1

The first thing that you must have is a consistent “go forward” cue. The go forward cue is a very important cue, that in most cases, just doesn’t get worked on enough. Because the horse is not taught to go forward you teach it to have a negative attitude about work. To change this, you have to become “the bad guy”. To solve the problem you have to put enough pressure on the horse to get it to respond and not stop the pressure until you get the desired response. Perhaps the reason the cue no longer works is you gave up or thought that the cue was not working. By doing that, you threw away the cue. Now you have to start over and this may take time.

To establish the go forward cue; start by squeezing lightly with your calves. Count: 1001, 1002 and if the horse does not move off use your spur or whip to ask him to go forward with enough energy to go into a trot and travel forward 15 to 20 feet. Remember to stop kicking or whipping as soon as he trots on (release the pressure) by doing so you are telling the horse that he has done what you wanted. Stop and repeat. Also, If you are kicking after the horse moves off you are nagging your horse and confusing him. Your legs are the pressure or the cue, you are doing more damage mentally and emotionally by not following through.

If your horse does not respond or your legs get tired, don’t stop! Once you have started asking with this cue you can not stop until the horse responds and moves off. It is important that you follow through with whatever it takes to move him forward with energy that may mean using your legs or whip several times until he responds. You may need to increase your speed and intensity until your horse jumps into a trot. This may take 10 minutes or an hour or more depending on your horse. This needs to be practiced every day until your horse is 100% consistent with the slightest leg pressure. Then you can decrease the practice to every other day. Most people give up before they get the job done. Your standards need to be set and maintained.

Yes you can make your horse safer around children. You can start by using what is called “sacking out”. The sacking out process helps to reduce the emotional level or fear level in your horse thus, making it more calm and relaxed. Sacking out your horse to objects from your hands to a small towel and then gradually build up to a blanket and tarps. Eventually, you can get him used to ropes around his feet and buckets dropping around his feet. This is a process that takes time and is not done overnight. It is done in small increments, one step at a time. The goal would be that your kids could run up and grab a leg and it would not bother the horse emotionally.

Yes, Foundation training can address this problem. For the horse to respond to any aid he has to know what it means unconditionally. Practice leg and rein aids everyday until the horse is consistent. This needs to be practiced until he just thinks about a leg or rein and moves off. This should also be done under distraction as well as where the horse is calm. The horse needs to know the cue well enough to respond when going over jumps when his emotions are high.

We can calm a horse down and get the horse to relax at home but he also has to learn it away form home. this can only be done by trailering to different places and shows, hacking around and getting used to different environments. You can do some of this at home by changing his habits, go to a different warm-up ring or a part of the ranch. Bring up the emotional level and then you bring it down again by doing exercises that keep him busy and focused. Trailer out as much as possible to expose him to different elements.

We can control the emotional level at home by sacking out and adding distractions but we can never duplicate actual trailering to a different location.

Natural Horsemanship training can be incorporated with any kind of training. Quality of time and how we relate to the horse is Natural Horsemanship. Looking for a try, a willingness or a softening, these are all Natural Horsemanship which is what any kind of training should be. Six hours a week gives you three two hour sessions. In these two hours you have plenty of time to train the horse on the ground as well as in the saddle. But here again, it is the quality of time. Five days a week would be preferable but three days is fine, it will just take longer to reach your goals.

Your horse wants to be dominant in the pecking order. I don’t know how you are now preventing threats but it is an unacceptable behavior. Even though she has not kicked, she has already started in his mind’s eye, the next step will be the actual kick. This is very common. You need an exercise to thwart this behavior because one day she will kick out when you are in the saddle or walking. A rider/handler may be in the way and will get hurt because the horse does not know the difference.

If not corrected aggressive charging behavior may develop. She may be wanting to connect with the horse but the person may be in the way. Discipline does not have to be a beating. If you are on the horse and she wants to kick, move the hind quarters over away from the horse that he wants to kick. To do this pick up the rein on the same side and move the hind quarters away from the other horse. Natural Horseman ship calls this disengaging the hip. Traditional/Classical training calls this a turn on the forehand.

What you are doing is discouraging the bad behavior through an exercise that will thwart that behavior and become more work for the horse. This also puts the rider/handler with the other horse in a safer position where it can’t get hurt. On the ground use the same application of disengaging the hip. Practice on the ground and in the saddle before the act so the horse knows the cue and will respond when faced with a horse. Be consistent whether in an arena or on the trail and you will find that your horse will have a better attitude. You need a safe environment, this behavior, if left unchecked can also lead to aggressive behavior in the stall or paddock when feeding.

First you need to teach your horse the “go forward” cue. The horse needs to know this cue and respond consistently. The cue needs to be strong enough to have the horse cross obstacles before it is used to asked him to step up into a trailer. You will need to do this pre-work before actually starting the loading lesson to make sure the horse is comfortable crossing objects.

Practice the go forward cue over poles or tarps until it responds calmly and correctly. Your horse also needs to have a good strong back up and stop cue before you begin the trailer work. When you are sure the horse is ready to go to the trailer you start slowly.

You first approach the trailer and ask the horse to go forward just one step , one foot into the trailer. Stop and back out. Do this many times until the horse will quietly put one foot in, relax and back out relaxed. When you have reached this point, you can then ask for two feet in. Do the same thing, two feet in, stop and back out. Do this for as many repetitions as necessary for the horse to be consistent and comfortable.

The next step is three feet in, stop and back out. Again, many repetitions until the horse is calm and consistent. When ready, four feet in, stop and back out. When the horse is calm and consistent, you can ask him to stand in the trailer for longer and longer periods of time before asking to back out.

Take your time, you may want to break up the training into two or more sessions depending on your time and the nature of the horse. It is better to go slowly and not push the horse so the horse knows the cue 100%. By the time you have gone through this process he will have loaded and unloaded possibly 200 to 400 times. This may take 2 to 4 hours at a minimum. For the next 4 weeks, review every 3 to 4 days.

Most everyone’s approach is to force the horse to the scary part of the arena. You want to start working at the farthest area away from the scary part. Start working on change of direction, leg yields or lateral work going back and forth in front of it. Bring the horse closer and closer. The horse needs to be comfortable each increment of the way. By doing that, we engage the horses mind but don’t put so much pressure on him that he can’t learn. He will associate that every time something distracts him he will have to go to work. We also have the opportunity to work with the horse and make him lighter or better at leg yields or whatever else we are working on.

It sounds as if the horse is reacting violently because his back is sore through old injuries or your current saddle fit. I would have the vet or chiropractor check first.

Teach the go forward cue first so the horse is 100% responsive in the arena. Then proceed much like trailer loading.

Ask her to approach the wash rack, then back away. Keep doing the same thing until she is totally relaxed. Next, ask for one step in and take one step back. Keep at it until she is relaxed. Then step two steps in and back out, Again she needs to be totally relaxed. Then proceed to three feet in, four feet in and finally she should be able to stand with all four feet in totally relaxed.

Take your time and plan to make time for the lesson. In this way she will get over her fear and her confidence will be built back up. Lesson time will be one to three hours or more.

He has learned to evade and all horses learn by pressure and release. Every time you or others have tried to put the bit in and not succeed there has been release with no follow through. He has learned that if he does not give in, you will release the pressure.

Start over by getting him to drop his head by putting pressure on the poll, release when his head drops. Get him used to objects in his mouth by inserting your fingers where there are no teeth. When you approach his head to put on the bridle and it goes up, place your hand under his jaw and hold until you feel him trying to bring it down, release. Then try to bridle again. If he refuses the bit, repeat until he accepts the bit. If he drops his head, do the same thing with your hand under his jaw. Stay with the bridle until the head is up and he accepts the bit. The important part is to stay with it.

Do not give up, if you do, you have given him release again and you will have to start all over again with the same process as you have taught him that if he resists, you release.

No. The secret to successful horse training isn't to win every fight with your horse, but to avoid every fight before it happens. You may not realize it, but every time you fight with your horse, you create unnecessary tension and confusion. And when your horse becomes nervous and confused, you'll have to spend a lot of time regaining his confidence and responsiveness before he'll ever respond to your training cues.

Here are two important concepts that you must understand in order to have the proper mindset for fight avoidance:

One, when your horse doesn't do what you ask, it's your fault - not his. It's your responsibility to train your horse to respond appropriately to your cues, and when he fails to response, it is because he hasn't received the proper training - not because he's incapable or unwilling.

For example, you may have watched your horse perform flying lead changes and rollbacks in the pasture with ease, yet have encountered difficulties when you ask him to perform a simple transition from trot to lope. If you become frustrated with your horse's failure to respond, and start jerking on the reins or jabbing him with your spurs, you not only risk teaching him a host of unwanted behaviors, such as head tossing, rearing, or spinning, you've also found the perfect way to start a fight!

If you just keep in mind that your horse is perfectly capable of performing the maneuvers you desire, you'll realize that the problem is your own inability to communicate your requests. By remembering this fact during every stage of your horse's training, you'll be less likely to act from anger or frustration, and more likely to look for positive ways to train your horse to respond to your cues.

Two, realize and accept that your horse is never "trying to get out of work" by avoiding your requests. In fact, he usually must work much harder to avoid them than he would if he just did what you asked.

For example, if your horse fails to pick up the lope when you ask, and you respond by kicking him, jerking the reins, and so forth, he's not avoiding anything - he's getting into a heap of trouble. But, by remembering that it's your responsibility to make sure your horse understands your requests, and realizing that it's much easier for him to respond appropriately than inappropriately, you'll maintain the proper frame of mind to avoid fights with your horse.

When your horse becomes upset by something, change his focus for a short period by asking him to perform a different, familiar exercise.

By changing your horse's focus, and asking him to perform a familiar exercise, you're putting yourself back into control, and making sure your horse's attention remains focused on you.

Example:
You're walking your horse past an unfamiliar obstacle, and he stops dead in his tracks when you're still 15 feet away. Rather than continuing to demand that he walk toward the obstacle, take him away to where he's comfortable, then begin asking him to perform a simple exercise, such as a series of left and right turns. As soon as you've regained control and he's performing well, use whatever exercise you've chosen to take him closer and closer to the obstacle. This way, you'll maintain control, improve his basic training by working on a simple exercise, achieve your goal of walking by the obstacle, and, most importantly, avoid a fight.

If your original plan for your daily training session isn't working out because your horse is too energetic or too lethargic, alter your plans to take advantage of what he's likely to do best that day.

By paying attention to your horse's state of mind, you can plan your training sessions so you're set up for success, instead of failure.

Example:
Your original plan was to perfect your horse's slow jog, but when you arrive at the barn, you quickly realize he's higher than a kite. Rather than making your life difficult by forcing your horse to take it slow, plan a training session that takes advantage of his pent-up energy - work on long-trotting instead. After 15 to 20 minutes of this vigorous work, your horse might just be in the perfect mood to work on the slow jog after all. If not, tomorrow will be another day; put off your plans until your horse is in a more compatible frame of mind.

When your horse fails to respond to your cues or begins to get upset about outside stimuli, keep your attention focused on the training session - not on your horse's undesirable reactions.

If you react to your horse's reactions, the two of you soon will be spiraling out of control. However, if you maintain your focus on the training session, you'll not only avoid a fight, but also will be much more likely to regain your horse's attention and turn his focus back to the training session.

Example:
You're working on a specific exercise when your horse is suddenly distracted by a frightening object in the playground next door. Simply continue asking your horse to perform the exercise you're working on, perhaps by applying slightly stronger cues. By focusing on what you want, rather than losing your concentration as you try to find a way to stop him from looking at the frightening object, you're much more likely to overcome the distraction, regain your horse's attention, and, of course, avoid a fight.

"Ride where you can, not where you can't". At every stage in your horse's training, it's possible to overchallenge him by asking him to perform in a location where there are just too many distractions or fearsome stimuli. If you find yourself in that situation, don't fight it out. Simply take him back to a location where he's comfortable, and better able to listen to your cues.

By riding your horse in a location where he's comfortable and relaxed, you'll ensure that he has the proper mindset to respond appropriately to your cues. Once again, you'll have arranged your training session so you're set up for success.

Example:
You planned to ride in a neighboring open field, but it requires that you walk your horse along a busy road. Unfortunately, your horse is terrified of cars, and you can't get him to budge when you reach the road. Instead of forcing him to walk along the road, go back home, find a location where he is comfortable and relaxed, and complete your training session there. He obviously hasn't reached the point in his training where he's properly prepared to walk along a busy road, and asking him to do so will put you both at risk. By staying flexible and adjusting your training plan, you'll not only avoid a fight, but will safely complete your training session on a positive note.

When you feel your horse begin resisting strongly as you work on a training goal, adjust your goal accordingly.

Your horse has no idea what your original objective was, so you don't need to "finish what you started." If it becomes clear that you began your lesson expecting more than could be easily accomplished, you should alter your plans, accomplish some small part of your original goal, and finish the training session with success.

Example:
Your plan for the day was to get your horse to cross a stream by the barn. Unfortunately, he begins to balk when you're still 20 feet away from the water's edge. Instead of fighting him, take him to a point 10 feet from the water's edge: then turn him away. Remember, he has no idea how close you really planned to get. You're much more likely to be successful if you adjust your goal. You've maintained control of the situation, and he things he's done what you wanted. Tomorrow, you can expect a little more.