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Attitude is really important when dealing with horses. How many times have you arrived at the
yard in a bad mood, in a hurry, stressed from work etc only to find that your horse chooses THAT day to play up, be naughty
or awkward……. is the penny dropping yet?
There are two distinct extremes
when it comes to a persons attitude to getting a horse to do something: the stick attitude – used by people who beat and intimidate a horse to make him do something
the carrot attitude – used by people to try to persuade the horse with tip-bits and pleads to be good
– how many times have you heard people say “good boy, good boy” as they’re being dragged out to the
field on the end of the rope – the horse is definitely NOT being a good boy and has no respect for the owner.
The owner on the other hand is hoping that the horse will be a good boy at some point!
My
attitude is to be consistent, firm but gentle - to do things for the horse and with the horse not to the horse. I
am in no way saying that your horse should act as a zombie or not show his personality – but he should be safe
to handle, work with and ride – this of course only comes from a mutual understanding and respect between you and your
horse. You may not think that your horse
is a “problem horse” but that he can be “cheeky” or “at it” from time to time.
Remember though that consistency is key here and that if he gets away with something trivial it could open the gates
to bigger problems in the future. A well mannered
horse is a pleasure to own and work with. Working with an ill mannered horse becomes a chore and can be dangerous.
Good basic managers are essential. You should be able to: work around him in the stable safely while he stands still and does not attempt to bite or kick you lead your horse without him pulling away or walking all over you enter
his stable without having to push him out of the way or stop him barging out over the top of you
- tie him up without him pulling back
or beaking free
touch him all over his body - there should be
no "no-go" areas. This is especially important if you have to administer drugs or treat wounds
etc load him calmly and quickly – if your horse has problems in
this area DON’T wait until an emergency arises and you NEED to load him tack up, fit bandages, rugs etc without
any problems clip him
without sedation or stress pick up
his feet easily and allow a farrier to work with him without any problems
ride him on a hack on roads or bridleways
etc and be able to deal with any hazards you meet
safely and calmly.
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