Problem Horses or Problem Handlers

To continue from My February post - I bought Kelly Marks book "Teach Your Horse Perfect Manners" which is an excellent book, and proceeded to attempt to implement the training programme and methods.

The problem with trying to learn from a book, is that you have no instructor to tell you when to stop or back off. I started with the technique she recommends for young horses, or horses that don't respect your space. Briefly, of course there is a lot more to it than this short description, by pressure and release you teach them to come towards you, and to back away from you on the lead. I started with Warrior, and managed to get two steps back, when he reared up and charged at me! I dived under the fence in disarray. Back to the book to try and work out what I had done wrong.

The most important part of the technique is RELEASE. I realised that I had simply continued with pressure, without the release. I had pushed back, and he had yielded - when you get a response, however slight you must respond with a release. What I was doing in horse language was yelling at my horse, who was already stressed and angry. Think of the kind of response you get from a disturbed, angry teenager when you shout at them. Now I had been working, successfully, with horses for years - but I hadn't properly grasped this most basic lesson.