Horse's teeth erupt throughout their lives with constant wear occurring from teeth grinding against opposing teeth and continual stropping by the tong…
An introduction to the aging of horses using the wear of the teeth as a guide. This represents a project by me of photographing and categorizing horse…
Once a horse becomes injured, owners want their horse to recover rapidly and fully and to encourage this; many modalities are available. Some have wel…
Horsemanship is leadership. This simple phrase sums up all of my experience connecting with tens of thousands of horses I have never been with before and creating a willing partnership in minutes. When asked by someone if they could learn what I do to connect with horses quickly, I respond with these questions. How is your connection and relationship with your parents, siblings, spouse, or guy behind the counter at the convenience store? Invariably the person responds with, “Not so good.” I then suggest they start the journey of relationships and connection with their own species first.
This subject follows "The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship." It will empower you in a life with horses, become a better horseman improving every day, and make you a better human with your relationships with other people in your life.
Let’s make an example. Pretend you own a boarding barn, and most days, you want to spend your entire time out in the barn no matter what weather is coming from the sky. But eventually, there is an irritating boarder where you want to hide in the house to avoid them. If you have ever experienced this feeling, I want you to apply that exact feeling to the horse that sees you come into the barn. If the horse doesn’t like you or what you do to them, the reaction from the horse will also be to hide. Maybe this won’t happen at first because you believe that food equals love, and they come to you for the food. But when asked to work, the horse says goodbye.
Most professional trainers and horsemanship instructors try to CHANGE THE HORSE or teach the students to change the horse, but this approach will never work, as seen with the barn owner in the above example. So instead, the barn owner tries to change the irritating boarder with written signs or confrontation. Eventually, the boarder leaves or is asked to leave. The same is true in a marriage when one spouse tries to change the other.
The key to horsemanship is to change yourself. Learning leadership is a job made only for you and your self-improvement. I often joke that a full-length mirror is the only gimmick I would sell to a person wanting to become a better horseman. When having trouble, stand in front of it and figure out what is wrong with you.
In the boarding example above, what if the irritating boarder went to the barn owner and said they would change themselves and try to become a better person. You can agree that this might take some time, but at some point, the barn owner would no longer be afraid to come out of the house when the once irritating boarder arrived on the farm. This same experience will happen over time as the horse recognizes the change in you. They will want to follow you because you have become a leader.
I have more to say about this, but now you know the core of horsemanship.It is leadership, and it comes from changing YOU and not the horse.No gimmicks are needed.
https://vimeo.com/104247374
Here is a 2-minute introduction to The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship
https://vimeo.com/151142200
Here is an hour-long introduction to The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship
Please note:
This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin.
Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Navigating to another page also accepts the use of all cookies.To revisit your preferences and to read the cookie policy, click on "Cookie Policy" in the footer menu.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
If you are a member, THANK YOU for supporting my effort of Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World™. Please forward this website to everyone you know. Membership is a way to get more from this site and also supports the maintenance and updates. Thanks, Doc T!