Speaking to the horse slowly, in a tone that is a few octaves lower than your normal speaking voice can also assuage your companion. Have your voice mimic your calm and relaxed body language. Supplements such as Finish Line's Quia-cal can also aid in calming an anxious horse.
Simple bending can be effective, as can a long, brisk trot to settle both his mind and his muscles. “If I'm trail riding and on decent ground, I usually go for a long trot to let the horse burn off some of his nervous energy.” Ride quiet.
You might also try to keep a positive attitude in general, which could include soothing the horse by talking or singing softly to it before riding. Pet the horse before and while riding. Petting a horse before riding as well as during the ride can help keep both horse and rider calm.
On the Ground:
This is the first place where we need to perfect the “whoa” command. Most horses are taught this from a young age, but the idea is for the horse to stop and stay still as soon as you say “whoa.” You don't want to let them walk past you.
Pull the reins toward your body to stop the horse's movement. Move the reins back about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) while gripping them in your hands to further impede the horse's ability to move its head. Keep the reins low down near your waist.
Start with a sound like a metal bucket hitting the pavement, or a metal spoon striking a metal pot. As your horse becomes used to this sound, you can gradually go to bigger noises using the same method. The loudest and scariest sound for most horses is fireworks.
The ears laid flat against the neck, head raised and the horse may lunge at you, whites of the eyes showing, and their mouth open showing their teeth. You should avoid approaching a horse from behind. If you do, they may warn you if they're angry and want you to stay away or go away. If you ignore this, they may kick.
Remember that horses are experts at reading our body posture and tension. Always approach your horse by moving assertively, but not aggressively, towards his shoulder. Avoid sending any pushing energy towards his head or neck, as this is offensive to him.
Handle the horse calmly and quietly as fear and pain are often the source of rearing. Responding with negative reinforcement could make the behavior worse. Training the horse to go forward on cue is key in reducing further rearing.
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.
Horses do not hold a grudge– Only people do that. Horses can have very violent disputes and be seen grazing next to each other moments later.
A basic, happy attitude. There's a soft look to the eye (normal blinking, not staring), and the muscles are relaxed overall. A horse will slightly lower his head, the ears may be forward or neutral (not focused in any particular direction), the mouth relaxed, and he may sigh and lick his lips.
The eyes tell us a great deal about a horse's emotional state. A nervous horse in a new environment may have extremely expressive eyes. A tired horse may have limited eye movement and a dull, vacant look.
If they encounter an aggressive or fearful situation, their “fight or flight” response includes a bump in adrenaline, which dries their mouth and nose. Once the situation resolves and adrenaline levels drop, secretions like saliva and mucus start flowing again, Dr. McDonnell said.
Horses don't like riders that are sloppy and uncoordinated. Riders that are unbalanced and constantly pulling hard on the reins are annoying to horses. Someone who is inexperienced or just has poor horsemanship can be frustrating for many horses, as it can be uncomfortable to them.
Remain calm so that the horse will respond to your behavior in a positive manner. Use your voice. When your horse needs to be disciplined, remain calm, and say a simple, but firm, “No.” Do not shout at the horse. Use this command consistently, and the horse will begin to understand that this means it needs to behave.
Aside from his name, a word such as 'come' or 'here' works well. You can also whistle, as long as you are able to whistle loudly, because your horse will need to be able to hear you when you're eventually calling him from greater distances.
Squeezing is politely asking the horse to go forward. Cluck If he doesn't immediately respond by moving forward, continue to squeeze with your legs and then cluck two times with your tongue, “Cluck, cluck.” Clucking is a warning that he's about to feel uncomfortable if he chooses not to move.