Tap to Read ➤

Horse Training Tips

Kashmira Lad
Determination and a persistent attitude are the keywords for training a horse. Read on to know about some basics of horse training.
Training any animal requires a whole lot of effort and patience. When it comes to horses, the issue does not become any different. They are beautiful and energetic creatures that have a short span of memory. This would mean that the process would require special training methods for your efforts to translate into results.
There are certain issues that you would have to consider, apart from the fact that horses have short-term memory, and no matter how many times you lose your temper, this is definitely not going to help you.

Tips for Training Horses

Animals, as per their natural instinct, would be scared when approached by humans. Horses would also tend to feel a little intimidated, unless you have really spent a long time with them. The first and foremost thing to do is to make the animal comfortable in your presence. This would obviously be a gradual process.
You would need to treat the horse like a child. It needs to be told which actions are to be performed for a particular instruction. There are two things you would need to consider, either the horse agrees to do it or blatantly refuses the same!
There are certain ways to go about this process. You need to make the horse get used to your commands at a steady pace everyday. A change in routine can be possible when the horse acclimatizes itself to the entire training session.
Teach him about longeing, also known as ground training. This should be done once your horse is old enough to begin training. This kind of training is done with a long rope. The line is attached to the horse, and it can run in a large circle around.
Young horses need to be taught lead training as well. Here's a simple method. Hold the rope and walk the horse around. Take some moments in between where you would need to wait and give the command of 'stand'. Repeat the procedure a few times. This would help the horse understand this command. This tip can be used for a young foal as well.
Neck rein training is also very important. Here, you would need to teach the horse what is expected from it, and how it should respond every time any function is required from it. Never use too much pressure with your hands.
When you sit on the saddle, bring your legs together in a tight squeeze. Use the reins to communicate the direction. Let your horse take a few steps. Then make it stand. Reverse the direction.
You would need to keep doing this exercise, so that your horse understands fully what you are expecting from every action employed by you.
Your horse should also learn to walk besides you when it is on a lead. Here, with the help of a lead, you can train it to stop and walk as per the signals given by the rider. Always ensure that you warm up the horse before every training session.
When you use the reins, remember to do so with care. The direct rein is the one with which you can pull its mouth, and the indirect rein is the one which is used to press the neck. Always remember to use this with care. Pressure can be increased if you do not get the desired results.
Timing is very important. When the horse has completed its task, reward it. When it does not act the way it is supposed to for a particular signal, you would need to correct it immediately. Having correct timing will also help you get better results.
Remember one thing - you would need to keep practicing the exercises and help your horse understand what is expected. Keep repeating the procedures and remember to enjoy the training process - this is the best way to get better results for any task.