Dealing with So-Called Problem Horses

Articles in this Topic Discussions in this Topic

Apr 8, 2004

Most people who have horses have probably at one time or another felt that they had one who is so difficult, so wild, so bad-mannered, that they wonder if they should bother with the horse. I think most of us can relate to that. But are there really horses that are problems in and of themselves? You've probably also heard that "there are no problem horses, only problem riders." Which is correct?

I won't say what is correct for everybody, but personally I subscribe more readily to the second idea. Most horses, just like people, who have issues and are difficult to handle and/or get along with, are that way because of their environment. Whether or not it was intentional, I do think that usually when a horse is difficult it's because of his human contact up until that point.

In fact, often it is unintentional that we can negatively affect a horse and his behavior. Let's focus on that, because intentionally influencing a horse in a negative manner is obviously wrong, and the obvious solution is to stop. But a specific example of the unintentional that immediately comes to my mind is when people spoil their horses; by that, I mean that when a horse does something wrong, and he knows it's wrong, his trainer does nothing (or even rewards him). Unfortunately this can be a difficult cycle to break out of; but with a little effort, you'll find that it's not as hard as you originally thought it might be.

Sometimes riders will unwittingly reward their horse for wrong behavior. We might do it by babying him or petting him just after he's done something he knows is wrong. Or, for example, if you've just ridden your horse and are turning him out after unsaddling, he does something wrong, and then you just go ahead and let him go out to pasture, that's a definite reward. Once we do things like this, the horse immediately thinks that it's OK to do that, and if he can get away with that, maybe he can get away with more...and then it can go on and on.

Of course I think we all have had times when we let a horse get away with something. No one is perfect. But the problem only really arises when we don't correct it when the horse tries it again. Once the problem has gotten so bad that

Go To Page: 1 2

The copyright of the article Dealing with So-Called Problem Horses in Horse Training is owned by . Permission to republish Dealing with So-Called Problem Horses in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.