Years ago, 60 to be exact, a riding instructor told me, "There is no such thing as a bad horse, just bad riders." She was right. Instead of people learning to fix their problem horses, our horses need help fixing their people problems.
Everyone needs to spend at least a weekend observing horses in a pasture with their mothers, other foals, and other herd members. They have an amazing social order. It's pretty simple, but very effective. Something from which we can all learn.
In order to establish dominance with an equine, it's important you do it within the first two minutes of handling. Horses really don't care who the leader of the gang is, they just need to know quick. First, they need to respect your space, then you can start educating them in other areas. Once you've established a comfortable distance between the two of you, the beginning of a trusted, respectful bond starts to occur.
A well-trained, educated horse starts with hours of groundwork. It's the basis for everything you'll do with your equine. It's safe, fun, and stress-free for both you and your horse pal.
Happy trails.
