Question:  How do you train a horse?

Answer:  You train yourself first.

You train yourself in horse language. You observe horse expressions. Watch them out in the pasture with other horses. Watch when a new arrival enters the herd. Watch the positions each horse is in - even when they are doing something seemingly as trivial as grazing. Believe me, there will be signs even then of the social structure of the group.

As humans we rely heavily on the spoken language. While horses do have vocal expressions, they have a far greater number of physical expressions in their repertoire. You can call it "horse whispering" if you'd like. The bottom line; your understanding of equine behavior is vital to your success in horse training or any type of horse handling.

If you've had horses or been around them for any length of time you already possess insight into how to read them. You have already developed skills in knowing what to "say" in their language to one degree or another. Continuing to improve that skill will only improve your relationship with horses. You will find anything you do with horses more enjoyable.

Horse Training Tip #1: Observe Horse Behavior

• Watch horses as often as you can. In this way you will become familiar with their language and each horse's individual personality. Horses are unique from one another as any horse person knows.
• Become Familiar with How Each Body Part "Talks." At the end of this article there is a link provided to a down-loadable chart of equine behavior. I suggest you print it and look it over. It is very handy as a general guide.

Here is a breakdown of some horse body parts and how they are used to communicate:

• EARS - When flat back, a horse is saying, "get out of my way or I'll bite. If you don't move after I bite I will kick" You get the idea. It is an aggressive position used as a warning. If the ears are floppy from side to side, a horse is sleepy and relaxed. When you are working with a horse it's a great feeling to have an ear tipped toward you. That's because this ear position means the horse is listening to you.

• HEAD & NECK - When alarmed or curious, the head and neck will be held high (the ears will be tilted toward the direction of interest).
  

• EYES - In the "head & neck" example above, if the horse is curious the eyes will be fixed on the subject of interest, but if alarmed or scared the eyes will be wider. In fear the whites of the eyes will be visible.

• TAIL - When a horse is afraid or alarmed the tail is usually held tight, or clamped, against the butt. In curiosity it is held up away from the butt. You will see horses out in a pasture relaxed and grazing. Their tails will be casually swishing at flies.

Horse Training Tip #2: Observe Other People as They Handle Horses

Observe all kinds of horse handlers. Be just as observant with how they communicate with horses as you need to be at observing horses themselves.

This includes the successful ones as well as the not-so-successful ones. Of the good horse handlers, bend the ear of every one of them. Learn what the good ones do that works and utilize those skills. Ask them all kinds of questions.

Learn what the not-so-good ones do and make a mental note as to why their methods don't work. Be sure to keep the non-successful actions out of your methods.

Horse Training Tip #3: Tap into the Grape Vine

People talk. Word of mouth will always be a valuable way of finding out who is doing what in your area, who has done some great training with horses and who has not.

There are jewels out there undiscovered. You may have a tremendously gifted horse trainer close by. They may not advertise. They may keep a low-profile. You may never discover them if you don't tap into the local grape vine!

Horse Training Tip #4: Read, Watch, Do, Repeat

There are so many books, videos, DVDs, CDs, television shows, etc. out there regarding horse training. Take advantage of them. In doing so you will likely find one or two trainers that you connect with.

Some training philosophies - even though they are all after the same goal of a well-trained horse - are easier to follow than others. Like horses, we all have our different personalities. What works for one person may not work for another. So look into many different approaches. You will find the one that works for you and your horse.

Horse Training Tip #5: Two Heads Are Better Than One

Find another avid horse person who has similar goals to yours when it comes to horses. The more friends you find the more people you have to keep you motivated. You will all help to inspire each other. Horse training is fraught with ups and downs. Often you find yourself taking ten steps forward only to feel like you're taking eleven steps back the next lesson. Keep going and lean on your companions when needed. They will need you too.

Horse Training Tip #6: Perseverance

Don't stop. Things may get difficult. Your horse may do just the opposite of what you are trying to get him/her to do. Don't give up. If you stop you will never achieve your goals. Stopping is what prevents us from reaching our goals.

If it were easy everybody would do it, right? Maybe you and your horse will need to take a break for a day or so. Maybe you will need to call in an expert to get you and your horse over a bump in the road to your destination. Press on, take heart.

I am willing to bet every horse trainer on the planet has had those days when they'd like to sell every horse and quit horses for good. But most of them don't. They press on.

Well I don't know about you, but learning about horses is absolutely fascinating to me! I just never tire of watching them. In fact, it took me twice as long as it should have to write this article. I kept breaking to sip my morning coffee and watch my horses out the window!

- Happy Trails... and happy training!

As we discussed in Part 1, “Know the Body Language of a Horse,” the more aware you are of how horses communicate, the better a horse handler you will become.

How is horse behavior determined by seeing into those incredible eyes horses have?  We all know how expressive and beautiful they are. Okay, okay so I’m getting wishy-washy I know.  I can’t help it.  You’ve got to admit, their eyes are gorgeous.  Anyhow, a horse’s eyes tell us a great deal about how the horse is feeling and the attitude the horse is having at that particular time.

Here are some basics in reading a horse’s eyes and their meanings.

EYES:

Eyes Narrowed (like when a parent or teacher scolds a child): 
This position is an expression of anger, warning or just plain annoyance.  This eye position is normally accompanied by a set of pinned ears.  Horses will do this in the summer along with stomping their feet and swishing their tails when the flies are swarming them and there is no relief.  It is also what the eyes will look like when a horse is warning another to get out of the way!

Eyes Droopy:
The horse is not focused on anything. Horses do this when they are resting and/or bored. It often goes along with those floppy ears we discussed in part 1.

Eyes Focused on Something Specific:
The horse is focused on something it is curious about. For example, whenever a new horse in my pasture first sees a flock of wild turkeys saunter through the pasture, the eyes will look this way.  Sometimes the turkeys terrify a horse who has never seen them before, but more often than not the horse just experiences good old curiosity.

Eyes Averted:
A horse is being submissive when the eyes are averted.  The ears will be kind of floppy and the head will be held low.

Eyes Wide with the Whites Showing: 
A wide-eyed horse is telling you he/she is afraid and very concerned about something.  The eyes will be fixed on the source of the concern.  Every horse has moments when they become afraid. But this is definitely not an emotion you want your horse to display habitually.  Good, solid training that includes building trust and desensitizing the horse to things it is afraid of are what a fearful horse needs.

Please feel free to add your own experiences of a horse’s ears and their meanings in the comments field below.

See you next week where I’ll cover another body part and its horse language.

When I owned my first horse I was pretty much clueless as to how horses communicate with people and with each other.  I would often find myself perplexed when another, more seasoned, horse person would remark about a horse’s attitude.  “How do they know that?” I’d wonder.

Well, thankfully, after years of owning and working with horses I have become much more tuned-in to horse behavior from the sounds they make, their movements, and their body positions.  As with any information on horses knowing what a horse is saying to you improves your ability in training horses and will, naturally, improve your relationship with horses.

Natural horsemanship trainers (as well as other horse trainers) possess highly astute abilities when it comes to reading a horse.  This skill is necessary in successful horse training and is the key to any horse training tips in order to be successful.

But professional horse trainers are not the only ones who benefit from knowing equine behavior cold.  Anyone who spends any time with horses will benefit from being able to identify horse expressions and their meanings.  Besides, it’s just plain fun to watch horses, isn’t it? 

Each week I’ll cover a different body part or area.  Here are some basic ear positions and their meanings (I’m sure you have a horse with its own individual, quirky expressions as well).

EARS:

• Both ears pointing backward and laid tight against the head:  This position is an expression of anger or of warning.  It can also tell you a horse is afraid. Sometimes the whites of a horse’s eyes will be more visible than normal. This position is a threat to move or else you’ll get a bite or even a kick.  It’s pretty normal amongst horses out in a pasture, but you don’t want it directed at humans, or other horses when under saddle.

• Both ears pointing backward: The horse is likely listening to something behind her/him.  It may also mean the horse is afraid.  Some horses do this when they are a bit sleepy (mine lets his flop to either side.) If afraid there will be other indicators, such as wide eyes and head held high.

• Either ear tipped: The horse is being attentive and is listening to something or someone. A horse will do this when listening to something.  For example, when you are longing a horse – if the horse is being respectful and is listening to you – the ear closest to you will be tilted toward you.  When you are riding, the horse will put one and sometimes both ears back slightly to listen to you.  These are good signs that the horse is focused on you.

• Both ears pointing forward or straight up: The horse is on alert and is listening to something.  Often times the head will be held high and tilted a bit forward when curious.  Both the ears and head will be pointed to whatever it is the horse is taking notice of.  If scared, the head and neck will be held very high and straight. (In fear the horse will normally blow or snort).  If you are riding and a horse does this make sure to get the horses attention back on you. 

• Ear back or to the sides (but not flat back):  My lazy, goofy gelding does this one often – ears out to the sides.  This means a horse is bored, sleepy, or dozing.  This is fine out in the pasture on the horse’s own time, but when you are training your horse and/or riding you don’t want this.  It means the horse is not focused on you at all.  It is the equivalent of a pupil staring out the classroom window during a lesson.

Please feel free to add your own experiences of a horse’s ears and their meanings in the comments field below.

See you next week where I’ll cover another body part and its horse language.

* Get your copy of the Equine Body Language Chart

How do you train a horse? 

The most honest answer and best approach in educating yourself about horses, I propose, is to watch them.  That's right; just watch.  Watch them out in the pasture, watch them when it's feeding time.  Watch them when a new horse is introduced to the existing group.  Watch a mare and foal and how they relate to one another and other horses.  Watch when a human is doing anything at all with them; from feeding, to leading, to training.

Observation is the best way to become familiar with the way in which horses read each other; the way they communicate with each other.  This is a key action for you to take since you will need to be aware of your own body language.  You will need to learn how to speak with that body language if you are going to be successful communicating with horses.

As humans we depend a great deal more on our vocal communication skills than on our physical communication.  To a horse, body language speaks louder than words ever will.  You must become aware and in-tune with your own body language in order to let your horse know what you are saying.  Look at it this way; if you don't know what you're saying with your body language, you'll have no idea what you are communicating to your horse.  Consequently, when your horse responds to that body language you won't understand why he is responding the way he is - since you are clueless to what your own body language has just said to him.

This is a main aspect in how to learn about horses, and makes up a large part of what is natural horsemanship.  You see, how to train a horse is as much about how to train YOU as it is about how to train horses.  How to get a horse to understand you is a key component in earning the horse's respect and willingness to be your partner. 

- Happy Trails

I just returned home from Clinton Anderson's Downunder Walk-About Tour in Columbus, Ohio.  Wow, what a great time.  As usual, Clinton was in fine form and amazed the crowd with his horse-training abilities and great sense of humor - a must for any activity concerning horses!

Clinton's life appears to be going well and he is as busy as ever these days.  It was good to see him doing well. 

He is truly a gifted horse/people trainer and I am always so amazed at how he can break down horse training into digestible parts so that even the new horse owner can gain an understanding of horsemanship and the level of responsibility it demands.  Whenever I watch Clinton work with a horse,  I gain more belief in myself.  This gift is what keeps me a Clinton-Anderson fan.

Horsemanship is a responsibility, as well as a wonderful and empowering experience.  Yes, I think even Clinton would agree, horses can make you feel humble and inept at times, and on top of the world at other times.  But what a ride, eh?

Dear Diary,

I, Fannie Fumbleweed, boldly went out to face another day of discovering how to train a horse, yet again.  After a few more days of inclement weather I was anxious to get back to it and frustrated with myself for not being blessed with an indoor arena.  Oh well, it certainly was not the end of the world and I would make the best of it, I assured myself.

So there I was, standing before my horse, attempting another futile backing-up exercise from the ground.  As with every other time I'd attempted this exercise, my horse stood there refusing to be helpful; like a politician after election day.

Coming to the realization that I was headed soon down the slippery slope of failure and apathy, I knew it was time to call in reinforcements.  Who could I plead with for mercy? Who was out there I could hire for a week - one single day even - who knew this training method and who was fairly close by?  My mind frantically spanned over names and faces.  No, this one had moved too far away, and no this one followed another training method all-together. It was crucial that I do something to get myself out of the rut - the hole my spinning wheels were digging for myself - as soon as possible.  My dreams of riding a light, soft, and willing horse were fading away.

Suddenly it came to me.  "Yes! That's it! I'll offer to pay her and she just might come!"  Feeling better simply for having a sliver of hope now, I called her right away.  In hind sight that was the best way to do it.  It gave me no time to hem and haw and second-guess my decision.  She knew this training method inside and out and had trained horses with it successfully.  Best of all she was close by.

She answered the phone right away.  I was pleasantly shocked.  I abruptly told her my blight and told her I'd pay her whatever she wanted to come and give me a hand.  I couldn't believe it!  She didn't want any money

"Just pay me with beer," she said. 

"Can do," I replied.

We were on for the next day.  I felt tons better already.  I would get us through this with her help.

NOTE TO SELF:  Never be ashamed to plea for help from whoever may be able to provide it.

~ to be continued ~

Dear Diary,

Fannie Fumbleweed here again. 

It's been several days now since I received my delivery of horse training materials.  Having watched several of the DVDS over the past few days, I felt raring and ready to go!

Well, I went out to the makeshift round-pen I made with my horse and my trusty training tools; the stick, halter, lung rope, and lesson booklets.   Here I was, finally, poised with new knowledge and a refreshed belief in myself.   I was now ready to begin the journey of horsemanship and that special relationship with my horse.

Once inside the "round pen" I removed my horse's halter and lead rope.  I walked to the center with my stick and pointed high in the direction I wanted my horse to go.  Off he went at a good trot.   As instructed in the materials I clucked and he sped up a bit - still not loping - and did his famous "head-snapping" thing he does when asked to exert himself.   I slapped the ground using the stick and he instantly went into his nice lope. 

Now, in the past my horse has behaved like a bucking bronc or a wild mustang when being lunged on a line, or when round-penning.  Head tucked under, back arched up, and legs kicking out, he would display a behavior so unlike his normal, quiet demeanor.   My horse will walk or do that slow, even trot with me on his back for hours at a time.   So this act had always seemed extremely out of character for him, as if he was showing off and having fun more than anything else.

Now I was pleasantly surprised.  There was none of that, absolutely none.  I couldn't explain it, but I would take it.  Perhaps it was my new-found confidence that I could do this.  No matter what the reason, he did everything I asked of him.   He dutifully and respectfully changed directions - facing inward toward me on each turn.   He even came into the center next to me when we were done and - eventually - followed me around.  "My goodness," I thought.  "My horse likes me!"

He did great through the next few exercises.  He stood calmly as I threw ropes and whizzing strings over his head and back.

From there we went to getting him to yield his hindquarters.  You would have thought him physically unable to do this exercise since he kept pushing his shoulder, head and neck into my space - right next to my head - in order to keep me from getting him to turn and face me while yielding his hindquarters away.  He even tried to bite me once.  I did persist and eventually got him to do this exercise so-so but I by no means felt it was a success.

Then came the backing-up exercises.  Then came my utter sense of frustration and sense of failure.   This was when I descended from the title of "novice" horse trainer, to an "inept" one.

You see, prior to owning my horse, he was rarely ridden and spent a lot of time simply being allowed to be brushed and to press his head against people and enjoy their company without having to be responsible for much.  He was rarely ridden at all. Now I was asking him to do things he'd not been accustomed to in a very long time.  He was used to being fed, and brushed by people and never having to move his huge body out of their way.  Over the years he had long become the true expert on how to train horse owners.

In fact, whenever I have gone out to the pasture my horse has walked right up to me and laid his head low and pressed-up against my chest, waiting for a big head-hug.  I have always promptly and eagerly obliged him. Now I was suddenly asking him to back out away from me and he was standing there like a redwood tree; not moving, not flinching.   Each day - for several days - the same thing.

Urrrrrgh - what to do now!

Dear Diary,

Fannie Fumbleweed here. 

Today I received my delivery of horse training materials hot off the assembly line.  I was so excited!  I couldn't believe I was finally going to learn how to train a horse - my horse!  I felt as if I was on the verge of a great accomplishment.  I just knew I was finally going to attain my dream of a special bond; a trusting relationship with my horse.

I anxiously tore open the brown box and shuffled through all those little shipping peanuts until I felt the smooth surface of the box with the training materials inside.  I could imagine the knowledge of how to tame a horse entering my finger tips and winding its way through me like a vine, finally arriving inside my head.  All that "know-how" was finally going to be mine!  Those years of feeling afraid, uncertain, inept, ineffective, and - worst of all - a failure at how to become a horse trainer would soon be gone.  In their place would be a confident, knowledgeable, happy horse owner with an equally confident and happy horse underneath her.

I wanted to start off on the right foot, so I even had all the tools I'd need for the groundwork.  I had the special stick, the longe line, and the halter.  It was the birth of a new beginning.  I held each tool in my hand, savoring the look and feel of each one.  I turned them over in my hands and practiced some of the moves by myself, without a horse present.  I wanted to be sure I had all the right body language. I noted the weight of the stick, and the softness of the rope. 

I needed this so badly; this feeling of complete communication with my horse.  I wanted that soft, light response on the ground and underneath me when I rode.

Outside, the cold throngs of winter were still fighting the spring for domination.  This meant I had time to read and watch all the training materials in order to get myself well familiar with everything I would need to do when decent weather finally won-out and beat down the winter chill.   Having no indoor arena, the weather is something I always kept an anxious eye on.

I went to the shinny, new box containing all the magnificent answers to, "How do you train a horse?" and carefully opened it.  My hands glided over all the materials until they found their way to the DVD numbered “1”.  I clicked the power button on the DVD remote, opened the sliding slot on the player, and placed the first DVD in the empty circle.  As the DVD was swallowed up by the player and began loading, I gazed out the window at my horse.  

"You just wait," I thought.  "You are going to like being with me so much after this.  We are going to have so much fun together!"

~ to be continued ~

This could be said to be a bold question.  But the fact is anyone who is around horses at all is, in fact, training a horse.  Being conscious of that fact, however, may be another matter entirely.

I got my very first horse several years ago.  I'd always dreamed of having my own horse. But I suspect I was like many first time horse owners in that I figured; hey, you feed it, take good care of it and go get it, saddle it up and go for a ride - kind of like turning the key to start up a motorcycle or a car, right? I knew that a horse needs to be provided with proper housing, feeding, and regular worming and vet visits.  What I didn't realize is that a horse needs to be maintained in terms of its training as well.  A horse is not a machine that responds automatically.  A horse is a living, breathing life force, a living being.

Not long after getting the first horse, I became the owner of a 2nd horse.  This time I found myself with a very green horse - thinking it was a well-trained, well-broke horse.  The horse had gone through a few trainers already before I owned it, and was now with another trainer.  That trainer kept telling me, "How much time and money do you really want to put into this horse?"  Meantime, someone else kept telling me the problem wasn't the horse, it was me.  To make a very long story short, I ended up getting rid of the horse - but only after having spent thousands of dollars in training.  After being bucked off more than once I realized he just was not the horse for me - and never had been. That was what the last trainer was trying to tell me from the first day he arrived at her facility.

A big part of learning how to become a horse trainer includes knowing what horse and what rider will work.  It is simply not enough to know how to train a horse.  A real horse trainer must be able to know how to train horse owners and must be able to determine if a particular horse is going to work with a particular rider.  The responsibility of the horse owner is to listen to the experienced trainer and take heed.  If I’d done so I would have saved myself a lot of time and money.

A good horse trainers will also be willing to teach you, the owner, how to work with your horse.  Horses require constant maintenance, some more than others. Anyone who owns a horse and who rides a horse is a horse trainer of sorts.  Now I'm not suggesting that anyone owning a horse has the skill to break and train a green or a problem horse.  Those are skills an experienced, talented horse trainer possesses.  What I'm saying is that you are teaching your horse something anytime you are around it.  So you need to understand horses and how they perceive the world around them and you.  So be sure you learn all you can from your horse trainer and from other experienced horse people.

The bottom line is, train yourself in horsemanship and you will be better equipped to know what you are training your horse.  You will begin to teach your horse the right things.  You will also know what horse is going to be the right one for you.