| > | | | | good rider/horse relationship. Getting back to the |
| When you hear someone say they are breaking-in | | | | breaking in versus educating if you work with the |
| a horse what comes to mind? Do you think of | | | | horses natural instincts you will achieve great |
| cowboys bucking a horse around a yard until it | | | | things in little time. Do not start a fight with the |
| stops? If you hear someone say they are | | | | horse as it is much bigger and much, much |
| educating their horse what comes to mind? Do | | | | stronger than you. Use the horse’s natural |
| you think of someone working quietly with a | | | | instincts to your advantage when educating it. |
| horse? | | | | I have worked with all types of horses and ponies |
| It is perhaps unfortunate that breaking-in contains | | | | over the years and following the simple rule of |
| the word break, when we hear that we think of | | | | working with the horse have never had one buck |
| breaking the horses spirit, making the horse yield | | | | during educating a green horse. By paying |
| to us. This is not what it should be about. Go back | | | | attention to when the horse is ready for the next |
| not so many years and that is what it was about | | | | step in training and not rushing them things will |
| but this is 2006 not 1896. I like to think we | | | | progress faster in the long run than if you go too |
| understand our relationship, and appreciate it more | | | | fast and have to go back over things. |
| than they did then. | | | | Break your training into sections such as basic |
| Unfortunately there are still people out there that | | | | ground work, intermediate ground work, |
| think you need to break a horse’s spirit | | | | advanced ground work, basic mounted work, |
| but this is not the case. What these people need | | | | intermediate mounted work, advanced mounted |
| to understand is you get a much better horse | | | | work, etc. Do not move to the next stage of |
| when you educate and work with your horse. | | | | training until your horse is ready, it will be one |
| Hollywood (and some people who run workshops) | | | | step forward two steps back if you do. Take the |
| would like you to believe that horse whispering is | | | | time to watch your horse and learn to notice little |
| some mysterious art that is unachievable by the | | | | things like the position of the horses ears, the |
| common person. | | | | movement of the horses tail, the horses eyes, |
| There is no mystery to horse whispering it is | | | | they all tell you how the horse is feeling. That is |
| simple a matter of understanding the behaviors of | | | | reading the horse, noticing the horse’s |
| a horse and being able to read the horse you are | | | | body language. |
| working with. A horse is a herd animal, it has a | | | | By following these simple steps you may not |
| basic fight or flight instinct. Although a horse is a | | | | have the fastest, best jumper, best dressage |
| beautiful animal it has no magical powers. | | | | horse in the world but you will have a friend who |
| Understand these basic things and you are well on | | | | will do their best for you when you ask, be willing |
| your way to being able to work with your horse. | | | | to try anything for you and be reliable. I think that |
| Working with your horse is the main point I want | | | | is more important. |
| to get across as it is the cornerstone of and | | | | |