FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question
How can I train my horse to be calm and safe?
Answer
Teach GO! STOP! BACK UP! and HEAD DOWN!
To train all of the above correctly you must be consistent every single time you handle the horse, even when leading in from the field etc. To train your horse effectively you must use only the minimal pressure to encourage the Go, Stop, Back Up and Head Down – you MUST immediately release the pressure the INSTANT that the horse starts to do the right movement.
(timing = pressure = release = Success!
- critical to successful communication)
I would encourage and reinforce the right movement every single time with a reward, either a little scratch on his neck/withers and/or a very small food reward (thumb size carrot chip), or just leave him a minute or two to stand still. Rewarding for a requested behaviour is known as ‘positive reinforcement’ – it is a very powerful motivator for learning! even if ‘the requested behaviour’ may well have been negatively stimulated for example we mean…
You ask a horse to go forward by gently pressure (stimuli) to its head if you are leading or a leg if you’re a riding…
pressure is negative
ie: think of when someone has sat by the side of you and pressed their elbow too close, you may move but they didn’t motivate/reward you to move did they? – they pressured you to move. If they had smiled and then offered you a toffee! – would you have felt better about letting them squeeze in?
So you may ask your horse to move initially with negative pressure – however, if you immediately reward the horse by…
1. taking ‘off’ the pressure, and
2. reward the horse at the precise moment it moves off…
Then you have positively reinforced to the horse, that although it was asked by pressure to move, (a very small pressure) it was given a reward! This allows the horse to process the information and LEARN that an immediate move off equals a reward – its Motivation!
To teach the ‘Go’ – stand facing the horse with a length of rope between you – (do this in a head collar if possible) WHEN YOU ARE SURE YOU HAVE LIGHT HANDS THEN – USE A BIT! Very gently encourage the horse to walk toward you with the lightest of pressure on the rope pulled forward using only a light hand, you can use a voice command to help indicate to the horse what you want him to do – as soon as he steps forward, release the pressure!! Say well done and gently stroke his withers or neck, now repeat the procedure, do this many times. Some determined individuals may been a gently rhythmic tapping to encourage the legs forward – stretch your stick or training whip to tap the back of the legs in encouragement – every second without increasing the pressure.
Rushing past! (if your horse wants to continue to walk past you, gently place pressure in a backward and downward movement and use a verbal command, Whoa, Halt, etc) When you think the horse is moving easily and willingly stop the session, and reward. It is important to let him have time to learn from what you have both achieved.
To teach the ‘Back Up – stand facing the horse but closer to his chest (about 2ft away), ask for a back up using the same principles, use gentle pressure on the rope pushing back to his chest – if he resists use a schooling whip to rhythmically and gently tap his legs (on the cannon bone) to encourage him back, do not increase the pressure on the head and remember to release INSTANTLY, reward and repeat – do not overdo this, or use force, take it slowly and keep the horse calm… if you push too hard to achieve this you will invite a rear.
To teach ‘STOP’ – stand in the leading position, look forward and gently lift your hand forward, use a voice command, if he resists, gently use your outside hand to tap his rump, use the tap in a rhythmic way, tapping every second, as soon as he begins to walk forward walk with him, after a few strides use the same pressure that you used in ‘Back up’, this time gently pull back toward his chest, if he ignores you use more pressure in a rhythmic way until he realises you are asking for a STOP! You can use a voice command, and if he is excessively strong you might need to tap his legs (front cannon bone) to reinforce the ‘back up’ memory.
To teach ‘Head Down’ – stand at the horses head and gently encourage his head to lower with only the lightest of pressure downwards, use the choice command ‘”DOWN” you can reward/encourage him as he lowers his head with a food titbit but you must remember to INSTANTLY release as he begins to lower his head. Teach him to lower his head to the ground, this will generally take several sessions – and do wear a hat, if you push too hard they can throw up their heads suddenly – be warned!
When your horse reacts positively and without hesitation to gentle pressure for all of the four movements and your voice commands, then, you can start practicing in the saddle.
Back to Questions
How can I train my horse to be calm and safe?
Answer
Teach GO! STOP! BACK UP! and HEAD DOWN!
To train all of the above correctly you must be consistent every single time you handle the horse, even when leading in from the field etc. To train your horse effectively you must use only the minimal pressure to encourage the Go, Stop, Back Up and Head Down – you MUST immediately release the pressure the INSTANT that the horse starts to do the right movement.
(timing = pressure = release = Success!
- critical to successful communication)
I would encourage and reinforce the right movement every single time with a reward, either a little scratch on his neck/withers and/or a very small food reward (thumb size carrot chip), or just leave him a minute or two to stand still. Rewarding for a requested behaviour is known as ‘positive reinforcement’ – it is a very powerful motivator for learning! even if ‘the requested behaviour’ may well have been negatively stimulated for example we mean…
You ask a horse to go forward by gently pressure (stimuli) to its head if you are leading or a leg if you’re a riding…
pressure is negative
ie: think of when someone has sat by the side of you and pressed their elbow too close, you may move but they didn’t motivate/reward you to move did they? – they pressured you to move. If they had smiled and then offered you a toffee! – would you have felt better about letting them squeeze in?
So you may ask your horse to move initially with negative pressure – however, if you immediately reward the horse by…
1. taking ‘off’ the pressure, and
2. reward the horse at the precise moment it moves off…
Then you have positively reinforced to the horse, that although it was asked by pressure to move, (a very small pressure) it was given a reward! This allows the horse to process the information and LEARN that an immediate move off equals a reward – its Motivation!
To teach the ‘Go’ – stand facing the horse with a length of rope between you – (do this in a head collar if possible) WHEN YOU ARE SURE YOU HAVE LIGHT HANDS THEN – USE A BIT! Very gently encourage the horse to walk toward you with the lightest of pressure on the rope pulled forward using only a light hand, you can use a voice command to help indicate to the horse what you want him to do – as soon as he steps forward, release the pressure!! Say well done and gently stroke his withers or neck, now repeat the procedure, do this many times. Some determined individuals may been a gently rhythmic tapping to encourage the legs forward – stretch your stick or training whip to tap the back of the legs in encouragement – every second without increasing the pressure.
Rushing past! (if your horse wants to continue to walk past you, gently place pressure in a backward and downward movement and use a verbal command, Whoa, Halt, etc) When you think the horse is moving easily and willingly stop the session, and reward. It is important to let him have time to learn from what you have both achieved.
To teach the ‘Back Up – stand facing the horse but closer to his chest (about 2ft away), ask for a back up using the same principles, use gentle pressure on the rope pushing back to his chest – if he resists use a schooling whip to rhythmically and gently tap his legs (on the cannon bone) to encourage him back, do not increase the pressure on the head and remember to release INSTANTLY, reward and repeat – do not overdo this, or use force, take it slowly and keep the horse calm… if you push too hard to achieve this you will invite a rear.
To teach ‘STOP’ – stand in the leading position, look forward and gently lift your hand forward, use a voice command, if he resists, gently use your outside hand to tap his rump, use the tap in a rhythmic way, tapping every second, as soon as he begins to walk forward walk with him, after a few strides use the same pressure that you used in ‘Back up’, this time gently pull back toward his chest, if he ignores you use more pressure in a rhythmic way until he realises you are asking for a STOP! You can use a voice command, and if he is excessively strong you might need to tap his legs (front cannon bone) to reinforce the ‘back up’ memory.
To teach ‘Head Down’ – stand at the horses head and gently encourage his head to lower with only the lightest of pressure downwards, use the choice command ‘”DOWN” you can reward/encourage him as he lowers his head with a food titbit but you must remember to INSTANTLY release as he begins to lower his head. Teach him to lower his head to the ground, this will generally take several sessions – and do wear a hat, if you push too hard they can throw up their heads suddenly – be warned!
When your horse reacts positively and without hesitation to gentle pressure for all of the four movements and your voice commands, then, you can start practicing in the saddle.
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