Horse Learning- Patience with the Horse by Alternative Horsemanship

Patience with the Horse

I've had many comments over the years about how I seem to never lose patience with the horse during moments that for most people would trigger a rollercoaster of emotions... such as in the scenarios of when a horse resists:

Being caught
Trailer Loading
Bolts when Led
Won't stand still for the rider to mount

None of the above are the horse's actual issues. Instead, they are symptomatic responses reflecting the many missed "building blocks" that go into the equine's education that creates a solid foundation.

So when I see these and numerous other unwanted behaviors, I translate the responses from the horse as his way of showing his fear, defensiveness, and anticipation, or the "holes" in his education.

If my priority is to address his concerns, build his trust, and encourage his try when asked to participate in a completely unnatural scenario, then "it"- the communication- has nothing to do with my feelings or emotions.

The more neutral I can be in accepting and believing the animal's honest communication without inserting judgment of it, the more specific and supportive I can be in helping him work through it.

The irony is when people remove the "I want," and address the horse in a way that has meaning to him, the equine will offer far more than the human could have ever imagined.