

Play a lot of friendly games. Get your horse to like you and have positive thoughts when he sees you. Bring him apples and carrots (as gifts, not bribes!). Understand life from his perspective, understand how he develops respect, and consider his needs.

Develop your leadership skills. Teach your horse to move around you, not the other way round! Remember, horses need an alpha, or they will assume the role.

Prove to your horse you are not a predator, and that he can trust you no matter what. There’s a delicate balance between getting your horse to do as you ask and preserving his confidence.

Author: Samantha J Jane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times

While watching horses play with each other, you’ll notice they do things like push their bodies, rear up, strike and kick, and BITE. Of course it’s all in fun and grabbing a bit of skin in their teeth is no big deal, unless the recipient is a human. It hurts !A horse that wants to bite you is usually expressing his desire to play, but he doesn’t know that human skin is not quite as tough as a horse’s. On one hand it’s a compliment that your horse wants to play with you, on the other hand, it’s a clear sign that he doesn’t see you as the alpha.

Horses Never Bite Their Alpha !

Do you know how to recognise the alpha in a herd?

He or she is the one without the bite marks ! Horse’s don’t bite their alpha. In the game of dominance, those who ‘bite best’ win. When horses play and nip each other they are basically developing their dominance skills and rehearsing takeover strategies.

People Turn Playful Horses Into More Aggressive Biters

Most people smack a horse for biting, which doesn’t work because prey animals don’t understand punishment. They think you are biting back and now the interchange becomes all about who will ‘win’ the dominance game. In horse land the bravest, smartest and quickest horse wins. The alpha horse is calm, self confident and totally unemotional. He’s also ready to do whatever it takes to maintain the alpha position. So when a horse goes to bite and you try to smack him, the horse just gets better at the game, he gets quicker at taking a nip and dodging the slap.

As time goes on the nip turns into bites because the horse gets more serious about dominating you. Also, when a horse can evoke an emotional reaction from you, surprise, anger, fear, he knows you have no chance of being alpha. You obviously aren’t calm, smart or brave enough !

Prevention Is Better Then Cure

What does Pat Parelli do when he gets bitten ?

“I say “ow” and rub it until it stops hurting ! What else are you going to do? Slapping the horse doesn’t work and it definitely doesn’t improve the relationship. If you got bitten it’s your fault for not thinking, being and behaving more like a horse!

Satisfy The Play Game

Many biters live in very restrictive environments, like stables and pens, and are isolated from other horses. Of course they’re going to feel pent up and lonely as their need for social interaction increases. The you may be all they have!

The Parelli Seven Games teach you how to interact with your horse in a constructive and playful way and at the same time allow you to exert your leadership in ways that horses understand. Dominant horses move other horses around and that’s what the Seven Games teach you do to.

The game is “who moves who”. If your horse can make you move your feet, he knows it’s just a matter of time before he can knock you off your perch. Horses are persistent in their quest for dominance and they are not in a hurry!

When playing the Seven Games, use them creatively as opposed to playing the games the same way every time. Always playing them the same way turns the Seven Games into Seven Jobs, and bored horses start to get pretty inventive! Try playing the games with an obstacle where the horse has to do lots of different things, from jumping the obstacle, to stepping on it, to straddling it, going sideways over it, backing up on it etc. The only limit for you and your horse is your imagination!

Indulge The Talent

A horse who is mouthy and nippy is also showing his need for oral interaction. Play with his mouth a lot, and do more then he really wants. Rub vigorously with your hands, pull his lips around (playfully of course !), rub his tongue and even teach him to lead by the tongue (very advanced). Teach him to pick up your cap or a stick or a bucket, put this obvious talent to good use!

Stay Out Of The Nip Zone

Most horse nip because they are to close to you. Learn to move your horse out of your personal space with rhythmic driving actions, use your elbows and even do jumping jacks ! Horses with a tendency to nip also tend to crowd you, they are over friendly, pushy and self confident. Simply asking the horse to stay at a respectful distance can make a big change to his nipping behaviour. Remember, if they can’t reach you, they can’t bite you !

Don’t Smack Em Back !

If you feel a nip coming on, back your horse up quickly and intentionally. This changes their mind because it’s a dominant move on your part. Give up smacking. It doesn’t work, and it can actually turn a nice horse nasty. Put more backing into your daily interaction with the horse and, above all, don’t let him barge into your space.

Horses Only Bite People They Don’t Like, Don’t Respect Or Don’t Trust

Remember, horses are prey animals. They are most concerned about safety. Some horses bite because they are scared or unconfident, others bite because they are trying to dominate. In both cases, improving the relationship works. Just like people, horses need to feel liked and respected. Success with horses relies on knowing how to develop and maintain friendship and respect. It’s a balancing act. You can’t make a horse respect you by punishing him, in fact, it does the opposite. Aggressive people may successfully cause a horse to stop biting but they don’t win the horse’s heart.

Become The Kind Of Person A Horse Likes, Respects And Trusts

Play a lot of friendly games. Get your horse to like you and have positive thoughts when he sees you. Bring him apples and carrots (as gifts, not bribes!). Understand life from his perspective, understand how he develops respect, and consider his needs.

Develop your leadership skills. Teach your horse to move around you, not the other way round! Remember, horses need an alpha, or they will assume the role.

Prove to your horse you are not a predator, and that he can trust you no matter what. There’s a delicate balance between getting your horse to do as you ask and preserving his confidence.

Author: Samantha J Jane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News