It’s the time of the season when we all get to see just how much additional training our horses need for the discipline which we ride. Horses on the trail that spook at a bird flying out of the bush; horses in the show ring that show blatant evasion of the bit or irritation at the leg; horses that take more time to load on the trailer than it takes to drive to the show grounds; horses which jig and prance and dance in the warm up area; all exhibiting a lack of foundational groundwork training.
When one builds a house that is to stand for years to come, one makes sure the foundation is secure and the framework solid. That way, the house will stand firm should a bad storm come blowing through. The same should apply to our training of our horses. The training foundation should not have holes in it, which may cause the framework to sway and perhaps, crumble altogether during a “storm”. Basic issues such as leading quietly and safely, standing for the rider to mount, backing up willingly when asked, spooking in place instead of bolting … these are just some of the very necessary disciplines which helps our horses to contain themselves and override their natural instincts. When a horse evades the hand and bit, the horse is showing oppositional behavior. The behavior may be based on fear of being hurt in the mouth or a physical problem in the neck or even a poor fitting saddle, which is causing strain on the back. It may be because the horse is showing blatant disrespect for the rider because the foundational respect boundaries have never been defined. Pushiness while being lead, again, shows disrespect for the handler. This is not the fault of the horse. This is the result of the lack of basic training. If the horse does not listen to the pressure of the lead while being asked to walk quietly, whatever makes one think the horse will listen to the pressure of the hand and bit? The concept is the same regardless of whether it is a lead rope or a bit … the hand causes pressure to which the horse should yield. This also applies to the leg and the seat of the rider. When the rider asks for the horse to move forward, the rider applies pressure to the sides of the horse. If the horse has not been properly conditioned to move away from the pressure, the horse will display oppositional behavior such as balking, jigging, bolting or maybe just planting its feet and refusing to move at all.
