There has been a very long-standing practice of how one should “break” or “tame” a horse. That generally involved domination of the animal using ropes, chains, and whips. The practice of “Cowboying” a horse into submission provides you with an animal that is compliant – out of fear.

When mentioning working with a horse I’m often met with comments such as “Oh, I could get him to do what I want – you just gotta not be afraid of him and show him who’s boss!” Ok, sort of, yeah. But I disagree.

Horses are prey animals. They’re naturally afraid anyway, as they should be, of predators or anything that moves, honestly. That fear is what keeps them alive! So then you want to build a relationship based off of that fear? That doesn’t sound like a great time to me.

I know a lot of people do what they do out of love and not knowing any different. Those same people telling me they’d “show him who’s boss” would also say that they love their horses. The methods in which were used on that animal, were used because that’s the way it’s always been.

My very first horse was brought to me by the woman who had been his farrier and had kept him on her property the last year and a half of his, then, 4-year life. I had been studying horse body language and communication for a few years at this point. Looking for gentler, better, methods to work with and train horses, and to be the best I could be with mine. She led him out of the trailer towards the round pen and was telling me how I needed to “show him who’s boss” (yes, that’s a very popular statement in the horse world). She proceeded to close the gate, grabbed a whip, and BAM! Started cracking it right at his hind end. She was super aggressive, running at him growling loudly swinging the whip at him, making him run his heart out until he was glistening with sweat. She was talking about how I NEEDED to run him ragged before doing anything with him because he was “very hot”. I was uncomfortable, he was visibly uncomfortable trying to get away from her, and I felt frozen. I had been training dogs for 10 years at this point and had only ever studied about horses and casually ridden, after all. Whereas she had been a farrier for 20+. What did I know?

I knew for certain that, that would be the last time that ever happened to my boy. He never did choose to go to her, he was forced to stop by being herded into a “corner” and she caught him when he was frozen and shaking. It made me feel sick watching it.

I decided to use my methods with him. Positive reinforcement and building trust. That first week all I did was bond with him so I could basically reset his brain as much as possible. He did everything for me because he WANTED to. I built a friendship based on trust and love. I could get him to do anything I wanted, and he took care of me for the remainder of his life.

Using positive reinforcement, understanding how horses communicate with one other, patience and love will accomplish SO MUCH MORE with your horse. By doing so, you are showing them that you are a safe place. You’re not going to let anything happen to them and will take care of them, so they will trust you and feel drawn to be with you. The bond that is created between your horse and you will be stronger, and everything you do will come much easier.

This boy has had a rough time. Typical beginning with typical “training”. His behavior and body language speak volumes to me.

Before I met him, his basic story was: He can’t be caught. They chase him around for 3hours+ to no avail. His mom would end up sitting in the middle of his paddock completed defeated. Not only was she missing basic vet and farrier appointments? She had to miss out on work every time as well. He runs at the sight of a halter and has his ears pinned about 90% of the time. He’s kicked out at and given warning nips to anyone who tried to work with him. Had been through two different trainers before me, one of them he threw on her head. He hadn’t been ridden in years and the one and only time his mom got to, it ended before it started and that was the same day, right before the trainer got tossed. Everyone advising her said he “just needed a cowboy to come fix him”. Sounded like my work was cut out for me…

First day I met him, it was obvious he didn’t have a lot of trust in anyone! He pinned his ears pretty much constant; every time his mom or I would look at him or go to pet him, or even when anybody would move or do anything that he though was “out of his control”. He showed obvious signs of heavy hands being on him in his longtime past. He definitely had been broken. That day, I just listened to his story and won him over.

At the time of this writing, I’ve only worked with him for two separate hours. We’ve already managed to decrease the ear pinning down to about 30%. He is beginning to trust me, lets me pet him in more areas than his head/face, and I’ve caught and led him by having him come to me in just 35 minutes.

If it weren’t for my methods of positive reinforcement, patience, understanding and love? Who knows how many more missed work, appointments and frustrating hours, days or even years they would have had to endure. And where it stands now? She’ll be able to enjoy her horse for many years to come. I’m confident I’ll have her in the saddle as well.

We still have a lot of work to do – and I will be writing updated blogs on this guy! Stay tuned!