Introduction To Horsemanship
Horsemanship is leadership. This simple phrase sums up all of my experience with connecting with tens of thousands of horses I have never been wit…
Category: Horsemanship
Law 1 – A Horse Can Hurt You & Even Kill You
There were 201 deaths caused by farm animals in a year. This included horses. But there were over 1 million visits to the emergency room in a year…
Law 2 – The Horse That Can Kill You Is Your Own
The horse that will hurt you is your own. This law is about complacency. As we become comfortable around our horses we start taking short cuts. A…
Law 3 – When doing anything with a horse, always use a halter and lead rope. Stay connected.
Whenever working with a horse, always use a halter and lead. Stay connected. The idea behind a physical connection with a horse is that it prevents…
Law 4 – Always Place Yourself Between The Horse And The Exit
Place yourself between the horse and the exit. This is an interesting concept that needs to start with a story or two.
Law 5 – Become The Leader
I define horsemanship as leadership. There are no other ways to look at this. If you can’t become the leader of your horses then they will becom…
Law 6 – To Be The Leader Of Horses You Need To Know The Personalities Of Horses
Leaders cannot lead without first knowing their audience. Leading a child is different than leading an adult. The same holds for horses, but it is a …
Law 7 – Seek First To Understand …..
No one will be led unless they feel that they have been listened to first. If a man has no legs and you bark an order to walk to town, your leadership…
Law 8 – …. Then To Be Understood
This law of horses only works when Law 7 has been placed into effect. In other words, no one is willing to be led unless they are listening to you.
Law 10 – A Horse Is A Horse
To treat any person or animal other than as their species is disrespectful. Treating someone like a dog is as offensive to that person as you treatin…
Do Not Reward Bad Behavior
Rewarding bad behavior is the most common mistake people make every day with their horses as well as the other people in their lives. Horsemanship IS…
Never Stand With Food In A Field Of Horses
This is a very dangerous situation to be in. Walking into a field of horses with a bucket of grain can lead to your death. It has happened. Horses are…
Never Turn Horses Out Together Wearing Hind Shoes
Countless horses have died from broken limbs caused by pasture mates kicking them with shod hind hooves. There is no excuse for breaking this law.
The Horse Paradigm – Talk To The Hand
Treating the horse as a patient requires those treating the horse to respect it and treat it as a living being and not as as inanimate object.