usernamepending
Well-Known Member
As the title really, how do you get your horse to respect you..... Any bonding things i can do?
New horse and any help would be marvelous
New horse and any help would be marvelous
Gaining your horses respect
- Thread starter usernamepending
- Start date
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Reward good behaviour, correct undesirable behaviour and stay calm. 
Ancient Hacker
Well-Known Member
Hello usernamepending,
Others may disagree but I always think the key to gaining your horse's respect starts on the ground. If you can control his feet, you control him, as they say. I use voice a lot and don't tolerate barging, big nudges to roll me over and see what snacks emerge from my pocket
or failing to back up when asked to from the ground.... all those sorts of things.
I also believe that my horses respond better to my voice commands and fierce tone of voice, rather than anything more forceful. Obviously they get verbal praise as well. As a child I was taught that your VOICE is the most important of the aids (again, others may disagree)
If they don't respect us on the ground, then I think it's impossible to have their respect when we are on board! This approach has worked really well for a couple of difficult horses I've had, and I am ever conscious of maintaining firm but gentle discipline on the ground as the pre-requisite for their respect for the rider.
Hope this helps a bit...
Others may disagree but I always think the key to gaining your horse's respect starts on the ground. If you can control his feet, you control him, as they say. I use voice a lot and don't tolerate barging, big nudges to roll me over and see what snacks emerge from my pocket
or failing to back up when asked to from the ground.... all those sorts of things.I also believe that my horses respond better to my voice commands and fierce tone of voice, rather than anything more forceful. Obviously they get verbal praise as well. As a child I was taught that your VOICE is the most important of the aids (again, others may disagree)
If they don't respect us on the ground, then I think it's impossible to have their respect when we are on board! This approach has worked really well for a couple of difficult horses I've had, and I am ever conscious of maintaining firm but gentle discipline on the ground as the pre-requisite for their respect for the rider.
Hope this helps a bit...
rhino
Well-Known Member
Good advice as always from Faracat and Ancient Hacker (I was worried about you, haven't posted in ages!), but whatever you do don't take your horse's behaviour personally! I honestly don't believe they are trying to be 'naughty' they just need a bit of consistent handling.
Is there anything in particular he is doing which is bothering you?
Is there anything in particular he is doing which is bothering you?
NativePonyLover
Well-Known Member
Ancient Hacker has said what I would have wanted to, much more eloquently!
It might be worth checking out Kelly Marks - Perfect Manners and Perfect Partners books, both are very good and give lots of good exercises to try and things to remember to try and put into practise. I've had my pony almost a year and still refer to these books.
I've also had various in hand lessons, which I found really helpful to get a feel for timing and found it easier to put into practise with another pair of eyes.
Enjoy your new horse, most importantly!
It might be worth checking out Kelly Marks - Perfect Manners and Perfect Partners books, both are very good and give lots of good exercises to try and things to remember to try and put into practise. I've had my pony almost a year and still refer to these books.
I've also had various in hand lessons, which I found really helpful to get a feel for timing and found it easier to put into practise with another pair of eyes.
Enjoy your new horse, most importantly!
texel
Well-Known Member
As others have said groundwork is important.
I like to interact with my horses without halters or ropes to start with. I spend time sitting near them and sharing their space really is one way of putting it.
The other thing is to be patient and not be in a hurry. Act as if you have all the time in the world.
I like to interact with my horses without halters or ropes to start with. I spend time sitting near them and sharing their space really is one way of putting it.
The other thing is to be patient and not be in a hurry. Act as if you have all the time in the world.
Ancient Hacker
Well-Known Member
I forgot to send good wishes to usernamepending - so, good wishes.
And hi Rhino - I've been quiet lately as I've been working too hard (don't we all these days
I'll confess about the voice thing: my mum taught me in my early riding days, I guess I was about 4 years old, that you should always be able to control your horse with your voice, in case you fell off while out hacking and broke both your arms. You could navigate your horse home with all those fabulous voice skills... but I never thought to ask how on earth I was going to get back on the darn horse with two broken arms.
Aaah, the innocence of childhood.
And hi Rhino - I've been quiet lately as I've been working too hard (don't we all these days
I'll confess about the voice thing: my mum taught me in my early riding days, I guess I was about 4 years old, that you should always be able to control your horse with your voice, in case you fell off while out hacking and broke both your arms. You could navigate your horse home with all those fabulous voice skills... but I never thought to ask how on earth I was going to get back on the darn horse with two broken arms.
Aaah, the innocence of childhood.