About Partnership and Respect

With horses, partnership is all about respect. As heard animals, horses will respect their leader, trust their leader and look to their leader for guidance. As a rider you must become a leader for your horse. To do this, you must earn their respect. 

You don't earn a horse's respect by making them like you or by giving them treats. You earn their respect by 1) moving their feet, and 2) building their confidence. 

From the horse's perspective, the one who can make them move their feet is the boss. That's why if your horse is pushy it’s a huge form of disrespect: they are making you move your feet. The best way to establish respect in this way is through ground work. If you can get your horse to move their feet forwards backwards left and right on the ground just off of your body language signals you can be pretty confident your horse respects you. (Check out my coming video series on groundwork for some great exercises to accomplish this.)

To build a horse's confidence you have to put them in a slightly uncomfortable situation and help them get through it in a positive way. Whether that's teaching them to load on a trailer, introducing them to a new place, or introducing a new jump, make sure you are not putting your horse in a panic mode situation. Choose something that is achievable and build on that experience. Also, make sure you are equipped, comfortable, and confident in whatever situation you choose. Remember, you are the leader, you have to be confident in order to make your horse confident. 

Taking time to gain your horse's respect will never disappoint. You will create a better partnership and a stronger trust bond!