Horse Information and Training Tips
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HORSES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE STALLED OR CONFINED IN TINY AREAS!
A horse's system is designed for constant movement, even as they also conserve energy.
Movement in the horse is something the horse requires in order to be most healthy.
Movement affects the entire physiological system from circulation, to hoof health, to mental stability.
For example (just one of many): each hoof has a circulatory pump that if not given adequate movement, it fails to keep the blood pumping
thoroughly through the body from the hooves up. Which is also why it's important to have proper farrier work done.
The hooves need to be properly balanced when contacting the ground.
In the wild, a horse will travel up to 20 miles a day!
This not only helps to keep the horse healthy, but it also ensures food and water, as well as a wider variety of forage for optimum health.
Therefore, it is much healthier to pasture a horse than it is to stall the horse.
Horses were not designed for stalling, but for freedom of movement in pastures to keep them mentally and physically most sound.
They are extremely hardy creatures and survive well in the open, under all weather conditions.
Starting with your new horse!

Bond with the horse before asking anything of him/her.
Developing a nurturing relationship, is the key to having your horse love and trust you.
Bonding with the horse physically and emotionally before each training or riding session places the horse in a more willing to please mood so
you and horse can affectively achieve each goal.

Baby steps
Allow the horse the opportunity to figure out what you want with the smallest amount of pressure and frustration.
You can not allow your horse to walk on you!
You must be soft but firm with your horse.
Trust that the horse will find what you want with less pressure, not more.

Visualize approaching the horse with an attitude of total acceptance, no matter what that action or response from the horse is, and meet those
actions with understanding.

You Must lay down a good foundation with ground training Before a horse will understand what is being asked of him/her later in the saddle.

Reward for the Smallest Try, the Slightest Change and the horse will achieve what you want far faster, and build confidence far quicker.
Reward successes, don't punish failures as this will only install fear in your horse towards you.

Your job as a horse owner is to build confidence.
NEVER push a horse past its fear thresh hold!
Remember! Your horses 1st instinct is Flight when scared!
Take the time to read and understand your horse.
Then encourage your horse to do as asked.
Our job is not to frighten horses, but to guide them in the direction of building confidence to overcome their fears.
It's your job to be lead horse in the hierarchy.
This way the horse will look to you for guidance and what to do.

Let the horse use his/her own mind.
Present the task at hand, and then let him/him figure out how to get there, and they will learn much faster.
They will also develop into a more rational, less fearful horse because they are learning to use their own mind.

Remember to always reward your horse with soft gentle rubbing.
Do not pat your horse like a dog.
Their skin is super sensitive and they do not enjoy being hit/patted on.
Always end a session/lesson leaving the horse on a good note!
Horses have a tendency to remember most what happened at the very last in a previous session.
So always leave on a positive note, even if this means creating a positive at the end of a particularly difficult session or ride.
Make sure you leave the horse with positive attitude and he/she will be more willing to try again later.

After you and your horse have bonded and have a good understanding of each other, you need to teach your horse to yield to pressure.
This is done on the ground before ever teaching the horse to stand tied or putting the horse under saddle.
You really need a round pen or a safe place to teach this.
An area that is secure between 50-60 foot in diameter but no more than 100 feet.
If you do not teach your horse to yield to pressure before teaching to stand tied, the end result could be fatal to the horse.
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