Is Your Horse Paying The Price For Your Bad Choices

Here are some phrases that always make me cringe: "I had 30 days put on him by a friend of mine" or " I had a young guy who's kind of cowboy start him" or " My farrier is a trainer too and he put 30 days of him for me" or " This guy rides them every day for hours, you know really gets them broke". When I hear those statements I feel badly for the horse, because that person has made a bad choice and the horse is paying the price for that bad choice. They don't realize it, however, and often times will blame the horse or become angry with the horse.

Every choice you make affects your horse in a positive or a negative way.

When you choose a person to train your horse whose only objective is to "saddle break" the horse and achieves this objective by riding your horse for hours on the trail or until he has saddle sores or is physically exhausted your horse ends up paying the price for that decision. Don't be surprised if your horse doesn't want you riding him. If your horse has not been taught to change leads, collect his gait, flex or rein properly don't get flustered with him because he can't do those things when you ask.  You made that choice - your horse didn't.

You make choices all the time that affect your horse. Choosing a saddle, tack and bit for your horse affects him. If the saddle doesn't fit him properly it may cause him pain. If it doesn't fit you properly you won't be seated correctly on your horse - which will affect him and could cause him pain as well. Choosing the right bit for your horse is important, too. The bit needs to fit him correctly and be suited to him. This , of course, applies to young horses, but to horses that have already been trained as well. In some cases you might purchase a horse and find out the previous owners were rough or heavy handed which hurt the horse's mouth. That's when you need to change the bit or perhaps try a Bosal. Choosing the wrong bit will harm you horse.


Training clinics are very popular today, but you need to be careful about the clinics you choose. I have had clients come to me with nervous, fretful, stubborn and sometimes fearful horses that they have created by attending a clinic. Remember just because they bill themselves as " the world's best or most trusted" doesn't mean that is the case. Going to a clinic where someone encourages you to poke your horse with a stick or chase him with it might not be your best choice. Going to a clinic where the person giving it insists you keep making your horse gallop around the round pen until he is exhausted is not the right choice. On the human side of it going to a clinic where the person giving the clinic ridicules and humiliates you is not a good choice for you or your horse. Please don't go to a clinic where they tell you to "move those feet" or they want you to push your horse away from you - that's ridiculous. You want your horse to enjoy being around you.  Don't make a bad choice in what clinic you attend with your horse - it may harm your horse and you as well.

I guess what I'm saying here is think about what are you doing where your horse is concerned.  I believe that 95% of the problems horses have today are caused by their humans making thoughtless
choices that harm them.

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Helping Horses With Humans Is A Challenge

In the 26 years I have been training horses and riders I have found as a rule most horses are much easier to train than their riders. Let me apologize to all you humans out there, but it's true, if horses are handled with kindness combined with firmness when training them they are far more willing to follow you and accept what you are teaching than humans are.

Here is an example if I have a horse who I'm working with who is nervous, not connected, a little bull headed or pushy I will often times us the Monty Robert's Join-Up method.  It's fairly simple - you put the horse in a round pen and you simply ignore him for a few minutes - turning your back on him. After a few moments you send him away by stomping your feet or throwing the lead line out towards him. The horse will usually trot or even lope around you. What you are trying to do is convince the horse you don't want him in your herd - that you are the one in control. After awhile the horse begins to want to be in your herd and will starting asking to come back into the herd - usually by licking their lips and approaching you with a demeanor that says "I want to be with you". After you have chased him away a couple more times to reinforce that you are the herd leader you let him in. Once you have done this you rub his head and make him feel good about being with you and you are friends for life. Okay, I have explained that training method to humans and expected them to learn as quickly as the horse, but oh no they don't. I have to explain it to them two or three times. Then I get them and the horse in the round pen to do the Join Up and the human goes to pieces. At some point I wondered if I should stomp my feet at them and send them away as I did the horse - perhaps that would help.

I use Linda Tellington-Jones methods, too, when training. I often use her obstacle course to lead horses through in-hand as well as mounted. Going through the labyrinth, cones, over tarps, around the wagon wheel and over ground poles helps the horse readjust his thought process. As a rule doing this a couple of times with a horse will make a difference in his attitude.   I'm always hopeful it will help readjust the human thought process as well and change their attitude. Sometimes it works, but other times not so much. When you do this Linda suggests you carry what she refers to as wand (riding crop-dressage whip) so if the horse gets out of control you can use the butt end of the wand to give him a quick rap between eyes just once. You don't do it repeatedly or severely - just once and then move on. Sometimes humans listen and do it correctly, but other times they don't and will do it two or three times. That's when I take the wand away from the human, apologize to the horse and ask the horse if they would like to use the wand on their human to readjust their thoughts.



I always say "if the rider is right the horse is right" a quote I stole from Dressage training a long time ago. When I'm training a horse I have no trouble helping the horse be right.. now wait for it, because I'm right in the saddle. I keep my heels down, my stirrups are the correct length, I sit on my seat bones, I use my legs to ride, I sit up straight in the saddle and my hands are quiet so the horse is bending at the pole, flexing, collecting his gait and is a happy horse.  The horse improves with every training session, so happy trainer and happy horse, Now when I trying to train a human that's where I became a little flustered and unhappy.  See humans want to blame the horse and take no responsibility for what they may be doing wrong. Maybe the problem is the horse is listening to me in the saddle and the rider isn't listening to me while I'm instructing them. Maybe it's easier for them to blame the horse than face their own shortcoming as riders.

Yes, training humans is a much bigger challenge than training most horses, but I will keep doing it because somebody has to help all those horses out there with problem humans. I will also keep doing it because I have had success training humans. When it all comes together and that light bulb goes on it's a very satisfying feeling. I will keep doing it for those moments when the rider climbs off their horse, hugs him with tears in their eyes and then hugs me.

If The Rider Is Right The Horse Is Right

Rider Number 1

  Here are several riders who are all riding      different disciplines. All these rider have one  thing in common they are right in the saddle so
 there horses are right.

Rider number 1  is riding on a Flat Seat English.  She has her irons at the proper length so she is able to post the trot properly. She is balanced in the saddle. Her hands are in the correct  position even as she rises posting the trot. She is balanced and correct which helps her horse be balanced and correct.  She is perfect example of a Flat Seat English rider.

Rider Number 2

Rider number 2 is riding Hunt Seat. Her Irons are the correct length and she is seating balanced in the saddle. Her hands are in the correct position not to low or too high. This rider is balanced and correct as is her horse.  She is a perfect example of a Hunt Seat Rider.


Rider number 3 is riding Western Pleasure. Again her stirrups are the proper length so she is well seated in the saddle. Her hand is in the correct position on the reins and she is riding one handed as she should be. She is balanced and correct in the saddle.  She is a perfect example of a Western Pleasure rider.

Rider Number 3

Rider Number 4 

Rider number 4 is riding Dressage. His stirrups are the correct length, so he is seated properly in the saddle. His hands are in the correct position too. He balanced and correct in the saddle. He is perfect example of a Dressage rider.

Rider Number 5

Rider number 5 is a pleasure riding on a western saddle. She like the other riders have her stirrups at the correct length and she is seated properly in the saddle. Her hand is in the correct position. Just like those other rider she riding balanced and correct. She is the perfect example of a Pleasure rider.

My point here is whether you are in the show ring, dressage ring or trail riding it's important that you are right in the saddle so your horse will be right. Being right means having your stirrups at the correct length not too short or too long. You should be centered and balanced in the saddle sitting on your seat bones. You should have your hands in the correct position for reining for your horse. Being balanced in
the saddle is also important for your safety when you are riding on the trail, because if you are properly balanced than when you encounter obstacle on the trail like a limb of a tree or your horse is startled by something you won't be so likely to become unseated. If you are riding correctly your horse will find the ride less tiring and less stressful , which will make a more enjoyable ride for  you both.

Sometimes They Can't Understand What Horses Mean To Some Of Us

Horses have been part of my life for 42 out of my 55 years, so one would think that after all those years people wouldn't say things like " well if you didn't have those horses" to me. How in the world do they not realize that horses are who I am for heaven sake? That's right I'm a 54 year old  woman who couldn't imagine my life without horses in it. 

 No, I don't take many vacations to the Caribbean (if I could afford it) because I have horses, but I don't care. Yes, I have to live in the country instead in town, but that's fine with me if it means I can walk out my back door and hear those horses whinny at me every morning -that's what keeps me going. Sure there are times when I  have to leave a social event earlier than others do because I have to go home to feed the herd, not a problem for me - I enjoy taking care of those horses and some days it's all that gets me through my day. I know if you're not a horse person you don't understand this, but please just smile and accept it because it makes me happy. 

 I realize to some people horses are just a beast, but to me they are for more than just a beast. Horses have given me so much in life like confidence, courage, grace, patience, compassion and spirit. When I was in the 7th grade I was terrified to get up in front of the class and give an oral book report, but today I stand in the middle of an arena, with far more people watching than those in that 7th grade class, and conduct clinics at Horse Expos. My job today is standing up in front of people instructing, giving clinics, judging horse shows and speaking to groups of people with no fear whatsoever. I think horses helped me face difficult things in my life both now and when I was younger, but I didn't realize it then the way I do today. If it hadn't been for horses I probably wouldn't have become a writer. I think horses make me a better person and actually help me see things more clarity.

To me horses are very spiritual beings. I read a book  called Horses and the Mystical Path The Celtic Way of Expanding The Human Soul and in that book they talk about how horses have affected human lives throughout time. There were so many things in the book that made me say " yes that's how I feel," and made me feel connected to the Celtic people. For me horses connect me to my ancestors. 

When I'm training a horse I feel a connection to my Grandfather. Being around my horses often time makes me feel closer to family members that are no longer here with us. 

In conclusion I'm proud to be a unabashed horses enthuses who is looking forward to 40 more years of taking care of horses, riding horses, training horses and just having them in my life. Monica Dickens said it best. " If you have it, it's for life. It is disease which there is no cure. You go on riding even after they have to haul onto a comfortable wise old cob, with feet like inverted buckets and back like a fireside chair," If don't understand it I can never explain to you, but please never say to me  " if you didn't have horses".