Avoiding and Correcting Bad Behavior in the Horse .. Naturally and Effectively

The spirit, strength, and might of horses are what attract so many; these traits are admirable and awesome to behold. Sometimes, however, these same traits make the horses we love not so likeable - and not so safe when being handled on the ground. Why do these traits come out, and how should they be handled when they do?

By nature, horses are prey animals. This means they're usually looking out for their own safety, looking for predators, and ready to flee without notice; however, within their own herd (to which we - by proxy - belong) horses are less shy. Horse herds have a social order and most horses occasionally will test to see if they have possibly moved up the ranks.

Do not make the mistake of taking these times of boundary testing personally. Horses will try and test you and these boundaries to see if they can rise in the proverbial pecking order. Sometimes horses innocently forget that the human is supposed to be the top of the list. When any of these situations occur, they usually show up as a lack of respect - either passive, or active.

Horses show lack of respect through various actions.

Some signs of lack of respect are as follows:

Strolling ahead while at the same time being lead. 

Swarming with the shoulder, head, or neck. 

Turning the back end to the proprietor in the slow down or pen. 

Nipping, gnawing, striking, kicking, or undermining any of these activities. 

Sticking the ears back towards the human. 

Pulling on the rope - either in reverse or advances. 

Hurling their head. 

Venturing on your feet. 

Rubbing their head against you or pushing with their head or body. 

A portion of these activities are moderately safe. Others can be very unsafe and ought to be helped quickly. In all cases, these activities are side effects of a demeanor that can go from terrible to more regrettable if the pony isn't demonstrated quickly that while at the same time we regard them, we likewise request regard. Notwithstanding making a point to learn *why* these activities are happening, horse handlers can request regard through non-verbal communication and consistency to shape their steed's conduct into something sheltered and pleasant. 

Requesting regard never again implies harassing, beating, or overpowering the steed. Let be honest - these delightful animals incomprehensibly exceed us; trusting that we can muscle them around isn't right and unsafe! 

A pony that is ripped around does not regard their proprietor; they fear them. At the point when the dread is exceeded by another dread, the pony will leave the proprietor without a friend in the world for their own security. Rather, horse proprietors should endeavor to fabricate an association and position of authority for the pony so when circumstances become difficult they seek the handler for the basic leadership. 

By their extremely nature, steeds are searching for pioneers; they work best in a general public where there is an unmistakable pioneer who gives reliable and clear flags and a desire for regard. In the group, this part is filled by the alpha-female horse or another alpha-horse who gives motions by angling and bringing down her neck, sticking her ears, gritting her teeth, notwithstanding taking snaps and incidental kicks and no more rude of her crowd. 

In the steady, steeds need to consider us to be the alpha steed. Note: at no time was it said that alpha-female horses always kick, nibble, and badger their crowd individuals. They don't act that way, nor should we. Rather, as alpha steeds, handlers should utilize a predictable non-verbal communication that never waivers to demonstrate kind yet genuine administration. 

You can demonstrate your situation as the alpha-horse through non-verbal communication which is effortlessly comprehended and promptly deciphered by the steed. In a field, if there is a dish of feed, every one of the ponies will float towards it; nonetheless, on the off chance that you observe deliberately, you will see that for the most part no less than one steed will get nearest to that container and eat. Every single other pony remain by, attentively holding up. 

The one pony, the alpha steed, advises the others that they need to hold up by sticking her ears, making surges at alternate ponies, straining her body as though to kick, and giving "the stink eye" to alternate ponies. 

Being the alpha-female horse comprises of simple body movements. 

Some ways you can demonstrate your steed that you are the alpha-female horse of the relationship, meriting regard, are as per the following: 

Twisting around at the midriff and straining the abdominal area. 

Putting an arm up before your body and strolling towards the pony. 

Tossing the arms out while at the same time bowing advances, showing a lot of body vitality towards the pony. 

Washing the finish of a long lead rope (ideally with a popper) towards the steed - either in front or behind as a tail would move. 

Standing straight up, taking a gander at the territory of the steed that we need to move, with no unwinding in our bodies. 

Strolling with a lot of vitality toward the steed, or notwithstanding lurching towards them. 

Demonstrating the pony plainly in which course we wish them to move - either with non-verbal communication, or a mix of non-verbal communication and utilizing our driving arm to point/guide them the correct way. 

These activities demonstrate aim as well as serve to help move the pony as required if this vitality is coordinated to a specific segment of the body (examined beneath). 

Then again, when we need to demonstrate the pony that we are casual and have no issues with their conduct, we let the weight off with the accompanying body movements: 

Remaining with our backs turned towards the steed, loose. 

Remaining with one leg casual and bowed, as they would complete a back leg while resting. 

Letting out all breath in a murmur and drooping the shoulders. 

Taking our eyes off of the steed and rather onto something out there. 

Giving our arms a chance to rest by our sides or behind our bodies. 

Leaving. 

These activities not just demonstrate the steed that the weight is off, however can enable stop to movement that was caused by weight making developments. 

Know when to put the weight on - and when to evacuate it. 

Knowing when to put on the weight (and where), and when to discharge it is enter in encouraging your pony to be conscious and appreciate it. In the crowd, an alpha steed will put the weight on to move the steed's feet (and in this way the body) starting with one spot then onto the next - by and large far from them. As people, we coordinate our vitality towards specific indicates on the body do likewise. 

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To advance the body or the rump far from us, we coordinate whatever vitality (eyes, development, or rope) to the rump. Consider there being a spot specifically in the focal point of the side of the steed's backside as an objective for your vitality. 

To move the steed far from us along the side, to the side, or advances, coordinate vitality towards the plain focus of the pony. 

To move the forequarters from you and conceivably propel the pony, coordinate vitality towards the shoulder. 

To move the pony in reverse or far from you without moving advances, or turn the steed around, coordinate your vitality (however never the rope) towards the focal point of the jaw. 

Discharging weight at the correct minute has a significant effect. 

At the point when the pony makes even the smallest movement to consent to your demand, change promptly to "discharge" mode: unwind your body, dismiss, or whatever movement is suitable. Make sure to do this quickly as time is essential. 

Hazardous activities; know how to perceive the indefensible activities. 

Hazardous activities include: 

Gnawing 

Hitting with the front legs 

Pawing with the front legs 

Raising 

Nipping 

Undermining to kick 

Kicking 

Kicking "at" you. 

Apply the "Three Second Rule" to remedy indefensible activities. 

At the point when a steed plays out any of the risky and unpardonable activities, quickly and reliably utilize John Lyon's "Three Second Rule": amid the 3-seconds following the perilous activity, you utilize your vitality and rope to "kill" the steed (or influence him to think you will do as such).

Using the Three Second Rule does not give us license to physically damage the horse, but it does mean that you can and should your popper on your rope to hit the horse (as a horse would kick him back if he dared to make a dangerous move towards them), and definitely to make the horse MOVE and move a lot.

Important: never, EVER use a rope at or around the horse's face. Not only will you create a head-shy horse, but you risk blinding them. This is the human's unforgivable action - so never do it, please.

Remember: a horse whose feet are moving is less likely to be able to do any of the dangerous actions. A horse has to stop to rear, has to stop to kick you, has to stop to nip, and gets further from you when moving making them less likely to hit you with a bucking kick towards you.

If you have a horse acting dangerously and you can see a dangerous action is about to occur, make the horse move in a way that will not allow them to act dangerously. If the horse is going to rear, make them move forward by putting pressure on their hindquarters. If the horse is going to bite, make them back away from you or do anything to redirect their attention and energy.

It is always BEST to redirect the action before it occurs rather than correcting it once it has, if possible.

Horses are lazy by nature; use that laziness to end their bad habits.

Horses are lazy by nature; if a horse finds they have to move when they do things that are dangerous, and move every single time, they'll be a lot less inclined to bother.

Use every ounce of your angry-alpha-horse motion towards a horse when they dare to act dangerously towards you. If you were truly a horse, this is exactly how you would handle the situation. This is the type of "language" that horses understand immediately without having to have it translated for them!

Using your Alpha-Language for less serious situations is very effective.

Because horses understand the alpha-horse language by instinct, you can use it to your advantage for less-serious issues such as pushing, crowding, pulling, etc.

Humans have a bubble of personal space that we would prefer not be invaded by our 1000+ plus equine friends. A good rule of thumb is the length of your own arm equals your reasonable personal space. This distance around you is your personal space and should be respected by your horse. The horse should walk beside your shoulder or a little behind at all times at approximately an arm's length from you.

Horses also have a personal space which we would do well to respect. This means that you should not lead the horse by gripping directly beneath their chin, but give *them* space as well with the lead rope and your body. Horses can be claustrophobic. Crowding their space makes them more antsy and uncomfortable.

If you lead a horse that likes to crowd you, use the tail of your rope in your left hand and swish it behind you to lightly pop the horse on its side. This will cause the horse to move away from you. Don't worry about turning around to look at the horse; this stops forwards motion, and besides - as alpha horse you don't have to. Just swish.

If you were a horse, you would swish your tail in annoyance and it would pop the horse too close to your rear. Since we're born without tails, use the rope. If you have ever been swished by a horse tail, you know it has a light and startling sting without being painful or long-lasting or aggressive. Mimic that with your rope. The moment the horse is outside of your space, immediately resume what you were doing as if nothing happened. This releases the pressure and rewards them.

If you have a horse that is to forward, this is the time to turn around and direct your energy towards the front of the horse to get them to back away from you and respect your space. Most times this simply means using your body language, wiggling the rope, or swishing your rope-tail towards their front. As soon as the horse is out of your space, release all tension and resume what you were doing by turning away from them and carrying on.

Let your horse make mistakes; correct them after, not before, they happen.

As humans, we learn (or at least we should learn) from our mistakes. If we are not allowed to make mistakes, we won't learn or grow much. Horses are the same. Many people make the mistake of trying to overcorrect a horse by keeping an action from happening.

As an example, if a person has a horse that walks up on them and won't stop, too often the person will grip the lead rope directly beneath the chin and keep tension on the halter and rope to prevent the action. As a result, the horse feels pressured and often will resort to tossing their head, yanking the halter trying to get slack on the lead rope, or other annoying actions. This usually leads to more gripping, and the cycle worsens.

If instead we allow the horse to do what they will usually do and then kindly, confidently, and swiftly correct the action the horse will have an opportunity to learn how to behave correctly in the first place. Just as with children, sometimes you have to let the horses make their mistakes so that they learn the consequences and how to avoid those actions.

Another key to allowing a horse to learn how to behave correctly is by making the right actions easy and the wrong actions troublesome. For example, a horse that walks correctly on the lead rope without crowding will not feel the gripping hand under their chin, will not feel the sting of the swish of a rope-tail, and generally be left alone. A horse that does crowd should always find that they feel that swish and are often made to do more, such as walking away from the owner.

Given an option, horses will choose the proverbial path of least resistance. In other words, they will choose whatever option means the least work and least pressure for them. Walking nicely on a lead leads to no pressure and less work. Crowding leads to more pressure and more work. Biting leads to lots of pressure, possibly pain, and movement. Not biting leads to no pressure, no pain, no work - a simple and obvious choice to a horse!

Horses long for consistency; as prey animals, they like things to be safe, consistent, and predictable. This means that once you set up a behavior rule, you must always reinforce that rule. Slacking on reinforcing rules means your horse will not respect you as a leader. In their minds, they will think "well the last time I nipped him just a little, I didn't get punished - so this time I'm going to try it a little harder." Be fair to your horses and keep things constant with them; they will flourish in this environment and have confidence in your leadership.

Alpha-mares aren't always bossy and cranky; most of the time they are sought after by the other horses because they offer safety. After all - horses know what to expect from an alpha mare. Most of the time, the alpha mare has the respect she needs to be able to relax. You should, too. Be sure to give your horses rubs on the forehead or shoulder to show them that you are a kind leader, their friend if still their leader. They will appreciate you all the more for it.

That being said, remember that when they cross the imaginary line from friend to pushing things a bit, to kindly remind them exactly where the line is drawn. They'll love you for your consistency and look to you, instead of away from you, in times of perceived danger.

With just a little understanding of the nature of the horse, reinforcement of easily understood rules, and easy body motions, any horse can be a well-behaved, enjoyable, and happy partner. Rather than breaking their tremendous spirit, we can shape that energy and spirit into a safe and long-lasting relationship to be treasured.

With just a little understanding of the nature of the horse, reinforcement of easily understood rules, and easy body motions, any horse can be a well-behaved, enjoyable, and happy partner. Rather than breaking their tremendous spirit, we can shape that energy and spirit into a safe and long-lasting relationship to be treasured