A respectful horse is a willing horse. When you ask him to move, he instantly moves. When you walk, he walks beside you like a shadow. When you go in his stall, he gives you two eyes and comes to you — he wants to be your partner. Every time your horse pins his ears back, tries to kick you or bite you, steps on your foot or pushes you out of his way, he is being disrespectful. Many people won’t let another human take advantage of them, but they will allow a half-ton animal to push them around. Allowing a disrespectful animal to invade your space creates a dangerous situation. Respect must be established from the very first day you work with your horse. He should be respectful of you, and you should be respectful of him. It’s a two-way street. Respect is the foundation of control — without it, you won’t be able to control your horse and he won’t be any fun to be around.
