Clinic this weekend - Visit our clinic page

There are still a couple of spots left in our Confidence Clinic this weekend. Aug. 27 & 28. Anke Johnson will be joining us again. She was with us at our Annual Memorial Weekend Clinic and it was one of the best clinics to date.


Visit our website or call 507-525-6473 to register.

Stepping Out of the Box

When training horses it is often also about training the horse owner. One of the hardest things for many horse owners to comprehend or understand is that the horse wants and needs you to be in the leadership position. It can be difficult for people to “step out of the box” of their own behaviors and ideas without the aid of someone with more experience. To often I have heard people make what are essentially excuses for their horses behavior instead of realizing it is not the horse that has the issues but our lack of knowledge in how to deal with and correct the issues.

Again, it is the adage, “You don’t know what it is you don’t know.” Not knowing is what often leads to horses that end up being out of control and unmanageable. I realize it is a mind-set and, as I said above, many times individuals that are new and have not had horses before are not even aware of what is acceptable behavior and why certain behaviors should not be allowed. This is why the responsibility of owning a horse also includes learning the how’s and why’s of both the care of the horse and the training. We have to realize we are always training anytime we are around our horses!

As an example, if your horse is bumping into you and running you over when you are leading him, and you are not correcting him, you are abdicating your role of leadership to the horse. Allowing this behavior will not give you the relationship you may desire with the horse. When this type of behavior is allowed to continue it will eventually lead to a disaster, and I have to say this, in most cases it will be the horse owners fault, not the horses fault. I have probably said that in almost every article I have ever produced..... so have a hundred other horse trainers that are worth their salt.
 

Learning what it is you don’t know is an important and imperative step for every horse owner, new or old, and a never ending process. But the rewards are tremendous because it takes you down the road that leads to developing the respect you deserve from your horse and having the relationship you desire with your horse. When you start correcting behavior issues after the fact, you are going to meet with much more resistance from your horse than what you would have experienced if you had been correcting these behaviors from the start.
 

Most issues are actually simple to resolve. But the longer they go on the more difficult it becomes to fix things. Even those little things, like your horse bumping into you, which is the horse showing that he has a lack of respect for you and your space, will turn into bigger issues.
 

When these behaviors are allowed the horse will push for more just like a kid pushes their parents. A horse needs and desires boundaries just as a child needs and desires boundaries. We all need direction and correction in our lives, so does the horse. He is not just a big lap dog.
 

Natural Horsemanship is not about letting your horse run over you. You also do not have to hurt the horse to accomplish gaining the horses respect and teaching it boundaries. You can be your horses best buddy, but there has to be ground rules established and you have to be in control. I have said this next line a million times also - “If you are not in control, then you or someone else is going to get hurt!” I can guarantee that.
 

When I am working with a horse on the ground I want to gain that horses respect and have him listening and responding to what I am telling him to do, not responding to whatever fear stimulus might be going on. I don’t want him bumping into me just because I am moving him through an obstacle that he thinks is going to eat him. He has to learn that he has to stay out of my space.

When I am riding him I want him to know that the obstacle he fears is okay because I say it’s okay. I want him to trust me more than he fears the foreign stimuli. I am not the only trainer out there that is saying this and my ways of training are not the only ways to train, but every good trainer is working hard to educate and teach their students how important getting the horse’s respect is because this is a very big issue in the industry today.
 

As a less experienced horse owner, the only difference between you and myself is the amount of time it may take to get hurt. This is one of the reasons I continually talk about the respect issue, because it is so important when it comes to your safety.
 

I don’t have issues with loving your horse. I do have issues with letting it get away with anything and everything because these animals truly are not lap dogs. Their natural instincts are not as predators but as prey, and those instincts are what will get you hurt if you have not learned to properly correct and expect the right behaviors from your horse.
 

Below is a short list of behaviors that I see and deal with on a regular basis.
• Allowing the horse to walk over you - Your horse should not come within 2 feet of you unless you invite him in.
• Allowing him to rush through a gate and practically trample you - Your horse should always be aware of you and respect your space. He should follow you through the gate and not come into your circle of space at any time.
• Allowing your horse to rub his head on you when he is hot or annoyed - this is a nono.
• Allowing your horse to not pay attention to you when you are leading him - I want him focused on me.
• Allowing your horse to continue walking when you say ”whoa” - When you say stop, you want him to stop and wait for instructions.
 

Everything on this list is a learned behavior and whether you are by your horse in the stall, leading him, or riding him, he is learning something. Is he learning what it is that will keep you and him safe or is he learning that you are not the leader?

Have a fun and safe fall riding season!
Bridle Up with Dennis Auslam

About Dennis Auslam.
Dennis has been a trainer for over 30 years, working with many different breeds and disciplines. He grew up with horses and has worked with some of the best trainers in the industry. His passion is horses and people and he loves helping people learn how to work with their horses, progress in their riding and make that connection with their horse.
You will find Dennis at various horse related events in 2011. He also does numerous clinics and demos, both at his stable, Redwood Stables in Morton, MN and at other venues, concentrating on Confidence Building for the horse and the rider.
For information regarding his clinics and demonstrations please visit his web site at www.redwoodstables.com. Interested in hosting a clinic? Call 507-525-6691 or email us at redwoodstables@mvtvwireless.com