I recently bought a horse training book- Storey's Guide to Training Horses- by Heather Smith Thomas because I felt it was necessary to have a good training foundation as a future horse owner, and so that my horse and I will have a respectful and trusting relationship. Furthermore, to ensure my horses are well trained and polite if they are not already.
In the chapter on Horse Sense and Training, Smith covers principles that should be used when training one's horse, and I thought they would be helpful guides/reminders to anyone currently working on training with their equine partners, or hoping to train in the future.
1. Work With the Horse's Natural Responses- doing this will help the whole training process be more smooth and avoid confrontation between you and your horse. If they act negatively, changing your approach is the best option. It's important to be flexible because not every horse reacts the same way to a stimulus. To keep the horse thinking you are in control (which is important so they don't just do what they want) let him think his response was the right one.
2. Plan Ahead- this is especially important when working with a young horse. It's important to begin early training in space that is both comfortable for the horse and where everything is set up to your advantage for safety and ease during sessions. Better yet, the young one will get a good handle on important procedures such as leading, tying, loading into a trailer and being saddled and bridled. Have sessions with a nervous horse on a clear day so they don't spook, and introduce new things only when they are ready.
3. Cue Clearly- if you don't give the right cue, your horse will either get confused and perform the wrong action, or won't respond. Consistency in cues is also important to avoid confusion. Your horse should react appropriately if given the right amount of pressure, as well as release upon response. If you get anything other than the response you want, always check yourself to make sure you gave the right cue, and find a way to improve communication with your horse if needed.
4. Reinforce through Repetition- repetition is how horses learn to respond to cues, they learn what to expect from you as the trainer and thus learn to respond properly to what is being asked. Refining cues and repeating them consistently sets up the basis for good training, and as long as you do not hurt them horses will be willing to continue to learn and do what they are asked. Most horses do their best to try and please their owners/trainers, and they should be rewarded with every step in the right direction. Likewise, the trainer should be satisfied with every attempt the horse gives.
5. Have Mutual Respect- this will make training easier from the get go, and is achieved through consistency. The more consistent you are with your horse, the faster he will see you as the leader in your relationship. Also, allow them to just be a horse and don't expect more from them than they can give.
...and the most important one, thank your horse! :) As a good friend and fellow horse girl reminded me, horses do so much for us when it quite honestly has no benefit or meaning for them. They just do it because we ask. So, after your next training session, make sure to give your horse plenty of treats and pats, maybe even a good grooming if needed. They really deserve it!
I'm really interested in horse training and will likely be posting more highlights from this book in the future. As always, I hope you found this article helpful and informative. What are your rules to live by when training your horse? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Bry
Sources
Thomas, Heather Smith. Storey's Guide to Training Horses: Ground Work, Driving, Riding. Storey Publishing, 2019.