Training Tip: The Best Way to End a Training Session

If you finish when the horse is frustrated or misbehaving, that’s what he’s going to remember the next day, and then getting him over his problem will take twice as long. If you find that you’re in a time crunch and your horse isn’t performing well at a particular exercise, stop what you’re doing and practice an exercise you know the horse can do well. That way you’re finishing on a good note, doing something the horse knows how to do, and he is relaxed and is listening to you.

Sometimes of course, you’re going to have to quit your horse on a note you’re not pleased with. That will happen from time to time. To avoid that problem, before a training session ask yourself, “How much time do I have to train the horse today?” Then plan the session accordingly. If you have a limited amount of time, don’t pick a subject you know your horse struggles with and you can’t get accomplished in that timeframe. Always set yourself up for success, not failure.