Training

 

 

Now that you have your horse and yourself ready, have you developed that trusting relationship with your horse?  So we have talked about working on the ground to test equipment, but working on the ground also helps develop that relationship with your horse.  Groundwork is essential to establishing boundaries and requiring your horse to respect your space.  When you are training your horse to lead, we think of the space around us as our bubble and the space around the horse as his bubble.  We teach the horse to respect our bubble and stay in his space.  When you are leading a horse, you initially want to start with your arm outstretched to teach the respect of space.  If the horse is in your bubble, they might step on you or push you around.  While working with the horse on the ground, you want to teach him to follow you and comply with your requests.  A halter and a lead rope are used when leading the horse.  You should never turn the horse into you but you should always turn the horse away from your body.  This may seem uncomfortable or awkward at first, but you don’t want to teach a horse that it is okay to walk into people.  Once you have a good relationship on the ground, you can start riding the horse.  When mounting the horse, you should do so from the left side of the horse.  When you first get on the horse, check the tightness of the saddle to make sure it will not slip while you are sitting on the horse.  You should always do things that you are comfortable doing.  If this is your first time riding, sitting on the horse may be the only thing you do the first day.  Then maybe the next day you walk a few steps.  If you are inexperienced, you should ride the horse in a round pen or arena to get familiar with the horse.  This will prevent the horse from running away from you.  Start slow and build up to your comfort zone one step at a time.  Take your time and follow the cues the horse is giving you as well.  You may be ready to trot, but the horse might only be ready to walk.  Do not push either of you too fast.  Take your time and continue working on that trusting relationship.  Remember, we all crawled before we walked and walked before we ran! 

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