Trained versus Untrained Horses

For most people (e.g. excluding large breeders, horse dealers and such), it is usually best that you purchase a horse which is already trained to the level you will be using the horse at. If you will be using the horse for basic riding it should be trained to this level pre-purchase; if you are using it for advanced riding then you should buy a horse that is trained to the advanced level. If you are using it for show jumping, it should already be trained for show jumping.

Of course, one can purchase an untrained horse or a partly trained horse. Such a horse will be less expensive to buy. Also, you can instruct a trainer on exactly how you want the horse trained, and you can have the experience and pleasure of participating in this. However, against these advantages, there are a number of disadvantages:

Training Costs. The cost of training will be in addition to the cost of the horse. To begin with, there are the costs of the trainer. In some cases the trainer will come to you but if not, you will need to transport the horse to the trainer or stable the horse with the trainer, either of which will be additional costs. Due to individual differences, it can be difficult to state precisely how much it will cost to train a horse, but such costs are frequently (one could even say ‘usually’) under-estimated. It is often the case that when one adds in all the final costs of training, it would have been less expensive to have purchased an already trained horse.

Accidents. Occasionally there are accidents during training, even with good trainers, especially during early training when the horse is less predictable. Even in the case of minor accidents, there may be vet costs.

Mis-Training. Trainers vary both in terms of approach and in quality. Furthermore, in order to secure the training contract at an economical level, trainers may rush the training or under-estimate the amount required. If this occurs, at best you end up with an incompletely trained horse and at worse a horse which has been mis-trained, resulting in undesirable behaviors.

Feel. Two horses, trained in exactly the same way, will provide a different riding experience due to individual differences. Horses differ due to breed, build, training and individual genetics. Consequently, how comfortable you will be riding a horse is more predictable with an already trained horse than with an untrained one.

Health Examination. A trained horse is easier to evaluate for injuries or other defects as one can ride it and one can watch it carefully while being ridden in each gait. Although one can examine an untrained horse, the examination by necessity is less complete.

Because of these factors, buying an already trained horse is often less expensive, less risky and less stressful than buying an untrained or partly trained horse and then having it trained up.

You should not try to train a horse yourself, unless you are a professional horse trainer or working under the complete supervision of a professional horse trainer. When non-professionals train horses, the horse will almost certainly pick up bad habits and behaviors (which are very time consuming and expensive to correct), as well as the risk of accidental injury to the novice trainer.

You should also be wary of buying a partly trained horse based on the seller’s commitment to fully train it. Having made the sale, many sellers will rush the training and cut corners, in order to minimize their costs and receive payment as soon as possible. One should only make a purchase commitment when the horse is fully trained and you have ridden it to ensure that you are completely satisfied with the result.

Untrained horses are less expensive to buy, but a greater
risk. They can also be more expensive in the end.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

If you own at least one horse, you are likely aware of the many training equipment options available. You have probably even experimented with a number of training aids. You probably have tried a number of newest and latest equipment that offer easy training or the ability to break a difficult horse. However, there are a number of factors involved in choosing the right horse training equipment that meets your specific needs. There are three things you need to consider.

1. What are the goals of your training session 2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of both your horse and yourself 3. How can you reach your goal by understanding and refining training techniques

Long Line and Rope Halter

The most important pieces of horse training equipment include a rope halter and long line since they provide you with a way of communicating with your horse from the ground. Often these will be the two most essential pieces of horse training equipment you will buy. When choosing these pieces you want to get the right response from the slightest cue. The halter you choose should apply pressure to the right area and then release pressure immediately when your horse responds.

Rope halters are ideally made from marine type braided rope since it is both pliable and light while not cutting or rubbing the horse. Always tie or knot the rope instead of using buckles or metal fixtures.

Long lines are much longer than traditional lead ropes of six-feet. It is best to start with a long line that is twelve-feet, but you can get a lead rope up to sixty-feet. A larger rope is more useful in order to maintain control of a horse when you are in a large open area.

Lunge Cavesson, Line and Whip

Any horse training program should include lungeing or longeing since it teaches a horse to respond to body language and voice commands while helping improve and develop your horses gait, balance and rhythm. It is best to invest in good lungeing training equipment so that you achieve the best results. A lunge cavesson provides you with a sturdy head collar that is designed specifically for training a horse.

Your lunge line should ideally be around thirty feet so you can have a sixty-foot circle diameter. Often these lines are made from a flat woven material. Lunge whips should ideally be six feet long with the same lash length so you can maintain a safe distance while remaining in control.

Side Reins

Another important piece of your horse training equipment should be the side reins since they are used for both riding and lunging. Side reins can be used with either a bridle or a lungeing cavesson. The side reins should be adjusted so they are the same length on both sides. The length of the side reins should also be adjusted so they meet your horses experience and fitness/condition needs. If the side reins are shortened too much then you are forcing your horse to flex beyond their natural ability, which can be physically dangerous.

Proper Training Area

Lastly, you need to choose a good training area as a part of your training equipment. The cheapest and simplest type of training equipment is the traffic cone. Cones can help provide guidance, to make a round area for either riding or lunging, create a dressage area or a lateral guide area. You can also consider getting six trotting poles and mini jump blocks so you can have successful ground schooling.

You probably have tried a number of newest and latest
equipment that offer easy training or the ability to break a
difficult horse. However, there are a number of factors
involved in choosing the right horse training equipment that
meets your specific needs. There are three things you need
to consider.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

Have you a horse that you are having problems with? Here are three fundamental keys to help you on your way.

• Be consistent.

Practice good habits all the time. What you do in the stable is a reflection of what will happen while you are riding. If your horse pushes you around in the stable, then why couldn’t it push you around while you are riding? Remember that you are either training your horse or untraining your horse.

Set the ground rules before you put your foot in the stirrup. If you think of your horse as a child, and you want that child to behave, you must teach it good, acceptable manners. For example, if you smack your food with your mouth open, a bad, unacceptable habit, then why would you close your mouth, a good habit, when you go to eat in a restaurant? You would have to practice good behavior, chewing with your mouth closed, for it to become a good habit first. Be consistent and require good habits, like keeping your mouth shut while chewing, all the time.

• Be decisive.

This means deciding what you are willing to accept and what you will not accept and correcting the unacceptable. If you think of horse psychology, they are herd animals and follow the herd leader. They have a pecking order. Horses quickly find where they stand in the order. They really are not concerned about where they are in the order just that they must know where they are. The privileged leader sets the rules and is consistent and decisive on what is acceptable. A flick of an ear or swish of a tail to remind those lower that they are too close, or eating his grass/hay is all that is required. If the higher up is challenged by the underling, a more significant reprimand may be necessary. Small gestures such as raised voice, ‘cluck’ or finger snap may only be required to correct an unacceptable behavior. If these ‘warnings’ are not heeded a more significant penalty may be necessary.

• Provide rewards.

Rewarding good behavior works wonders. It works faster that punishing bad behavior. A horse will become more willing if good behavior is rewarded. This means a kind word or a simple rub on the neck. It does not have to be a food treat, apple, carrot or sugar lump. Feeding treats from your hand just encourages horses to invade your space. Reward your horse as soon as he attempts to do something properly. It even does not have to be perfect so long as he is trying to do something. This will encourage your horse to try. So often we forget to reward the little issues. Providing necessary encouragement builds a strong bond and also makes the horse more willing to try more difficult things in the future. These three keys to horse training will get you on your way to a good base to build on. Provide your horse with consistent, decisive direction and then, if you follow up with rewards, your horse will be encouraged to try and please you.

Are you having trouble with your horse? Is he rude and
pushing you around? Find out 3 keys to success from an
experienced horseman. These every day solutions could make
a difference between a well mannered pleasure and a runaway.
Based on practical tried and true experience these simple
keys can help you get a good base to help you on your way.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

Training your horse is a remarkable journey. The training process is full of unexpected twists and turns that challenge both you and your equine partner– or threaten to throw you off-course entirely. Like any journey, the destination is reached and misadventures are minimized by careful mapping from the get-go.

• Where does the horse training journey begin? Is your horse a green youngster with minimal handling… or a seasoned veteran needing a springtime tune-up or learning a new discipline. Are you an experienced equestrian… or a committed novice? What skills and abilities do you and your horse already possess?

• What is your horse training destination? Examine your definition of “success.” Do you want to disappear for hours trail riding through nature’s wild beauty and solitude? Is your heart set on beating the competition at local or national horse shows? Do you simply want to develop a closer bond with your horse? There is no right answer, only the answer right for you.

• What are your horse training assets? List the treasury or resources around you. Remember to list non-”horsey” assets that may support the process or the participants!

What are your educational assets? This includes your most helpful books or horse training DVDs. What are your Physical assets? This includes the riding tack and horse equipment you own, as well as the arena, trails, and other spaces available to ride in. If you have access to a horse trailer, list all the additional possible riding spaces and experiences, including horse shows and riding clinics within a comfortable driving distance. What are your human assets? This includes trainers, coaches and mentors. Human assets are not necessarily limited to equestrians!

What are your personal assets? You began considering this in the first step. Again, do not limit yourself to horse-specific traits. Successful horse trainers are rich in a variety of characteristics! Perhaps you have incredible determination. Maybe you are laser-sharp organizer. Ask some close friends for their input as well-often we can’t see the strengths inside ourselves. Invest a few minutes or even a few hours examining these points of the journey. If you have a riding instructor or a horse trainer, ask for her input. You will discover assets, abilities and access to resources you never realized you had. These new discoveries will highlight potential pitfalls, offer “alternative routes,” and speed your way to success. Happy horse training!

Horse training is a journey, whether you train your horse
yourself or send him to a trusted horse trainer. Wisdom
says “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first
step.” In this first step of horse training we teach you to
map your way to success.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

Balking is one of the most aggravating habits that a horse can have. You’re ready to go but the horse is not and probably will not be for a while. This is one of those challenging horse training problems.

A balky horse usually stands and looks back, as if it expected something to happen from the rear, and he is seldom disappointed, for the driver usually makes the air hot with a volley of words and the hissing of the whip. His words have absolutely no meaning to the horse and naturally he becomes more and more confused and his senses more and more blunted. It would be better instead of yelling and slashing with a whip to sing a song and step to one side and slash the fence. The horse’s confusion would change to astonishment and he would probably move off.

No horse balks simply because it wants to stand. There is no reason for a horse balking the first time; several repetitions of the cause, followed by a succeeding act, becomes a habit, and the habit remains when the cause has long since ceased to exist.

Balking is a confused, inactive and almost insensible condition of the mind that happens when the horse is faced with two conflicting problems. For example, if a strong willed horse wants to go to the stable and you jerk back to pull him on another direction these conflicts can confuse him. Since he can think of just one thing at a time, he becomes confused and sullen and stops. If the first stroke or two of the whip does not attract his attention to something else others will only lock his mind and make him all the more insensible to his surroundings.

In another example a young ambitious horse is hitched by the side of a slow, sluggish horse. The command “Get up” is given and the ambitious colt leaps forward, promptly, only to jerk on his tender shoulders, and mouth, because the old horse did not obey at once. When this is repeated a few times, he becomes confused, because he was jerked for going forward and whipped for going backward, and, in his confusion, he could only stand and prance.

This is same as when a man of keen intellect, who is an entertaining talker in ordinary conversation, freezes when asked to give a speech. He becomes unable to say a word, and so confused he could hardly tell his own name and not know enough to sit down. It is something of the same condition of mind the balking horse gets into. It would be brutal to abuse the man because his mind became inactive in the new surroundings, and it is still more brutal to abuse the balking horse with his lesser mental powers. But that’s exactly what many do.

The solution may surprise you, as may much of the advice given by Professor Beery in his series of books on horsemanship. Some is common sense but some expert advice makes you wonder how it would ever work, but it does.

The way to stop a horse from stopping or balking is just as he is telling you by his eyes and ears and motion of the head that he is about to stop, say “Whoa” firmly, and give a powerful wrench on the lines. By stopping him before he stops of his own accord, you have disconcerted him and thrown him into a thoughtful mood. When you feel that you have his attention drawn from balking, give a confident “Get Up” and at the same time a side pull on the line.

Naturally, there’s more to it than that, especially if you’re dealing with a horse confirmed in the habit so you should visit http://www.HorseTrainingResources.com for help with this and other horse habits.

Balking can be a very frustrating problem while riding!
The solution that works is usually quite surprising compared
to most other behavioral problems. Wanna know how?

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

If you love horses then one of the most exciting experiences you can have is to train a young horse. If you are going to train a young horse, you need to have consistency, patience and tenacity.

Often a horse owner isn’t aware that they need to work with both the mare and foal for young horse training to be successful and typically just focus on training the foal. However, it is important that you don’t forget the mare when training the foal because they are biologically and emotionally linked.

Grow a Relationship

There are many parallels between a human infant and a young horse. Any infant species requires a relationship to be started as soon as possible. Young horses start to develop relationships with other horses right away in addition to any humans that are around them. The trainer needs to focus on developing this relationship as soon as the horse is born.

A good training method to consider is natural horsemanship, which focuses on transparent communication with horses. Through this horse training method, a trainer can improve the effectiveness of their training by improving their ability to communicate with the horse. Foal imprint training the most common method that trainers use.

This is essentially a process that involves bonding young horses with their handlers the same way a mother imprints on her horse baby. The best way to develop a relationship with a new horse is by spending as much time as possible with them.

Early Halter Training

Training a young horse should focus on developing a foundation for future horse training. The main method of communication for a mounted rider is pressure. To help a young horse understand pressure from the very start you should start halter training sooner.

This can also help show a foal that you cannot get away when something scares them. This can help a foal to confront what scares them since the trainer can help establish boundaries.

Introduce New Things

When you train a young horse, it is a good idea to try to introduce them to something new each day. It doesn’t have to be something major, but can be something as small as taking them to an unfamiliar area, using a different brush or introducing a new horse or human to the area.

Some larger introductions you can make include a bath, picking the hooves, running clippers near the ears and trailer loading. Any of these activities can help a foal become desensitized and help them become less frightened with new experiences. By doing this the foal can start to learn that the trainer doesn’t want to harm them.

Go Slowly

At some point in your life, you have likely experienced sensory overload. Trainers need to understand that young horses can experience this as well so it is important not to push a lot of new sensations and experiences at once otherwise you will delay the training process.

Rather you want to limit the training to just fifteen minute increments. If a horse doesn’t accept the new experience within this time then you should come back to it the next day. Once a your horse turns a year old, you can increase training session durations to a half an hour.

Training your young horse can be a wonderful experience and is easier to do as you gain more experience. Handlers need to realize that mistakes are going to be made the first time, no matter which training method you choose to use. Once you find the right training method, you can continue to use it and start building on your experience.

There are many parallels between a human infant and a young
horse. Any infant species requires a relationship to be
started as soon as possible. Young horses start to develop
relationships with other horses right away in addition to
any humans that are around them. The trainer needs to focus
on developing this relationship as soon as the young horse
is born.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

The process of a clicker training horse program uses operant conditioning. The name of the training program comes from the conditioned re-enforcer that is used (the click or other marker signal) paired with a primary re-enforcer (food or something the horse values).

This way the trainer can mark correct behavior with the clicker and then use positive reinforcement to help the animal identify its correct responses. The clicker training horse program encourages the horse to take an active role in the learning process and provides a basis for the trainer and horse to have a positive partnership.

For many their first exposure to clicker training is at a dolphin show at the aquarium, a dog agility performance at the park or a trained animal in the circus or zoo. While this form of clicker training is fascinating and interesting, many don’t interact with their horses this same way.

Often trainers don’t require horses to work at a distance or to perform complicated maneuvers without being in contact with a human. In fact, most of the time horse handling is going to require the contact of a human. So why is there a clicker training horse program and why does it work well for horse?

Why Does It Work

The best thing about a clicker horse program is that it is extremely flexible. For most trainers you simply have to add the click and treat to your existing training methods. By adding these two things to your training method you will make the lesson clearer to your horse so that training becomes easier and the trainer can build behaviors in smaller steps.

However, when you want to go beyond the basics a clicker training horse program will also help you to train your horse in other methods that would otherwise be too difficult to do without the precision of the clicker and the treat motivation for the horse.

The clicker is ideal for training liberty work or any horse behavior that doesn’t require direct physical contact with the horse through either body or equipment. The clicker is an ideal way to build your horse’s confidence and change their attitude toward handling and riding. The clicker provides you with a clear way to communicate with your horse and a positive way of training horses that have emotional difficulties ranging from aggressive to scared.

When people think of clicker training they tend to think of the free shaping method first. This is where you wait for the animal to perform a specific behavior and then click while providing a treat. This marks the behavior for the horse and makes them more likely to repeat that behavior in the future.

The second type of clicker training horse method is known as molding. This is when you physical put the horse or a part of the horse into a position you want. For example, if you are teaching the horse to step on a mat then you could place the foot on the mat yourself. This is helpful for horses that are calm about training and don’t offer any form of behavior.

Lastly, there is the most common method of clicker training with horses. Clicker training allows you to use the same aids of horse training that require direct contact with the horse, but you don’t need to add pressure in order to get the desired response.

This is an excellent way to teach horses to become responsive without needing to increase pressure to the point that you or the horse are uncomfortable or cause a negative reaction from the horse. The clicker training horse method that you choose to use will depend on your unique and individual horse training methods as well as the temperament of your individual horse.

The process of a clicker training horse program uses operant
conditioning. The name of the training program comes from
the conditioned re-enforcer that is used (the click or other
marker signal) paired with a primary re-enforcer (food or
something the horse values).

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

When you go to find a horse to begin training you must first discover the horses temperament. If the horse has a gentle patient temperament then he or she is an excellent prospect to making a good saddle horse or trail horse. First, spend time with the horse watch how he reacts when you touch him in different areas. Also try to pick up his feet each one and see how the horse reacts if the horse lets you mess with him and he seems not to be concerned then this is a good prospect. However if the horse moves or is nervous acting look else where for another prospect.

Once you have your horse and are ready to begin training your horse you will need to start slowly. If the horse is a young baby, you should train him on how and what the halter is, picking up his feet, how to lead and you may begin introducing him to a light saddle pad or a bareback pad. Each thing should be, separately introduced to the horse as to not overwhelm him or confuse him. Beginning to train your horse is a long patient process. Your horse will not get it right the first time.

You may work on one or two things during the training sessions but finish one before you move on to the next one. An example: work on teaching the horse to allow you to pick up his feet and then introduce him to the saddle blanket. This is, done by letting the horse smell and see the blanket. Wave the blanket back and fourth around the horse and gently place the blanket over the horses back and let it rest on his back for a period, of time. This allows the horse to become accustom to the feel of the blanket on his or her back.

Then you can teach or work on training your horse to follow or lead. Keep your arm outstretched while teaching this part of the training as to allow enough room apart from you that the horse does not accidentally step on your feet. As this is extremely painful and can disrupt the training sessions.

Next, you will need to teach your horse how to lunge this can be, taught by the use of a pole, or a round pen. For this you will need a 30″ lunge line or longer and a halter. You can use the end of the lunge line to twirl around to get the horse started in the direction you wish him to go. On the other hand, you may use a regular training whip however if you are gentle breaking a horse this is not recommended. As a whip will cause the horse to fear you and the whip, the whip is only in the case of a last resort.

After the lunging and all the basic training is, learned then you can proceed to the horse’s saddle and saddle training. Place the saddle in the center of the round pen and allow the horse to smell and become use to the saddle in his presents. Then when he or she is comfortable with the saddle gently place the saddle upon the horses back. Do not attempt the cinch the saddle around the horse unless the horse stands calmly.

If the horse does remain calm then proceed with the cinching the saddle around the horse loosely each time you place the saddle upon the horse and cinch it make it tighter until the horse is comfortably wearing the saddle. Then leave the saddle on the horse for extended periods and allow him to wear it all or most of the day on cooler days this will allow him to feel how the saddle moves with him as he moves through the day.

Next, follow the same procedure with the bit and bridle training. Then the actual weight or someone in the saddle or the breaking process begins. Have a professional horseman, or horse trainer to actually step onto your horse for the first time. You will want to do this in a soft tilled arena and make sure the arena is free of obstacles. Once this process is finished you may begin riding your horse and introducing him to the reining and directions from you. You may also teach some of this process from the ground.

When you go to find a horse to begin training you must first
discover the horses temperament. If the horse has a gentle
patient temperament then he or she is an excellent prospect
to making a good saddle horse or trail horse.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

If you are going to train a horse today then you have many different methods to choose from. A horse owner or trainer can choose from a variety of horse training methods in order to find one that meets your individual and unique situation.

Do a search on the internet and you will likely become overwhelmed by the number of ways for training a horse, making it difficult to know which method you should use.

Often one method can contradict another and can often make a beginning horse trainer consider quitting. Once you understand various training methods you can make a proper decision on which method is right for you to use.

Various Training Methods

The various horse training methods today basically provide you with a set of standards in order to guide you through the process of training your horse. The various ways include a variety of modern systems like those designed by Marty Roberts or Stacy Westfall as well as traditional methods that have been passed on through generations of family horse trainers.

Often a horse training method will consist of multiple tips that follow a specific or limited view of equestrian sports.

You don’t necessarily have to choose a training that has a popular name, but you should choose a method that is consistent. Choosing a consistent horse training method is nearly as important as choosing the philosophy behind it.

A horse can’t understand a philosophy name, but they do understand a trainer with consistent expectations and commands.

What a Training Method Should Include

Any horse training method is going to have something controversial, such as the various training aids used in a training program. When it comes to choosing a training , you need to consider the activities you do with your horse every day.

Consider how often you do your training methods, what expectations you set, how you determine your goals, what equipment you use and the type of discipline you want to teach your horse.

You should consider all of these aspects before you can choose the proper horse training method and start a training program. If you don’t do this then you will end up second-guessing the method you chose and often will have to start redoing the training process. This won’t provide you with any benefits and will be very difficult for the horse.

Choosing the Best Method

Often a horse trainer will stand by a specific method of training but when it comes to choosing the best you need to find one that allows you to interact with your horse. This is why you want to keep in mind that the training you see on television or read about in magazines is simply designed for publicity and don’t actually have a lot of real experience with horses.

This means your decision should be influenced by a training type that is recommended and designed by another individual. One training method works with some horse trainers, but isn’t ideal for all trainers. This means you need to consider several different methods in order to find the one that works best for your individual needs and your horse.

When it comes to choosing a method, it is best to take a variety of tips from different trainers and put them together into your own unique program of training. Once you have the perfect training program designed that meets your individual needs you should write it down so you don’t forget it.

Eventually you may find yourself talking to others about your training ways, like other trainers today who have become popular. While you may be making a simple decision, you can achieve results as long as you maintain consistency with your horse training.

Often one horse training method can contradict another and
can often make a beginning horse trainer consider quitting.
Once you understand various horse training methods you can
make a proper decision on which horse training method is
right for you to use. If you are going to train a horse
today then you have many different methods to choose from. A
horse owner or trainer can choose from a variety of horse
training methods in order to find one that meets your
individual and unique situation.

Technorati Tags: horse training aids, horse training tips, training a horse, training for horse, training the horse

There are many trainers in the horse industry that promise they start, train or retrain horses in a specific period of time. While “quick fix” training can change your horse’s behaviour in the short term; it can end up doing a lot of psychological and physical damage to your horse in the long term.

Quick fix training uses force and punishment to get the desired result at the expense of the horse’s psychological and/or physical safety. The trainer focuses on the symptom rather than the cause of the behavior. So, the underlying reasons for the behavior are not addressed. The causes get buried until one day the horse explodes “without warning”, becomes aggressive, or just shuts down. When the behavior is punished without the cause being identified, the training creates more stress and anxiety to the horse. A stressed and anxious animal cannot learn as well, perform at his best, or trust and respect his trainer. The following 4 tips will help to create positive changes in your horse’s behavior, while building trust, respect and a calm, willing frame of mind.

1) Diagnose the cause of the undesired behaviour. Does the behaviour have a physical, psychological or training cause? Treating the symptom of the behaviour without identifying the cause is just simply unfair to the horse and can have long term repercussions. Many behavioural problems are caused by unidentified physical pain. Have a vet, massage therapist and/or chiropractor thoroughly check your horse’s back (muscles and spine), mouth, teeth and eyes for any problems. Do a thorough inspection of all your tack to ensure it is in good repair and fits your horse well. Saddles, girths & bits can become worn and imbalanced or develop sharp areas. Tack fit also changes – particularly saddles – as your horse’s body shape changes with age and exercise. Next take a close look at your own riding and how it affects the horse. Are you an educated rider or a green rider? Many years spent in the saddle does not necessarily mean you are educated about good riding and horsemanship. Do you ride with quiet, soft hands, a stable seat and legs? Are you balanced and supple? Are you in good physical shape? Do you hold a lot of tension in your body when you ride?

2) Decide if you need help from a professional trainer. Don’t let your ego get in the way of resolving training issues. It may benefit both you and your horse to work with a professional trainer. If you can’t afford to send your horse to a training facility, find a freelance trainer who can come to your farm and will work with you and your horse. Be realistic about your own skill level, training knowledge and the time you have available to commit to a training program.

3) Do research to find a reputable, professional trainer. Ask questions, ask for references and watch the trainer working with horses. Stay away from any trainer who discourages you from watching training sessions, doesn’t want to answer your questions or doesn’t want you involved in the training program. A good trainer will want to include you in the training so that you know what to do when you are working with your horse on your own. You are responsible for your horse’s care, training and well being whether he is in your care or someone else’s.

4) Ask how long the training will take. If the trainer gives you a specific time frame (e.g. 30 days), be wary. The real answer is … it depends. It depends on the age, temperament, intelligence & previous training of your horse. It depends on the training environment and the frequency and consistency of the training sessions. It depends on the cause of the behaviour, how long it has been going on and how deeply ingrained it is. Some positive effects of the training may be evident after the first session. But, don’t be surprised if you don’t see a positive change until after several sessions. Horses, like people, have different learning curves. The trainer will also have to earn a certain level of trust and respect from the horse. Until these have been gained, no real training can happen. When you are re-training a horse to eliminate an undesirable behaviour, it will take longer than training a brand new behavior.

The biggest mistake people make in trying to eliminate undesirable behaviours in their horses and get the riding partnership they want is looking for quick fix training methods that address the symptom without diagnosing the underlying cause.

That’s simply unfair to your horse and, in the end, not best for either you or your horse.

The best way to reach your riding goals is to have a long term plan, consistent training and empathy and understanding for the horse. Be prepared to take as much time as it takes; to continue with the training program “until” – until you get the desired result. Good training takes as long as it takes. With patience and the right kind of training, you can build a solid foundation built on trust and respect that will benefit both you and your horse, and that will last a lifetime.

If your horse has developed a “bad behaviour”, how long
should it take to correct? What type of training is best?
This article gives 4 tips about how to create positive
changes in your horse’s behaviour while building trust and
respect.

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