Does your horse get nervous when you are riding; spooking at horse eating plastic and other invisible dangers? Spooking is a natural reaction for horses. They are prey animals with a flight or fight instinct, which means they much rather run away from danger then fight it. Create confidence in your horse by doing some simple desensitizing lessons. Continue reading Basic Desensitizing
Bridling a horse can be tricky if you don’t know the proper steps to follow. Here I will give you some tips on how to bridle a horse if you have never done so, have only done it a few times, or if your horse has a problem with bridling. Continue reading Bridling
Yielding the horse’s shoulders gives you greater control over your personal space, and the movement of the horse. Teaching this exercise will move the horse out of your space whenever he pushes into you with his shoulders. Also, you can position him anywhere you’d like during grooming or washing. Continue reading Yielding the Shoulders
Teaching the horse to yield his hindquarters when you ask is the foundation exercise of many ground work and riding lessons. This lesson teaches the horse to face you, bend his body, and cross his legs in response to pressure. By teaching him to yield on the ground first, it will be easier for the horse to understand once you start asking him under saddle. Continue reading Yielding The Hindquarters
Teaching a horse to be light in your hands and listening to your aids isn’t a hard thing to do if you do it correctly. Here I will describe the basics on how to get the horse to become comfortable in the bridle and responsive to bit pressure. Continue reading Accepting the Bridle
A few holes in your horse’s training can turn an easy stroll from the barn into a fight when your horse decides he doesn’t want to go and plants his feet. Despite all of your pulling and coaxing he still won’t budge. You may also have the opposite problem, when your pony morphs into a race horse charging ahead and dragging you around instead of you leading him. Regardless, any leading problem can be solved by going back to the basics. Continue reading Leading
The horse is tacked up, the sky is clear, and the trails are calling your name. You and your horse are all set to go, but right as you go to mount up your horse walks off preventing you from beginning your ride or any ride for that matter. Continue reading Mounting Problems
Many horses can have issues when it comes to hoof handling. These issues can range from resistance to sensitivity and anxiety about lifting the feet. Here I will discuss a few different methods to get your horse comfortable and confident about having his feet handled before the next time your farrier arrives. Continue reading Hoof Handling
Loading a horse on the trailer can be one of the most frustrating experiences you can have with horses. Fortunately it doesn’t always have to be like that. There are many easy, stress-free ways to teach loading the key is to think like a horse. The first loading technique works best for horses who have been loaded into a trailer before and now have a mild resistance to it, or horses who have never been loaded such as foals and yearlings. If your horse has a serious loading problem trailer loading method two or three may give you better results. Continue reading Trailer Loading Method One
All horses need to learn to tie safely. No matter what discipline you ride in, having a horse that stands tied in any environment is essential. Knowing how and when to tie a horse is just another part of good horsemanship. Continue reading Tying 101