Body language is a very important tool when working with any horse. Horses are very aware of the positioning of the trainer's core (the center line of the body). Certain postures will influence the way the horse moves their body, while others communicate speed. A trainer can use their own body to move the horse's head, shoulders, barrel (belly), and hips. A trainer's core can also draw a horse in, and push them away, without ever touching the horse's body.
Horses also communicate with humans using body language, you just have to know where to look. The most obvious places to look for these cues are the horse's ears/head, feet/legs, barrel and tail. Most people that have been around horses will at least notice the horse's ears. We know that if a horse's ears are forward and pricked, they are attentive and interested. If they are pinned flat against the head, however, the horse is stressed or upset. It is very important that horse trainers are aware of subtle signals that the horse is sending. They are emotional creatures, and they are trying to communicate their thoughts with us through body language.
When working with your horse, it is best to assume that your horse has never been worked with, and start from square one. Horses will benefit from a short review of past lessons at the beginning of each training sessions, and it is also important not to move forward with training if the horse has not mastered the previous lessons. If you are pushing your horse too fast, the horse may reach a certain point where they feel overwhelmed or confused as to what you are asking of them, and the horse may even shut down, or break down, which will stop the session to a screeching halt. If a horse does shut down, they must be started over at a slower pace, and the trainer must be keenly aware of the signs prior to the breaking point, so as not to reach that point again.
It is very important that you take the time to get to know your horse- you must know the signs of stress, and when to push your horse, and when to back off. Each horse will have a different point at which the trainer must recognize that the horse is overwhelmed, and end a training session on a good note.
|
When you adopt a rescued pet from MARS of Illinois,
|
|||
      |
