How many of us horse people come across a stingy, know-it-all, horse prodigy? How many of those people actually understand the horse?
People need to first off understand that when you love something, you don't have to prove it. It's not angry. It's not a competition. So why do horse people feel the need to compete their knowledge and skills as if every single one of them is a professional horse trainer? Lets analyze this. How much knowledge do these people actually have of the horse itself? We know horses react on your emotions and also off of pressure. But here's something that I wanted to share that goes deeper than the first steps of training your horse based off those 2 basic understandings.
Horses are EXACTLY like children! They love to play, learn, and socialize as well as challenge you and see if you caught that little 'test' (i.e. picking at the grass when they are on a trail or simply throwing a head when putting on a halter... you know those pesky little moments) But my point is, they are simply kids. They need a leader, not a demanding, screaming, know it all BOSS, who's intention is to BREAK the horse instead of teach the horse. Breaking a horse and teaching a horse are 2 different concepts. Breaking a horse literally gets the horse to thoroughly submit its soul to humans. Teaching a horse creates trust and builds a relationship equivalent to that of a mother and baby. A mother to it's child is a teacher, disciplinary figure, comforter, and friend. That's the relationship that a horse needs. Along the way you end up seeing that the horse will reflect you. If you don't trust the horse will react calmly to a situation, then the horse won't trust you for not trusting it and will inevitably act on that. OK- so we now know how a horse thinks. But how can we train a horse based off this??
I will say, it's so much easier said than done but so much easier when it is taken in steps rather than attempting a 30 day walk through. Horses are not on a time schedule when it comes to comfort so being extremely patient, calm, soft spoken, really gets what you want in shorter time. Natural horsemen Buck Brannaman and Pat Parelli play a major roll in my life regarding horses. They have taught me the same thing over and over again, that horses require time. My horse is a right brain introvert meaning she thinks with the right side of her brain and is introverted. I have to work with her in very slow movements, soft voice, calm reactions to her reactions, and I have to put my trust in the fact that taking the time it takes, takes less time. I can correct her behavior all I want but if she's not ready, it'll take longer to get what I want accomplished if I push her or force her. Bits are not the devil to me but here's a logical thought: why would I put a bit in her mouth and push all those sensitive pressure points right off the bat, before giving her a warning? So I'm going to motion her to turn right by hurting her first instead of asking her? I believe in halters, rope halters are the best. Starting with finger gestures motioning to the right will be the key in her learning process. If she doesn't go right, wiggle the finger, nothing after that, wiggle the rope, nothing after that wiggle the rope harder until she moves. Because the halter serves as it's own disciplinary is a less harsh way than a bit by using pressure points. So if I start with small warning signs and she doesn't head my warning, the gradually greater rope wiggles will trigger a pressure point until she moves. This method simplified is DISCIPLINE APPROPRIATELY. Yes, horses work off pressure but they work off warning signs before the explosion! Small, easy signs get the point across and eventually when your horse picks up on that, you'll no longer need the bit. Just a wiggle of your finger, no matter how small. It takes time to get there depending on how your horse thinks. Which you can study on Pat Parelli's Horsenality chart. 
So, with this in mind- why do those professional dressage horse owners, show owners, even barrel racers, act so snobby about their horses? Money and owning something with a greater power. The people who act out of anger rather than spreading the joy and love this animal brings, are the people who don't know what patience, kindness, tenderness, or a real understanding looks like and are more likely to treat their horse the same way they treat others. Demanding, pushy, forceful. I believe it is EVERY horse owner's responsibility to do research on 1) horses and their way of life in a herd and 2) on their own horses personality in order to treat it the way it needs.
Because even twins are different and have different needs emotionally, so do horses.
Spread the joy and love your horse brings into this world while building the knowledge everyday.
THE WAY YOU TREAT YOUR HORSE IS HOW YOU TREAT OTHERS & THE WAY YOU TREAT OTHERS IS THE TYPE OF HORSE YOU WILL ACCOMMODATE. Meet the author
