Kindness in Horse Training

It is a known fact that some horse trainers are cruel. In horse training, kindness is an important principle that should be followed at all times. However, too much kindness is also not good. You should still include appropriate punishment if your horse does not follow your commands.

Whenever people hear the word ‘punishment’, they often think of hitting and whipping. If you’re going to punish your horse, don’t hit them. Instead, you can simply use a change in your voice’s tone. The horse can easily detect any change in your voice and it can have a certain effect on him.

If your horse follows your commands, you must also reward it with kindness like giving it a caress on the forehead or shoulder. Make sure that even if you punish your horse, the confidence remains. Your horse should still think that you’re his best buddy despite the punishment. When your horse is excited, never whip him because it is an act of cruelty and foolishness. You will only make the situation more dangerous. It will also increase the balkiness of your horse.

Here’s a very good example. Horses can be compared to kids. When a kid commits a mistake, your instinct is to scold him at once. If you do, he will think that he’s in trouble. This will make him nervous and uneasy. Make sure that you calm him by telling him that you’re mad at what he’s done. Let him see that you’re not angry anymore. At this point, your kid knows that he committed a mistake but he can still feel your love. Horses should also be treated the same way. It is important for horses to feel approved and loved. If after a punishment your horse still feels uneasy and afraid, you can’t train him effectively.

Perfect timing of kindness is just as important. You see, if you exhibit kindness at the wrong timing, it might reinforce wrong behavior. Take this example – your horse runs from you and you had to chase him. When you finally catch him, you say ‘that’s a god boy’. By doing so, you’re teaching your horse to run away from you. Your horse will think that if he runs away, you will pet him afterwards.

Your horse should see you as a friend, not a predator. Don’t treat your horse like a slave. Wrong acts of horses are triggered by excitement, fear, and mismanagement. Even a single harsh word can cause nervousness. As a horse trainer, you should be aware that abusing a horse can lead to balking, biting, and kicking; if you whip your horse, it’s like whipping a child. If you treat them with common sense and kindness from birth, they will grow up to be obedient and useful horses.

Don’t be stubborn in dealing with problem horses. You should be gentle in order to win obedience. Make sure that you give them treats occasionally especially if they obey you. Caress and kind words can calm an excited and afraid horse.

Kindness in horse training is very important. If you want to be a successful and effective horse trainer, you should show kindness to all animals. Developing your confidence and positive traits is also vital. Avoid harsh punishments like whipping. When you’re punishing your horse, you need to be consistent. If you do these things, your horse will become a well-trained one.