"Performance Through Partnership" Horse Training

My personal approach to horse training, which I call "Performance Through Partnership," is more about being a good observer and listener than anything else. Watch your horse. Listen to him. Is he holding his breath, grinding his teeth, or swishing his tail? Is he shaking his head, or unable to stand still? He or she is constantly sending you new information about how he is perceiving and interacting with you and his environment. Those behaviors we label "annoying" or "bad" are more often than not expressions of your horse's state of mind.

Today as I led my profoundly uneducated two-year-old filly through a pasture she had never been in before, I could hear her breathing change as we walked across the berm that separates the pond from the tree line. She switched to my other side and began to walk faster. She was nervous about being between a body of water and the dark and tangled woods. My job is to be her leader and step in when she needs help dealing with stress. So, I took a moment to soften her body and her mind followed. She let out a sigh of relief, lowered her head, fell into position as follower, and confidently matched my pace as we continued on.

Let your horse tell you what he needs. That is the mark of a true horseman. Respond to your horse and he will respond to you.