| There's something in the horse world that if you don't | | | | get after him. Over and under him." This means to take |
| understand, you will NOT be successful training your | | | | the reins and slap them on one side of the horse (while |
| horse. In fact, nearly everything you do will backfire. | | | | hitting your legs with the reins...not the horse) and |
| What I'm referring to is keeping your anger and ego in | | | | slapping them on the other side of the horse. |
| check. Any horse trainer worth his or her salt admit | | | | So I tried it and the horse responded at first but very |
| whenever their tempers flare with the horse that their | | | | quickly quit responding. That made me mad because I |
| training goes bad. Interestingly, when you put aside | | | | thought he should respond to that period. So I got after |
| your temper and ego, your horse will reward you. | | | | him again and this time the reins slapped him on his |
| I'll tell you a story on myself to relate how this can | | | | shoulders. |
| backfire. When I was first learning to work with horses, | | | | To the uninitiated you'd think the horse would've all but |
| I couldn't get my horse to do some things. Specifically, | | | | saluted and moved out instantly. Instead, he stopped. |
| he wouldn't trot or lope when I asked. It almost | | | | The more I did it, the harder he planted his feet. |
| seemed when I asked that he'd just keep walking and | | | | That was a hard but valuable lesson to learn. I've since |
| laugh at me. (Funny how our egos get in the way) | | | | learned (and you should too) when you're mad, your |
| When talking with another trainer, he said to me "Just | | | | horse is already mad. Back off. |