| > | | | | Picture it like this. Two deathly scared kids are |
| Horse training can be a relatively mysterious | | | | walking home at night. They both hear sounds |
| subject to people who have not studied it. Even | | | | and see things. One kid thinks he saw something |
| more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse | | | | and nervously asks, "D-d-d-did you see that?" |
| has that causes his owner stress and frustration. | | | | Seconds later the other kid hears something and |
| What many horse owners don't understand is | | | | cries, "D-d-did you h-h-hear that?" Together they |
| often the handler, not the horse, is causing the | | | | intensify each other's fears and their anxiety |
| problem. | | | | grows leaps and bounds. |
| That being said, that is the first consideration in | | | | So it is with the rider and horse. Maybe not to |
| unscrambling the horse's ill behavior. | | | | that extent, but still it happens. |
| For instance, a common problem riders have is a | | | | And since the rider is human and capable of |
| horse being spooky. In layman's terms, that | | | | reasoning, then he or she must be the one to |
| means a horse is nervous and afraid something is | | | | interrupt the pattern of behavior. The rider must |
| going to "get him". Thus, whenever the horse and | | | | loosen up while in the saddle. Relax. Have fun. |
| owner go for a ride it's not usually a relaxing | | | | Learn to watch the horse's signals that he has |
| moment. | | | | spotted something - and then talk to the horse |
| As a matter of fact, both horse and rider are on | | | | and start giving him confidence. |
| edge. | | | | Soon, the horse's demeanor will change and the |
| So if we take the premise that the rider is | | | | result will be a more relaxed, fun to ride horse. |
| causing the horse to spook, then we must ask, | | | | Whether the rider realizes it or not, he or she is |
| "How is the rider causing this." | | | | training the horse by just riding. The horse simply |
| An uninformed rider may not be aware that | | | | reacts to the stimuli he gets. If the stimuli is |
| perhaps he is sitting tensely in the saddle. Also, | | | | consistent, the horse's reaction will become a |
| maybe he's stiff as a board and has a | | | | habit until changed. If the stimuli is tense, causes |
| white-knuckle hold on the reins. | | | | fear reactions, and so on, the result is a spooky |
| Believe it or not, the horse can sense and feel | | | | horse. |
| this tense. When the horse is in the habit of | | | | This is but one example of how us humans can |
| feeling it then the horse's spookiness is also the | | | | actually be the reason the horse does or does |
| rider's. | | | | not do something we ask of him. |