subject: Top Horse Training Tips [print this page] Okay, so you bought a horseOkay, so you bought a horse. It has its own stable and food and everything a horse could ever want. Now what?
There are a lot of books out there offering tips and strategies on how to train a horse. But everyone will agree that there is no one perfect technique to train a horse. There is a multitude of disciplines and techniques that has different requirements for horses. But the most important tip that every beginner should know is this: have a relationship with your horse.
Connecting with your horse is essential. There's not much sense in having a confident, strong horse, when you don't trust you horse's capabilities, and vice versa. One must understand that horses are by nature, herd animals, so they need someone to look to for directions. Most experts agree that horses should start training around two years old. However, it is preferred that you spend as much time as you can around younger horses so they can get used to you, and by extension, other people.
Most trainers usually use the longing method, or ground training with a rope, as the starting point of their training. This will ensure that the horse cannot run too far away while you try and teach it some commands.
Another important thing to teach your horse is how to walk beside you on a lead. This will set the ground work for more advanced training. if a horse cannot learn to follow your lead, then you will have difficulty teaching it more advanced commands,
When teaching a new trick or technique to your horse, one must always remember to build it up from something it has previously learned. Adding some minor alterations to something it already knows is far easier and more efficient than trying to teach it something new. This is a major key in successfully training your horse.
As in teaching new techniques, adding new equipment should also be a step by step and gradual process. If you add new equipment, take it off after a few minutes. Do this for a few days to allow your horse to get used to it gradually.
And when ending a training session, allow your horse to wind down and relax before replacing it ti the stables. Let it run and play for a few minutes to help it retain what it has learned for the day.
Training horses can be tiring and time-consuming, but the results it offers are far more rewarding!
