Building a Partnership With Your Horse

Discover exercises that will teach mutual respect, mental and physical softness, communication, the principles of pressure and release, and gain control of the feet and therefore the movement of the horse.

Creating Confidence

Gain confidence as you learn to understand how a horse thinks and responds, and what you can do to influence those responses. Your horse gains confidence as you do.

Learning Horse Sense

Learn how a horse thinks, responds to pressure, release from pressure, and threatening situations. Knowing how to be there to support your horse will help you understand and fulfill your responsibility as a rider and help keep you safe. Your horse is a feeling, thinking, herd animal that requires a leader that he can respect and trust at all times. You can be that leader. You will begin to understand how everything you do in the saddle is influenced by the ground work you do before you get in the saddle.

Ground Work / Work in Hand

Calmly leading, yielding to pressure, turning, bending, freeing up the hindquarters and all four feet are some of the components of ground work. You will learn a philosophy that, when applied, will begin to improve your communication and safety in the saddle. As your horse learns to respond lightly in the halter you will have the beginnings of the trust and respect you need to solve problems under saddle.

Problem Solving

Trailer loading, shoeing, shying, kicking, biting, hard to catch, and hard to bridle are a few of the problems riders encounter. Many of the problems that arise between horse and rider can be traced to lack of mutual respect. This manifests as tenseness, the inability of the horse to move its feet freely and calmly, and resistance in the mind and the hindquarters. When feelings of resistance, defensiveness and fear are alleviated, most problems will disappear.

Suppleness / Collection / Balance

Suppleness, collection and balance are mental states that are reached when the horse “turns loose” to a rider through trust and respect, both on the ground and in the saddle. This mental attitude will be reflected in the quality of movement and in the softness and liveliness of the horse’s response to you and your aids.

Safety

Safety of both horse and rider are our prime concern. A horse that is respectful, happy to be with the human and feels no need to either defend itself or take over the partnership will be safe, eager and fun to ride.

Fun!
The reason most folks bought their horse was to have fun. It is much more enjoyable when you feel safe. When your paths of communication are open, you get the response and respect you need for whatever job you choose to do. If you are working cattle, roping, trail riding or showing, it will all be more fun if your horse wants to be with you and your partnership is working smoothly.

Bob’s philosophy is to work in the way that is most natural for the horse and most encouraging and safe for the human.