Once your horse understands an exercise, it’s important to move on. There’s nothing horses hate more than being forced to do the same exercise every single day. Humans are the same.
Q: I have just started fox hunting on my green mare, and when another horse and rider come up beside her, she kicks out at them. One trainer says ignore it as the mare is green and another says smack her hard. Your opinion, please!
Training Tip: Routinely Introduce Spooky Objects to Your Horse
One of the best things you can do to build your horse’s confidence on the trail is to introduce him to as many spooky objects as you can. I have a junkyard of sorts on the ranch where I store discarded machinery parts and other items around the ranch, such as old hay feeders, Ritchie […]
Q: How do I fit my horse into my busy schedule? I work 10-hour shifts, often doing additional work after hours. On my days off, I often find myself catching up on things I could not do during the work week, such as basic house/yard work. I board my horse as well, making it all […]
Training Tip: Check In With Your Horse to Prevent Bolting
One of the best ways to deter a horse from bolting or doing any other dangerous behavior on the trail is to check in with him every once in a while by asking him to move his feet and soften his body. As you’re walking down the trail, ask him to two-track or sidepass. Do […]
Method Tip: Horse Head Tossing Problem, Part 3: A Bad Attitude
If your horse is constantly tossing his head when you ride him and you’ve ruled out a health issue, his lack of training and yourself as possible causes, then it’s likely your horse has copped an attitude. When you ask him to do something, he throws his nose up in the air and shakes his […]
Training Tip: Address Head Tossing, Part 2: The Horse is Sorry-Broke
If your horse is constantly tossing his head when you ride him and you’ve ruled out a health issue and yourself as possible causes, he may be doing it because he lacks training. In other words, if every time you pick up on the reins your horse roots his nose out and flings his head […]
Training Tip: Address Head Tossing, Part One: A Heavy-Handed Rider
There’s nothing more distracting than a horse that frequently throws his head up in the air, dragging the reins through his rider’s hands. A horse that constantly tosses his head has one of a few things going on. He might have a dental issue and the bit could be irritating him and making him feel […]
Whenever a horse is scared of something, the last thing you want to do is act like a predator and force him to face the scary object directly. Horses are always more confident when they’re following or chasing something as opposed to having something chase them. Horses and dogs are what I like to call […]
