Practicing Good Horsemanship - Understanding How a Pushy Horse is Made (And How to Avoid Making One)
The situation starts out innocently enough.
While you are standing next to your horse, he steps in a bit closer to you than you find comfortable.
Automatically, you take a step back.
What pivotal event just occurred? Who's Directing? By moving into your personal space, the horse put pressure on you.
Had you responded with enough pressure in return to cause him to move back instead, your position of being the one doing the directing would have been maintained.
Unfortunately, by stepping back, you have told the horse that it's okay for him to crowd you.
From here, things usually go downhill...
fast.
Rather than you being able to use pressure to direct your horse's movements, he's now the one putting pressure on and directing you! A Perilous Cycle Once your horse is comfortable with doing the directing, he's not about to easily give up what works.
Consequently, when you try to apply pressure to direct him, he often responds by simply putting more pressure on you.
To keep yourself safe and avoid being stepped on, you retreat.
And a bad cycle of behavior is set into motion.
You see, in the process of getting out of the horse's way, you released the pressure you were attempting to put on him.
He shut your efforts down.
Since a release provides comfort and encourages whatever behavior was taking place the moment the release occurred, you have just reinforced his crowding.
In short order, he is walking on you and running you over.
Consequently, a strategy that gained comfort for the horse ends up creating a situation that's uncomfortable, and very dangerous, for you.
Whose to Blame? Don't blame the horse! Like you or any other creature, he simply seeks comfort.
Since you unwittingly showed him one way to obtain that comfort, the fault is not his.
Regrettably, there's now little hope of your being able to safely direct him until his strategy for obtaining comfort is changed.
Charting a New Course The horse must first be convinced that his familiar strategy for gaining comfort no longer works.
In addition, he must also learn how to move his feet--and to do so in response to your directions.
Finally, the horse's behavior must be shaped to conform to a new standard: He now obtains comfort by moving his feet and getting out of your way--not by you moving your feet and getting out of his.
Since convincing the horse to adopt this new standard can be tough on both you and your horse, prevention is a far more productive approach.
Therefore, discipline yourself to be aware.
Whenever you are around your horse, pay attention to who is applying the pressure, and who is moving his or her feet.
As needed, adjust your response so that you remain the one doing the directing.
While you are standing next to your horse, he steps in a bit closer to you than you find comfortable.
Automatically, you take a step back.
What pivotal event just occurred? Who's Directing? By moving into your personal space, the horse put pressure on you.
Had you responded with enough pressure in return to cause him to move back instead, your position of being the one doing the directing would have been maintained.
Unfortunately, by stepping back, you have told the horse that it's okay for him to crowd you.
From here, things usually go downhill...
fast.
Rather than you being able to use pressure to direct your horse's movements, he's now the one putting pressure on and directing you! A Perilous Cycle Once your horse is comfortable with doing the directing, he's not about to easily give up what works.
Consequently, when you try to apply pressure to direct him, he often responds by simply putting more pressure on you.
To keep yourself safe and avoid being stepped on, you retreat.
And a bad cycle of behavior is set into motion.
You see, in the process of getting out of the horse's way, you released the pressure you were attempting to put on him.
He shut your efforts down.
Since a release provides comfort and encourages whatever behavior was taking place the moment the release occurred, you have just reinforced his crowding.
In short order, he is walking on you and running you over.
Consequently, a strategy that gained comfort for the horse ends up creating a situation that's uncomfortable, and very dangerous, for you.
Whose to Blame? Don't blame the horse! Like you or any other creature, he simply seeks comfort.
Since you unwittingly showed him one way to obtain that comfort, the fault is not his.
Regrettably, there's now little hope of your being able to safely direct him until his strategy for obtaining comfort is changed.
Charting a New Course The horse must first be convinced that his familiar strategy for gaining comfort no longer works.
In addition, he must also learn how to move his feet--and to do so in response to your directions.
Finally, the horse's behavior must be shaped to conform to a new standard: He now obtains comfort by moving his feet and getting out of your way--not by you moving your feet and getting out of his.
Since convincing the horse to adopt this new standard can be tough on both you and your horse, prevention is a far more productive approach.
Therefore, discipline yourself to be aware.
Whenever you are around your horse, pay attention to who is applying the pressure, and who is moving his or her feet.
As needed, adjust your response so that you remain the one doing the directing.
