Doing one or two basic training exercises or going for a brisk trot can put your horse's attention elsewhere and lessen their anxiety. “He [the horse] can think of just one thing at a time,” said Zdenek. “So you want him to focus on you and what you're asking of him, not whatever's making him antsy.”
As your horse's anxiety increases, he is operating completely from instinct and is not thinking or processing information. Instead: Put some distance between yourself and your horse. Lengthen the lead rope (hold it further from his head) and encourage him to move around you.
Leading. When leading your horse always use a lead rope, do not hold onto the halter, and never wrap the lead rope around your hand. Wrapping the excess rope around your hand can be dangerous if the horse shys away from you.
Groundwork can mean asking the horse to stand still, leading him or doing circling work. Every time you work with your horse, make sure he's following your rules and moving out of your space—constant reminders that you are the leader. Make him feel secure by giving him easy and clear rules to follow.
Dominance occurs when a horse forces the other to move against its will. One horse will move its body in the direction of or in contact with the other forcing it to move. Fighting usually occurs when the dominant horse is challenged by the other horse not moving, or responding aggressively.
While in the saddle, you can apply pressure with your legs. If your horse does not want to stop, move your legs slightly behind where they usually rest and apply soft pressure with both knees to stop your horse. If a horse does not want to go left down a path, apply pressure with your right leg.
The confirmed stubborn horse that refuses to go forward may initially react by backing up rather than going forward. Just remain calm and focused, and stay with him while continuing to “push” forward and tap with the whip until the backing stops. Then release and try again.
Signs of aggression include ears flattened backward, retracted lips, rapid tail movements, snaking, pawing, head bowing, fecal pile display, snoring, squealing, levade (rearing with deeply flexed hindquarters), and threats to kick.
If a horse is grazing in a field and they come towards you when you are around you can be sure they like you. Horses that follow your movements in their presence show they are focused on and give you 100% of their attention. If your horse follows you around when they see you, they consider you as a friend.
Whatever movement you're riding, your horse should stay listening to you and not take over. Always have in your mind that you must be in control of each and every step he takes.
Always approach a horse from the left and from the front, if possible. Speak softly when approaching, especially from behind, to let it know of your presence. Always approach at an angle, never directly from the rear.
The dominant trait – E – determines that the horse will have black pigment in their hair. The recessive trait – e – allows black pigment in the skin, but not in the hair, which will appear red. If the animal has no black pigmented hair, it will have the gene combination of ee.
Nudging is a way for a horse to get your attention, which can signify affection or impatience.
A dropped head is a sign your horse is relaxed and feeling good, and his ears will often hang to the side as well. If he's standing in his stall or pasture with a lowered head, he's probably either resting or asleep; call his name and make your approach obvious so you don't startle him.
So how do you get your horse's respect? A horse's respect is earned by moving his feet forward, backward, left, and right, and always rewarding the slightest try. Think about respect from your horse's point of view. When horses are thrown together out in a pasture, it's natural for them to establish a pecking order.
Researchers confirmed that horses can smell specific odors in human sweat that reflect emotions like fear and happiness, which could open doors to a whole new way of understanding emotion transfer from human to horse, they say.
Pain is the most common reason horses show unwanted behaviors such as bucking, rearing, biting, kicking, and pulling back. Ignoring the pain and assuming the horse is purposefully being mischievous shows a lack of responsibility toward these animals, Dyson says.
Cheering, shouting, yelling or any other loud sound can cause a horse to get spooked. Keep your conversations as silent as possible.